Top 10 Things to Do at Daytona Bike Week
If you haven’t experienced Daytona Bike Week. well, you’re missing out! Daytona is a really unique type of motorcycle rally. Really. It’s got its own quirks, and we don’t just mean the alligators!
Daytona Beach, Florida is on the east coast of Florida, about an hour northeast of Orlando, and north of Cape Canaveral. It’s very much a beach city known for Spring Break, and for being able to take your vehicles directly onto the sandy beach - even your motorcycle! Oh, and it’s also the home to plenty of racing, especially NASCAR.
This all makes for a fun mish-mash of people, styles, and our favorite, tons of food options!
So, we’ll let you in on some of the things we love about Daytona Bike Week - the food, where to ride, where to shop, and what to see!
The Motorcycle Rides
Now, Florida isn’t known for its riding - there’s no twisty mountain roads. But there are some really great, chill rides along A1A. Some of our favorite routes are:
The Ormond Beach Scenic Loop - We love to start off on Main St and take Beach Street over to the Loop. This slow-paced cruise will take you beneath the canopy of trees, and past the water for beautiful views. Photographers often sit on the Loop to take photos of passing motorcyclists. When you get to the ocean, you can head left to Flagler Beach, or right to head back toward Main St in Daytona.
A1A - US Hwy 1 - Cruise A1A for beautiful ocean views! Either way you go, North or South, you’ll find plenty of views, lots of food options, and plenty of tourist fun like Gatorland!
Ponce Inlet Ride - head down the coast to the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse - there’s a great loop to ride!
The Keys - looking for a getaway for a weekend? Head ALL the way south to ride the bridges over to the Florida Keys!
Racing
Daytona Beach has a long and storied history with racing. Daytona Beach had been used for Land speed racing, but in 1937 the Savannah 200 race was moved to Daytona, where they raced a loop on sand. In 59, the International Speedway opened, and the races moved to the banked Speedway.
Now, there’s still plenty of racing going on in Daytona!
American Flat Track hosts races at the famed Speedway, running their Short Track races on March 9 and 10, 2023. See professional AFT racers go head-to-head on the dirt track in the infield of the Speedway.
Our favorite, though, is the grassroots racing, like the Sons of Speed race. This is a banked-track race, styled after the historical early 20th century board track races - that’s right, racing on a wooden board track! This race is put on by Billy Lane, whom you may remember from Choppers, Inc and the heyday of motorcycle builders on TV. These races feature 1920’s motorcycles, stripped down without a starter, or brakes! You read right, many of these bikes have NO BRAKES AT ALL. Multiple classes include other various vintage bikes, with many famous riders including Billy himself, Brittney Olsen, Josh Owens of the TV Show Moonshiners, Jody Perewitz, and so many more. We HIGHLY recommend catching these races on March 4 at the New Smyrna Speedway.
Main Street
Main Street - like any other bike rally, Main Street is pretty much a requirement to check out! First of all, That’s where some of the First MFG vendors will be!
Highway Leather on Main Street will be stocked with plenty of FMCo gear. Stop by to check them out! ADDRESS HERE
And of course, there is plenty of entertainment along Main Street. From plenty of bars, food vendors, and of course, motorcycle vendors. Not to mention, walking along the street - that’s only open to motorcycle traffic during the rally - is like a bike show all on its own. And plenty of people cruise the street in wild outfits, and even costumes!
Some of the outdoor bars we love to stop and check out are Dirty Harrys, Boot Hill Saloon, and the Full Moon Saloon! Dirty Harry’s regularly has live music and entertainment, with fair style food located inside the outdoor area. Boot Hill is one of the oldest biker bars around, and it’s claim to fame is it’s located across from the cemetery!
The Full Moon Saloon is a massive outdoor bar with multiple stages, and plenty of carnival food, too!
*PLEASE do NOT drink and ride! No shame in catching an Uber, walking, or hitchin’ a ride with friends! *
Ormond Beach Bars
Ormond Beach is really just the next city over from Daytona Beach, but it has SO much to offer. Two of our favorite spots are located right on US-1 in Ormond Beach.
