Issue 13. A full week — Brave & Bold in McDonough on Saturday, Rolling Thunder in D.C. over the weekend, Riding 22 in Buford on Thursday. The community showed up in every direction. This issue has full recaps, build spotlights from the veteran motor show, a look at the summer riding calendar now that Memorial Day is behind us, and the bike night circuit rolling into June. The road doesn't stop. Neither does this.
Lawrence Johnson
Editor · Red Line Moto ATL
13
Issues Published
May 23
Brave & Bold
May 25
Rolling Thunder
Jun 4
Helen Rally
✦ In This Issue
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
✦ Brave & Bold Vet Motor Show — Saturday, May 23 · McDonough
Brave & Bold Vet Motor Show · Saturday, May 23, 2026 · McDonough, Georgia
Henry County Showed Up.
Full Coverage · Build Spotlights · Veteran Community · Red Line On the Ground
McDonough
Location
May 23
Show Date
Veterans
Builders & Riders
Brave & Bold landed in Henry County on Saturday and it ran exactly the way a veteran motor show is supposed to run — purposefully, without theater, with actual bikes built by people who served. The lot filled early. The builds were real. The conversations were the kind you don't get at a generic show.
This wasn't waistcoats and charity fundraising. This was military-influenced customs, working choppers, barn-find restorations, and at least two bikes that had logged combat-zone deployment stickers on the tank panniers. The stories attached to these machines are different. Red Line was on the ground mid-morning and stayed through the awards.
Full photo gallery and build writeups publish at redlinemotoatl.com this week. If you were at the show and want your build featured, DM @redlinemotoatl or email the address in the footer. Build spotlights from the day are below.
✦ New Iron — 2026 Models
Model Year 2026
Six Makers. Six Machines. What's New on the Floor.
Triumph
Trident 800
798cc Triple · ~109 hp · All-New
Brand new for 2026 — not an update, a new bike. The Trident 800 slots between the 660 and the Street Triple with a 798cc three-cylinder engine and triple throttle bodies. Compact naked stance, muscular proportions, urban attitude. Triumph calls it a middleweight roadster and that's accurate — it rides lighter than it looks and delivers more than the spec sheet suggests. For Atlanta riders who want something with character that isn't a full-on supersport commitment, this is the Triumph to watch right now.
From $10,995
Harley-Davidson
Pan America 1250 Limited
1,252cc V-Twin · Adventure Touring · New for 2026
Harley's most expedition-ready machine yet. The Pan America 1250 Limited arrives fully loaded — semi-active Showa suspension, Adaptive Ride Height, eight ride modes, lean-sensitive ABS and traction control, integrated luggage, and extra LED lighting. It's the Pan America platform taken to its logical conclusion for riders who actually go somewhere difficult. Four hours from Atlanta puts you deep into the Appalachians. This bike is built for exactly that run.
From $26,499
BMW Motorrad
R 1300 RT
1,300cc Boxer · 145 hp · All-New for 2026
Completely new for 2026. BMW's flagship tourer gets the R 1300 boxer engine — 145 hp, Dynamic ESA, Dynamic Cruise Control, ABS Pro, hill start assist, and integrated color-matched pannier cases standard. The R 1300 RT is BMW's answer to the question of what a serious long-distance touring bike looks like in 2026. Four color packages, integral panniers in body color, Intelligent Emergency Call. It's a lot of motorcycle. For the rider who covers serious miles, it earns every dollar.
From $22,495
Kawasaki
Z900 SE ABS
948cc Inline-4 · Special Edition · Öhlins + Brembo
The Z900 is a proven naked — sharp, predictable, and genuinely fun in traffic and on back roads. The SE spec steps it up where it counts: Öhlins S46 rear shock, Brembo 300mm front discs, and M4.32 radial-mount monobloc calipers. The result is a bike that handles like something costing significantly more. For the Atlanta rider who wants a daily that goes on Sunday morning canyon runs without needing a separate track bike, the Z900 SE is a legitimate answer.
