Tents set up for Bike Week

DAYTONA BEACH — Friday may be the official start of Bike Week but that doesn’t mean local businesses aren’t already revving their engines.

At Daytona Harley-Davidson, like many other spots along Beach Street, outdoor booths have been set up, but remain sealed like presents waiting to be opened at a biker Christmas.

And while physical setup may take only three days according to Daytona Harley general manager Dennie Payne, preparation for the annual motorcycle event, which runs through March 13, started much earlier.

“We start planning about six months in advance just getting plans approved by the city and things like that,” Payne said. “Really, we start right after Biketoberfest.”

The fact that the local Harley dealership has been taking part in Bike Week events since 1994 makes preparation much easier, leaving time to focus on the more glamorous aspects of the event.

“We’re gonna have vendors galore, the world’s largest inventory of motorcycles, beer tubs, food,” he said. “It’s just going to be a party in the street.”

Over on Main Street, the owners of Hot Leathers, which sells Bike Week merchandise as well as general motorcycle clothing and accessories, are pinning their hopes on a business-as-usual strategy.

“Bike Week doesn’t require much for us because we’re like this year-round,” said manager Chuck Eitel. “We did some painting just a few weeks ago to have people see a new look for Hot Leathers, but as far as business, this is how we are all the time. We just do what we’ve been doing.”

Eitel has opened an outdoor booth for extra inventory but he is doing his best to temper expectations.

“We subscribe to the hope of if you build it they will come, but watch the news. With the snow they’re having up North and gas prices, I just don’t know. Even if the people do come, they may not have as much money to spend,” he said. “But we still have high expectations. We’re pumped for it.”

The folks at Daytona Harley-Davidson also are getting excited for what is expected to be a big week for Daytona Beach.

“It’s a huge boost for us,” Payne said. “I mean it’s 500,000 people and with the weather we’re supposed to have, we expect a huge turnout.”

On Main Street, a sprinkling of bikers like 56-year-old Vermont resident Mike Harbinger have already started to arrive to “beat the rush.”

“The economy sucks but we save for this every year,” said Harbinger, a truck driver who came to Daytona Beach with his wife, Anne. “We don’t spoil ourselves very much but once a year we do this. If you like this kind of stuff, this is electric.”