Rockers Reunion Indianapolis 2015

The ninth year is in the books for Rockers Reunion, and its future is secure as the best vintage motorcycle event in and around the city of Indianapolis. Read on for visual proof that the bike scene is alive and thriving, especially in the show’s new location, historic Fountain Square.

There are countless bikes to ogle and admire; vintage or modern, stock or custom, clean or ratty, cool or weird, there’s something for everyone at Rockers Reunion.

If we posted every motorcycle worth showing, it’d bog the server down. It’s best to attend this event and walk among the countless show bikes and attendees’ rides.

We’re always drawn to the characters and the gearhead ambiance; it’s what makes a show great. This year, the sights, sounds, fashion, and creative expression through motorcycles all swirled together in an urban environment that’s just right for this event, Fountain Square.

Just south of downtown Indy, Fountain Square is a perfect setting for the vintage motorcycles. Much like dusting off and reviving a classic bike with a storied past, this area of town has been revitalized, but retains a patina that piques the interest of passersby.

Art galleries, restaurants and bars line the busy streets with old marquees waiting for the sun to go down. The Ton-Up Indy guys picked a winner for the event’s new location, a needed expansion that also allowed the closing of public streets. That’s no small feat, but the amicable organizers broke bread with the welcoming merchants of Fountain Square, leading to the closure of Virginia Avenue and Prospect Avenue for Saturday afternoon.

Riders that wanted to participate in a group ride met up for the Rolling Bones Vintage Motorcycle Run at Speed City Cycle. These folks would end their ride at the Bike Show portion of the day, where shortly after 1pm, dark clouds loomed and grew heavy. A full-blown gully washer rolled in.

It was the kind of rain with big drops that hit hard. Folks found awnings and doorways to duck under, some threw jackets over carbs, and vendors held down their tents. Like many midwestern pop-up storms, the sun quickly reappeared and dried the pavement. Beautiful late-Spring weather followed, t-shirt temps resumed.

While the event’s name harkens to the British subculture of workin’ class rebels, there’s a melting pot of motorcycles from all origins: cafe racers, scooters, choppers, bobbers, brats, rats, scramblers, restorations, stock daily riders and even a sprinkling of competition bikes.

The evening portion of the event culminated at Flat 12 Bierwerks. The after party is a chance for the hosts to wind down, thank folks for coming, and hand out trophies. (Proud side note: our little Honda CL360 Scrambler project below took home a kick-butt trophy for Best Custom. Right on!)

Ton-Up Indy pulls no punches, they make it clear that trophies are awarded for quality and creativity, but a bike that’s been ridden to the show will always edge out a bike that was trailered to it. Their description of the event: “A celebration of vintage and custom motorcycles and culture.”

Along with the custom, sculptural top-tier trophies handcrafted by Ton-Up Indy’s own Sean Neal, several other killer metal awards went to excited category winners. Branded swag bags rounded out the prizes, including gift cards to City Moto, decals, Biltwell shop banners, and a gallon o’ highly effective Metal Rescue Rust Remover Bath.

With a growing number of sponsors, vendors and attendees, Rockers Reunion is gaining momentum and showing no signs of rolling off the throttle. Mark your calendar for June 4th, 2016 and experience the Fountain Square vibe during the 10th year of Indy’s best vintage/custom bike show.

If you see the guys from Ton-Up Indy, give ’em a pat on the back or a handshake for the hard work they put into hosting and organizing Rockers Reunion Indy. They’re keeping the spotlight on the vintage motorcycle scene while maintaining a positive co-existence with the community.

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