Frankie Lights, owner of Street Lights, shows off one of his custom-lit bikes.
Motorcycle Mania Fills the Streets of Middletown
MIDDLETOWN - Main Street in Middletown resembled an audition for a spinoff of Sons of Anarchy last Wednesday night. Over 6,000 motorcycles filled the heart of Middletown in what can only be described as a biker’s paradise.

       The surreal scene was all part of the 10th annual Middletown Motorcycle Mania, presented by The Hunter Family in memory of Dan M. Hunter, who was one of the founding sponsors of the inaugural event back in 2006.

       The event has grown in popularity over the decade, bringing out both the everyday riders and the weekend warriors. Thousands of people came from all over the state to see the latest in motorcycle trends and enjoy the festive nature of the four-hour long event.

       â€"This one is always a good one. It’s nice to come up here to Middletown. They get a lot of bikes out here,” said Dan Gibbs, a member of the Prince Hall Masonic Motorcycle Club out of New Haven. â€"A lot of the events are starting to fall off and are having a tough time keeping up the numbers, but this one always gets a large crowd. Derby has a small one Monday nights. New London and Norwich each have one. They are pretty good, but this is the largest. We like coming out here.”

       Gibbs, who has been riding for over 30 years, and other longtime motorcycle enthusiasts are the bulk of the people who attended the free event, but even those who never revved an engine came out to experience the wonderful world of two wheels.

       Friends Vicki Usher, Janna Testerman and Katie Potvin do not ride, but decided to make an evening of it after hearing about the event from a co-worker.

       â€"None of us knew about this until this morning,” said Usher, who lives in New Hartford.

       â€"We like to people-watch,” added Testerman, who resides in West Hartford. â€"Even if you don’t ride a bike, it’s fun to come out and see all the people that do have enough guts to get on a motorcycle.”

       â€"There’s so much excitement,” East Hampton’s Potvin said. â€"We wanted to see something new and fun. All of these people getting together is a lot of fun and the people are great. Also we’re seeing some new and exciting bikes.”

       The trio of first-time motorcycle event- goers enjoyed a meal on Main Street as countless specialty bikes from around the state drove through to display their bikes in the center of town.

       â€"We’ve had a lot of fun. We would definitely come back next year,” Potvin added.

       The three friends were part of the thousands of people who came out to enjoy the event. It was an ideal evening for riding a motorcycle or for an enjoyable walk down Main Street, which was blocked off for the festivities.

       The streets were filled with lots of leather and American flags at every turn. There was a variety of food trucks, vendors and entertainment. Restaurants on Main Street remained open, many offering sidewalk specials. The street vendors included everything from insurance companies to locally-made jewelry and clothing booths.

       One of the many highlights was a group that was walking goats through the crowded streets. The group, from Summer Tyme Farm in Middletown, was taking their horned, furry friends for a stroll through the normally congested middle of Main Street, prompting one passerby to exclaim â€"That’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen!”

       Frankie Lights made his usual appearance at the event. He owns Street Lights, which customizes bikes and vehicles with high quality LED lights. His ride was tricked out with flashing lights, making it look like a rebellious Christmas tree on wheels.

       The live entertainment was performed by two local rock bands. Storm Roller performed their southern rock hits on the big stage in front of cheering fans and the Screamin Eagle Band cranked up the evening with their rock classics. Both gave performances worthy of a Grammy.

       The entertainment was great, but the main attraction was the massive motorized hogs that lined the streets. All types of bikes where on display. High-end Harleys seemed to be the biggest attraction, but custom choppers, touring bikes, cruisers and sport bikes were prominent too. A scooter was even spotted buzzing through town, but with much less fanfare.

       Scattered throughout the two-wheeled extravaganza were trikes and other three-wheeled alignments, which are making a comeback in popularity after the three-wheeler trend faded after Suzuki halted production of their classic 125-model in the mid-80s.

       This was also the first year that the event has had an antique and vintage bike section. The new category was added the same year that a local man discovered that Middletown was the birthplace of the first Indian Motorcycle, one of the first motorcycle brands in the world. The discovery proved that Middletown has been on the cutting edge of motorcycle developments since the turn of the 19th century.

       The massive event got off of the ground without a hitch thanks to the Middlesex Chamber of Commerce and the event coordinator Cathy Duncan. Riders donated money to the event and to be considered for awards. The money collected will go to help fund youth programs in Middletown.

       The tremendous turnout was a fitting way to celebrate a decade of motorcycle mania. The event has officially became a tradition in Middletown, so until next year, happy riding and remember to help save a life by looking twice.
MORE MIDDLETOWN NEWS  |  STORY BY JOSH HOWARD  |  Aug 19 2015  |  COMMENTS?