Sport Touring Corner
MSTA FlyBy Week 2023

By Norm Kern

Motorcycle Sport Touring Association’s largest regional rally returns to Marietta, Ohio, Monday, August 21 – Sunday, August 27, offering outstanding sport touring routes, scenery, fine dining, and social time in a location that is easy to get to  from any direction.

Lasting a full week, attendees are free to come as early or late as they wish, staying for a few days or the whole week.

Every day is a riding day, with social time in the evenings. Most attendees arrive on Thursday, ride for two days and go home on Sunday. Saturday is the biggest riding day, so if you only come for the weekend, you’ll still have a good time. If you come early, Monday-Wednesday, you will find a relaxed, small rally atmosphere where it’s easier to meet and get to know people.

Expect the parking lot to be empty during the day-

Everyone will be out riding the twisty roads of southeast Ohio and West Virginia.

There are about three dozen routes this year- more than twenty-five road and nine adventure routes to choose from but you can create your own, go sightseeing or whatever strikes your fancy.

While there are no large organized group rides, you can ride solo, with friends in small groups or use our “Find Riding Partners” forms.

Here’s how it works:
1. Circle your riding choices on the form- it takes less than a minute. Add your preferred contact information at the bottom. Leave your form on the stack of completed forms at registration for others to view.
2. Browse other riders’ forms and use your phone to take pictures of the ones you want to connect with for easy reference.
3. Connect- Call, text or email others you’re interested in riding with.

What’s new for 2023

Hotels-  Comfort Suites Marietta did a great job for us last year.  It’s an all-suite facility, and each room has a full-size pull-out sofa and includes a mini-fridge, microwave, coffee maker and flat screen TV. Free full, hot breakfast buffet each morning. Free on-site guest laundry, heated saltwater pool and hot tub are open 24/7.

Camping: Multiple options are available nearby.

Outdoor Lounge: Wednesday-Saturday, our trademark “Outdoor Lounge” will be located behind the hotel. We’ll have plenty of chairs and pop-up shelters with tables so you can relax with friends.

Dining: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday features Dinner Tours to nice restaurants in downtown Marietta. We carpool and use a trolley bus to get everyone there and back so you don’t have to gear up and ride your bike to enjoy a good dinner or adult beverage.

There are no included meals for 2023, as many attendees prefer to ride long routes on the weekend and would rather catch a bite to eat on the fly. A food truck will be available in the hotel parking lot Wednesday, Friday and Saturday so you can get dinner and enjoy it at the outdoor lounge with friends.

Saturday Night Closing Ceremony-

FlyBy Week’s closing ceremony will feature door prizes from Lemon & Barrett’s Motorsports of Parkersburg, West Virginia.

Extras

T-Shirts are available for 2023, featuring a new logo by Chris Parker of Roadwolf Design.

Free Therapeutic Massage-  LMT Anne-Marie La France of Morganton, North Carolina, will be on hand Thursday-Saturday to provide free thirty minute mini-massages and full paid sessions.

Bike Wash-. MSTA member and detailing expert Jeremy Riffle, owner of Vehicle Enhancements, Inc. of Dayton, OH, will be on hand  to answer your questions about cleaning and finish protection for your bike. He will have a Muc-Off power washer that’s designed specifically for motorcycles, plus water hoses, soap, towels, blow dryer, cleaning and detailing supplies. All materials and assistance will be free, fast and fun! 

Full info and registration- visit https://flybyweek.com or contact event coordinator Norm Kern at nkern@kernvideo.com. Event registration: https://reg.planetreg.com/flybyweek2023