Last week, hundreds and hundreds of sportbike riders took part in the annual “Ride of the Century” in and around St. Louis, Missouri. The ride was put on by the St. Louis-based Streetfighters and has been for years, despite the grandiose name.

The pictures, though, make it seem like it was the Ride of the Century. Big wheelies, burnouts, and stoppies on bikes with cages fill nearly every photograph of the ride. One picture features a rider standing up on his seat, facing backwards, and using a camera.

Great pictures then, but that rides like this do nothing positive for motorcycling’s image. Stunts are illegal to perform on public roads, even if they aren’t necessarily that dangerous. The crowd mentality puts cops on edge and can spook car drivers who are swallowed up by the riders. Everyone in this ride was a willing participant and there looks to be little chance of other road users getting hurt, but we think that stunt-riding is best saved for deserted areas or tracks.

On the other hand, we like seeing so many motorcycles on the road at once. We’d choose not to participate, because having so many new riding partners would put us on edge, but it does look like they had a good time.

From jalopnik.com

Pictures from db photos on facebook