15, 16, 17th February, 2019 - report from Mama Tried Custom Motorcycle Show screenings, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

The One Moto Show finished and we then flew north to the frozen winter landscapes of Wisconsin for Mama Tried. The Mid-West’s premier custom show is an oasis for bikers in the bitter winter months when it’s too cold to ride. Hosted in Milwaukee, the home of Harley Davidson, the show has a high quota of custom and vintage Harleys of all kinds, from 20’s board trackers, to knuckleheads, flatheads, panheads, shovels through to dynas. There are also a fair selection of other manufactures, with the Japanese and European marques fully represented.

In addition to the bike show, Mama Tried hosts Flat Out Friday, a flattrack event at the local NBA stadium, with Coca Cola syrup laid on the tight oval surface for added grip. Gnarly racing laced with a big dose of Mid-West humour makes this one of the best race-meets of the year.

The show has to rank as one of the friendliest shows on the custom motorcycle circuit, and the tone is set by the show runners Scott, Warren and Maureen who welcomed us back with open arms. The film was screened in the basement of the historic Rave concert venue, with a spare-no-expense pop-up movie theatre installed. The film was screened to a packed auditorium, with Milwaukee locals seeing their home-grown builders such as Majik Mike and Craig Rodsmith up on the big screen, and homeboy Ryan Stephen ice racing on a frozen local river. Mama Tried is a true example of how a small grass roots show can become a big event without losing it’s authenticity. Nearly fifteen thousand people attended the weekend.