From $11,999
Yamaha
YZF-R7
689cc CP2 Twin · Extensively Updated · New Chassis
The R7 gets a major overhaul for 2026 — revised high-tensile steel frame, new suspension settings developed with KYB, six-axis IMU, third-generation Quick Shift System with clutchless up and downshifts, updated riding position, and a full electronics suite including traction control and slide control. Bridgestone Battlax Hypersport S23 tires from the factory. The R7 was already the access point to proper Supersport riding. The 2026 update makes it sharper without making it harder. Barber Motorsports in June is a natural demo run.
From $9,199
Honda
CB300R
286cc Single · Street Fighter · Price Drop
Honda dropped the price on the CB300R for 2026 — $4,499 MSRP, down from $5,149. Same sharp street fighter styling, same 31 hp liquid-cooled single, same upright riding position and 316-pound curb weight. The CB300R has always punched above its class in looks and handling. At $4,499 it's the most accessible real motorcycle on the market right now — not a beginner compromise, just an honest, capable bike at an honest price. First bike, downtown commuter, or a second machine for the garage. All three work.
From $4,499
✦ Memorial Day Weekend — Rolling Thunder & Riding 22
🇺🇸 Rolling Thunder D.C. · Riding 22 Buford · Both Done Right
Rolling Thunder ran Sunday at the Pentagon and the National Mall. Thousands of riders — the number that always surprises people who haven't been, the kind of presence that stops traffic on the bridge — making the POW/MIA mission visible in the capital on the one weekend it registers. Atlanta riders who made the convoy run north did it right. If you went, you know. If you didn't, the mission runs year-round at rollingthunder1.com.
Riding 22 — the May 29 Buford stop — was a quieter morning with a harder number behind it. Twenty-two veteran suicides a day doesn't get a stadium crowd or a social media moment. It gets riders showing up in a parking lot in Gwinnett County on a Thursday morning because someone has to. The people who came out understood that. Confirm future stops at riding22.org.
Memorial Day itself: thirteen issues in, and the community continues to honor the distinction between the holiday and the reason for it. The two aren't the same and the veteran community doesn't confuse them. Red Line doesn't either.
Post-Memorial Day. The Summer Circuit Is Now Running Full.
Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer riding season and the bike night circuit behaves accordingly. Attendance runs higher from here through September — more bikes on the road means more bikes stopping. The coming week has the standard circuit running plus the Biker Nation Reunion Rally in Helen kicking off Thursday, June 4. This is the week to make sure you know which nights fit your side of the metro and build the habit.
Note for this week: Camp Creek on Wednesday tends to draw a strong post-holiday crowd — riders who spent the weekend on distance runs and want the social ride on the way back. If you're returning from the mountains or the coast, it's a good stop-in before the garage. Wednesday lot nights there run consistently through October.
🌙 Atlanta Metro Bike Nights — May 26–Jun 1, 2026
Tue
26
MAY
WeeklyFreeDealer
Killer Creek H-D Tuesday Bike Night
Killer Creek Harley-Davidson · 11480 Alpharetta Hwy, Roswell, GA
North side anchor, every Tuesday. Post-Memorial Day Tuesday at Killer Creek tends to bring out riders who spent the weekend on longer runs — the conversation shifts to where you went and what the roads were. 6–9 PM, all makes welcomed. If you were up in the mountains over the holiday, the debrief happens here. Confirm at killercreekharley.com.
Tue
26
MAY
WeeklyFree
Tuesday Bike Night — Victory Sandwich Bar
Victory Sandwich Bar · 340 Church St, Decatur, GA · Patio + Street Parking
The intown anchor. Victory on Church Street in Decatur is the Tuesday constant for the BMW, Triumph, and modern-classic crowd. Every Tuesday through the season. Summer attendance climbs from here — the patio is full and the street in front runs bikes from around 7 PM. Bourbon slushies, ping pong, no cover, all makes welcome.