Broken Spoke Saloon - The Broken Spoke is the SPOT to be to check out a bike show! This property is huge, allows motorcycle parking ON the grounds for free, and it’s lined with MASSIVE trees providing plenty of shade. And don’t forget to look in the trees... We promise you’ll like it! Legendary racer Jay Allen emcees this venue, and they host some great bands, especially Hairball! Hairball is a tribute band to... Well, just about every 70’s and 80’s rock band. Broken Spoke also hosts TONS of bike shows - Warren Lane’s True Grit Show, Cycle Source Mag’s Custom Show, Dennis Kirk’s Garage Build, and the Perewitz Paint Show.
Broken Spoke Saloon - The Broken Spoke is the SPOT to be to check out a bike show! This property is huge, allows motorcycle parking ON the grounds for free, and it’s lined with MASSIVE trees providing plenty of shade. And don’t forget to look in the trees... We promise you’ll like it! Legendary racer Jay Allen emcees this venue, and they host some great bands, especially Hairball! Hairball is a tribute band to... Well, just about every 70’s and 80’s rock band. Broken Spoke also hosts TONS of bike shows - Warren Lane’s True Grit Show, Cycle Source Mag’s Custom Show, Dennis Kirk’s Garage Build, and the Perewitz Paint Show.
The Iron Horse Saloon is another giant, legendary spot in Ormond Beach. Located just up from the Broken Spoke, they have free live music, a Wall of Death - a vintage style stunt show featuring motorcycles riding on a vertical wall - and of course, our favorite, the legendary Steak Tips. Yep, you read right - perfectly cooked steak tips on a bed of mushrooms, onions, and delectable mashed potatoes. The steak tips alone are worth the trip, we promise! The Iron Horse also allows parking inside the bar, and even has burnout contests.
Both the Broken Spoke and Iron Horse will allow you to leave your motorcycle overnight if you need to, they both lock the gates all night.
Destination Daytona
Destination Daytona is an all-encompassing dealership. The main stay of Destination is the 109,000 sq ft Daytona Harley-Davidson dealership, and TONS and TONS of vendors. Many of the big brands, like S&S Cycle, Saddlemen, Drag Specialties, Memphis Shades, Vance & Hines, and so many more.
Also on the property is a massive J&P Cycles, for any last-minute parts you may find you need.
They also have a massive pavilion with live music, a Wall of Death, bike shows, and entertainment!
They also have a massive pavilion with live music, a Wall of Death, bike shows, and entertainment!
Daytona International Speedway
From racing to vendors, the Speedway is a must-stop during Bike Week. Many of the OEM motorcycle companies set up here - including Harley-Davidson! H-D hosts rides, and stunt shows out of Speedway, including the Women’s Ride on March 8th. H-D also does demo rides, along with many of the other OEM brands. That’s right, you can roll over and ride nearly any brand-new bike on a led ride around the area.
There’s lots more vendors here selling parts, accessories, and so much more. And don’t forget about the American Flat Track races!
There’s plenty of bike shows going on here all week, too.
Restaurants & Food
We would be lying if we told you that the food isn’t a large part of why we love Daytona. Obviously, the seafood here is the real draw, but there is a TON of incredible restaurants to try out. Here’s some of our favorites:
Giuseppe’s Steel City Pizza, Port Orange, FL - run by a biker, this pizza is some of the best (that you can find outside of NYC, of course!) You’ll walk in past a giant, tattooed Big Boy, and right into one of our favorite restaurants. Be sure to try the wings, or the buffalo pizza! Be sure to tell ‘em we sent ya!
Iron Horse Saloon - Steak Tips - we know we told you about these already, but we didn’t want you to forget! These steak tips are perfectly cooked, every time, so be sure to put them on your list.
