Motorcycle Mania Boasts Huge Turnout, Artful Bikes on Display

Motorcyle Mania 2014 
brought out over 5,000 bikes

The 8th annual Motorcycle Mania on Wednesday from 5 to 7 pm August 14th 2013 drew over 5,000 motorcycles to downtown Middletown. The festival, organized by the Middlesex Chamber of Commerce, featured four bandstands with a variety of music, vendors, and food trucks. Every restaurant on Main Street with outdoor seating saw a boom in business that evening customers pouring out the door. The Hunter Family, in memory of Dan Hunter ,a motorcycle enthusiast killed in a accident on his bike, is a large sponsor of the annual event. The Haymond Law Firm with a bevy of female models in tow, among many other sponsors, were out in full force. Lawyer John Haymond posed with fans for photos. Bikes, trikes, and vehicles with side cars parked from the South Green all the way up to the intersection of Washington and Main for the event. saw Bikes with plates from Maine to New Jersey were on display.  Local motorcycle clubs and custom shops turned out. Fat City Cycle owed by local Johnny Moore, at shop which  is a staple in the northend City owned Remington Rand Factory Building, had examples of its impressive custom work on display.Various charitable organizations such as Disabled Veterans of Connecticut and the Kiwanis Club of Middletown were in attendance at the family event which drew an estimated 10,000 people.  

 From our observations, no other street festival that Middletown has boasts this many people turning out, nor can compare to the revenue that local restaurants and cafes seemed to be taking in judging from the lines out the doors and full street seating. Kiwanis of Middletown sold grinders to benefit their annual scholarship fund and Warm the Children campaign. The committee chair of the event on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce is Richard Greco. 

While many residents have taken to online rants to complain of the loud drone of the exhaust of these vehicles cutting into their peaceful midsummer evening, fact is thousands of locals and citizens from afar of all ages enjoyed a fun, family friendly, inexpensive evening downtown with motorcycles on display that could truly be called nothing less than works of art and  engineering ingenuity.

Middletown Kiwanis President Chris Conely, and member Dave Darling man the club's booth which sold grinders as a fundraiser for the club's charitable causes such as the  scholarship fund and Warm the Children Campaigns

Vintage cycles, custom bikes, and bikes with side cars like this one featured were on display. Eager owners answered questions and allowed pretty much anyone interested to pose next to their bikes for a photo.

Custom paint jobs and chrome dominated many motorcycle bodies, as well as special leather accessories also available for purchase from vendors at the event.

An old school style ride  has  white washed ties 
and broad fenders, but a totally new school exhaust system.

As in this photo of a embracing couple, love was in the air at Motorcycle Mania. Love of chrome, noise, leather, family, and comradery among the biker community and its following.

This  white bike has an extra large "dashboard." The owner said it was so his wife, a frequent passenger on the back, could dock her ipod and provide tunes as they cruise; an innovation the owner said that many motorcycles don't come with.

The South Green was overflowing this year with cycles of all makes and models.