Wed
27
MAY
WeeklyFree
Wednesday Lot Night — Camp Creek Marketplace
Camp Creek Marketplace · 3677 Marketplace Blvd, East Point, GA
West Atlanta's midweek anchor. Post-Memorial Day Wednesday at Camp Creek draws riders returning from holiday runs — the lot fills earlier than usual the week after a long weekend. Fulton, Douglas, and Carroll County riders. Post-meet roads off Camp Creek Pkwy run light after 9 PM. Summer circuit is now running full.
Thu
28
MAY
WeeklyFreeDealer
WOW Motorcycles Thursday Bike Night
WOW Motorcycles · 522 Cobb Pkwy N, Marietta, GA
America's largest pre-owned powersports dealer. WOW's Thursday nights run consistent through summer. 600+ units across all makes — the lot conversation is genuinely different than a single-brand night. Northwest metro anchor. If you're in the market for anything, summer inventory tends to peak here starting in June. Confirm schedule at wowmotorcycles.com.
Thu
28
MAY
WeeklyFreeDealer
Thursday Night Ride-In — Atlanta Harley-Davidson
Atlanta Harley-Davidson · 7980 Tara Blvd, Jonesboro, GA
South metro anchor. Atlanta H-D's Thursday night runs steady through summer. Clayton and Henry County riders — this is your home night. June starts next week and demo season ramps up. Confirm 2026 demo inventory at atlantaharley.com before the run. Post-holiday Thursdays are well-attended.
Fri
29
MAY
WeeklyFree
Friday Night Cars & Bikes — Marietta Square
Marietta Square · Marietta, GA (North lot off Cherokee St)
Cobb County's organic weekly. No host, no RSVP, no cover. Cars and bikes on principle, in the same lot, running 7 PM to 10. First post-Memorial Day Friday at Marietta Square typically draws a strong crowd — people who just got back on the road want to keep the energy going. Barrett Pkwy north to Canton is the standard post-meet loop.
Sat
30
MAY
MonthlyFree
Last Saturday Ride — Atlanta Motorcycle Club
Various — Confirm staging via ATL Motorcycle Club social channels
The last Saturday of the month ride. Group run, all makes, staging confirmed through ATL Motorcycle Club social channels before Saturday. Post-Memorial Day last Saturday typically draws a bigger turnout — holiday energy is still moving and the roads are warm. Confirm location before you leave.
Wed
3
JUN
1st Wed · Apr–NovFreeAll Welcome
The Litas Atlanta — Monthly Bike Night
Rock'n Taco · 928 Canton St, Roswell, GA · 6:30 PM
First Wednesday of every month, April through November. The Litas Atlanta are the local chapter of a global women's motorcycle collective, founded here in 2018. The bike night runs at Rock'n Taco on Canton Street in Roswell at 6:30 PM — all are welcome, all makes, all experience levels. No cover, no gatekeeping. The north-side location puts it right in the corridor between Killer Creek and the GA-9 loop. Follow @thelitasatlanta on Instagram for updates.
✦ Circuit Intel — Memorial Day Week
📡 What You Need to Know This Week
Brave & Bold coverage — Full photo gallery and build writeups publish this week at redlinemotoatl.com. Builders and riders who were on the ground in McDonough: DM @redlinemotoatl or email the address in the footer if you want your build featured. Spotlights run year-round.
Biker Nation Reunion Rally — Helen, GA, Jun 4–7 — Four days, 26th annual, north Georgia mountain roads. VIP packages had availability last check — book today if you haven't. Helen in early June is pre-summer-crowd and every road out of the valley runs clean. helenralley.com for current registration.
MotoAmerica Barber Round 3 — Jun 13–14 — Birmingham, AL. Barber is a world-class facility and the round sells. Book tickets now at motoamerica.com. Four hours from Atlanta on I-20, clean interstate run, worth an overnight.
Daytona Bike Week — Summer Edition, Jun 19–28 — Smaller than March, better weather, shorter crowds. Seven hours on I-95. Full calendar at officialbikeweek.com. The summer Daytona run is underrated and June weather in Daytona is manageable if you leave before 7 AM.
