Huge Parade Of 1500 Bikes Led By King Of The Baggers Champion, Tyler O’Hara
Exclusive Challenger RR and Cutaway PowerPlus Engine Display
American Motorcycle Dealer “Approved” Budweis Custom Indian Motorcycle Show
King of the Baggers Race Team Present Replica Indian Challenger to Prize Draw Winner
The 2023 edition of the Indian Riders Fest 2023 (IRF23), held in ÄŒeské BudÄ›jovice (Budweis), Czech Republic, June 9-11, proved to be the largest celebration of Indian Motorcycle owners in the world. With a record-breaking attendance of over 3000 people from 39 nationalities, this year’s event solidified its position as the most significant congregation of Indian Motorcycle enthusiasts globally. 
One of the highlights of the festival was the huge Saturday parade ride, led by King of the Baggers Champion, Tyler O’Hara, where 1500 motorcycles took to the beautiful South Bohemian roads to be welcomed by waving and smiling onlookers along the entire 39 km route. Even with the event open to riders of all makes, nearly 1350 of the participating motorcycles were Indian Motorcycle models, topping last year’s number of 1200.
Making the parade possible, the organisers were supported by the local authorities with nearly 120 Police personnel and 26 mobile units helping to close junctions and hold traffic along the route for the parade to pass smoothly. In addition, six bus routes were cancelled or re-routed for the day to allow the riders to make their way to the Přemysl Otakar II square at the end of the parade. The final gathering providing a spectacular photo opportunity as the Indian Motorcycle Riders groups laid their flags in the centre of the historic square surrounded by their motorcycles.
“A huge thank you to all the riders, visitors and partners who came to the Indian Riders Fest 2023. We hope everyone had a fantastic time and enjoyed the weekend festival. We would also like to express our gratitude to Indian Motorcycle and all the other IRF partners for their continued support, and a huge thank you to the IRF production team for making this event possible. We can’t wait to celebrate with you again next year at the very special 2024 ‘Back In Time’ Edition of the IRF,” said Jean-Marie Guyon, organiser of the IRF.
IRF23 created an unforgettable experience for attendees, showcasing the rich legacy of Indian Motorcycle and embracing the vibrant culture of motorcycling. The event witnessed an overwhelming response, with over 2000 tickets sold in advance, to fill festival grounds with energy as 2500 motorcycles, including 1800 Indian Motorcycles, gathered in a celebration of motorcycling and its vibrant culture.
“Jean-Marie and his team have done it again. The IRF just keeps on growing and really has become a major destination event for riders from all over the world. The parade was stunning, it’s really moving to see so many riders joining together to celebrate our motorcycles, and to see the joy and support from the locals along the route was infectious. I know that Tyler, Jeremy, and our guests from the US were blown away by the event and the enthusiasm from everyone who attended,” said Grant Bester, Vice President International for Indian Motorcycle.
Adding to the excitement, the exclusive Challenger RR, number three of just 29 produced, plus a cutaway of the PowerPlus engine at the heart of the Challenger, were prominently displayed at the Indian Motorcycle booth, providing an up-close look at the cutting-edge engineering and craftsmanship that makes it an unrivalled force on the road and track.
In addition, as part of the festival, the American Motorcycle Dealer “Approved” Budweis Custom Indian Motorcycle Show featured a display of 32 exhilarating customised Indian Motorcycles across six classes, showcasing the exceptional craftsmanship of European custom bike builders and standing in a unique position as the only custom show to be 100 percent dedicated to Indian Motorcycles, past and present.
During the Saturday evening entertainment, Tyler O’Hara and Jeremy McWilliams, renowned motorcycle Indian Challenger and FTR racers, joined with Grant Bester and Gary Gray, Vice President of Racing, Technology and Service, on the main stage to present the grand prize Indian Challenger to one lucky prize draw winner.
Selected randomly from all the attendees who had entered the draw, Noah from Illertissen in Germany, was stunned to be presented with the unique race replica Indian Challenger that O’Hara had ridden in the parade earlier that day. Arriving at the festival on his Indian Scout after an eventful journey, Noah was nearly speechless at winning the one-off Indian Challenger signed by O’Hara, McWilliams and Gray.
“You know, we nearly didn’t make it here due to a tyre failure on my father’s trailer on the way down. It’s still there, we had to abandon it,” laughed Noah. “And now we get to leave with this amazing bike. It’s so crazy, I’m so happy.”
Alongside a variety of food and retail stalls, the audience were thrilled with heart-stopping performances from the Wall of Death, fearless stunt riders showcasing their exceptional skills and precision, exhilarating rodeo performances capturing the essence of the American West, live concerts, the genuine Indian Motorcycle apparel shop, and the Indian Motorcycle Roadshow truck offering test rides on the latest models.
The Indian Riders Fest has become an essential date for Indian Motorcycle riders, welcoming everyone regardless of motorcycle brand, anyone interested in planning on attending next year should mark their calendars for a great IRF24 summer weekend over June 14-16, 2024.
