The pure joy of life
This year's European Bike Week took place from September 6th to 11th
When motorcycle fans talk about the “biggest party of the year,” most of them are probably referring to European Bike Week – or “Faak” for short. This year the major event took place on the sunny south side of the Alps from September 6th to 11th. More than 100,000 visitors - young and old, singles, couples and entire families - traveled from all parts of Europe, Africa and America to Austria's southernmost federal state of Carinthia to ride motorcycles together and celebrate the pure joy of life. They had brought around 75,000 bikes with them, and regardless of whether the machines were circling non-stop around the lake or parked in all their glory in seemingly endless rows along the 40,000 m² Harley Village: they offered a feast for the eyes for people with gasoline in their blood.
Carinthia's location south of the weather divide of the main Alpine ridge ensured truly midsummer temperatures. So they passed the time with small excursions, big tours and guided trips into the fascinating mountain world and marveled at the brand new Milwaukee Irons for the coming model year in the Expo tent. Over 1,000 guests took the opportunity to take a free test ride on a Harley, while the authentic Jump Start driving simulator awakened the desire to ride a motorcycle in all those who do not yet have a driving license. A winner from Italy may have just experienced this: he won the main prize in the competition and can look forward to a brand new Harley-Davidson Blackline.
Twenty authorized dealers and a large number of independent traders invited people to shop around bikes, while people fortified themselves with delicacies and drinks from the Alps-Adriatic region at the catering stands and in the large tents. Already in the late afternoon, the bands were hitting the ground running on the stately open-air stage and in the large tents: 24 bands - including the frenetically celebrated top act Uriah Heep - rocked until late into the night.
There was amazement among the laypeople and talk of trade among the experts when excavators, choppers and bobbers presented themselves to the eyes of a strict jury in the top-class custom bike show on Friday. The kilometer-long parade around the Ossiacher and Faaker See, with which the bikers said goodbye to the hospitable region on Saturday on over 25,000 bikes, caused no less enthusiasm. The best news at the end: After Faak is of course before Faak. The next European Bike Week will take place from September 4th to 9th, 2012. If you stay at home, it's your own fault!
Text & Images: Copyright Harley-Davidson Press
