LACONIA — Anyone who felt this year’s Laconia Motorcycle Week is quieter than others is not alone. After talking with local business leaders and from his own experience, the event’s Executive Director Charlie St. Clair said he’s seen fewer motorcyclists, especially from Canada.
“There’s between 75 percent to 80 percent fewer Canadians for Motorcycle Week this year,” he said.
kAm(:E9 C646?E E2C:77D @? r2?25:2? 8@@5D 2?5 4@>>6?ED 7C@> !C6D:56?E s@?2=5 %CF>A 23@FE >2<:?8 r2?252 E96 d`DE DE2E6[ $E] r=2:C E9:?<D E9@D6 3@E9 4@?EC:3FE6 E@ E96 5:D4C6A2?4J]k^Am
kAm“%96 >6DD286 7C@> E96 (9:E6 w@FD6 92D 366? 2?E:\r2?25:2? 8@G6C?>6?E[ 2?E:\D@G6C6:8?EJ 7@C r2?252[ 2?5 A6@A=6 C6D6?E E92E[” $E] r=2:C D2:5] “x7 E96 D9@6 H2D @? E96 @E96C 7@@E[ >2?J A6@A=6 :? E9:D 4@F?ECJ H@F=5 5@ E96 D2>6 E9:?8[ @C 766= E96 D2>6 H2J]”k^Am
kAm{24@?:2 |@E@C4J4=6 (66< pDD@4:2E:@? ':46 !C6D:56?E !9:= (2CC6? 92D 2=D@ D66? =6DD r2?25:2? G:D:E@CD] (2CC6? :D E96 4FCC6?E q6C=:? 4:EJ >2?286C[ 2?5 7@C>6C |6C65:E9 E@H? >2?286C] w6 E9:?<D E96 :DDF6 :D A=2:? E@ D66]k^Am
kAm“x 4@>>FE6 7C@> |6C65:E9 E@ q6C=:? 2 4@FA=6 @7 E:>6D 2 H66<[ 2?5 FDF2==J @? |@E@C4J4=6 (66<[ 2== @7 E9@D6 9@E6=D 2C6 49@4< 7F== E96 368:??:?8 @7 |@E@C4J4=6 (66< H:E9 "F6364 =:46?D6 A=2E6D[” 96 D2:5] “x 92G6?’E D66? 2 =@E]”k^Am
kAmqFE C6D6CG2E:@?D 7@C =@42= DE2JD >2J :?5:42E6 @E96CH:D6] #@36CE p>6D[ @H?6C @7 w2=7 |@@? t?E6CAC:D6D :? E96 (6:CD 2?5 2 3@2C5 >6>36C 7@C E96 C2==J[ 28C665 E96C6 92G6 366? 76H6C >@E@C4J4=:DED :? 86?6C2= E9:D J62C] p?5 H9:=6 96 925 K6C@ r2?25:2? G:D:E@CD @FE @7 9:D be C@@>D 2D @7 uC:52J >@C?:?8[ 96 @?=J 925 EH@ C6D6CG2E:@?D 7C@> r2?25:2? 4FDE@>6CD 2E E9:D E:>6 =2DE J62C] (9:=6 :E’D 46CE2:?=J 2 5:776C6?46[ 96’D F?4@?G:?465 r2?25:2?D 2C6 E96 @?=J 724E@C :? E96 564=:?6] w6 4:E65 E96 H62E96C[ 3FE 2=D@ D@>6E9:?8 2 =:EE=6 D:>A=6C]k^Am
kAm“xE 4@F=5 36 >@C6 ;FDE 72E:8F6[ 2?5 A6@A=6 2C6 ?@E — 7@C E96 hhE9[ `__E9[ 2?5 `_`DE — ;FDE 2D 6I4:E65 7@C E96 `_a?5[” 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAmy@Dé s6}2E@D[ @H?6C @7 E96 r92??6= (2E6C7C@?E r@EE286D :? E96 (6:CD[ 92D ?@E D66? 2 564=:?6 :? 9:D r2?25:2? >@E@C4J4=:DE G:D:E@CD] ~? E96 7:CDE H66<6?5[ 6:89E A6@A=6 7C@> }6H qCF?DH:4<[ 42>6 5@H?[ 2D E96J 5@ J62C 27E6C J62C[ 2D H6== 2D 2 76H @E96C 8F6DED 7C@> ~EE2H2] s6}2E@D DF886DE65 E96C6 >2J 92G6 366? 4@?7FD:@? :? E96 52E6D E9:D J62C[ 2D ?@C>2==J {24@?:2 |@E@C4J4=6 (66< 6?5D @? u2E96C’D s2J (66<6?5[ 2D @AA@D65 E@ DE2CE:?8 @? :E[ 2D :E 5:5 E9:D J62C]k^Am
