Online registration is now available for our 4th Annual ABC – A.B.A.T.E. Bowling Classic! You can now reserve bowling tickets for the event or premium tickets for the event and the 9-pin No-tap Tournament! Select an option below to reserve your tickets now!
ATTENTION: ALL AREA MOTORCYCLISTS AND SUPPORTERS OF MOTORCYCLING
The DuKane A.B.A.T.E. Toy and Food Run enters its 32nd year on Sunday, October 14, 2018. Thousands of motorcyclists will once again gather from multiple registration and collection points, all leading to a central staging area in Elburn for a fully escorted parade to Batavia. The parade is led by none other than Santa Claus, who will be joined by area lawmakers, including Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner, himself an avid motorcyclist. Once on the event grounds, at the Batavia VFW on River Street, attendees will be treated to a day of music, food, and fun. Toy and food donations collected for this charity event will benefit 18+ local charities. Registration activities begin as early as 9:30 am and the event will draw to a close at 6:00 pm.
Anybody who misses this year’s event will miss out indeed.
There’s something about seeing, hearing, and feeling all those motorcycles rolling into the parade staging area surrounding Knucklehead’s Tavern and Schmidt’s Towne Tap in Elburn. The people-watching opportunities alone are worth the price of admission, which is just $10 per person, plus an unwrapped new toy and/or a non-perishable food item. As all those bikes accumulate and the riders gather in anticipation of rolling out in parade formation, a live concert plays out right behind Knuckleheads, for the pleasure of all who gather round.
Performing in Elburn this year will be none other than Joker’s Rival, a local crowdpleaser who will be covering great songs by Led Zeppelin, Foo Fighters, AC/DC, Cheap Trick, and more.
As the motorcycle parade concludes on the grounds of the Batavia VFW, attendees will be thoroughly entertained by The Eliminator Band, Chicagoland’s popular ZZ Top Tribute Band. Eliminator brings their act all over the country and can be sure to keep everyone on their feet!
Also performing on the main stage at Batavia VFW will be Unforgiven, the one band that decidedly can turn any song into a Metallica tune. This band will rock you all day!
[UPDATE: Due to illness, Unforgiven will be unable to appear on October 14. In their place, Chicagoland’s great rock and roll band Centerfold will be performing classic rock hits and current pop favorites to the delight of the crowd.]
The March of Flags presentation in conjunction with the Star Spangled Banner is among the most moving moments of the day. You have to experience it and see the faces of so many military veterans in attendance to understand. And of course, this being an election year, there will be politicians doing what they do best. But let us not forget what this annual DuKane A.B.A.T.E. Toy and Food Run means to so many local charities that benefit from the generosity of so many people.
When it comes to passing the hat and providing support to those in need, one would be hard pressed to find a more charitable sort than the motorcycling community. But while most motorcycle-oriented fundraising events are geared toward a single cause, the donations collected for the DuKane A.B.A.T.E. Toy and Food Run will benefit 18 or more local charitable organizations immediately following the event.
For each of these reasons and more, the DuKane A.B.A.T.E. Toy and Food Run is an event that you should not miss. Come by motorcycle, come by car, walk if you have to, but please join us on October 14 for this event.
We have had some positively awesome Kneeze in the Breeze ride events over the years, some drier than others. It really is an awesome annual event, put on by the DuKane Chapter to raise money for its Downed Rider Fund. The route and destination change each year, which makes the run all the more interesting. 
This year’s run promises to be one for the books, if Ma Nature decides to play nice. Departing from Heritage Harley-Davidson in Lisle, the run covers over 140 miles, many of those miles following Historic Route 66, and winds up at Kick’s Bar and Grill in Towanda.
As we enter the weekend, the area weather forecast seems less than perfect. We hope it changes — it often does around here — but as always, the safety of our riders must come first. Therefore, we ask that all of our riders monitor our event web page OR our Facebook Event page OR our Twitter feed for last-minute updates. Again, WE WILL HAVE A FANTASTIC RIDE IF WEATHER PERMITS, but the safety of our riders is our first concern.
The ABATE Bowling Classic is a first, something we at the DuKane Chapter have never done before. Replacing our annual Laugh into Spring comedy night, this after-hours bowling event promises a few hours of good old-fashioned fun.
Registration for this family-friendly event opens at 9:00 PM at the Brunswick Zone, 558 E North Avenue in Glendale Heights, and the bowling begins around 10:00 PM (after league bowling concludes). $15 will get you 2 games of bowling, including shoe rental, and an extra $10 will put you into a 9 Pin-No-Tap Tournament with the winner winning a cash prize! This event is open to all individuals and all proceeds raised will be going to the DuKane Downed Rider Fund.
Food and beverages are available for purchase from the bowling alley. A couple of the ever-popular DuKane Santa Girls will be on-hand selling tickets for a 50/50 raffle. We hope you will consider joining us for a night of bowling, fun, and laughter, all for a very good cause.
Questions? Contact Chris Hansen, our Events Coordinator. Hope to see you there!
The DuKane Chapter will hold its monthly members meeting on Tuesday, March 20, beginning promptly at 7:30 PM. As always our meeting will take place at the American Legion in downtown West Chicago. Why should you bother to come? Here are five good reasons to attend, not only this month but every month.
If any of the above is of any interest to you whatsoever, then we hope to see you at the meeting. Questions? Concerns? Please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Being a motorcycle rights organization (MRO) is all about strength in numbers. But DuKane didn’t become the thriving chapter that it is just by collecting names on a roster. We invite and encourage active participation among all members, newbies and veterans alike. Everybody has something to offer and that’s what makes us great.
Become a Member, Remain a Member!
This is a very exciting time to belong to the DuKane Chapter. The 2018 Chapter Board includes many new members who are infusing their fresh ideas into an already-great mix. From our new website to our improved slate of events, this will not be business as usual for the DuKane Chapter.
Becoming a member of the DuKane Chapter is easy! Simply visit our membership page, download the application/renewal form, fill it out and send it to us with the specified fees. The state office will send your member materials after processing. In the meantime, go ahead and get acquainted with your chapter! Start by attending our monthly meetings. We meet every third Tuesday of each month at the American Legion in downtown West Chicago at 7:30 PM. Upon arriving, just mention that you are new to the chapter and we’ll take it from there.
If you are already a member of the DuKane Chapter, please remain one. Have you renewed for 2018? If not, please consider doing so right now. The form and instructions for new membership also apply to renewals. We need you!
No Inner Circle, No Secret Handshake
We are not a club or a gang; we are a motorcycle rights organization. As such, we are all connected by our common interests and passion for motorcycling. This means you are one of us from the moment you join. At the DuKane Chapter, a member is a member is a member. You need no further qualifications to take part in any of our member activities and events. We’ll be glad to see you and would welcome your active participation.
Try Us
Whether you are considering membership in the DuKane Chapter or wanting more out of your existing membership, we welcome your questions, concerns, and inquiries. Come to our meetings. Attend our events. And by all means, share your questions and concerns with any or all of the DuKane Chapter Board. We will be glad to assist you!
DuKane Chapter of A.B.A.T.E. of Illinois 