The Hoka Hey Challenge 2011 was a great success with the World’s Top Riders competing in a 14,000 mile cross country event. The course took them through 48 states and 2 Canadian Provinces and ended in Cape Breton, Canada.
This year, the Hoka Hey went high tech and utilized GPS tracking devices to monitor the riders to insure compliance with the prescribed route of navigation. All finishers complied with the route but the top riders had to submit to polygraph exams for further scrutiny into their compliance of the many rules.
Because of the fact that the 2010 event did not utilize US Fleet Tracking to obtain information about the rider’s speeds and location; the Organizers had to rely on local law enforcement as the primary means of enforcing speeding violations. The Organizers relied on the issuance of a speeding ticket or moving violations, along with the polygraph examination to qualify the 2010 winner. In this 2011 event, the information provided by US Fleet Tracking specific to the 11 contenders could not be ignored by the Organizer’s of the Challenge. After the final validation had been completed, even though the 11 riders who finished within the allotted time frame have accomplished something that no other rider on earth has done, they could not be awarded prize money. The situation was discussed at length at a Contender’s meeting and consideration was made for the fact that the Contenders had to incur significant additional expense to travel to Mesa, AZ for the mandatory polygraph examination. There was an offer made and accepted to help offset their expenses for the mandatory travel. One contender was not able to be present for the event and another intends to seek other remedies. In the end, these elite riders were celebrated on stage as the winners of the event and were recognized as the greatest riders in the world!
A number of the Hoka Hey Challengers were on hand to celebrate the winners and enjoy festivities at Chester’s Harley-Davidson, Mesa, AZ during their annual Rocktoberfest. Chester’s Harley-Davidson was the starting point for the Challenge and on Saturday, October 8th, 2011 Chester’s welcomed the riders back with a ceremony to honor all the brave men and women, who fought the elements to complete the grueling 2011 Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge. Everyone present enjoyed 11 Rock Bands, a poker run and a spectacular concert by Paul Rogers of Bad Company which brought everyone to their feet!
Thanks to all that made the 2nd Hoka Challenge a great success! Especially the folks at Harley-Davidson Motor Company and US Fleet Tracking, proud sponsors of the Hoka Hey.
The 2012 Hoka Challenge is scheduled to run next August. The course will be LESS THAN 7,000 miles, to afford more riders the opportunity to participate. The anticipated total ride time should be 12 days or less. The route will once again take those who love to ride through the back roads of America. Applications will be available on the website in November. Please check our website for updates www.hokaheychallenge.com
The Toughest Ride for the Toughest Riders on Earth! 10,000 Miles of Pure Adrenaline!! The Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge is a grueling battle of endurance and determination! Join us and test your abilities to navigate, endure and persevere along some of the most technical roads in North America. Check out the web site at www.hokaheychallenge.com or contact the organizers for more information (info@hokaheychallenge.com).
while i'm glad that the celebration was a good time i have been waiting a long time to find out how everyone finished can someone tell me how i find that out? really looking forward to doing this next year! i mean WINNING haha
ReplyDeleteTo all concerned,
ReplyDeleteI was at the Awards Ceremony in Mesa on October 8, 2011. I took second place in this year’s event; I did not participate in the 2010 event. Unless you were there, you would have no idea of what took place. I cannot speak for everyone involved, what I can say is that 9 of the 11 finishers were men of integrity and honor. Men that were able to except responsibility for their actions and not cry foul when we were told no prize money would be paid because we all exceeded the posted speed limits. Some may have exceeded the posted speed limit more than others, but we all did it.
The reason 9 out of 11 finishers did not receive award money is because we did violate the rules of the Hoka Hey Challenge. Specifically, the rule as it applies to excessive speed. If the Hoka Hey organization rewarded riders for racing across the country the event would be permanently shut down. We did not want that to happen. So you have nine men willing to drop their claim to monetary rewards to support an event that is bigger than the individual themselves.
Unless you participated in the 2010 or 2011 Hoka Hey you cannot speak on what these individuals (riders/organizers) have done or what is their due. I am proud to be a part of this event and to have completed the prescribed rout. Yes, I would love to have been payed $50,000.00 for taking second, but I can also accept responsibility for violating the rules. I was compensated for my travel to Mesa as were all the others that were invited to the awards ceremony. I enjoyed the fellowship of some amazing individuals and riders. We were recognized on stage as the world’s greatest long distance riders and now we will have a chance to prove it again in 2012.
I would like to single out Frank Kelly #175 and Marc Story #16 as two incredible riders and human beings that truly epitomize what the Hoka Hey is all about, and can’t wait to whip their asses next year.
Shaun VanBeber
Hoka Hey Rider #600
Who was awarded the money then?
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ReplyDeleteI would have liked the chance to read this one.
DeleteIt was a great ride through 2 beautiful countries. Lots of great people along the way and especially all the other riders. I feel proud to have been among them. Looking forward to next year!
ReplyDeleteJames Geray #674
I would love to hear from some of the women riders that participated in this journey. I am a female in my 50's and would love to hear their story.
ReplyDeleteAlso am seriously thinking of participating in the 2012 challenge.
I would love to participate in 2012. I am concerned as to how much over the speed limit these riders were to be disqualified. If they were only 5-7 miles over because they missed a change in the limit or if they were really over trying to make up time.
ReplyDeleteI am thinking of joining this years ride, but I have convictions about the speeding thing. So, you're telling me that if we go one mile over, we're out? That is insane! Even the cops give you 5-7 over. And another thing. Good luck....You're going to get run over! People will not follow a bunch of motorcycles on some back road for 50 miles at the posted speed limit. Let's face it, if your not going with the flow of traffic, you are a traffic HAZARD!!!
ReplyDeleteTo the individuals concerned about being DQ'd for speeding. Please see our recent post "Changes for the Good". I think it addresses your concerns.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Beth
Oh gee Beth, that really makes me feel much better.
ReplyDelete