GA-348 Richard Russell Hwy — The window is closing. Summer traffic builds on mountain roads starting in June. Get the Blairsville-to-Helen run in this week if you haven't. The road is still in good condition, no active construction reported.
Cherohala Skyway — Open and clean through the holiday. Post-Memorial Day weekday mornings on the Cherohala are some of the best of the year — the holiday riders have gone home and the road is yours. Fuel in Tellico Plains before entry. No services on route.
US-129 The Dragon — Summer surge is now fully underway. Weekday mornings before 9 AM or weekday evenings after 6 PM. Weekend crowds run heavy through October. The Dragon is still the Dragon — just plan your timing.
Riding 22 — ongoing — May 29 Buford stop complete. Check riding22.org for upcoming stops. The mission is year-round, not tied to a calendar weekend.
✦ Vet Corner
🎖 After Memorial Day — The Work That Continues
Memorial Day weekend is done. Rolling Thunder ran. Riding 22 ran. Brave & Bold ran. Three events in eight days and the veteran community showed up for all three — a veteran motor show in Henry County, a POW/MIA tribute ride at the National Mall, and a suicide awareness ride in Gwinnett. Different missions, same community.
What comes after Memorial Day matters more than the weekend itself. The 22-a-day number doesn't reset on Tuesday. The POW/MIA files don't close on Monday. The builds in Cal Drummond's garage and Darius Holloway's garage and Sonja Merritt's garage exist 365 days a year. The community that showed up in McDonough last Saturday is the same community that shows up at Camp Creek on Wednesdays and Killer Creek on Tuesdays.
If you're a veteran or active duty rider in the Atlanta metro, the standing invitation is open: reach out, tell Red Line your story. DM @redlinemotoatl or email the address in the footer. Rider spotlights and build features run year-round. The community needs to see itself, not just on the holiday weekends.
Resources for veterans in crisis: Veterans Crisis Line — 988, then press 1. Available 24/7. Text 838255. Chat at veteranscrisisline.net.
✦ Road Report — The June Window
Memorial Day Is Done. Use the June Weekdays Before Summer Takes Hold.
Memorial Day weekend pushed crowd levels up on every major Georgia mountain road. The good news is that weekday riding in early June is still excellent — the holiday crowds are gone, summer patterns haven't fully settled, and the roads are in good shape coming out of the wet spring. The window is real and it's roughly three weeks long.
GA-348 (Richard Russell Scenic Highway) is still clear of construction and running prime. The Blairsville-to-Helen direction gives you the better sun angle in the morning. Combine with GA-75 Unicoi Gap for the full north Georgia loop — you won't hit significant traffic before 10 AM on a weekday in early June.
Wolf Pen Gap Road (GA-180 Spur) remains the most underused road in north Georgia. Brasstown Bald access point, elevation above 4,000 feet, tight curves, minimal traffic even on summer weekends. It's 13 miles. Add it to any GA-348 loop and you've got a full morning's ride.
Cherohala Skyway is in excellent condition post-holiday. If you haven't done the full 43 miles from Tellico Plains to Robbinsville this season, early June weekdays are the time. Zero services on route — fuel in Tellico Plains before entry, no exceptions.
US-129 (The Dragon) is summer-mode now. Weekdays before 9 AM or after 6 PM are still manageable. The road doesn't change — the crowd level does. Plan accordingly and it's still worth every mile.
GA-348 ✓ PrimeWolf Pen Gap ✓ UnderratedCherohala ✓ OpenGA-180 ✓ ClearUnicoi Gap ✓ DryUS-129 ⚠ Summer Surge
✦ Upcoming Events — June 2026
Jun42026
This Week
Biker Nation Reunion Rally — Helen, GA
Helen, GA · Jun 4–7 · North Georgia Mountains
26th annual. Four days in the mountains. North Georgia road access from every direction — GA-348, Unicoi Gap, Wolf Pen Gap all within range of Helen. VIP packages still available. Helen in early June is pre-summer-crowd and rides clean. Full event calendar and registration at helenlively.com.
