Daytona tourism officials report attendance dip for Bike Week 2025
According to a news report, a significant dip in visitors to Bike Week 2025 in Daytona Beach has created concern among the tourism board of directors for the beach town that runs the event.
The Halifax Area Advertising Authority board, comprised of hoteliers and representatives of other local businesses, oversees and funds the Daytona Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. A board member told the Daytona Beach News-Journal that the organization wants to understand why attendance is dropping for one of its marquee events.
Meanwhile, our sister-pub Rider Magazine appeared to be having a grand old time at the 2025 event, posting multiple videos of the daily activities and rebel rousers. Daytona Bike Week typically is the kick-off for the selling season in the U.S. as spring is just starting to appear in many areas and dealers are getting prepared to greet customers new and old.
“There were countless things to do and see, and we took in as many as we could, from Main Street nightlife to scenic cruises through Ormond Beach – and actually on Daytona Beach,” American Rider Editor-in-Chief Kevin Duke wrote. “We also checked out cool bike shows, browsed hundreds of vendors, took a few demo rides, and witnessed thrilling racing action at the Speedway.”
Just how much did Bike Week attendance fall off in 2025? Is this a sign of the season ahead for dealers?
According to the News-Journal report, attendance at key spots in Daytona Beach was down by as much as 24% compared to last year’s event. The comparison uses geofencing data from a company that the board hired in 2024 to analyze the event. The board speculates that the data doesn’t seem to match what they’ve had in the past.
On Main Street, where the biggest crowds gather, the cell phone data suggested that there were 178,600 visitors at this year’s Bike Week with 289,300 repeat visitor stops. However, in 2024, there were 233,500 visitors and 382,400 repeat visits.
Daytona International Speedway attendance was down 20 percent according to the cellphone tracking. However, the city’s own spreadsheet comparison showed Main Street visitors down only 7% year-over-year and only a .07% drop in Speedway visitors.
City officials are looking into the discrepancies; however, more and more events use geofencing technology to estimate attendance levels. The city expanded the cell phone reporting to cover Teddy Morse’s Daytona Harley-Davidson, a hotspot for crowds and other events.
One thing is clear: if the data is correct and the numbers are down, it could signal a trend for the season ahead if bikers are not interested in one of the year’s largest events. The V-twin market has struggled in the past few years with increasingly expensive models and a customer base that is growing older and moving on to other activities. While Daytona Bike Week now incorporates a much more diverse crowd and representative bike brands/models than it has in the past, it is still predominantly an American iron group of riders and enthusiasts.
Sources: Daytona Beach News-Journal, Rider Magazine
Curious if anyone is able to study Canadian attendance? I hear a number of Canadians chose not to travel due to the current political climate.
Perhaps the city council and county officials need to look in the mirror. Their policies over the past three years have hindered bike week and biketoberfest. That is; first it was barricades put up on main street to stop bike parking, cutting parking in half. Then, it was excessive police patrolling and ticketing unlawfully and I witnessed this with my own eyes. Police on every corner, walking sidewalks and the streets. Ticketing loud pipes, placement of license plates particularly custom built bikes. Further, blocking all slingshots from mainstreet, after many traveled long distance to get here for the rally. Technically, it is sold at motorcycle dealerships and is licensed as a motorcycle. Plus, in previous years, vendors areas have been shut down in the area so only so many have spots, the rest choose not to come. So, in closing, these are just the beginning of the problems daytona beach faces. Council members need to begin posting now, positive changes coming for the future because as it stands, people will choose other rallies to attend, across the country, spending their money elsewhere. They don’t have to come here and feel harassed every single day. That is what I was told over and over. Many would not be back unless things change. On another note, people want mayor Henry to stop promoting “black bikeweek” while trying to sabotage “bike week”. Why is there a seperate venue rather than a combined effort to make bikeweek successful for all races, equally as all races are invited to attend “bikeweek” yet all races are not invited to “black bikeweek”. Talk about dividing the city. Further, patrol is not harassing or in attendance at black bikeweek as they are on mainstreet. Look in the mirror, all can be made right but you had better do it fast. Millions of dollars are at stake here. When the city runs many events out of town, runs out of money due to this one simple fact, then they will be crying about no money for beautification, etc. And daytona events will be no more!
You are spot on in your assessment of the harrassment by local law enforcement and far fewer vendors on Main Street and elsewhere! The roadblocks at certain venues and being ticketed for not wearing eye protection at night is a clear indication of harassment by law enforcement! Being a retired police officer myself I found this type of petty behavior by law enforcement to be absurd. I have been to Daytona Bike Week many times in the past and due to the environment allowed by the powers to be, I will never go back! I will spend my money at Sturgis South Dakota Bike Week !
Well, the counsel has to listen and address residents of the area who live and work beachside. Many are fed up. Bike week isn’t the only event that Daytona has to deal with. Summer gets slammed with events. Many of which have become increasingly out of hand and dangerous. Law enforcement has been forced to show up, show their presence, and serve the residents. It’s working. While the local economy appreciates the money from BW, we don’t need it. As the event ages, less interest exsists. Crowds are shrinking as the Bike generations population decreases. Other concepts, plans and developments are being explored and implemented, have been for a while. What will ultimately happen, is that main street will become a family oriented retail and eatery district. A “yuppyville,” so to speak. The halifax district is also being, quite aggressively gentrified, as we speak. These types of old, tired, and “beating a dead horse” events will be phased out. A supplement will be in place to create a year round revenue increase. It’s all part of the plan, trust me. To rely less on outside tourism. If you live in the area, you see it. Go to a city meeting, check public record, etc. I’ve personally been privy to city counsel and planning meetings, as a fly on the wall. Although they don’t say it outright, the writing is on the wall, and between the lines. The old and dying traditional events, the noise poluting/nuisance events, unsanctioned criminal attracting events, etc…will be a thing of the past. Jeep Beach is next on the hit list, btw. There is a subtle but purposeful push back as JB tries to expand, every year. Nope. Not gonna happen. Tourism will always be a part of the area, but as the city puts their plan into place for the “year round revenue,” the mass events will be cherry picked. Everybody else? “Bye, bye.” “Good ridance.”
We’ve already told the lowest on the totem pole, the spring breakers, “we don’t want you here.” Literally. For obvious reasons. Daytona knows that it can’t survive and thrive on garbage events. It’s not sustainable at this point. The beachside was literally crumbling apart for 2 decades. The rebuild and revamp started riverside and is creeping over the bridge. The meth heads are beginning to edge out, new homes and businesses are strategically going in. I mean, come on, half the businesses on Main are shuttered except for 1 week in March. Those owners know that the residents and councel are coming for them. They are fighting a losing battle. We don’t want your tumbleweed, meth head, derelict strip anymore. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a long way to go. Daytona as a whole is still a massive dump. The eyesore of the east coast. But…there is finally a plan in place to improve and take out the trash. Don’t believe me? Just wait.
Ever since they changed everything on Beech St. to cater to one big insurance company it was the beginning of the end.