By Stormy
Motorcycle enthusiasts get excited when the Motorcycle Expo is in town. It reminds them that spring is coming and which in turn means it will be riding season soon. A lot of biker attendees noticed that there was something different about the Expo; they felt it in the air, ambience, and attitude. Well they are correct; there is a new owner of the Expo, an actual biker, Scott Schultz! He wants to take the Expo back to its original status and run it like a biker would run it. That means allowing the motorcycle clubs back into the Expo, and more specifically even allowing the club that the rider was killed a few years ago return. Another great reason to have a biker run the Expo compared to a Joe Blow businessman is that he understands the motorcycle community and knows firsthand what they want and what they want to see. He is going to bring back the great vendors that quit exhibiting because of all the red-tape restrictions. Most importantly, Scott wants to bring back the strong and loyal following that attended each year.
I was lucky to have a chance to meet the new owner, Scott Schultz. I learned that he is 42 years young and a life-long motorcycle junkie and accomplished businessman. He said that he is a transplant from North Dakota and has called Colorado home for 26 years. He is committed to his vision of bringing together bikers from all walks, united by a common love for these amazing machines.
The motorcycle show competition was great to see! They had over 100 bikes competing in more than a dozen categories.
- Ortiz Custom Cycles of Lakewood cleaned house and won first in Custom Fat Tire Bagger, and second and third place in the Custom Bagger category. The red 2014 Street Glide that won first place was bought from Munky Mark last year and Ortiz Custom Cycles revamped it and did a ton of work to it. It was dedicated to Munky. The second place Custom Bagger winner was Manual Arellano’s 2012 CVO Road Glide also done by Ortiz Custom Cycles. This one had awesome airbrushing and a lot of custom work that took about a year to complete.
- The third-place winner is a 2019 Road Glide that was bought at Sun HD by owner Larry Ortiz. He tore it down, cut the neck, and turned it into what you see today with a 1000-watt stereo and tons of custom parts! Go visit Ortiz Custom Cycles in Lakewood and see what they can do to your bike everything from paint to custom work. Everything is done in-house, no outsourcing except the seats.
Walking the Expo was so much fun. You run into so many friends; it’s like a big family reunion! It is also fun to shop and spend money at the vendors’ booths. One of my favorites was Vatos Y Viclas Magazine. They had some cool merchandise and a cute little chunky chihuahua named Athena running around in the booth. Vatos Y Viclas works towards helping Homies Unidos, a gang intervention/prevention program here in Denver.
My other favorite was Glitter Biker Boutique owned by Aimee Leigh. She has the best blingy bandanas ever! There were so many to choose from and in different colors
I also ran into Scott O’Sullivan and Chere Martin of Rider Justice. They are both awesome people in the biker community. They stand up for us bikers. In fact, for the third straight year, they are working to make it illegal for anyone to hold an electronic device in their hands while driving. Scott said, “We support SB20-065 because we believe this law will help make Colorado roads safer for everyone.” He goes on to say that if SB20-065 passes, all drivers would be prohibited from using a wireless communication device unless used in a hands-free manner. Navigation systems would be permitted if the address information was entered prior to operating the vehicle or in an emergency situation.
It was also cool to stop by Wide Open Saloon’s booth which is opening Saturday, March 7th. Anton Barich the general manager said they have big plans for the opening and have great bands lined up.
I am looking forward to next year’s Expo and see what Scott Schultz has planned.
