MAMA TRIED 2026: WELCOME TO THE BEST PARTY OF THE YEAR

What's the deal with the Mama Tried Show?! For the last 11 years in February, you might have seen the iconic purple ballroom filled with bikes splattered across the internet far and wide. You might have seen videos of minibikes and scooters racing through bars and alleys all over Milwaukee. You might have seen spontaneous races through the ring of fire, with the Iron Horse Hotel in the background. You might have seen some of the wildest motorcycle races, costumes, and crashes on concrete come out of the Fiserv Form. You might have seen some of the coolest custom motorcycles on display all weekend long. My name is Rick from Chicken Fried Choppers and after 6 years of having my boots on the ground in Milwaukee during Mama Tried week, I'm here to fill you in on one of the most fun motorcycling experiences you can have and the coolest experiences and bikes you’ll ever witness!

The Mama Tried Show took place this year at The Rave/Eagles Club on a Saturday and Sunday, but every year, the party starts almost a full week before! The first official pre-party kicks off on Tuesday night with some of the wildest mini bike and scooter racing you have ever seen. Sometimes the races start inside the bar, sometimes they cut through the bar, and sometimes they’re ON the bar. You get the feeling that everyone is so excited to finally be in town with their friends, and sometimes the excitement gets the better of them. Some years we have great weather and everyone shows up on their motorcycles, some years we have had over a foot of snow, but it's never enough to stop the racing and chaos!

The races on Thursday night are always hosted at the Harley-Davidson Museum. Every time I make my way out to Milwaukee I stop in to see the museum because it's such an incredible collection of motorcycling history.

Flat Out Friday, to me, is one of the best organizations you can get yourself involved in as a motorcycle enthusiast. You will be hard-pressed to find a more welcoming and supportive group of people whose main goal above all else is bringing people together.

The thing I like most is that anyone can race at Flat Out Friday, which is, of course, on a Friday. You don't have to be a professional motorcycle racer, just come with a good positive attitude and the right protective equipment and you will have a new list of friends in no time at all! The Flat Out Friday race at the Fiserv Forum is beyond epic. 10,000 spectators fill the arena year after year to watch one of the wildest flat track motorcycle races on earth! Some of the races include the Harley-Davidson Hooligan class that is dominated by Sportsters, an open youth class for riders 9-12 years old, a Masters class for 60+ year old racers, minibikes, scooters, vintage motorcycles, and everyone's favorite Goofball class where the really absurd bikes hit the track! This year we had the extra treat of enjoying the Harley-Davidson Factory Race Team down on the track with us and hearing the coveted number “1” King of the Baggers championship winning race bike fire up in the arena! Keep your eye out for signups next year and you can race on the track with us!

Now, onto the Mama Tried Show! As I stated earlier, Mama Tried celebrated its 11th year in 2026. Over 100 motorcycles of all types are on display inside of the elegant Eagles Ballroom, which has stood in Milwaukee for 99 years. While all of the motorcycles on display are top notch, Mama Tried prioritizes quality builders/owners on a personal level, so your own character and vibe matters more than technicalities. During the two days of the event, the ballroom is alive with energy at all hours of the day, the show floor is surrounded by vendors selling incredible handmade motorcycle parts, custom merch, and vintage clothing, and artists are slinging tattoos. There are bike giveaways, food and drink vendors, and a DJ booth making sure everyone is in good spirits. You name it and the fun’s happening somewhere!