If it has two wheels and and engine, it will likely be at Bike Night in Cape Coral tonight.
Bike night, a downtown Cape Coral get- together for motorcyclists and enthusiasts alike, is revving its engine for the seventh year on Southeast 47th Terrace, between Coronado Parkway and Vincennes Boulevard, from 5 to 10 p.m.
“These are mostly recreational riders,” said Todd King, event coordinator. “There are a lot of doctors and lawyers who ride.”
The motorcycle lifestyle is sometimes stereotyped as being rough and dangerous, but those stereotypes are simply not true, King said.
“The antithesis of Bike Night is that stereotype,” King said. “People would be surprised at how many people who are not that way own bikes.”
City Manager Terry Stewart and Assistant City Manager Carl Schwing both ride motorcycles and attend Bike Night, King said.
“I miss very few of the Bike Nights; I’ve been to almost every one,” said Stewart, who rides a 1995 Harley Davidson Road King. “They’re a unique and fun bunch of people to be around. Just about anybody in every walk of life enjoys motorcycles.”
Stewart said he has ridden motorcycles since he was a teenager.
“It’s the wind in your face, riding down the road, enjoying the smells and the sights and Mother Nature up close,” he said.
Cape Coral Community Redevelopment Agency Director John Jacobson said Bike Night, and all downtown events, help out local businesses in a tough economic climate.
“It’s very good for almost all the businesses downtown,” Jacobson said. “All small businesses are suffering right now. Anytime you can put 1,000 people in front of a store that’s a good thing.”
About 10,000 to 15,000 people attend Bike Night, according to King.
Being together with friends and neighbors is one of the things that attracts residents to events in Cape Coral, Jacobson said.
“Would Disney World be the happiest place on Earth if you were the only person there?” Jacobson said. “It’s a fun night for everyone whether you own a bike or not. These are your friends and neighbors of Cape Coral who enjoy motorcycles.”
Harley Davidson is a major sponsor of the event, though many riders bring custom motorcycles they build themselves or other types of bikes, King said.
Some don’t even own a motorcycle, he said.
“We have a lot of people who come out who don’t own or ride on motorcycles,” he said. “It’s great music, great fun and great food.”
The event features live music, food and various other vendors, and admission is free to the public.
Additionally, there will be a “Slow Bike Race” to see who can ride their motorcycle the slowest without putting a foot down. The proceeds of the “race” will benefit the local Special Populations Center.
The next Bike Night will be held Feb. 7.