Bikers ride around Myrtle Beach to avoid city limits

A lot of bikers in Myrtle Beach for the fall Harley-Davidson rally took a ride around Myrtle Beach Friday, in symbolic protest.
 
The group started out at Jamin’ Town in Surfside Beach, then made their way all the way up to North Myrtle Beach, and then came back again, ending their ride back at Jamin’ Town.

Mike McDonald, lives in Garden City, and said he’s been coming to motorcycle rallies on the Grand Strand for more than 20 years.

McDonald led a group of bikers on a self-guided tour around the city limits of Myrtle Beach after hearing the city wanted to curb the May motorcycle rallies.

“I feel I’m being discriminated against and singled out and I just don’t like that in any way shape if form so, my protest is I don’t go in to Myrtle Beach anymore, I’m going to honor the mayor’s wishes and I’m not going to spend a dime in the city limits until this is resolved.“ said McDonald.

Bikers said the “Ride Around Myrtle Beach” is their way of expressing themselves, the only way they know how, on their bikes.
   
Jamin’ Leather owner, Jamie Keats organized the “Ride Around Myrtle Beach.”  He said the ride takes bikers on roads and highways outside of the city limits, so bikers can do what they like to do best, ride.

“They really want to maintain the fun and excitement that actually comes out from the rally, there’s so much area, so much road, so many townships that they go through and they want that freedom, they don’t want to be limited in one little area and neither do we.“ said Keats.

Keats said he’s not encouraging bikers not to patronize Myrtle Beach businesses, he just want them to be aware of how the new ordinances will affect them.

“It’s not intentionally meant to keep people out if the city of Myrtle Beach, we want them to patronize the city, the city businesses, it’s just they need to know they need to be more aware and that’s part of the reason.  There’s so many things about the rally that should stay in place, you know the free enterprise, we need to do business as we normally do business and if we can’t advertise what we want to do, to cater to the customers that we deal with on a regular basis, you know since when does government have the right to tell us not to do that.“ said Keats.
   
Myrtle Beach spokesman Mark Kruea said he thinks the city’s actions are being misinterpreted.
   
He said the city is not anti-biker; however, the city is anti the effects of the two giant May rallies.