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Oficial Online Report

The 23th
Faro Rally 2004
What is the Faro Rally?
In fact, this is an unique case of hospitality and typical portuguese way of being. Because of these two important features, every year is a confirmation of the continuos harmony between such a variety of motorcycles riders, from the most audacious racer, through the touristic user, ending in the hard restless biker. This phenomenon is a reflection of the Moto Clube de Faro philosophy as a welcoming port of all these ways of loving and living the motorbike experience, giving to his thirty years of existence, respect and admiration from all around the world. This long history of achievements and a profound sense of the biker culture are now way over the organization of the annual and internationally acclaimed event at Faro. Long voyages around the world gathering friendships, fierce discipline combined with a particular sensibility to the social cause are some of his most important achievements. This posture grants to Portugal and especially the sunny and touristical region of Algarve in south Portugal, with his white sand beaches of Atlantic ocean’s warm waters, a privileged location to welcome all this motorcycle lovers and all the ones that are sympathetic to this way of life.

The biker spirit
Some say that this is the biggest european motorbike gathering and some even claim that it is the world’s largest meeting organized by a motorcycle club. For us the key feature is the biker spirit lived inside that gathers the will of achievement, making possible to raise such a structure and logistics. This is a task impossible to raise depending only on money. This kind of spirit comes from a long lasting friendship, partnership, boldness, extravagance and above all respect and harmony between all members. The mentioned extravagance is a particular feature from the man’s and women’s of custom bikes. Without these the show would go on but wouldn’t be the same. But there are rules to maintain the good course: woods protection from fire, unnecessary or bothering noise, careless and dangerous indoor driving are a sure invitation for immediate expulsion. The devolution of the entrance fee and a firmly request for not coming back are guaranteed too.

Visitors
The recurrent visitors to our meeting for sure notice the familiar faces from the passed visits, wich confirms that coming to Faro once is for sure a pleseant invitation for returning. Thousands of portuguese experience the pleasure of living together with spaniards, british, french, germans, scotish, belgians, finnish, dutch and italians. But more come from all over the world.

Location
This motorcycle gathering has the unique feature of being just 3 km (1.8 miles) away from Faro, the mais city of Algarve region, just 1,5 km (1 mile) from Ilha de Faro beach and 300 metters (1/5 mile) from the Faro Airport. The geographic coordinates are N37 01’28.00’’ - W7 58’38.00’’ wich guarantees an average temperature between 27ºC/ 80ºF and the 33ºC/ 91ºF.

Main stage
The key feature of the gathering, for his size and the quality of the perfoming artists gathered from all over the world, aiming to please all participants, specially the almost 20.000 foreigners, half of the total visitors.

Charismatic zones
There are several of these, each one with distinctive features: The “Feira Motard” (biker’s fair), the pro-exhibits, the Oasis, the Giant Tent, the Bike Show, the Custom Farm and The Tattoo Contest. But even the camping zones are interesting to explore. The Oasis was at the beginning a simple artificial lake. Nowadays became a true Oasis for a moment of refreshment of body and soul. Heavier music and a hardcore environment became it’s “mark”, truly away from it’s original objective.

Bike Show and teh AMD WCCBB Official Competitor Invitation
Since 2008, the bike show from the Faro belongs to the Custom Motorcycle World Builders Championship (A.M.D.). Almost an hundred showned for contest, divided by categories like Custom, Radical Custom, Chopper, Old School, Streetfighter, Rat and Strange. This last one has a particular goal because many of the builders show their motorcycles with the only aim of being the most original and bizarre as possible! Until being integrated in the Custom Motorcycle World Builders Championship (A.M.D.), the bike show had a shady and grassy environment among trees, giving the visitors a perfect place for relaxation or even a nap... Nowadays it continues to be a pleseant space but a little bit more “formal” due to the particularities of the competition. The winning motorcycle builder gets the AMD WCCBB Official Competitor Invitation and a 5.000 euros prize to support his trip to Sturgis, USA, were he will participate in the “The Rat’s Hole”, the great finale of the Custom Motorcycle World Builders Championship (A.M.D.).

Bike Show prize attribution and delivery.
It’s the highlight of saturday night, making possible for all to see the motorcycle’s dynamics, presented to the contest, appreciate their harmony and style and get to know their builders. For sure these bikes are the night queens!

Erotic shows
These have been the synonym of high and untouchable quality, much beyond the usual shows seen in similar motorcycle meetings.

Miss Faro
An Saturday evening stage highlight is the election of a “Miss Faro”, volunteered from the audience, with the classic “wet t-shirt” cerimony, wich atracts everyone and were spontaneous perfoming from the candidates is for sure a guarantee of a lively show.

