Pickerington, Ohio—The 2018 AMA Gypsy Tour, a national series of premier road—riding events, launches in March, with 15 events on the schedule for riders across the country.
Some of the largest and best known U.S. motorcycle gatherings have received the AMA National Gypsy Tour designation, said AMA Recreational Riding Manager Heather Wilson.
“These events allow riders of all makes and models to get together and enjoy food, entertainment, group or individual riding and vendors,” Wilson said. “AMA members can visit the pin stop at each event to show their membership cards and receive a 2018 AMA Gypsy Tour pin.”
New this year, riders can sign up for AMA membership at a Gypsy Tour event and receive free registration for the AMA LongRider program, the AMA’s mileage—recognition program for members. Riders can join on their phone at the event and show the AMA staff or volunteers their completion screen to receive this benefit.
Originally, a Gypsy Tour was an overnight event with organized road rides and other activities of interest to motorcycle enthusiasts, and groups of riders would converge on a single destination. Gypsy Tours were staged in different parts of the country and typically occurred on the same weekend every year. The AMA has been sanctioning Gypsy Tours since 1924.
Laconia Motorcycle Week, which dates to 1916, is the longest—running AMA Gypsy Tour and has been named as an AMA Gypsy Tour Heritage Event for the second year in a row.
The schedule for the 2018 AMA Gypsy Tour includes:
- March 9–18: AMA Gypsy Tour at Bike Week; Daytona Beach, FL
- April 11–15: Arizona Bike Week; Scottsdale, AZ
- April 25–28: Laughlin River Run; Laughlin, NV
- May 2–6: Thunder Beach Spring Rally; Panama City Beach, FL
- May 11–20: Myrtle Beach Bike Week Spring Rally; Myrtle Beach, SC
- May 18–21: AspenCash Motorcycle Rally; Ruidoso, NM
- June 4–9: Americade; Lake George, NY
- June 9–17: Laconia Motorcycle Week; Laconia, NH AMA National Gypsy Tour Heritage Event
- June 21–24: Thunder in the Valley; Johnstown, PA
- July 6–8: AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days; New Lexington, OH
- July 26–29: MountainFest Motorcycle Rally; Morgantown, WV
- Aug. 3–12: Sturgis Motorcycle Rally; Sturgis, SD
- Sept. 21–23: Ray Price Capital City Bikefest; Raleigh, NC
- Oct. 11–14: Las Vegas Bikefest; Las Vegas, NV
- Oct. 24–28: Thunder Beach Fall Rally; Panama City Beach, FL
Details about the events on the AMA National Gypsy Tour are available by clicking here.
