Wendy Jade of Medford, Mass., walked down Lakeside Avenue Wednesday afternoon at Laconia Motorcycle Week. She and her motorcycle club wore all-white, matching outfits with black leather vests. This is her third year at the historic rally, but Jade and her husband decided to change things up this year: Rather than riding their own motorcycles, they doubled up on his.
“I'm Passenger Princess this time because we didn't want to put gas in both bikes,” Jade said.
Laconia Motorcycle Week wraps up this weekend, and people on the ground say it seems quieter this year. Attendance is down so far, and organizers say that’s likely due in part to high gas prices. Those prices have increased 45% over the last year in the Northeast, but have been falling in recent weeks.
Dan Rienzo from Meredith smoked a cigarette on the sidewalk nearby. He’s a delivery driver, and this is his 32nd Laconia Bike Week. He said he’s feeling the economic pinch.
“Everything's gone up, so your paycheck’s not worth what it was,” Rienzo said.
Motorcyclists like Rienzo often use high octane gas instead of regular fuel for their bikes, making the price at the pump even higher.
“It normally costs me like $14 to fill up my bike,” Rienzo said, “And it now costs about $26.”
But he isn’t changing how or where he rides. He’s decided to just eat the cost for the sake of the open road.
“I go wherever the road takes me,” he said.
Many people at Bike Week said the same thing – high gas prices won’t get in the way of them enjoying their passion. Eric Freda from Stoneham, Mass., points out that motorcycles, especially ones with smaller engines, get more miles per gallon than cars, making them a cheaper way to get around.
“I work in Boston, and I basically take my bike to work every day just because it saves me so much on gas,” Freda said.
Obeying the speed limit on the scenic rides around the Lakes Region has also been cost effective for him.
“It's a lot more fun riding on these nice country back roads,” Freda said. “You got like an average 45 mile to maybe 55 mile an hour [speed limit] range, and you're actually doing way better on gas mileage when you're in that range.”
At that speed, he can enjoy the view and save some money at Laconia Motorcycle Week.
“You get to have your cake and eat it, you know?”