Dates and Schedules
The oficial openning is at 10 a.m. thursday, (during July - please confirm the exact date at the website) and ends 4 days later, Sunday, around 14 p.m. with the parade. To help welcoming the urly commers, it’s permitted to camp one day before opening and one day after closing. After opening, exception made to the stage events, everything is shedule free and open non-stop.

Prices
Portugal has a low pricing rate, specially for the central european visitors. Highlight to the beer at 90 cents of an euro inside the rally. The ticket for all the four days it’s just 40 euros per person, only possible to buy at the main entrance, and giving access to all the activities inside: camping space, medical support, a bag containing the official t-shirt (don’t forget to verify the size and ask, if available, to change immediately), medal, sticker, a surprise gift (different every year), meal tickets for all days and two tickets for a raffle giving the possibility to win a high potency motorcycle and/or a trip for two persons during one week in Daytona. With the rally ticket you’ll have access to buses that will transport you freely from the gathering to downtown Faro and the opposite way, from 11 a.m. Thursday to 8 a.m. Sunday. All the benefits in exchange for this small entrance free are only made possible with the anonimous help from the region’s motorcycle clubs, gathering more than 1000 impressive volunteers.

Parade
It simbolises the end of four days of joyfull gathering and at the same time a tribute and acknoledgment to the city of Faro, always ready for a warm welcoming to the “peaceful invasion” of thousands of motorcycle riders from all over the world. The parade is a “vanity ride” from all the ones that want to cherish the event, integrating the “strange” examples from the bike show. As an example it’s possible to see a toilet-motorcycle, hay stack-motorcycle, bath tub-motorcycle, giant penis-motorcycle etc... If you own one of these just keep inside the parade or the police will want to have a small chat...

Prize attribution
Distributed in various categories, the oldest driver, the youngest driver, the one who drove more miles etc... and at the end, the trip for two to Daytona and the high potency motorcycle raffle with the presence of the singular artists from the erotic shows which give an “added value” to the event. During the raffle, the winner name is called. He or she must come to stage immediately with a valid identification document. If no one show’s up, another name is drawn. The drawn in repeated until someone qualified to collect the prize is found.

Useful info
- Inside the rally there is a special and covered space for children so that they can play, eat, drink, with staff supervision.

- This time of the year has high ultra-violet radiation. Be specially carefull with long exposure to the sun. Use sun screen protection and sun glasses. Drinking lot of liquids, like water, prevents from insolation. Skin burning and insolation are the most common issues during the rally.

- In Portugal It’s strictly forbidden to camp outside Camping Parks or the Rally, which has special places to do it.

- Police have special trainning for these rally days. They are willing to help everyone inside the law. Helmet is mandatory even when riding trikes. Head lights must be always on and a spare bulb kit must be in the motorcycle. Head lights must be adapted for right-driving. Pay special attention if you are coming from a country which have left-driving like United Kingdom for example.

- Speed limits are: inside villages or cities - 50 km/h (31 miles/h), outside villages or cities - 90 km/h (56 miles/h), highways - 120km/h (74 miles/h. While driving the primacy is given to the vehicle that comes from your right unless roadsign indication. In a rotunda the primacy belongs to the one’s driving inside. Alcohol limit is 0,5 grams per liter of blood. Above these you will face serious charges that includes money fees, loss of driving license or be arrested.

- The nacional emergency number is 112.

- Traditionally portuguese men greet themselves with an hand shake. Women gives two kisses in the cheek between themselves or to other men, depending on familiarity.

- Portuguese are helpful and nice, always willing to talk to foreigners in their own languages... or at least trying to.

- Hard-rock is a music style appreciated in centre and south Portugal.

- To make a phone call to Portugal you must dial 00351 and then the number. If you need to make a phone call from Portugal to other country you should dial 00 + country indicative + city indicative + phone number.

- Standard portuguese meals are: light breakfast in the morning, lunch starting at 12.30 until 14.30. Dinner starts at 19.30. In Portugal lunch and dinner are both hot meals and in the same quantity. Portuguese cuisine can be considered a miscellaneous of flavours, coming from the good fish and meat, vegetables and fruits. Lots of restaurants with a wide range of menus and prices, snack-bar’s for some light meal or a sandwich, or even the shopping mall. Eating away (or out of your place) it’s quite common in Portugal. For a less caring consumer Macdonald’s has a 24 hour driving through service.

Prizes from the 13th Bike Show of the Moto Clube de Faro, 2004
Chopper
3rd -
2nd-
1st -
Custom
3rd -
2nd -
1st -
Radical Custom
3rd -
2nd -
1st -
Old School
3rd -
2nd -
1st -
Streetfighter
3rd -
2nd -
1st -
Rat
3rd -
2nd -
1st -
Strange
3rd -
2nd -
1st -
Best Paint
-
Best Show Bike
-
AMD WCCBB Official Competitor Invitation
-