Riotous Fun

Gold Coast Harley-Davidson’s tribute to an infamous eventin biker history … the Hollister Riot of 1947.

- David Cohen

Gold Coast Harley-Davidson’s ‘Battle of the Kings’ winning bike, the Hollister Riot, delivers old-school feel-good in keeping with the historical event that spawned its name. The ‘Hollister Riot’ or ‘Hollister Invasion’ occurred at a motorcycle rally in Hollister, California, in 1947. Many more riders than expected flooded into the small town to socialise, race, drink and be merry – and not necessarily in that order. According to reports, a few of the motorcyclists caused a bit of commotion in the town, and the incident was subsequently sensationalised by the press with with a staged photo of a drunken man sitting on a motorcycle, as published in Life magazine.

Arguably, the Hollister Riot gave rise to the outlaw biker image. Eyewitnesses were quoted as saying, “It’s just one hell of a mess,” but added, “The motorcyclists weren’t doing anything bad, just riding up and down whooping and hollering; not really doing any harm at all.”

Well, whooping and hollering is exactly what I felt like doing while riding the ‘Riot’ around the quiet streets of Nerang on a sunny Wednesday morning.

The way this bike resembles the Panhead in the famous photo is absolutely fantastic and enhances the real joy of being aboard.

It started life as a 2019 Softail Slim when dealer principal Steve Shilling and builder Matt Valentine, workshop manager Jack Baugh with parts and accessories specialist Nick Agius, set about the task of paying homage to 1947.