Harley at 120
Harley-Riders rock Budapest!

Budapest/Hungary, June 22nd-25th, 2023. European celebrations for Harley-Davidson's 120th anniversary: Custom Chrome Europe was present at the biggest Harley-Party of the year!

The biggest Harley-Davidson Party of 2023 is history. Hungary's capital Budapest and the park-like location around the 2019 finished Puskás Aréna soccer stadium – named for Hungarian soccer legend Ferenc Puskás (1927–2006) – was a fitting and modern location for the European "Birthday Party" of the iconic American Motorcycle brand – and the city of Budapest did welcome the riders as guests and as friends when the 7.000+ motorcycle parade rumbled through downtown Pest and upstream along the Danube shore road crossing the river over two of the scenic bridges that have been reconstructed after World War II. Thousands of Hungarians and international tourists lined the streets when the parade passed – and with most visiting Harley-riders staying in downtown hotels and "Panzio's", the rumble in Budapest's streets didn't stop for four days and nights. The visiting Harley-riders did experience a great event, many helpful hands and could witness world class stunt-riding and music acts, not to forget a glimpse on Harley's history as well as the future of the brand: The new CVO Road Glide and CVO Street Glide premiered at Budapest as did custombikes from quite a number of CCE partners and customers from all over Europe. The Custom Chrome Europe Team was in the middle of the action – and hosting arriving CCE partners and customers four wild days!

Wednesday, June 21st – Arrival in Budapest

The route to Budapest is a long trip for most Europeans: Only 245 km from Vienna, the distances to Berlin (833), Paris (1480), London (1750), Rome (1200), Madrid (2500) and Lisbon (3100) are considerable. Custom Chrome Europe's warehouse and HQ is 1031+ km away at minimum, one way. Not really a day trip, so the team headed via a stop at Vienna/Austria to reach Puskás Aréna on "set-up" day, Wednesday June 21st. On that Wednesday, the event site hardly looked that any event would take place here tomorrow – as vendors were only allowed to set up today! Tuesday evening, the Hungarian National Soccer team blew away Lithuania 2:0 in an EM-qualification match which somewhat restricted the set-up of vendors which then concentrated on Wednesday. With many exhibitors and bike expo participants arriving at the event site today, a busy day was granted for CCE's Matthias Hirsch and Axel Scherer, along with Manuel De Liso, CEO of V-Performance exhaust systems, arriving from Italy. In the late afternoon, the display was "ready to rock" – and secured for the night, which turned out to be a good move: To add to the excitement, parts of the event set-up were blown away by a heavy thunderstorm in the night hours – the heavy water containers that secured the booked tents were well-chosen and certainly no exaggeration! 

All riders arriving had at least one day for orientation in the big city and the CCE team finally some rest in the hotel along the Danube shore in downtown Pest.

Thursday, June 22nd – Phoenix from the Ashes...

Or "Gone with the Wind" (to quote another movie classic) were many displays Thursday morning as a consequence of the nights storm when the vendors arrived to repair the damage and prepare for the first full event day. CCE's choice of rented tent and location turned out to be on the "winning side" as the tent was shaken up a little bit, yet no major damage was done.

 
It has to be stated that this was not Custom Chrome Europe's first visit to Hungary as the 2000-up decade saw a very active and interested Customizing scene in Hungary: The "Rod & Custom Show" of the magazine attracted many cool Hungary-built custom creations and sent them off the European and World Championships in Mainz, Morgan Hill, Las Vegas and Sturgis to score high positions. Hungary has its own motorcycle production history, a well-established motorcycle riding tradition dating back to times before the "Iron Curtain" was lifted (making Hungary one of the few countries were motorcycle riders from FRG and GDR could meet!) and an enthusiastic customizing, Hot Rod and Drag-Racing scene, which Custom Chrome Europe's East Europe Sales Rep Marcel Masaryk has supported through the years. However, the current state of Harley-Davidson and "official" customizing shops has somewhat shrunk to two authorized Harley dealers and four listed CCE-partners in and around Budapest. To meet and greet old and new Custom Chrome Europe customers, the team was ready as the event opened at 10 am with first riders and HOG members arriving for Thursday´s schedule. 

Dózsa György street did slowly fill up with arriving Harley's yet still allowed touring busses to be passing the Arena to check out the event from outside. Many riders used the fine weather for touring to Lake Balaton to cool down a little bit or simply stayed downtown to sightsee Budapest and enjoy a cool river cruise on one of the tourist boats. 

