National Geographic Channel - Wheelies, Endos, Acrobatics and Burnouts: My Time In Daytona

Printed on August 27, 2007 National Geographic Channel

Wheelies, Endos, Acrobatics and Burnouts: My Time In Daytona

August 1, 2007 5:31 PM

Dan Cesareo - Producer

It was 2 AM on a Wednesday morning. While most nights would find me buried under my covers snoring away, tonight was a bit different. I was in Central Florida hanging out behind a warehouse with a clandestine group of bikers. From out of the darkness, three riders emerged-two riding wheelies and one pulling an endo. This anti-Harley crew considers themselves the "New" Outlaws of the 21st century- where just cruising is for the AARP cardholders. With car headlights illuminating the blacktop stage, the sport bike riding crew was putting on an amazing display of stunt riding. Wheelies, endos, acrobatics, burnouts, standing on the seat of their bikes going 20 MPH--it was absolutely aggro. And while I was blown away by their performance, I wanted to get the goods on tape and get out of there before someone got hurt or the police came. Stunt riding is an underground sport in the motorcycle world and in the eyes of the law illegal outside the arenas. But with no place to practice, riders find spots like tonight's warehouse to hone their skills. After some well place phone calls we were lucky enough to score an invite to tonight's riding session.

For the Daytona PD, the stunters were out of sight and out of mind. They had bigger things to worry about than a few guys pulling wheelies. Imagine 5 blocks crammed with hundreds of thousands of bikers- pipes roaring, music blasting, and sidewalks are jammed pack. To say it's overwhelming is an understatement. Now imagine this same environment, but you are a police officer. Your force is outnumbered more than 1000 to 1. Beer is flowing, people are racing around on bikes, traffic is backed up for miles and in a drop of the hat things can go wrong...very wrong.

Welcome to Main Street- Daytona Beach Florida. Vacant for 50 weeks each year, the block explodes for ten days in March. From all across the country upwards of 500,000 bikers flock to the seaside resort to ride, party, see and be seen. And it's up to the Daytona Police Department to keep them in check. More specifically a group of only 17 officers patrol the chaotic environment known as Main Street each night. They are one of if not the best in the biz when it comes to running large-scale events and managing massive crowds. It's a first rate operation. Our film crew was lucky enough to tag along for an inside look at how they do it. Each night we'd meet up with Officer Dawn Harris and head out on the beat. We saw it all- flashers, drunks and gangsters. And a portion of this film will give you a unique inside look at the Daytona PD's amazing ability to manage the crowd.

But at Bike Week the law-breakers are the exception not the rule. Bikers are an incredibly well behaved bunch. Bikers are your co-workers, your dentist, your bus driver, and even your neighbor. And they all have one thing in common. They are passionate about riding and living life to it's fullest. I feel incredibly lucky to have witnessed this passion first hand, and Daytona Biker Rally is a chance for you to be a part of it as well.