MAMA TRIED

For many years, traditional biker rallies have served their purpose by providing a centralized location that gives the motorcycle community a good excuse to get out and ride. But the old biker-rally model is evolving, and new-school events have been popping up around the world in the past few years. The Mama Tried Motorcycle Show in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is one of those events.

Mama Tried kicked off in 2014, and has been gaining steam ever since. The invitational bike show brings more than 100 of the latest cutting-edge custom motorcycles from all over the globe to the Rave/Eagles Club ballroom on Saturday and Sunday. But, of course, you can’t kick off a shindig in Milwaukee without a visit to Thursday’s Bike Night at the Harley-Davidson Museum. You also have to factor in the thousands of Mama Tried-ers and eager race fans who flock to the BMO Harris Bradley Arena to witness the antics of Flat Out Friday, an indoor flat track racing event where riders bang bars on the Dr. Pepper-syrup-soaked oval. And because it’s Milwaukee in February, Slippery Sunday is a must for the run-what-you-brung ice racers to try their luck around the makeshift track on a somewhat frozen Lake Michigan.

Mama Tried is a refreshing approach to motorcycle events. You won’t find zombie types searching for turkey legs, or girls with pasties pushing libations. But you will find core enthusiasts having a good time, sharing one common bond: cool motorcycles. And that, we can abide.