Economy stalls the Love Ride

The 26th running of annual motorcycle charity event has to be canceled due to lack of finances.
By Max Zimbert
Published: Last Updated Friday, October 9, 2009 10:21 AM PDT in the Glendale News Press

GLENDALE — A lack of funds, not a lack of love, doomed what would have been the 26th annual Love Ride.

Organizers of one of the largest one-day motorcycle charity events in the world announced Thursday that it had been canceled due to poor ticket sales and other financial worries.

“The numbers were scary dismal to where we thought, ‘Gee, this thing is going to bomb,’” said Oliver Shokouh, Love Ride founder and the owner of Glendale Harley-Davidson, which organizes the ride.

Company officials canceled the event when pre-registration numbers were about one-third less than the event’s previously lowest turnout. The event typically raises more than $1 million, organizers said.

“I’ve talked to other people involved in charitable events, and typically they’re down on average by 50%, it seems like,” Shokouh said. “Charities have gone away from people’s hearts right now, and they’re really just fighting for survival.”

The Love Ride was started in 1984 as a fundraising event for the Muscular Dystrophy Assn. and had grown to benefit more than a dozen children’s charities.

A spokeswoman for the association said she was saddened by the cancellation, pointing out that funds raised by the Love Ride helped fund services and research for clients in the Los Angeles area.

“There’s no doubt that these are challenging times for [the association] and nonprofits alike,” said Roxan Triolo Olivas, national public relations manager for the association. “As a nonprofit we are accustomed to operating on a tight budget, and we will continue to work on new efforts to generate income.”

Instead of a ride that closes much of South Brand Boulevard, Shokouh arranged an autograph session with actor Peter Fonda and a free movie screening to commemorate the 40th anniversary of “Easy Rider.” The event is from 4 to 10 p.m. Oct. 23. Organizers will also sell Love Ride memorabilia at the dealership at 3717 San Fernando Road over the weekend.

“We’d rather try to hang on to what we have and cut our losses than lose it all and potentially more than we can afford,” Shokouh said, adding that the charity ride might return next year. “We’ll have to wait and see what happens to the state of the economy. We’ll see if we have the resources and energy and proper climate, but the vision’s always been great.”

Harley-Davidson laid off 1,100 workers in January, and motorcycle sales for 2009 were projected to drop about 40% compared with 2008, according to Dealernews, an industry publication.

Last year’s Love Ride attracted about 20,000 riders and culminated at the Fairplex in Pomona. The day of trade shows, exhibits, vendors and entertainment featured bikers from all over the U.S. An afternoon concert last year was headlined by ZZ Top and the Foo Fighters. Dwight Yoakam was slated to perform at this year’s event on Oct. 26.

Funding for the event comes mostly from Harley-Davidson of Glendale, with additional support from sponsorships. But backers were few and far between this year, Shokouh said.

“We’d cold-call a sponsor, some people would just laugh and hang up,” he said. “Even people we’ve had a relationship with in the past aren’t coming on board. It has been a really grueling experience.”

Glendale partnered with the event last year and marshaled about $29,000 worth of police and traffic control for about $14,000.

In September, the City Council approved $17,000 to co-sponsor the event, along with $2,000 to advertise the event.

“It’s really sad that such a great event is a victim of the economy,” said Philip Lanzafame, the city’s director of development services. “They’re holding a smaller event  . . . while it’s not the same grand scale we’ve come to know, the spirit of it is still there, of helping those who could use some help.”

Participants who had already registered will receive a Love Ride 26 pin, patch and T-shirt.

Donations to Love Ride charities are still being accepted and are tax deductible, organizers said.

Shokouh said he hadn’t gotten a lot of sleep the last few weeks.

“Nobody wanted to keep this going more than me,” Shokouh said. “Twenty-five years of my life, and the focus is to do the Love Ride every year. This year, we worked twice as hard . . . and it just wasn’t happening.”

The following was posted on ldrider today; I have no idea myself what if anything it means for a possible Butt Lite rally.

"The Iron Butt Rally (IBR) introduces a shorter 5 day rally on even years (2010, 2012, 2014) so that riders may hone their navigation, planning and riding skills under rally conditions as a prelude to entry in the 11 day Iron Butt Rally.

For years, we have received requests to do a shorter pre-qualifier rally, but it was Steve Chalmers, announcement of his longer Ten N' Ten Rally and how quickly it filled up that is the inspiration for us to move forward with the Iron Butt 5000. Since Steve is doing a longer rally in 2010 with relaxed rules and procedures and the Ten N' Ten is almost full, we decided to move ahead with the five day to fill the gap for those riders who want to be prepared to ride in the 2011 IBR.

The Iron Butt 5000 is an actual subset of the 11 day IBR; a complete IBR in fewer days, but yes, with all the complication riding in the IBR entails, including our patented Mile Long Check In, videotaping your confessions, impossible to navigate odometer test sections and yes, trying to plan a decent route under extreme pressure, then struggling to upload it to your GPS and hopefully getting out of the parking lot without an embarrassing tip over. And, lest we forget, learning how to survive the scoring system! If that is not enough, you will have to endure a drawing, to be held on November 1, 2009, just like the real IBR drawing. In other words, everything
you need to know for a better shot at finishing the 2011 IBR!

But now, the most important part of the announcement: Since we are all investing a lot to get ready for 2011, it only makes sense that every rider who is a finisher of the Iron Butt 5000 is
guaranteed a spot in the 2011 IBR.

That's correct: If you are a finisher of the Inaugural Iron Butt 5000 you will bypass the draw for the 2011 Iron Butt Rally and simply send in your signed releases and your deposit. But you must finish in order to earn that 2011 spot so come ready to ride! And like the IBR this won't be a walk in the park.

The rally will be tied into the 2010 IBA National Meet, with Tech Inspection open specific windows during the Meet so you can avoid some of the long lines on Sunday morning. The Start Banquet will take place Sunday, August 15 and riders will line up on the start line Monday morning, August 16. The rally will end Saturday, August 21, 2010, in South Carolina." [snip]

Deer for Breakfast