Irvine, Calif. – RiDE, the new hands-on dirt bike and ATV experience, heads to the Phoenix market the first weekend of February, then returns to Anaheim, CA, after a jam-packed January debut there, drawing nearly 600 registered guests. More than 200 kids, age 6 to 16, suited up in real riding gear and enjoyed short rides on small dirt bikes and ATVs, with the help of professional coaches and instructors on two off-road ranges.
The busy, first-ever RiDE event, funded by the Motorcycle Industry Council and produced by Feld Entertainment, also featured moto photo booths where guests could sit on dirt bikes mounted on giant springs so they could feel what it was like to move side to side and back and forth on a motorcycle. The bikes were set up in front of various Supercross backdrops to help with great social media photos. Smaller children could sample Strider balance bikes on a small paved course, and anyone could try virtual reality headsets while seated on stationary dirt bikes and ATVs, giving them a taste of a simulated trail ride.
RiDE was staged in the afternoon pit party for Feld’s Monster Jam, “an unexpected, unscripted and unforgettable event featuring 12,000-pound Monster Jam trucks driven by world-class athletes.” The 32,000-square-foot RiDE space was ideally located right next to all the parked Monster Jam trucks, where fans could see the machines up-close and get autographs from the drivers.
“We started getting foot traffic as soon as RiDE opened, and the lines continued to grow into the afternoon,” said Tim Buche, Motorcycle Industry Council president and CEO. “It certainly kept our staff, coaches, instructors and volunteers busy and it was well worth it. Everyone enjoyed giving families and kids a little taste of powersports, and many had their first ride. RiDE will evolve and get even better, but we’re very excited about the initial reception.”
The Anaheim RiDE event was the first of 12 such productions across the nation at selected Monster Jam events.
“We’ll have direct contact and one-on-one conversations with hundreds of people at each RiDE venue this year, but more than that, we’ll generate hundreds of thousands of positive impressions through the social media postings of our guests, sharing their experiences with friends and family,” said Paul Vitrano, MIC chair, and vice president, global government relations of Polaris Industries, Inc. “We’re very excited about showcasing the powersports story with RiDE, and putting many young people on seats and behind handlebars for the first time, giving them a great experience to talk about Monday morning when they get to school.”
RiDE travels to Arizona next month, followed by five more events in California before back-to-back afternoons in Las Vegas. The series then moves to the East Coast.
2018 RiDE Events
Feb. 3 - University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ
Feb. 10 - Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, CA
Feb. 17 - Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, CA
Feb. 18 - Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, CA
Feb. 24 - Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, CA
Feb. 25 - Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, CA
March 23 - Sam Boyd Stadium, Monster Jam World Finals, Las Vegas
March 24 - Sam Boyd Stadium, Monster Jam World Finals, Las Vegas
May 12 - MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
June 9 - Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA
June 23 - Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN
The MIC is asking for local-market volunteers to help staff the many RiDE events. Volunteers will receive a commemorative RiDE T-shirt to wear during the event, a free ticket to Monster Jam at the event they staff, a small stipend, and most rewarding, the opportunity to engage with the next generation of enthusiasts. Anyone interested in volunteering for any of the future RiDE events should click here: RiDE Volunteer Sheet
RiDE is funded by MIC members BMW, Honda, Husqvarna, Kawasaki, KTM, Polaris, Suzuki and Yamaha.
The Motorcycle Industry Council exists to preserve, protect and promote motorcycling through government relations, communications and media relations, statistics and research, aftermarket programs, AIMExpo, development of data communications standards, and activities surrounding technical and regulatory issues. As a not-for-profit, national industry association, the MIC seeks to support motorcyclists by representing manufacturers, distributors, dealers and retailers of motorcycles, scooters, ATVs, ROVs, motorcycle/ATV/ROV parts, accessories and related goods and services, and members of allied trades such as insurance, finance and investment companies, media companies and consultants.
The MIC is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., with a government relations office in metropolitan Washington, D.C. First called the MIC in 1970, the organization has been in operation since 1914. Visit the MIC at mic.org.
