Licks Cycles: Occasion Report: Glemseck 101

From Leonberg with Love, Drag Races, and Rock…

The Glemseck 101 is the most important motorbike occasion in all of Europe. This yr, greater than 40,000 guests rode, drove, and flew to the previous “Solitude” racetrack (Solituderennen) in southern Germany for the primary weekend of September. Although Stuttgart is close by, Leonberg is the true dwelling of the occasion:

“One small, however for us crucial truth concerning the Glemseck 101: Our occasion is supported for the reason that starting by the Metropolis of Leonberg. The placement Glemseck is a part of Leonberg. The roaring 101 lion proven in our brand is a homage to this alliance in velocity roaring engines and symbolize the lion within the coat of arms of town.”

Named after the close by Citadel Solitude, the Solitude circuit of public roads has been internet hosting race occasions since 1903. Legends resembling Mike Hailwood, John Surtees, Geoff Duke, Phil Learn, and Ernst Degner all claimed victory on the Solituderennen.

Glemseck 101 is open to all bikes, riders, and types, and there’s all the time a powerful contingent of café racers, streetfighters, and customized bikes of all types. In contrast to some occasions, Glemseck stays free to attend, and tenting is accessible for bikes and tents — no vehicles!

By far, the best-known a part of the Glemseck 101 is the legendary 1/8-mile dash racing, the place dash / drag bikes compete facet by facet on a stretch of the outdated racetrack. Race Management is dealt with by Staff 101, with races like Rocket Race Membership and Starr Wars invited to attend, every with their very own technical guidelines.

We’ve featured a number of of those dash bikes previously, resembling Radical Speedshop’s “NOSferatu” and “Cento Anni” Moto Guzzis and XTR Pepo x Irons Cafe Racer’s “La Guapísima” Ducati.

Torque Monster: “Cento Anni” Moto Guzzi 1700

The bikes are merely wild, combining customized tradition aptitude and old-school ingenuity into new and fascinating creations harking back to Stars Wars pod racers. We look ahead to bringing you extra dash bikes within the coming days and weeks.

La Guapísima: Ducati Pantah 600 Dash Racer

This yr, our man on the bottom at Glemseck was Slovakian builder Roman Juriš, who rode his customized Suzuki SV650 greater than 1000 kilometers from his dwelling nation to attend the 2023 working of the occasion, driving by the Austrian mountains and throughout a part of Germany.

Alps Ace: Suzuki SV650 Sport Particular

Under, Roman offers us his report from the occasion, together with practically 100 photographs of fascinating bikes and scenes from the weekend. Glemseck is most undoubtedly on our bucket checklist to attend in future years. Thanks once more to Roman for a style of the motion. Take pleasure in!

Occasion Report: Glemseck 101 2023

As advised by Roman Juriš…

The yr flew by, and I discovered myself pitching my tent on the meadow at Glemseck within the early night of Friday, September 1st, in nearly the identical place as final yr. From my home to Glemseck is about 1000 km — that’s, two days of driving on a bike if I wish to omit the freeway. It’s about 550 km by fascinating mountainous terrain in Austria with many turns, and the remaining is a boring part by flat Germany. I left the Tremendous Duke at dwelling and aired out my favourite “eSVéčko” (Suzuki SV650).

Really, the entire weekend (that’s, throughout my keep — I left for dwelling on Sunday morning) went like a replica in comparison with earlier years. Historically good climate (how do this Germans do it?), nice group, fascinating dash races, and an unbelievable variety of individuals.

This picture additionally exhibits the primary parking for motorbikes (there was additionally a smaller one), which saved filling up on a regular basis.

The look ahead to beer was from 10 seconds to three minutes (at peak time), for meals (primarily sausages or grilled pork in a bun) from 30 seconds to a most of 5 minutes (these Germans do issues rather well…). The streets have been patrolled all day lengthy by easy-going policemen who had no likelihood to resolve some issues, and paramedics who gave a way of safety, particularly throughout the increased daytime temperatures.

Rock and roll with dwell music till 3:00 AM within the morning, then conventional loud night breathing from the encompassing tents (I can sleep by rock and roll however not loud night breathing), and at last conventional motorbike antics across the campsite (even with that I used to be in a position to go to sleep).

The engines at most revs, exhausts roaring, loud laughter and screams. Engine revs and loud speeches. If this didn’t occur at evening, it wouldn’t be the great outdated Glemseck anymore. It simply belongs right here.

Some newbies are confused by it and don’t sleep within the evening. A small mistake: some younger dudes on the sting of the occasion countered the great outdated (shabby) rock and roll with disgusting duc-duc semi-techno. They shouldn’t do it…

A lot intro. Now to the purpose. I walked over 15 km on Saturday. Some fascinating bikes and numerous exotics saved showing. Or I returned to some creations greater than as soon as as a result of they have been actually value it. Or as a result of it was doable to trade a number of phrases with the builders or occasion guests. Or simply look and watch the environment as others watch, stare, marvel, smile, squirm. The relaxed environment is contagious. You received’t discover a frowny face right here.

In Slovakia, there is no such thing as a such custom of customizing and bike-building like in Germany, however it’s additionally a favourite exercise of motorbike fans in France, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. Because the Czech brothers say: “Who performs doesn’t get indignant.” Properly, the Café Racer neighborhood should be actually good children. Though additionally fairly grown up, in outdated age.

Extra within the picture gallery. I attempted to kind it chronologically. From the environment, by racing machines, bikes in line with the variety of cylinders and marks as much as exotics. The sixteenth yr of this nice occasion was value it.