Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/751464
38 nDecember 2016n www.thunderpress.net THUNDER PRESS their fi rst couple songs were of a Gaelic nature and a far cry from their usual Southern Rock. The audience didn't seem to appreciate the change in style, either. I was rather disappointed as they were one of the bands I was looking forward to seeing and I didn't stay around for a third song. Next door, Boot Hill was crowded but the inside bar is rather small so it doesn't take many people to fi ll it up. Outside the announcer was calling guys up for the oldest Boot Hill T-shirt contest. This is usually a popular contest with some of the shirts dating back many years and bearing holes and faded designs. Not so this time; the winner's shirt was from 1994 and two others with the same logo were from 1999. Sunday, there were still plenty of people roaming up and down Main Street looking for special sales and good deals on event merchandise. The numbers dwindled slowly but the Main Street Station geared up for one last effort to wrap up the weekend on a positive note. The Survivors Party started mid-day and ran well into the night with Big Engine and an AC/DC tribute band rocking the stages. Next year October 19–22 will be the 25th anniversary of the event and we're all keeping our fi ngers crossed for better weather in the weeks before, and that any bad storm will come after those dates have passed or, better yet, not visit us at all. 4 Biketoberfest Continued from page 29 Proving once again that trike riders are a breed apart This pristine Shovelhead was an entry in the Vintage Class at the Rat's Hole Show on Beach Street by Huffy the Biker Clown DAYTONA BEACH, FLA., OCT. 13–16—Less than fi ve days after Hurricane Matthew's devastation in the southeast U.S., the 24th annual Jam-On Productions Biketoberfest Swap Meet took place. My usual 17-hour ride turned into a 26-hour ride with all the detours, fl ooded roads, trees downed, road construction and wires dangling. When I arrived the day before the offi cial swap meet opening, I was surprised at what was already accom- plished at the Daytona Flea Market grounds, the swap meet's home dur- ing Bike Week and Biketoberfest. All the debris had been collected and gas blowers were cleaning off the track for the Xtreme Fury Stunterz. All that had to be done was to run the electric under the road, hang some signs and the swap meet was ready to go. This swap meet has a good base of mixed parts, and you can tell by all the vendors that have been coming year after year, along with some new vendors. One of the old-school ven- dors from Florida that I had a chance to talk to was Madd Dawg. I fi rst saw him on Thursday sitting on his 1941 Harley-Davidson U-model police bike. Man, was he proud of that piece he had for sale! He showed me how the siren worked and explained the low-com- pression kick start. If you need any info on an old bike, ask Madd Dawg. On Thursday there was a Trike and Sidecar Bike Show, where I saw a crazy trike. So I spoke with owner Dave Heeter who said he built the 1967 Sportster in six months out of a 1967 Sportster. He did all the fabrication, and the paint was done by Antuna Art. Dave won Best of Show! The Lloyd family took fi rst place in the Sidecar class for their 2006 H-D Road King with 2012 sidecar. The Lloyds are from Canada and make the trip here twice a year, for Daytona Bike Week and Biketoberfest. But this year, they almost didn't make it; two hours into their trip the hotel called them and cancelled their room because insurance victims from the fl ood needed housing. Four hours later they found a room 30 miles from Daytona. Not only does the swap meet have parts, food and apparel, it also offers music and a stunt show. I had a chance to play music and emcee the Xtreme Fury Stunterz show. It was exciting and a lot of fun working with J-Block and Combat Barbie, who have been doing s hows for seven years. They used three Harley-Davidsons in the show, a 2015 Street XG750, a 2009 1200 Sportster and a 2013 FLHTP Police bike for a chase scene. My favorite stunt is the Sportster brake light being broken during a wheelie. It takes dedication and com- mitment from organizers, vendors and bikers to make this swap meet happen, especially when a natural disaster like Matthew hits. See you at Jam-On Daytona Bike Week Swap Meet next March! 4 JAM-ON PRODUCTIONS SWAP MEET Can't stop the party Business as usual in hurricane's aftermath J-Block from Extreme Fury Stunterzs doing a wheelie on his 2015 H-D Street XG750