The indoor display was set up overnight and did evade any thunderstorms blowing outside: The 2023 Harley-Davidson model year, the anniversary models the new CVO's and a selection of antique and classic Harley-Davidson's from 120 years of history were presented along with a superb line-up of 50 top custombikes from all over Europe, show winners and newly built Harley-based top custom jobs, invited by Custom Gallery Coordinator Ondřej Hrůza from Czech Republic, who was also responsible for the excellent 115th Anniversary custombike display in Prague five years ago. Resulting in a respectable number of iconic and new custom creations from all over Europe and from well-known builders that have made top positions in recent custombike events and shows, many of them Custom Chrome Europe customers too. One "inofficial" highlight of the first day was Custom Chrome Europe's unveiling of the CPR-built "Speed Bob" at 6 pm when Ivan Vukoja, the Custom Chrome Europe Team and the future owner of the themed custom Street Bob uncovered the stylish creation at the CCE booth just next to the event's main stage. The resulting party went on into the evening hours – and it took quite some time until the now complete CCE-team found the way back to the Hotel...  

Friday, June 23rd – hotter than hell and we have a winner...

If there was any increase of the oppressive heat around the concrete bowl of the Puskás Aréna possible, Friday started on a high level even in the morning hours: 30° + were reached before noon, the bike parking filled up early and the lines to catch the event merchandise soon became longer and longer to stay that way for the remaining day. HOG Chapters arrived in force and the event site became busy around noon. As the gates opened, the first entries for todays "Ride-In Custombike Show" rolled in and lined up next to the Stunt & Freestyle area. Harley-Davidson has restructured the classification from the traditional "model" scheme, as the HD model line has developed and traditional model lines as the V-Rod, Street and Sportster faded out. "Classic", "Sport", "Tourer", "Cruiser", "Radical Custom" and "Advanced Off Road" are the new categories with the "Radical Custom" allowing almost everything and even off-brand engines, yet the "Advanced Off Road" lacked the enthusiasm which was present in quite a number of stylish "Pan America" based custombikes in the Indoor bike display. By any means, the line-up of custom creations soon extended almost the complete path paralleling the stunt area – and by 2 pm, when judging started by Harley staff, the number of bikes was well beyond fifty. Including yesterday´s CCE / CPR premiere bike "Speed Bob" who's builder could be convinced to enter his bike into the contest. With impressive result: A happy Ivan Vukoja did receive the 2nd prize in the "Cruiser" class and "Peoples Choice" award – quite a success for the Croatia-based builder who had finished the bike just that week! A RevTech powered custombike by Dadak Custom won "Radical Custom" and "Best of Show" award went to a stylish Race Bagger built by Marco Sonnino. Awards were handed out at the main stage by Karen and Bill Davidson who had arrived at Budapest for the European 120th Anniversary celebrations. 

With the weather forecast predicting several heavy thunderstorms in the area, the hot weather asked for its tribute: After 8:30 a wide heavy weather front approached from the west and wind again started blowing hard. As halls and the stadium facilities offered adequate protection from the thunderstorm, concerts were stopped and stage equipment and booths secured. The CCE team held tight to the equipment and decided to call it the day. Rainfalls in and around Budapest lasted the better part of the night. Yet the end of day two was not as bad as the thunderstorm two nights before – and much of the event site remained intact for Saturday!  

Saturday, June 24th – Parade of the 7.000+...

Saturday morning, 7 am, the sun was back in a blue sky that stretched from horizon to horizon - rain and storm of the previous night had passed on. The rumble in downtown Budapest started early, as everybody was looking forward to the main event: A parade through downtown Budapest. From 9 am on, the event did not open before 10 am, riders started assembling outside the stadium. As it turned out, any attempts to regulate participation were futile, the numbers of VIP's riding in from minimal, actually the only prominent riders of Harley-heritage were HD CEO Jochen Zeitz, Karen and Bill Davidson, followed by the HOG flag paraders and just about everybody who could jump onto her or his bike and followed the pack! The wild ride went straight towards and around "Hősök tere" the "Heroes Square" where several thousand spectators lined the street to welcome the parade. Winding its way around the southern city center it crossed the Danube River under the citadel passing Szabadság bridge, the "Freedom Bridge" which was narrowed down by spectators to almost one bike at a time! Riders looked into a wall of cellphones filming the passing Harley's trying to reach the "Buda" shore to follow the "One Way" re-routed Buda shore road passing Castle Hill and the Parliament. Returning from the parade, the event site now was "packed" for the first time, yet there still remained adequate space for parking the bikes inside or outside the Arena. Both, the Custom Chrome Europe team and co-exhibitor V-Perfomance, busy answering questions all morning and for the rest of the day. The departure of the parade riders only made way for other riders to arrive and enter the 120th event site. Surprisingly enough, CCE Marketing Manager Axel Scherer had found time to judge the prestigious indoor Custom Gallery! A selected jury of high class custombike specialists from industry and press had the honor to select the top-5 bikes from the 50+ outstanding custom creations present … and they had a hard job to perform! The variety of styles was outstanding and also covered a long timeline of show-winning customs, selected by "Showmaster" and Custom Gallery Coordinator Ondřej Hrůza.

