Over the past 26 years, the Love Ride has meant many things to many people.

For Glendale Harley, Home Of The Love Ride, the annual event has been a source of pride, both to the dealership and to the entire City of Glendale.

For entertainers, the Love Ride has meant being tapped to play the legendary Love Ride stage, where the audience has seen performers like Jackson Browne, Crosby, Stills & Nash, BB King Sheryl Crow, Bruce Springsteen, ZZ Top and the Foo Fighters make history.

For bikers, the Love Ride has meant changing the public’s perception of motorcyclists from hooligan to down-to-earth community activist.

For the hundreds of volunteers, the Love Ride has given them a way of giving back to the community where they live and work.

For motorcycle riders, the Love Ride has given then an unforgettable experience; riding together with thousands of others, unified in the common purpose of helping those less fortunate in our community.

For our many benefiaries, the Love Ride Foundation has raised millions of dollars to help them help others through their respective causes.

To both young and old alike, the Love Ride means a sense of hope for a better tomorrow.

The Love Ride accepts donations all year long.  Stay tuned, because the Love Ride will be back shortly.  In the meantime, take a look back at Love Ride’s incredible history, 25 years worth of photos and memories, all here on this site. ]]> http://www.loveride.org/lr26/2009/10/30/a-message-from-the-love-ride-foundation/feed/ 0 http://www.loveride.org/lr26/2009/10/28/top-fundraisers-announced/ http://www.loveride.org/lr26/2009/10/28/top-fundraisers-announced/#comments Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:39:20 +0000 admin http://www.loveride.org/lr26/?p=658 The Love Ride Foundation wishes to thank this years Top 12 Fundraisers.

Jim & Kitti Carnes     $5,118.00
Rick Young     $3,355.00
Kirby Yale     $3,350.00
Eric Schmoranzer     $3,271.00
Melanie Postell     $2,286.00
Heather Tipple     $2,175.00
Gerard McKenzie     $1,811.00
Ricardo Villarreal     $1,645.00
Arnold Kleiner     $1,500.00
Ruben Almaraz     $1,500.00
Robert Batriz     $1,500.00
Kathleen Gundrum     $1,500.00

Patti has vivid memories of going on many Harley rides with Bob, but riding with Bob in several Love Rides was something very, very special to both of them.

“He always looked forward to the Love Ride,” says Vincent, who used to live in SoCal before moving to Incline Village near Lake Tahoe nine years ago. “It was his favorite ride.” Patti related that Bob’s motorcycle was brought front and center into the church at his funeral. “The Harley was his favorite thing in the world, says Vincent. “His friend fired it up and rode it out to end the ceremony.”

This week, Patti contacted Love Ride founder Oliver Shokouh and donated her husband’s 2000 Heritage Softail to the Love Ride. The motorcycle will be sold and the proceeds donated to the Love Ride Foundation.

“I was thinking of just selling it, but Bob would have loved to know that his bike was going to the Love Ride, an event that gave him so much joy,” says Vincent. “I’m donating the bike with the condition that the money be given to one of the Love Ride’s benefiairies, in Bob’s memory.”

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If you would like to donate a motorcycle or something to the Love Ride Foundation, contact Oliver Shokouh at 818-246-5618, Extension 102 or e-mail to oliver@loveride.org. Being a 501c3 charity, all donations made to the Foundation are tax deductible.

Click poster for larger image.

HUGE UPDATES FOR THIS WEEKEND!

Fellow Love Riders!

Love Ride 26 is canceled, but we still have three days of fun events THIS WEEKEND. PLAN ON COMING OUT AND SUPPORTING THE LOVE RIDE FOUNDATION. IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS THERE HAS BEEN AN OUTPOURING OF GOODWILL TOWARDS THE LOVE RIDE. AS A RESULT OF SUCH GENEROSITY, PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONS TO OUR WEEKEND SCHEDULE (IN CAPS). THANK YOU SIR MICHAEL’S FOR GIVING US ALL THE PARTY RENTALS, STREET LIGHTING, CHAIRS AND TABLES FOR THE WHOLE WEEKEND! MACANUDO CIGARS FOR THE CIGAR BAR, THE CH APL AIN FOR ALL THE ROASTED CORN. THANKS ALSO TO BRENDA AT GOTWHEATGRASS FOR YOUR DONATION OF INSANELY NICE GIFT BAGS FOR OUR SATURDAY RAFFLE. SPECIAL THANKS TO PATTI VINCENT, A LONGTIME LOVE RIDER, FOR DONATING HER LATE HUSBAND BOB’S HERITAGE SOFTAIL TO THE LOVE RIDE FOUNDATION!

Friday night, October 23rd, we have Peter Fonda in the house for a personal appearance and article signing (4-7pm). As the sun goes down, we screen his classic movie “Easy Rider” to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the film. (7-10pm) WE’LL HAVE ON HAND A CHOICE OF GREAT FOOD, THEY’LL BE FREE ROASTED CORN ON THE COB, BEA’S CHILI AND THE IRON HORSE GRILL IS COMING OUT TO BBQ ALL NIGHT SOME TRI-TIP AND HOT LINKS (WITH A PORTION OF THE FOOD PROCEEDS GOING TO THE LOVE RIDE FOUNDATION). CIGARS COURTESY OF MACANUDO WILL BE COMPLIMENTARY AS WILL THE POPCORN AND CANDY FOR THE MOVIE (COURTESY OF GLENDALE HARLEY).

