Progressive Laconia Motorcycle Week® Returns to New Hampshire June 14-22

A New Century, a Timeless Ride…

LACONIA, NH, UNITED STATES, May 22, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A New Century, a Timeless Ride…
The 102nd Progressive Laconia Motorcycle Week^® returns to New Hampshire’s Lakes Region this June, where over 300,000 motorcycle enthusiasts and curious spectators are expected to converge for the world’s oldest motorcycle rally. Although many travel from neighboring New England states, the event attracts worldwide attention given its place in motorcycle history.

Laconia’s very first rally took place in 1916, stemming from a small group of riders heading north from Massachusetts as part of a “gypsy tour”. It’s a term you don’t hear much these days but was once a big part of the vocabulary of these pioneering motorcyclists. The official definition refers to “a gathering of riders from all over the country converging upon a single destination.” But it was much more than that. Riding for some was an exciting, adventurous, bordering on spiritual, experience. This was an excuse to put work and family life on hold, get together with like-minded friends and ride their machines for hours on end; no talking, just the sound of their bikes and the wind rushing past their ears. Of course, it was rarely smooth sailing. There were no paved roads or repair shops between Boston and Laconia back in the early 1900’s. But a clogged fuel filter or flat tire provided an excuse for the group to rest, eat and troubleshoot. It was all part of the journey; the challenge of reaching their destination, where drinking, laughter and other entertainment awaited.

Today, riders have the luxury of more mechanically dependable machines, meaning breakdowns on the journey to Laconia are rare and opportunities to take their machines well past Weirs Beach are plentiful. Laconia is only 2 hours from Boston and scenic and historic sites such as Mount Washington, New Hampshire’s famed covered bridges and can be easily reached in a day trip.

Laconia Motorcycle Week’s^® ground zero remains Weirs Beach, a small, lakeside community on the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee, the 3rd largest lake in New England, complete with a large boardwalk, reminiscent of Coney Island, Victorian style homes and a single strip of road, open only to motorcycles, called Lakeside Avenue. The road is lined with vendors, where one can watch its busy backdrop change from the rail cars of the Winnipesaukee train, to the historic steamship M/S Mount Washington (converted to diesel in 1946). During Motorcycle Week you can walk to a bar or restaurant in almost every direction, with Gunstock Mountain Resort, site of the historic Gunstock Hill Climb, only 10-minutes away and NH Motor Speedway, home of the famed Loudon Classic races, less than 20-miles south. There’s enough going on here to overload the senses and keep one busy every day of the 9-day event.

“What 100 years has given us is perspective,” explains Deputy Director Jennifer Anderson. “We’re regarded as the older, wiser sister of the BIG 3 rallies – Laconia, Sturgis and Daytona. We’ve kind of seen it all and have emerged from 100 years of trials; failures and successes with a sense of pride and purpose.”

Asked what she and other event organizers have learned most from their experience, she is quick to respond, “People love to ride. It’s what brought our founders to New Hampshire over a hundred years ago and what brings us together today. We share a passion for motorcycles and this event is a celebration of that passion.”

Today, Laconia’s reputation as the world’s oldest and most revered motorcycle rally is firmly intact. Its longevity can be directly attributed to the same sense of camaraderie and adventure that sparked that first Gypsy Tour in 1916. A sister-rally to Sturgis and Daytona, Laconia’s legacy continues because the very landscape of New Hampshire, its covered bridges, rolling hills and mountain roads lend themselves to exploration. Most of all, the event’s pioneering spirit is celebrated all week long with organized rides and gypsy tours, giving credence to the rally’s slogan: At Laconia, We Ride.

Laconia Motorcycle Week^® gives great appreciation to all of our sponsors, especially our Presenting Sponsors: Progressive, AMSOIL and American Iron, as well as the State of New Hampshire for their large financial support of our rally each year. For more information about visiting the state of NH, check out visitnh.gov.

Laconia - where rallies were invented!

Jennifer Anderson
Laconia Motorcycle Week Assoc.
info@laconiamcweek.com
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