"Public Choice" may not have had a big cheque behind, yet the "Prototype" of Walz / Augustin Motorcycles must have struck a chord with the visitors: The Dragstyle Lowrider featured lots of carbon, gold plating, Rotrex supercharged S&S motor and plenty of horsepower: The German company that upholds the tradition of the original "Walz Hardcore" custombikes also had their Augustin-branded showbikes on display, but "Prototype" made the trophy for the publics favorite bike. As the judges were asked for their favorite "top five" the countdown to "number one" consequently did list the full results: 5th place want to Peter Penzenstadler and his sheet metal Bagger creation "Razzle Dazzle", one of the few Bagger type customs in the display, followed by "Arcadia" from DMC Toys 4 Men from Italy. The top-3 awards came with a price pot of solid € 10.000,--! 3rd place Trophy and € 2.000,- were handed to Hazard Motorcycles for their great Carlo Riva and Ferruccio Lamborghini inspired "Ghisarama" created as a tribute to the traditional "Riva" luxury boat manufacturer. 2nd and somewhat extreme custom to the top was "History" by Vito Klemencic of VK Custom Works from Slovenia. His Flathead-based masterpiece was especially created for the 120th Anniversary and was more "Art-Bike" than meant to be ridable. A tribute to the history of Harley-Davidson as well as to the history of customizing, the extreme Chopper featured numerous "one-off" details and ideas. Finally, top honors and € 5.000,-- were handed to Italy's top customizer Mirko Perugini of "Gallery Motorcycles" fame: his 1920 J motor was enclosed by one of his high-class one-off rolling chassis with unique suspension and outstanding craftsmanship! Finished literally two days before the show the bike is fully dedicated to 120 years of Harley-Davidson, including the 103-year-old IoE  engine! The trophy ceremony was performed inside the Show- and HD display hall in front of the assembled customizers and exhibitors because outside, the party was already running wild! 

Sunday, June 25th – Fading out the birthday party...

To experience any big city in Europe and worldwide, see and approach the sightseeing highlights without traffic, people hurrying to and from work and the ever-present tourists there is only one timeslot: Sunday morning. Early morning. From about 4 to 8 am, most capitals hold their breath, take a lull and only those who must (or want...) to be on the street are present: The perfect timing to approach Budapest's Danube shore roads, Castle Hill, cross the bridges without traffic and enjoy the calm of a Sunday morning, even in such an extremely busy town as Budapest, capital of Hungary. As the town started to wake up slowly between 8 and 9 am, crossing the scenic "Széchenyi" Chain Bridge, the distinctive rumble of V-twins all over city is rising: from the shore of the Danube one could see hundreds and thousands of Harley-Riders passing the Elisabeth Bridge to the west en route to the motorway to Vienna. 

A lesson not learned by many event organizers again was teached to the 120th of Harley-Davidson: It is very difficult to establish a Sunday as a full event day for any given event. Budapest is a 1.7 million city with another million likely in "riding distance" around the city, yet even a reduced 9500 Forint (= 26 Euro) Sunday ticket did not lure the expected masses of curious Hungarians to the event site and from the claimed 100.000 visitors few Harley-riding participants returned to the event site on Sunday. 

However, they not just missed the main music act – Glenn Hughes performing some of the classic "Deep Purple" songs Sunday evening – but another full day of indoor show, the long line of exhibitors and stunning stunt action. Sunday was planned and mostly executed as any of the other days. Those Harley-riders who stayed for the Sunday did enjoy a full day of entertainment – and in less crowded conditions – but it has to be said that the majority "hit the road", either for home or for more holiday-experience in the Puszta, Lake Balaton or along the Danube. As did the Custom Chrome Europe team in the afternoon, at that time recognizing the fact that this event was over and it would by smart to bridge the 200+ km to Vienna that very evening. For the visiting Harley-riders Budapest and Hungary have been a great host – and many plan to come back. Even if there is no Harley-Davidson anniversary to be celebrated...