Seafood - there’s a number of incredible seafood places around, but we have a few we frequent. Riptides has all you can eat crab legs, always a great option! Ocean Deck is a well-loved seafood spot. Up the road in Flagler Beach is The Funky Pelican, which never disappoints. And it’s near the end of the Ormond Loop!
Smileys Tap - a seemingly unlikely spot for great food, this small bar located next to the Broken Spoke has great burgers, and catfish lunch.
Main St - if you’re the type that likes a good turkey leg, look no further than Porky’s on Main St.
Looking for some ice cream? The Dairy Bar in Port Orange is a classic spot for ice cream and the best chili dogs around!
Willie’s Chopper Time
Willie’s Chopper Time is a long standing tradition for Daytona Bike Week - it brings out the best, and wildest, choppers and customs around. They pack tightly into the parking lot of Willie’s Tropical Tattoo, and vendors surround the remaining spaces. This one isn’t for the faint of heart - it will be PACKED. But, it’s hands down one of our favorite bike shows ever! Check it out at Tropical Tattoo in Ormond Beach - get there early if you want your bike in the show!
Swapmeets
Daytona is known for bringing out some of the best swapmeet vendors, so if you’re looking for used or vintage parst, be sure to check them out!
Fastlane Motorcycle Swap has bike shows in addition to the swapmeet section.
Jam-On puts on a huge swapmeet at 1471 Tomoka Farms Road, this is the 45th anniversary!
Bike Shows
Some of our favorite events to check out are the bike shows. This is where you just might see us walking around, and if you’re in your FMCo gear, we might take your photo!
Here’s some of the bike shows we’ll be checking out:
Fri Mar 3 - Local Yocal Chopper Show, Daytona Stadium, Daytona Beach
Sun Mar 5 - True Grit Antique & Chopper Show by Warren Lane - Broken Spoke Saloon, Ormond Beach
Sun Mar 5 - Choppers Magazine Bike Show - Daytona International Speedway
Mon Mar 6 - Flying Piston Charity Breakfast - Destination Daytona, Ormond Beach
Mon Mar 6 - Led Sled Customs Sportster Show - Daytona International Speedway
Mon Mar 6 - Performance Hangover Show- Space Coast Harley Davidson
Tues Mar 7 - Cycle Source Magazine Custom Bike Show - Broken Spoke Saloon, Ormond Beach
Wed Mar 8 - Traditional Chopper Show - Giuseppe’s Pizza, Port Orange
Wed Mar 8 - Biker Belles Women’s Morning Ride - 7:30am - Daytona International Speedway - Tickets $25 for Charity
Wed Mar 8 - H-D Women’s Bike Show - Daytona International Speedway, H-D booth, 8am & 11am
Wed Mar 8 - Perewitz Custom Paint Show - Broken Spoke Saloon, Ormond Beach
Thu Mar 9 - Willie’s Chopper Time Show - Tropical Tattoo, Ormond Beach
Thu Mar 9 - Sporty Mob Ride - Daytona Beach Flea Market - 12pm
Fri Mar 10 - Dennis Kirk’s Garage Built Show - Broken Spoke Saloon, Ormond Beach
Fri Mar 10 - Boogie East Chopper Show, Annie Oakley’s Saloon, Ormond Beach
Fri Mar 10 - Deland’s Burning Bike Party, Deland
Sat Mar 11 - Lowdown Hoedown, Last Resort Bar, Port Orange
And we would be remiss if we didn’t mention Cackleberry Campground - they have a First MFG dealer, Wall of Death, and.. Coleslaw wrestling. (Yes, that’s exactly as it sounds…)
Check out our authorized FMCo dealers in Daytona
Highway Leather - multiple locations on Main Street in Daytona
OZ Leather - Cabbage Patch & Cacklebery Campground - 560 tomoka farms rd, Port Orange FL 32128
Tennessee Leather - Located at the Iron Horse Saloon - 1068 US-1 , Ormond Beach FL 32174
Bills Trailer - Located at 140 Main Street Dayton Beach.
Words, Savannah Rose - Photos, Aaron / Adam