Ride and Rally: Ventura Nationals

Motorcycle and car culture has been deeply rooted in the scene in Southern California for decades. Some say it stems from the fact that, unlike other cities such as New York and San Francisco, the streets were built wide enough for automotive traffic and that businesses built parking lots. Others claim it was due to the boom of gas stations in LA County that went from 170 in 1920 to over 1,500 in 1930.

Regardless of the reason, we in Southern California are here for it and we love to celebrate it. One of the best ways we do that is at Ventura Nationals.

In its 19th year, Ventura Nationals celebrates every aspect of moto culture complete with custom bikes, choppers, hot rods, lowriders, and vans all under the California sun and the palm-tree-lined thoroughfares of the Ventura County fairgrounds. With so much diversity in the builds, there are no egos here, just good times centered around a love for internal combustion.

It’s common to see a classic shovelhead chopper next to a modern evo dragster build that sits next to a restored knucklehead with everything in between. Of course, no good show is complete without live music, and the crew that runs Nationals brings in some of the best rockabilly bands around.

If you’re coming in from out of town, the best way to experience Ventura Nationals is by staying the whole weekend. On the Friday before, Spirits Car Club hosts an open house at a local custom shop followed by a sunset drive/ride to a local beach for classic moto hangs. Of course the main event is Nationals all day Saturday, followed by the Reliability Run Sunday morning and the Endless Summer after-party at another local custom shop.

Bring your ride, hang, party, and enjoy the experience of Southern California motorcycle culture.

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