I just got this and want to pass it along as quickly as possible. Haven't had time yet to do any digging on my own, but I will. This announcement was made yesterday on the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge blog.
According to Cyri Huze, who was a leading critic of the 2010 Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge, "At the awards ceremony organized at Chester’s Harley-Davidson in Mesa, Arizona, (for the 2011 Hoka Hey) Hoka Hey organizer Jim Durham declared that none of the top 11 riders who finished within the allotted time would receive any money!"
Holy crap! I followed this thing last year but didn't bother this year. So I was unaware of the fact that they were supposed to be having the awards ceremony, much less that it had turned out like this.
Big Jim Durham, the ride's organizer, reportedly said that because all the challengers exceeded the speed limit at one time or another in the 10,000-plus miles of the ride, none will be paid, not even Will Barclay, who won last year and was the top finisher again this year.
I don't know about you, but I challenge anyone to travel 10,000 miles without exceeding the speed limit at least once. And with the high-tech gadgetry available today, that stuff can be tracked.
Last year's Hoka Hey was plagued with all kinds of rumors and accusations alleging a scam and expecting that no one would receive any prize money. That seemed to have been refuted when Barclay was paid his winnings. Barclay spoke repeatedly in Durham's defense at that time and afterward, and then in April when I was down in Scottsdale at Arizona Bike Week I saw him working the booth the Hoka Hey had set up promoting this year's event. I'd like to hear what Barclay has to say now.
Of course, Harley-Davidson signed on this year as major sponsor. I'll also be interested to see what, if anything, Harley has to say about the situation.
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