Bikers from across the region have been rolling into Hot Springs this week for The Hot Springs Rally despite threatening weather forecasts.
Rally organizer Fred Anderson said many of the rally's events are held indoors, but storms could take a toll on some of the outdoor events.
"I think some of the latest forecasts have been downplaying the rain a little bit, but fortunately a lot of what we have is inside with the vendors all set up in the mall and both concerts are indoors," he said.
"It shouldn't affect any ... of course, we're still getting a lot of calls for people buying tickets so even with all the doom and gloom that's forecast, people are still going to come out. It may affect some of the outside events. Friday's parade is probably going to be up in the air right now until we see what happens Friday afternoon. But if there's a chance, we'll still go off as planned," Anderson said.
A decision on the parade, which is scheduled for 6 p.m. today, will more than likely be made around 5:30 p.m., depending on the weather, he said. Should it run as planned, the annual parade will leave Oaklawn Racing & Gaming and will travel north on Central Avenue to Park Avenue, through Gulpha Gorge and back to the Hot Springs Convention Center.
"About the only thing we can do is if at 5:30 p.m. it's not raining, then we'll probably make the decision about 5:30 p.m. whether to go," he said. "If it doesn't look like it's going to be pouring down rain, then we'll go. We just don't want to put anybody in danger. That's the biggest concern, is really from a safety standpoint. And I'm sure the Hot Springs Police Department will have a little bit to say of whether they think it's safe to go or not. They'll be doing the escorts for the whole parade."
The annual bike show will be indoors at the convention center and people can still participate in the scheduled poker runs whether on a motorcycle or not.
Anderson said he has spoken to several people who have come to Hot Springs already this week who made the trip early to avoid the rain.
"Some of them I've talked to at the hotel have said 'Well, we saw the weather so we decided to come in a day or two early,'" he said. "I have heard some of the hotels are getting some cancellations; I don't know how many. There's just a lot of die-hard motorcycle guys out there. They may have to trailer it up, trailer their bikes in, but they'll ride whenever they can.
"Back in 2008 when Hurricane Ike came through, that came through the weekend of the rally. It blew through here Saturday night with winds so strong it was blowing motorcycles over out in front of what was the Austin Hotel then. But that was the largest rally we've had. Miranda Lambert was playing Saturday night and so I think with Foreigner playing this Saturday we'll still get a pretty big draw."
Mike Thomson with the Diamond Chapter of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America said the annual Antique Motorcycles in the Park on Saturday at Hill Wheatley Plaza is still set to take place.
"I think we'll just go down there in the morning and see how it goes," he said. "We've been out there in the rain before."
Thomson said a few participants have already dropped out due to the forecast, which he understands, but as far as he is concerned the club will still try to gather and display its vintage motorcycle collection.
"If it's sprinkling or misting, that's no problem but if it's pouring down rain, that's a different story," he said.
Indian Motorcycles of Little Rock and Rock City Harley-Davidson are both set up outside the convention center offering test rides. Both said they will offer rides as long as the weather cooperates.
"We'll have a lead rider and a tail rider so, two of our guys with them," said Steve Brown, riding academy manager for Rock City. "Depending on how many people are interested, the groups could be three people, five people, seven people. It just depends."
Riders for the Harley-Davidson demonstrations must be 18 years of age and have a valid motorcycle endorsement. Riders will be required to wear a DOT approved helmet, eye protection, closed-toe shoes and pants.
Brown said test rides will take place as they can around the rain today and Saturday.
According to Rob Gregory, the majority of his Jacksonville showroom is on hand at the convention center for interested buyers to see the latest in Indian Motorcycles.
"So many people don't know the history behind the Indian," he said. "It was the first American motorcycle in 1901. They faltered after the Great Depression and Polaris Industries purchased all the copyrights to the brand in 2011, and they started from the ground up with the new bike trying to capture the old but have the new technology.
"They've done a tremendous job with that and so many people think Polaris is a snowmobile company, but they have no idea how huge Polaris Industries is and the capabilities that they have. They're a no debt company and people just don't know that more than likely their car that they're driving has something on it or in it that Polaris actually designed for the auto industry, as well. They just don't know all the different companies that Polaris actually owns that aren't traded under the Polaris label."
Gregory said his passion for Indian Motorcycles started at a young age.
"I wanted it from the day I was 12," he said. "Back in the '70s there was an uncopyrighted motorcycle that came out and it was shut down, and my grandfather had to explain that to me at 12 years old. So I had a tremendous passion for the brand then and I wanted that red Indian (motorcycle) so bad I could taste it and now you can actually have it because Polaris is the owner of the brand.
"It's its own individual brand, they have their own plant in Spirit Lake, Iowa. It is the most American motorcycle that you can buy, truly, part for part, nut for bolt. It is the most American motorcycle offered on this planet."
Local on 09/07/2018