I know the shows founder, Thor Drake and most of the nut jobs who make this work.
(I want to be clear this is not MY event, I do promotion and events for our local vintage museum, but the ONE show is Thors baby.)
Some people think its a chopper show, or customs, but its not. The ONE concept came from the idea of what is the elements of what the ONE perfect bike that sums up the experience of motorcycles is to you, and highlighting it in a show. Nobody had any aspirations it was going to be a big deal, but now it is.
Corporate sponsors took notice, and HD, Indian, BMW, ICON motorsports, and a slew of others are now sponsors. You will find most of the BMW development team there at the event getting the pulse of the younger generation not too mention the ample beer drinking opportunities in "BEERVANA" as we have more breweries than any other city in the US.
Demographics show that younger people ARE interested in bikes, but there is a culture gap and with falling sales, Motorcycle companies are scrambling on how to connect. I am in a variety of vintage clubs and they are dying a slow death of apathy and obsolescence. A couple years ago I saw the leading members of one such local club. (Nameless to spare them further embarrassment) I know these guys well, and they were walking thru the crowd which was packed in with a line out the door and swamping 6 square blocks with bikes and people loitering on the sidewalks and talking bikes.
These guys were clumped up tight and looked all at the same time confused, freaked out, amazed and bewildered. Kind of like the Mean girls club who suddenly find out they arent the cool kids anymore.
"Who are all these Young'ns and why aren't they supporting the XXX club??"
At least, that was my perception of their reaction. Now to be fair, since then the show has reached out and been very accommodating to include vintage club members and offer spaces for club members bikes but the whole spectacle has taken a lot of the old farts by surprise.
Being that I was high on adrenaline from the crowd, and fueled by some moonshine brewed by a friend just for the event as well as I can be an ASS at times, I immediately confronted the vintage club mean girls club and rubbed it all in a little. I couldnt help myself as it illustrated what I had been preaching for years that you have to change things up if you want to grow your membership.
Regardless,, I am very proud of what these guys have accomplished and love to use this event and its copycats that have blossomed to shut down the age old chestnut that
"our hobby is dying!" Bullpuckey! or ,,,,,,,,,, "Young people dont care about these old cars/motorcycles/airplanes etc" (BULL PUCKEY)
Tons of videos out there on youtube as well as IMGUR and other sites. Both the racing and the show. Im easy to spot in some of them, just look for the old fat guy with grey hair in glasses wearing leather biker jacket.
