SUPERRALLY 2012 Ballenstedt Germany, Pt II.

Welcome back everyone to part II of the Super Rally I attended in Germany. So here's a little background on the FH-DCE Super Rally, as much as I know anyway.

The FH-DCE (Federation Harley Davidson Clubs Europe) goes back to the 1960's when the H-D Clubs from the Netherlands Germany and Belgium met at Harley-Davidson Rallys. 

One of the most popular was the Pinkster Rally in Holland, the first one was in 1964.

After the 1973 Pinkster, the name was changed to the Super Rally and the first one was held at Kastelree in Belgium.....so there.

Today, the Super Rally is held in a different country every year, next year, 2013, the Super Rally will be held in Poland.

In 2011 it was held in Lithuania, in 2010 it was in Greece, 2009 was Finland, 2008 was Denmark, 2007 was here in the Netherlands, 2006 was Norway, 2005 was Italy, 2004 was Sweden, 2003 was the Czech Republic, 2002 was Belgium, 2001 was Greece again, 2000 was Finland. 

That, for me, is what makes this particular rally interesting, it's getting to ride to another country every rally every year and spend a little time there with all the other H-D clubs from all over the world. Granted, you can really only cross over so many countries borders in Europe, so something like this in the U.S. just wouldn't have the same appeal were it held in a different state each year.

My last H-D was back in 2000 or so, I had a '76 Shovel, choppered it out then sold it a few years later when choppers started to come off assembly lines.

The Euro chopper scene is a little reminiscent of the '70's and 80's chopper scene back in the day when choppers were still cool and not an accessory like watch or a ring.

And the award for the coolest looking air cleaner goes to......

I haven't seen a chopper this long since Pat Kennedy built his goose-necked long bike somewhere in the '80's or '90's.This one may be longer.

I know of a Yellow one that used to be at the Rats Hole in Daytona that was probably longer, had a big 'ole yellow girder front end half a block long on it.

From this side this just looks like another Harley......

......until you get to the other side.

 I would not recommend touching this bike....

....nor any of the other 700 or so bikes that were there belonging to the Bandidos.

Police escorted in on Sunday afternoon, the Bandidos rolled in two abreast in a nearly one mile long procession down a narrow country road in Ballenstedt toward the entrance to the Super Rally, stayed for part of the evening, drank some beers, had some food and were police escorted out later on that evening. 

Meanwhile, in other parts of the campground....

This was an interesting build, a Hot Wheels bike, not my type of chopper, but well done nonetheless.
Lots of nice little touches on it.

Interestingly enough there were quite a few families at this event, which was really neat to see.

It's not all bawdy and raucous y'know, although most of it is.

A 'Caption this pic' for sure.

 Stink Eye.........in German.

This little beauty caught my eye through all the dust as everyone was leaving, I only got these two shots of it, really cool looking bike. I wish I had of seen it inside the campground.The skinny knobby tires look great with the solid wheels, it just works.

Little things caught my eye on this bike, like notice the headlamp support arms, the nice gentle curve to them, a really nice touch.

And I love how so many of the Euro bike builders use muted colors, it's hard to identify exactly what this color is, but it looks really good and lets the bike speak for itself.

I think someone lost a bet.

What I want to know is what happens if he decides to change clubs?

The Italian contingent on their way home.

The Viking contingent on their way home too.

Only the Italians can make clean up look sexy.

Wonder what's in the bag though............kinda large......

.....maybe this guys brother?.

SO, my impressions of the 2012 FH-DCE Super Rally?.

Awesome.

Get yourself to one if you can. If you can't, then still go anyway.

Even though I'm not a big rally person, unless it's winter rallys, this one was worth going to for me.

I do have to mention also that I was very very impressed with the food offerings at the rally, the organizers really did a good job in getting a good mix for all different palette tastes and heath styles.

There was everything from good German food to Chinese and even a food vendor that was more on the health side with offerings of chicken and meat salads.

There were 4 or 5 different BBQ vendors offering long skewers of cubed beef, (delicious), and one vendor offering seasoned potato balls as an side,(I know that doesn't sound right, but anyway). And if I remember correctly, German beer is excellent beer, it's been almost 35 years since I was at Octoberfest in Munich, Christmas of '78 to be exact, and there was no shortage of the frothy stuff at this event.

Next years FH-DCE Super Rally is in Poland, so don't say I didn't give you plenty of time to save up for the tickets.

Hope to see you there......

Murph.