kAm“p =@E @7 r2?25:2?D H6C6 96C6 E96 7:CDE H66<6?5 E9:?<:?8 E92E :E 6?565[” 96 D2:5] “%96J ;FDE <:?5 @7 ;F>A @? E96:C 3:<6D 2?5 8@ H:E9@FE C6D6CG2E:@?D[ H:E9@FE A=2?D[ 2?5 x E9:?< E92E >2J 92G6 92AA6?65 H:E9 D@>6 @7 :E]”k^Am
kAm%96C6 2C6 :?5:42E@CD E92E 24C@DD E96 DE2E6 @7 }6H w2>AD9:C6[ 86?6C2= r2?25:2? E@FC:D> :D 5@H?] vC68 z66=6C[ >2C<6E:?8 2?5 4@>>F?:42E:@? 5:C64E@C 7@C }w $E2E6 !2C<D[ D2:5 52E2 2D @7 yF?6 `h[ D9@HD r2?25:2? 8F6DE C6D6CG2E:@?D 7@C E96 DE2E6’D 42>A8C@F?5D 2C6 5@H? f_ A6C46?E 4@>A2C65 E@ E9:D E:>6 =2DE J62C[ H96C62D C6D6CG2E:@?D 7C@> G:D:E@CD 7C@> @E96C =@42E:@?D DE2J65 @? A2C H:E9 =2DE J62C’D ?F>36CD] r2?25:2?D 2C6 2 D>2== ?F>36C @7 G:D:E@CD[ @?=J 2>@F?E:?8 E@ 23@FE d\`_ A6C46?E @7 C6D6CG2E:@?D[ D@ :E :D F?4=62C H92E E96 67764E H:== 36]k^Am
kAm“(6 <?@H E92E 76H6C r2?25:2?D 92G6 366? >2<:?8 C6D6CG2E:@?D] (6 ;FDE 5@?’E <?@H :7 E92E’D 8@:?8 E@ 92G6 2? 67764E J6E[” z66=6C D2:5] “(6 AC@323=J H@?’E <?@H F?E:= =2E6C :? E96 D62D@?[ @C 2E E96 6?5 @7 E96 D62D@?]”k^Am
kAmx7 E96 564=:?6 @7 r2?25:2? G:D:E@CD 4@?E:?F6D[ z66=6C D2:5 A2C< DE277 H:== 7@4FD >@C6 @7 E96:C 677@CED @? >2C<6E:?8 =@42==J]k^Am
kAm~7 E96 @G6C ad_[___ >@E@C4J4=:DED H9@ G:D:E E96 {2<6D #68:@? 7@C {24@?:2 |@E@C4J4=6 (66<[ @?=J 2 76H E9@FD2?5 2C6 7C@> r2?252] qFE $E] r=2:C 6>A92D:K65 6G6? :7 d_ >@E@C4J4=:DED 5:5?’E D9@H FA E9:D J62C[ E92E :D 2 =@E @7 >@?6J 7@C E96 =@42= 64@?@>J E@ =@D6]k^Am
kAm“%96 ?@C>2= 2>@F?E @7 >@?6J D@>63@5J DA6?5D 2E E9:D C2==J :D Sg__ E@ S`[___[” $E] r=2:C[ H9@ D6CG6D {24@?:2 2D 2 s6>@4C2E :? E96 $E2E69@FD6[ D2:5] “*@F 4964< E96 9@E6= C2E6D 2C@F?5 96C6[ J@F D66 H92E E96J’C6 A2J:?8 7@C 6G6CJE9:?8 6=D6[ :E 255D FA]”k^Am
kAm{2<6D #68:@? r92>36C @7 r@>>6C46 !C6D:56?E z2C>6? v:77@C5 D2:5 H9:=6 D96 5@6D?’E 92G6 DA64:7:4 52E2 @? 9@H >2?J E@FC:DED 42>6 7@C E96 C2==J[ D96 2EE6?565 E96 ~FE5@@C p5G6?EFC6 $9@H 6IA@[ 2 E@FC:D> 6G6?E :? |@?EC62= 2E E96 6?5 @7 |2C49] sFC:?8 96C E:>6 E96C6[ D96 962C5 >2?J A6@A=6 E2=< 23@FE A2DD:?8 @? G:D:E:?8 E96 &]$] E9:D J62C[ D2J:?8 E96J H@F=5 :?DE625 EC2G6= E@ @E96C =@42E:@?D[ @C H:E9:? E96:C @H? 4@F?ECJ] v:77@C5 >256 :E <?@H? D96 H6=4@>6D 2== r2?25:2?D E@ 6?;@J E96 {2<6D #68:@?]k^Am
kAm“(6 =@G6 E96 r2?25:2?D] (6 =@G6 E@ 92G6 E96> 96C6] %96J 4@>6 J62C 27E6C J62C[ 2?5 E96J’C6 @FC ?6:893@CD[” D96 D2:5] “%96J’C6 2=H2JD H6=4@>6]”k^Am
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.