Why the Mama Tried Show Deserves a Spot on Every Ripper’s Bucket List
Look, there are a lot of bike shows out there. You probably hit one or two each year near your hometown. And sure, they’ve got cool builds and the usual suspects hanging out. But there’s one show that hits different—one that mixes vintage pride with total chaos and rowdy good times. It’s called Mama Tried, and if you’ve never been, this is your wake-up call.
Mama Tried happens every February in Milwaukee, Wisconsin—and yeah, I know what you’re thinking: cold. But if you’re anything like me, by the time winter’s halfway over, you’re crawling out of your damn skin waiting to feel two warm tires gripping blacktop again. Mama Tried isn’t just a bike show—it’s a full-blown mid-winter moto revival. And it all happens indoors, so snow be damned.
Respect the Past—Even If You’re Ripping the Present
Some shows are all about the now: horsepower, lean angle, torque numbers. Mama Tried brings that—but it primarily honors the steel that got us here. Sure, those Knuckleheads and Panheads on display might not hold a candle to modern monsters when it comes to ripping the asphalt today, but back in their day? They were the fire. The originals. The DNA of what we ride now.
And if you’re a real Ripper, you know that honoring where we came from matters. That’s part of the ride.
Milwaukee Is the Mothership
Let’s not forget: Milwaukee is home base for Harley-Davidson.
If you’ve never made the pilgrimage to the Harley Museum, Mama Tried is the perfect excuse. And do yourself a favor—book the private tour. You’ll get to see Evel Knievel’s x-rays, the motorcycle vault, and archives you won’t find on a standard walk-through.
This is Ripper rite of passage territory. Don’t miss it.
Come Early. Stay Wild.
Here’s what sets Mama Tried apart: it’s not just a show, it’s a week-long two-wheeled bender that ramps up as the weekend approaches.
If you can swing it, get there early—because that’s when the boonie bike races kick off. What’s a boonie bike? Picture a lawn mower engine strapped to a mini bike that barely clears your shin. Sounds dumb? Until you see grown-ass adults crashing, drifting, and sending it around a figure-eight track with three people per bike.
It’s absolute madness—and it’s hilarious, rowdy, and a total blast. You’ll be laughing your ass off before the big events even begin.
Bar Burnouts & Free Beer
Yep, you read that right: bar burnouts.
Picture this: packed Milwaukee dive bar. Live band pounding through the walls. Then a dude rides a bike onto the bar—rips a burnout until smoke fills the room, rubber flies, and for a moment, you wonder if the whole place is going to explode.
It’s sketchy. It’s insane. And it’s perfect.
Industry players throw down with sponsored parties all week—some with free beer, some with surprise shows, all with the kind of energy that gets your blood pumping through your gloves.
And props to the Milwaukee PD—they know it’s madness, and instead of killing the vibe, they work with it. Respect.
Flat Out Friday – Indoor Racing Carnage
If the boonie bikes weren’t enough, Friday night is when things go next level.
Flat Out Friday is indoor oval racing with full-size bikes on a polished concrete track—yes, indoors. Riders go bar-to-bar, tires sliding, sparks flying. It’s fast, loud, and totally out of control.
Grab a beer, grab a brat, and soak it in.
This is Steel Rippers-approved speed and chaos—without ever leaving the arena.
The Show That’s More Than Just the Show
So yeah, eventually you’ll walk into the actual Mama Tried Motorcycle Show itself. It’s badass.
It’s packed with vintage builds and custom bikes that took someone’s blood, sweat, and busted knuckles to finish. But the point isn’t just the bikes.
It’s everything around it:
The pilgrimage to Harley HQ
The boonie bike carnage
The burnouts in bars
The flat-track insanity
The memories you’ll be laughing about for years
Mama Tried is a full-throttle experience that punches you right in the soul of why we ride.
If you're a Ripper, this one's not optional. It’s mandatory.
See you in Milwaukee.
– Bagger Shawn
Founder, Steel Rippers