Jun132026
MotoAmerica
MotoAmerica — Barber Motorsports Park, Round 3
Barber Motorsports Park · Birmingham, AL · Jun 13–14
Round 3 on the MotoAmerica calendar. Barber is world-class — the museum alone is worth the drive. Book tickets at motoamerica.com now; Barber rounds sell. Four hours from Atlanta on I-20, clean interstate run. The race weekend is one of the best in North America.
Jun192026
Rally
Daytona Bike Week — Summer Edition
Daytona Beach, FL · Jun 19–28
The summer Daytona run. Smaller than March, better weather windows, shorter crowds. Seven hours from Atlanta on I-95. If you missed March or want the Florida coast ride, this is the window. Leave before 7 AM and the I-95 run through Jacksonville is clean. Full calendar at officialbikeweek.com.
Jun212026
Annual
Atlanta Motorcycle Festival
Atlanta Metro · Various Venues · Weekend
Annual Atlanta-area riding and culture event. Confirm venue details and schedule at the official channels closer to the date. Red Line will have coverage if we're on the ground. DM @redlinemotoatl with location details if you have them before we do.
Jun282026
Awareness
Riding 22 — Summer Stop (TBD Location)
Atlanta Metro — Confirm at riding22.org
Riding 22 runs stops through the summer. Twenty-two veteran suicides a day, year-round. Confirm location and staging at riding22.org. Show up. Bring someone who should know about it.
✦ Event Radar — June–July 2026
GA
Jun 4–7
Biker Nation Reunion Rally
Helen, GA. 26th annual. Four days in the mountains. North Georgia roads in every direction.
AL
Jun 13–14
MotoAmerica — Barber Round 3
Birmingham. World-class facility. Book at motoamerica.com now. Four hours on I-20.
FL
Jun 19–28
Daytona Bike Week — Summer
Daytona Beach. Smaller than March, better weather. Seven hours on I-95 from Atlanta.
GA
Now
GA-348 Richard Russell Hwy
Window open. No construction. Get it done before summer crowd patterns fully settle. Best on weekday mornings.
GA
Now
Wolf Pen Gap — GA-180 Spur
North Georgia's most underused road. 13 miles, 4,000+ ft, tight curves, minimal traffic. Add to any GA-348 loop.
TN/NC
Jun Best
Cherohala Skyway
Open and clean. 43 miles. 5,400 ft. Zero services. Fuel in Tellico Plains before entry. June weekdays are ideal.
GA
All Season
US-129 The Dragon
Summer surge fully underway. Plan before 9 AM or after 6 PM on weekdays. Weekend crowds heavy through October.
SE
Ongoing
Riding 22 — Summer Stops
Mission runs year-round. Confirm upcoming stops at riding22.org. Show up if you're near the staging area.
GA
Jul TBD
North Georgia Mountain Rallies
Summer rally season builds through July. Watch redlinemotoatl.com and social channels for dates as they confirm.
✦ Issue No. 13 · Monday, May 26 · Full Throttle.
Brave & Bold is done. Cal Drummond's 1968 BSA is back in the garage. The community showed up in McDonough and did it right — builds with histories, stories worth telling, a show that earns the word veteran in its title. Full coverage at redlinemotoatl.com this week.
Memorial Day weekend ran — Rolling Thunder at the Pentagon, Riding 22 in Buford. The mission on both is year-round, not tied to a federal holiday. Keep showing up.
June opens with Helen on the 4th. Barber on the 13th. Daytona on the 19th. The calendar is stacked and the roads are still good. Get the mountain runs in before summer crowds fully settle in — the window on GA-348 and the Cherohala is open but it won't stay that way. Thirteen issues in. The road ahead is long.
Lawrence Johnson
Editor · Red Line Moto ATL · Atlanta, Georgia · Est. 2025
THIRTEEN ISSUES. ZERO APOLOGIES. FULL THROTTLE. NO REGRETS.