Saturday, October 24th, we have a street fest, with music (2 bands FROM THE BURBANK ACADEMY OF MUSIC and DJ Mr. Gee), Vintage Love Ride merchandise (and of course LR26 stuff on sale) along with a prize raffle every 1/2 hour on the hour. (10am-4pm). WE HAVE 4 XL T-SHIRTS FROM LOVE RIDE 1 TO GIVE OUT, SOME GREAT MUSIC CDS PLUS HARLEY-DAVIDSON PORTABLE RADIOS AND SOME GREAT GIFT BAGS COURTESY OF BRENDA AT GOTWHEATGRASS.COM

And don’t forget that Saturday evening there is still the Flat Track Racing going on up at the Pomona Fairplex. Tickets are available at participating Southern California dealerships for $30-general seating and $40-preferred seating. You can also purchase tickets online atwww.californiabikeweek.com through Ticketmaster. But Ticketmaster fees will apply. There are no fees when purchased at Harley-Davidson dealerships. Glendale Harley-Davidson has tickets available!

Sunday, October 25th, our street festival continues with more music and a sale of Love Ride merchandise (Rides 1-26). So come on down, enjoy the day and continue to support the Love Ride Foundation! FREE CIGARS, FREE CORN, GREAT FOOD AT NOMINAL COST, Love Ride merchandise AND MORE AT GLENDALE HARLEY.

Weak Economy Cited, Biker Charity Event Will Return As Economy Improves

For Immediate Release

Contact: Steve Fisher – Marketing Director
Harley-Davidson/Buell of Glendale
(818) 246-5618 ext. 133

Glendale, Ca — Love Ride 26, slated for October 25, 2009, has been canceled.  The announcement was made by Love Ride founder Oliver Shokouh, speaking on behalf of the Love Ride Foundation, which cited the weak economy as the reason for the event’s cancellation.

In place of the usual event, Glendale Harley, Home of the Love Ride, is sponsoring an autograph session with Peter Fonda and free movie screening,  commemorating the 40th Anniversary of  Fonda’s starring role in “Easy Rider.”  The event will take place at the dealership (3717 San Fernando Rd. in Glendale) Friday, October 23rd from 4-10pm.  Volunteers from the Love Ride Foundation will also be selling Love Ride memorabilia (Love Rides 1-26) on Saturday, October 24th from 9am-4pm and Sunday, October 25th from 6am-2pm. The hope is to assist the Love Ride Foundation so that it can continue to support the charitable organizations it supports.  The dealership will also have representatives on hand to answer any questions.  If you have pre-registered for the Love Ride this year we will be honoring refunds if requested.  Please call (818) 246-5618 ext. 141 or email Joe Emma at registration@loveride.org.  However, we are asking if you would consider still making a donation to the Love Ride Foundation and in exchange we will provide some Love Ride 26 merchandise as a token of our appreciation.

“This was a gut wrenching decision for both me and the Board,” says Shokouh, who founded the Love Ride in 1984 and within a few years built it into the world’s largest one-day mortorcycle charity event.  “I want to make clear that this has absolutely nothing to do with the Love Ride staff, volunteers or organizers.  Everyone has worked hard for the past 25 years.  Our problem boils down to one thing, the economy.  The bottom line is that the Love Ride is a victim of the recession.  We did a very careful analysis over the last several months, and realized that ticket sales weren’t enough to offset costs.  Simply put, there would be no money left to help the kids, the sole reason for the Love Ride.”

The Love Ride started back in 1984 as an event to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.  As the Love Ride grew, the destination changed from Calamigos Ranch to Lake Castaic and then to the Fairplex.  The list of beneficiaries also grew, from MDA to over one dozen children’s charities, including Autism Speaks.

Last year’s Silver Anniversary Love Ride 25 drew thousands of bikers for the fund-raising motorcycle ride that featured an afternoon concert  headlined by ZZ Top and the Foo Fighters.  “Things were on track for continued growth, then the economy collapsed,” adds Shokouh.  Circumstances turned against us.  2009 is simply not a good year for a charity event.”

Shokouh was optimistic that the Love Ride would return, if not next year, then in 2011.  “Times are tough, we’re lovin’ but not ridin’, at least not this year”, says Shokouh, who started his Glendale Harley-Davidson motorcycle dealership in 1976.  “After 25 years of expansion, it may be time to return to our roots with a smaller, more intimate event.  But we will be back.”

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You can check out our main galleries HERE.
You can also check out the for the Official “Love Ride Image Stories” by Simon Cherpitel HERE.

Although Christopher spent most his life in a wheel chair because of Muscular Dystrophy, (MD) his passion for life was immeasurable. He participated in many events to help raise awareness and proceeds for MD, never letting the disease slow him down. His greatest joy was participating in the annual Love Ride for which he was the ambassador for the past 14 years.

