Retie, Belgium

Free Wheeling Kempen, Harley & Indian Days

Photography by: Fritzzz & Mr. Bob & James & Mistirix

HISTORY OF THE INTERNATIONAL RALLY

In the summer of 1984, only one year after the starting shot and without any experience, our club decided to organize its first International Rally for Harley-Davidson owners. The venue was set on a soccer terrain in the town of Balen, near to the borderline of the town of Leopoldsburg. A little promotion campaign had an outcome of 250 participating people. They gave us a lot of credit about the organization. The club succeeded in a good organized party where all kind of Harley-bikers felt themselves at home. During the period 1984 till 1997 the Rally had grown larger and larger and had become “ a classic event “ in the Europe Harley-Davidson community. In the meantime the local, national and international press had discovered our rally and wrote praiseful articles about our typical Harley-sphere in the country of the Harley-Davidson-club Free Wheeling Kempen …

In 1996 and 1997 the number of attendants to the rally grew to above 5.000. The villagers saw ( at a rough estimate ) more than 10.000 visitors in their streets. The local shop owners and bar-tenders where excited about the success of the international rally. But, at the other side, behind the great success of the rallies, there was a lot of pressure to the organizers : more spectacles, more visitors, more expectations and … more things to worry about. After the 14th edition in 1997, the committee was under the impression that the club had reached its organizing limits with this mass-event. The choices were that we could go on with less quality, we could go on in a smaller way or we could quit with the organization of the rally. Something had to be chosen …
The general meeting in February 1998 decided to stop organization of a rally from that point on. The club needed a break for a few years. After a rest-cure we might think about a new organization on a smaller scale.

In February 2000, the hunger for a rally grew to the point that we decided to put the organization of an annual rally on our calendar again. During the weekend from Friday, August, 4th till Sunday August, 6th, 2000, our club welcomed 384 partying friends from six different European countries at a venue in Arendonk. Many well-known attendants enjoyed “ the good old days “. In 2001 we moved to a new venue in Retie. Thanks to the good co-operation with the municipal service, federal and local police, fire department and many other parties, our club could welcome its friends at the new festive grounds near Duinberg. The rally turned into a big success ! Traditional silly-games, a ride-out, good rock and blues music, striptease and a nice chat around the campfire made it very cosy. Many long-time Harley-riders from neighbor countries and as far away as Norway, Scotland and even the U.S.A. came to taste the atmosphere and rode home on Sunday with a good feeling.

The Harley-Davidson-club Free Wheeling Kempen did it again and from 2002 till 2012 the international rally became the classic “happening” where hundreds of bikers are looking out for. In 2013 guests from all over Europe partied with us at International Rally celebrating the 30th Anniversary of our club and made it unforgettable … it was absolutely a splendid one ! Thanx to ya all, folks !!!

Now, the year 2019 has come and for months now we have been working our butts off to present you our happening from August 02 till August 04, 2019. Our guests won’t believe their eyes and ears. The organizers of the 34th International Harley-Davidson & Indian Rally know what their guests want, so we’ll give it to them: more music, more heat, more beer,more steam, more …
For sure bigger, better and greater than ever!!!

WELCOME TO THE FUN!