Owensboro is turning into a motorcycle mecca for the annual River City Bike Show, where enthusiasts can enjoy stunt shows, sound competitions, custom builds, and the latest gear and accessories.
The show, which is open to the public, kicks off today and runs through Sunday at the Owensboro Convention Center. The inaugural 2-day event in 2023 drew about 3,000 people. Organizers hope the extra day and new events this year will bring in an even bigger crowd.
“We’re thrilled to bring the River City Bike Expo to Owensboro,” event founder Mark Rhoades, who owns the Pinup Baggers motorcycle shop in Newburgh, said previously. “This event is more than just a showcase of bikes; it’s a celebration of the spirit, passion, and sense of community that motorcycles bring to our lives.”
One of the main draws is the collection of motorcycles, ranging from the latest models to cherished classics, that will fill the inside of the Convention Center. The expo will also again feature industry products, installation, and more than 25 tattoo artists offering live tattooing.
The most notable new event this year is the addition of the Busted Knuckles Stunt Tour, a well-recognized company that travels to major venues such as Sturgis, Daytona, and Panama. Riders perform stunts that include wheelies, acrobatics, burnouts, jumps, pyro, and other tricks they may have up their sleeves. Every show is unique.
There will be one stunt show on Friday night, followed by more on Saturday and Sunday — all in front of the Convention Center.
Also new this year is a pub/restaurant crawl, where attendees can get a card punched at each location. Various local manufacturers will be stationed at the different stops. On Sunday, those manufacturers will have door prizes for which the crawl attendees can be eligible.
Jimmy Allyn, who runs the nationally recognized media service Bluegrass Biker News, is helping Rhoades put on the event.
Allyn noted that the 2024 audio competition will also be a points stop on the national tour.
“You’ve got guys that travel to the big national rallies because they’re earning season points, and this will be a stop on that route. So there’s a lot of national draw in the motorcycle community,” he said previously. “There’s a lot of excitement coming to town.”
There will also be a church service on Sunday morning presented by the Christian Motorcycle Association at the Convention Center.
The bike show inside is put on by Urban Rides magazine, a national publication and global print syndicate. The overall event is sponsored by the Evansville Harley-Davidson and Tennessee-based parts company ThunderMax.
For more information about the overall show or specific events, visit the River City Bike Show Facebook page.
