March can be bad to the bone: custom cycle show kicks off the motorcycle season.

• Author: Pilkington, Steve
• Position: Alaska This Month

This month is a tough one for Alaskans who prefer their two-wheeled motorized vehicles over all-wheel drives and minivans. After months of cold weather, ice and snow, things are warming but still don't thaw quickly enough. There is, luckily, an oasis along the way offering like minds a place to swap tales and to see what local dealerships have up their leather-clad sleeves. It's a time to fire the blood with a gander at what's ready to roll out on the highway when biker season finally returns to Alaska's highways.

The 12th Annual Custom Cycle Show is scheduled to take place March 19-20 at the William A. Egan Civic & Convention Center in Anchorage. For two days, Alaska's motorcycle dealerships, and those who fabricate their own style of bikes, gather to display what they've been doing before they answer the call of the road this summer.

"It highlights everything from custom cruisers to antiques," said Sean Burshek, general manager of The House of Harley-Davidson and Buell in Anchorage. "You can see the cool things people have done to their bikes in Alaska. It gets everybody fired up."

The show is brought about by the Alaska Motorcycle Dealers Association, comprised of Anchorage Suzuki Arctic Cat, Anchorage Yamaha, Alaska Cycle Center Ltd., The Motorcycle Shop and The House of Harley.

The timing of the show and the activities planned during it are perfect following in the wake of the annual Fur Rendezvous and the Iditarod, said Steve Strait, show manager for Custom Cycle Show.

"It's quite amazing to see this happen," Strait said, explaining that most shows held around the country are put on by a single dealership. This is a cooperative effort among local dealerships and has become extremely...