Thousands of bikers spent the weekend with their hot bikes in the Bavarian Forest. The 67th Elephant Meeting took place near Thurmansbang in the Lower Bavarian district of Freyung-Grafenau - with motorcyclists from all over Europe. According to the organizer, the Federal Association of Motorcyclists (BVDM), over 4,000 bikers had gathered on the site in Loh from Thursday and pitched their tents.

Elephant Meeting – a Way of Life

The bikers - many of whom are in the "cauldron" of Loh every year - swear by the very special atmosphere: tents, campfires, family bonding, drinking beer, doing nothing and just chatting - you often hear that the Elephant Meeting is a way of life. The association writes on its website: "It goes without saying that the Elephant Meeting does not need a marquee with live music or other entertainment."
Bikers from all over Europe are expected from Friday to Sunday in the witches' cauldron on the outskirts of the village of Loh in the district of Freyung-Grafenau. The so-called Elephant Meeting does not need a marquee or live music. It is the very special atmosphere that draws motorcyclists of all ages here: campfires, talking in a variety of languages - and of course: drinking beer, having fun and partying are also part of it.

At the meeting, which lasted from Thursday to Sunday, trophies were also awarded, including for the most beautiful homemade motorcycle, for the oldest participant (born in 1942) and for the longest journey. The award for the longest journey went to a participant from northern Scotland who traveled via Poland, Slovakia and Austria and covered 3317 kilometers.

Overall positive balance, but two accidents

The organizing team draws a positive conclusion, as do many participants who want to come back next year to the world's oldest winter meeting of motorcyclists.

However, there were also two accidents on the event site. According to the police, a 29-year-old motorcyclist was riding around the site on his motorcycle and fell through no fault of his own. He sustained serious injuries and was taken to hospital. According to the police, another driver rode past a group on his motorcycle with a sidecar and hit and injured a 62-year-old pedestrian. The driver is under investigation.

Weather? Doesn't matter

Drizzle made the meeting a muddy affair at the beginning, said BVDM chairman Michael Lenzen. But the weather doesn't matter to the die-hard motorcyclists . "It comes as it comes - as the Rhinelander would say," said a BVDM spokesman to BR. From Friday onwards, however, the weather improved. On Saturday and Sunday there was plenty of sunshine, but cold.

Biker meeting with history

According to the BVDM, it is the world's oldest winter biker meeting. The name goes back to the legendary Zündapp KS 601 sidecars, which were also called "Green Elephants" and whose drivers met in the winter as early as the 1950s. At that time, near Stuttgart, later at the Nürburgring and the Salzburgring.

This year the three-day meeting took place for the 67th time, and for the 35th time in the district of Freyung-Grafenau. As is usual, participants come from all over Europe. In recent years, Italy, Great Britain, the Czech Republic and Spain have been particularly well represented.





Source: Editorial staff BayerWald/BVDM

© 2024 MFRadio.de - All rights reserved.

MF Radio Bayer Wald