Slinghot drivers received an unpleasant surprise on the day of Bike Week’s opening in Dayton Beach on Friday when they tried to travel on Mine Street, as they did at past rallies.
But this year it was not: Thongs, which are three -wheeled between a car and a motorcycle, are not allowed on a main street, while the road artery is closed to regular traffic during a wheel.
Cars and trucks are not allowed on the road until bicycle week is a session. The event lasts until March 9
It was a shock to the members of the coast to the coast slingshots, said group president Beth Davis.
“Everyone is extremely disappointed and many of us did not understand until we made the trip there down,” Davis said. “I don’t know what we are going to do in the future.”
The launch of the Atlantic Avenue is turned from Main Street, which is only for motorcycles, Saturday night on March 1, 2025 during the 84th annual bicycle week.
She added that the group members may not return to the bicycle week or Biketoberfest.
“I sincerely think that after this year there is no reason to go to the Daton bicycle week if we are not allowed to be part of it,” Davis said.
Singeshots are banned by Main Street along with cars during the Daytona Beach bicycle week. This slingshot belongs to Beth Davis, President of the Coast to the Coast Though.
She said that the owners of the slingshot are coming on a bicycle week and Biketoberfest from near and wide events.
“We had no problems, there were no problems. We enjoyed each other. We go to Main Street, visit places, go to the sellers, spend a lot of money, “said Davis.
How much does a sling?
Slingshots celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. Vehicles can cost from $ 24,999 to $ 38,999, according to the sling website.
The website points out that a regular driver’s license is all you need in most states to drive the machine. In contrast, Florida also requires the approval of motorcycles for a driver’s license to drive a motorcycle.
Police claim the slingshot ban is a problem
The Daton Beach Police Department had not responded to an email from the news journal Sunday morning, asking why the slings were no longer allowed on Main Street.
But a News-Journal reporter asked some of the bicycle officers on Saturday, why the slings were banned from Main Street.
Their answers varied.
Some officers said the slings were wider than three-wheel motorcycles, also called “tricks”. This extra width means that the slings can hit one of the hundreds of motorcycles parked on both sides of the main street during the bicycle week, according to police. In addition to the initial incident, the crash can lead to dominoes resembling a domino with parked motorcycles.
Others said the slings were classified as “autocycles”, not motorcycles. Slingots are neither cars nor motorcycles, but they have elements of anyone, although they are marked as a motorcycle.
Police also said the ban was implemented after the New Orleans terrorists attack on New Year’s.
The security measures of this year’s bicycle week have been increased after this attack, including Meridian barriers designed to stop vehicles. The barriers are loan from the Sheriff’s Sheriff’s office.
The Main Street Prohibition Petition receives a scarce response
Whatever the reason, the slings have their barriers for a purist motorcyclists, such as Kenneth Rolag.
Rollag began a petition last year to ban Main Street slingshots during Bike Week, just as cars and trucks are prohibited. Rolag writes that he is an enthusiast of motorcycles and claims that slingshots and similar machines are “violating” the atmosphere of the bicycle week, which must celebrate the culture of motorcycles. He writes that slingshots have features such as side and steering wheel seats like a car.
“Let’s maintain what our favorite bicycle week does special, ensuring that it remains an event for real motorcycles enthusiasts,” the petition said.
The petition collected 31 signatures.
However, Davis acknowledged that motorcyclists had complained about slingshots.
“I know there are many complaints: motorcyclists don’t like the slings,” she said.
Cycling Week 2024.
She said she had an incident last year’s bicycle week when a slingshot hit a motorcycle parked on a main street. Davis said the motorcycle was not parked properly.
“We saw one of the slings because they are a little bigger, they hit one of the motorcycles,” Davis said. “It was really not the blame of the sling. It was the motorcycle that was too far on the road, “Davis said
SLINGSHOT GROUP cannot return to Bike Week, Biketoberfest
The news journal talks with a handful of motorcyclists along Main Street on Saturday and none of them said they had a problem with slingshots.
Sam Akararo, from Port Orange, was sitting on his motorcycle, looking at the chrome Pass. He said there was no problem with slingshots, comparing the machines with three-wheeled wheels, including Can-Aams.
“All it is is just a longer version of CAN-AM,” Akararo said. He added that if they ban the slings, they should ban all three wheels.
Alberto Lamberti from Okala said that motorcyclists are aging, sometimes needing extra wheels. He said he was 75 years old, had an outdoor heart surgery and could no longer drive a two -wheel motorcycle. To ride safely, he had two extra wheels added to the back of Honda Goldwing. He had a problem with the ban on slings.
“This is not fair,” he said.
Davis from Coast to Coast said the group usually has 60 slings that make the journey from Jacksonville to Dayton Beach for a bicycle week, while another 60 or 70 rolls from Orlando and beyond. She said that the owners of the slings were older and mature.
She said she was relieved that the collection of slingshots in Dayton Beach on Saturday, March 8, was not planned on a main street, but rather at the Triton Powersports on Ballough Road.
Davis said that if the ban on the main street remains in place, her group may not return to the bicycle week and Biketoberfest.
“If that is going to be the plan, we probably won’t do it,” she said. “They lose a lot of revenue.”
This article originally appeared on Daytona Beach News-Journal: Slinghots, banned by Main Street for Bike Week Daytona