Christopher was awarded the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s 2006 Courage Award in July for being an inspiring role model and a champion of their fight toward finding a cure. This was the second time he received this award. He demonstrated commitment to his community by being active in the Valley Youth Conference Football League. Christopher coached youth football teams for the Northridge Knights for over ten years. He will be greatly missed by many.

Christopher is survived by his father, Rod; mother, Krysti; younger brother, Brandon; and younger sister, Kodi. He is further survived by his grandmother, Jeanne Davis; and many aunts, uncles, cousins and loving friends. In Lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Love Ride Foundation in care of Harley-Davidson of Glendale.

Love Ride Founder & Chairman Oliver Shokouh, owner of Harley-Davidson of Glendale, said, “Love Ride is all about helping those less fortunate – and having a good time while doing it. I am so grateful to all of our 25th Annual participants. During truly challenging times, having such a strong year really demonstrates the heart and commitment of everyone that makes Love Ride possible. We’re looking forward to the next 25 years.”

In addition to Jay Leno – who’s presided over almost every Love Ride – celebrity riders for ’08 also included: Harley-Davidson legend Willie G. Davidson – along with wife Nancy, son Bill Davidson and daughter Karen Davidson – Neile Adams (the former Mrs. Steve McQueen); two-time X-Games Gold Medalist and action sports standout Mike Metzger; Kiss’s Gene Simmons (Family Jewels); musicians Matt Sorum and Duff McKagan (both Velvet Revolver and Guns N’ Roses); Miss USA Runner Up and Miss Indiana Nicole Rash; actors Peter Fonda, Robert Patrick, Rutger Hauer, Larry Hagman, Mark-Paul Harry Gosselaar, Michael Trucco (Battlestar Galactica), Carmine Giovinazzo (CSI: NY); cast members from FX’s outlaw biker club drama Sons Of Anarchy including Charlie Hunnam, Mark Boone Junior, Tommy Flanagan, Johnny Lewis, Kim Coates and Theo Rossi; and Cassandra Hepburn, star of the forthcoming Quentin Tarantino-produced motorcycle gang film Hell Ride.

At a post-concert ceremony, the Top 10 Love Ride fundraisers were awarded prizes. Eric Schmoranzer, scoring #1 with a $31,025.00 bounty for charity, won a trip for two to the Swiss Love Ride 17 in Zurich, May ’09. #2 fundraiser, Rick Roussin ($6,017) won “Grant 50,” an original silkscreen/painting by former Andy Warhol assistant Steve Kaufman, and #3 winners Jim and Kitti Carnes ($4,445.00) took home a Stand-up 1 Bike Trailer by Kendon. The other Top 10 fundraisers are: Kirby Yale ($3,246), Melanie Postell ($3,035), Scott Siegel ($2,960), Rick Young ($2,935), Rodney Houle ($2,751), William Speeg ($2,725) and Gerard McKenzie ($2,576.00). The top three fundraisers also received travel prizes from Southwest Airlines, and all ten received a signed & numbered limited edition artwork by Vinc and a FairChild Sports leather backpack.

Raffle winners were also awarded prizes, with Muscular Dystrophy Goodwill Ambassador Jared Schultz selecting the ticket for the top prize – a 2009 Harley-Davidson Softail Crossbones motorcycle – which went to Rachel Olmos of Arleta, CA. Other winners included: a 2009 Ducati Monster motorcycle going to Paul Reeves of Stanhope, NJ; a Vanson “Captain America” jacket signed by Peter Fonda to Ami Schenck of Little Rock, AK; and a Duane Ballard-designed Love Ride belt and silver and diamond belt buckle to Steve Cohan of Henderson, NV. The Best Buy Musical Instruments raffle raised additional funds for Love Ride and awarded a Fender guitar signed by both Foo Fighters and ZZ Top to Frank Jordan.

Beneficiaries of funds raised by the 25th Annual Love Ride include: Muscular Dystrophy Association, Autism Speaks, Children’s Hospital of L.A., Reading By 9 Child Literacy Initiative, Providence Saint Joseph Foundation, Catholic Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Special Olympics of Southern California, Frostig Center, Scleroderma Foundation, Glendale Community College, Rett Syndrome Foundation, Optimist Youth Homes & Family Centers, Diabetes Institute for Immunology and Transplantation, Friends of Castaic Lake and the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation. 2008 Sponsors included: Harley-Davidson Southern California Dealers Association, Harley-Davidson Corporation, Best Buy Musical Instruments, Sparkletts Water, Coca Cola, Anheuser-Busch, Spyder, Southwest Airlines, 95.5 KLOS-FM, 106.7 KROQ-FM, Thunder Press, FM94.9, LA Weekly, OC Weekly, Event 360 and 101 KGB.

Love Ride is also the climactic event of California Bike Week (CBW), a 3-day rally and motorcycle lifestyle event that enjoyed its second annual year in 2008 (Oct. 24-26). CBW is jointly presented by the Love Ride Foundation and the Southern California Harley-Davidson Dealers Association, and is on track to become the West Coast’s answer to legendary bike events such as Daytona Bike Week and the Sturgis Bike Rally.