2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2009

In October 1995, John (JR) Riley, founder of the now Virginia Beach Bike Classic, brought a group of people together at Hammerheads Surf Bar & Grill. Linked by a common bond, their love of motorcycles, JR, Brett, Bart, and John began to organize the original Virginia Beach Bike Event “The Polar Bear Bike Classic”. The plan was to get all available bikers to meet at the Holiday Inn at 21st Street & Atlantic Avenue at the oceanfront (thanks to Tom Lyons the Holiday Inn owner) to have a mid-winter ride to raise money for local charities.

The date was set for February 28, 1996. The week before the ride, it seemed “polar bears” may be the only ones able to brave the weather as a snowstorm blanketed the Hampton Roads area. Fortunately, the day of the ride, I was a balmy 75 degrees. The little get together turned into a coming together of 650 bikes who contributed more than $2000 in cash and 100s of pounds of food to the Food Bank of Southeastern Virginia.

The Event was so successful that another ride as scheduled for the following year, this time in March to ensure warmer weather. Unfortunately, March 9th, 1997 arrived with a northeaster, a blustery 30 degree temperature and a wind chill in the teens. However, warm hearts and biker dedication created a successful event with 1800 people, 800 motorcycles, and $3000 for the Special Olympics.

Every biker knows the legendary events at Sturgis, Myrtle Beach, and Daytona. John Riley was convinced the biker community could support another event. Why not Virginia Beach, Virginia? After talking to friends and family along with business and community leaders, he formed a dedicated committee to plan the “First Annual Virginia Beach Hammerheads Bike Classic” and put Virginia Beach on the map. May thanks to Jenny, Phil, and Bo, the folks of the Holiday Trav-L-Park who agreed to host the event. It seemed no one else in Virginia Beach wanted a bunch of good hearted, generous, down to earth bikers on their property. The first event in 1998 had musical headliners Pam Tillis and Delbert McClinton. A crowd of nearly 10,000 raised over $15,000 for the Leukemia Society.

The next year, even more planning had gone into making the event bigger and better than ever. The Dates were now set in stone – The 1st weekend in May each year. The second annual Virginia Beach Hammerheads Bike Classic was held May 1-2, 1999. as in 1996, the weather presented a little problem, a northeaster, heavy rains, and temperatures in the 50s lasted the entire weekend. Lucky for Virginia Beach, bikers are a good natured and dedicated group of people. Spirits high, 7000 people turned out to see Sammy Korshaw perform on Saturday, but heavy rains caused .38 Special to be cancelled on Sunday. Even with all the rain, $32,000 was raised: $17,500 – Juvenile Diabetes Foundation; $5000 – Rescue Squad; and ten $1,000 scholarships to area high schools.