| My first motorcycle was a 1943 Flat Head Harley | | | | cost, you can calculate how many riders you'll need |
| Davidson. When I found the bike for sale I had no | | | | and what the entrance fee will be. Keep in mind |
| money, but I knew I wanted this dream machine. I | | | | entrance fees should be less then $100 per bike, |
| wasn't making enough money to pay for it so I | | | | charge too much and the turn out will be poor. A |
| needed a plan. I came up with a way to raise money | | | | word of caution here, be sure you do a good job of |
| and throw a great party at the same time. I | | | | knowing the total cost of the event. Poor math can |
| organized a Poker Run. I made enough money to buy | | | | quickly turn a profit into a loss. |
| the Harley, had a few bucks left over and had allot | | | | The next thing you will need to do is register riders. |
| of fun along the way. | | | | The best way to do this is to make a website |
| The Poker Run was originally an event bikers played | | | | where registration can be made and money can be |
| out on their Harley, but over the years it has been | | | | collected. This of course may be more than you |
| borrowed by Boaters, Runners, Bicyclist and I'm sure | | | | want to do so the old fashion method of mail-in or |
| by others as well. The concept of a Poker Run is to | | | | phone-in registration will work just as well. Along with |
| travel a course or route and while doing so pick up | | | | registering riders for your poker run, you should also |
| poker cards along the way. Each person makes a 5 | | | | sell tickets to friends and others that just may simply |
| card poker hand from the cards they collect with the | | | | want to attend the party after the ride is over. A |
| best hand winning money or prize. The way this is | | | | scheme where a certain cost for the bike and it's |
| carried out for bikers is, each biker travels the planed | | | | rider and another much lower cost for a passenger is |
| route, every few miles there is a checkpoint at which | | | | a good approach. |
| each biker must stop and pickup a poker card. There | | | | To advertise, leave flyers and posters at biker bars, |
| are 7 checkpoints with the 7th checkpoint being at | | | | biker events and motorcycle shops in your area. If |
| the final destination. Once all riders have reached the | | | | you are looking for a big crowd, run an ad on a local |
| end, the rider with the best 5 card poker hand wins a | | | | Radio Station, this will cost you some up front |
| grand prize. There can be variations to the prize | | | | money but you can get the message to allot of |
| scheme but the idea is to award cash or merchandise | | | | people. Also if you're into the internet thing, you can |
| prizes at the end. | | | | run a Banner Ad advertisement on relevant websites. |
| Sponsoring a poker run is fairly simple but takes time | | | | Keep in mind your marketing efforts should be |
| and some not so hard work. The first thing you need | | | | localized, most bikers are only looking for a day |
| to do is plan the travel route and positioning of the | | | | event and will not travel far for a poker run. |
| check points. The route should be laid out so that the | | | | Finally, careful planning of the party can be made |
| last check point is at the final destination. This is | | | | once you have a good idea of the number of |
| where the Poker Run party will be held. In order to | | | | participants. If your party is small you can either buy |
| do this you may need to get approval from the cities | | | | your own food and enlist your friends and associates |
| you plan to travel your poker run through, there may | | | | to help, or you can hire local catering services to |
| be some paperwork and fees for this. Always check | | | | handle it all. Some thought should be given to the |
| with the city municipalities to ensure compliance with | | | | kind of activities you may want to have during the |
| local laws. | | | | party as well. Oh and make sure you plan to have a |
| At the end of the run is a park or event facility, | | | | prize award ceremony that charms the crowd. Don't |
| somewhere where a biker crowd can hang their hat | | | | be cheap here, bikers won't let you get away with |
| for a few hours. Depending on where you live you | | | | that! If beer is being served and or provided, special |
| may need a permit (especially if alcohol will be | | | | care and planning should be taken to preserve life |
| served) for the park. Of course you will need | | | | and limb. |
| permission for any kind of event hall or facility you | | | | Now if all is planned and carried out correctly you can |
| plan to use. | | | | expect to cover costs, ensure everyone has a good |
| Next you need to do a little financial planning. By | | | | time and make a little extra to help buy that next |
| figuring out how much you will use for prize money | | | | Harley. Best of luck and have fun! |
| and how much the party after the Poker Run will | | | | |