Laughlin's 22nd edition, held April 21-25, was certainly up to expectations. This year featured at what the promoters bill as the West Coast's largest motorcycle event were many activities to keep everyone busy pretty much around the clock.
In addition to gambling and hanging out in the casinos till the sun came up, the desert landscape offered beautiful riding possibilities under some favorable, although slightly windy but still pleasant, riding conditions. Many riders opted to shed their lids as they traversed the roads just east of the Colorado River in the state of Arizona.
No matter what you may have been looking for in the V-twin world, it was to be found at any one of the many big and small vendors that had set up shop on just about every open piece of asphalt up and down Casino Drive. Makers of high-performance parts, wheels, tires, frames, rollers, complete bikes, sheetmetal, engines, transmissions, riding gear, accessories, and more offered riders their latest pieces.
The Discovery Channel was at it again, this time assembling past Bike Build Off participants and closing them all up in a nearby shop. The team of builders then had to see what they could collectively come up with in just three days. Considering the entire bike was fabbed, built, and painted, working round the clock was about the only option. Keep your eye out for this in an upcoming show on cable.
A 20-mile trip south of town would put you at the Avi Casino, where anyone with a bike, riding gear, and two bucks was welcome to race down the 1/8-mile track and see what kind of numbers their bike could come up with.
Next year, plan to be there, it will be back before you know it. HRB