THE WILD ONES RIDE AGAIN

A n estimated 100,000 "Bikers for Polly" roared their Harleys into Hollister, California, on July 4 for a KlaasKids Foundation fundraiser. The event also marked the 50th anniversary of the 1947 biker takeover of the small town which inspired Marlon Brando's movie classic, The Wild One.

The gigantic gathering of custom Harley owners, some with bikes costing as much as $50,000 each, was the brainchild of master Harley-Davidson customizer Bill Enders, and has grown into one of the largest annual motorcycle events in the world.

"I first organized a Harley ride for Polly from my Monterey custom motorcycle shop -- from Seaside to Laguna Seca Raceway -- in 1994, right after the body of Polly Klaas was found and the kidnapper who murdered her started through the justice system," Enders said. "By last year, it had grown into a ride to Hollister, which accidentally made headlines by frightening town fathers into closing down, locking up, and turning out their entire police force to quell a riot like the one that tore their town up in 1947.

"It didn't happen, though. Harley drivers today are a different breed. Folks on bikes costing ten to forty thousand dollars just aren't the kind who wreck towns," Enders added. Participants included lawyers, doctors, professors, and big-hearted "just plain folks" who buzzed in to have a grand time, watch 4th of July fireworks, and help Marc Klaas in his crusade for America's children.

"It was the biggest event in Hollister's history," Enders beamed. "The town made a lot of money, we had a lot of fun, and we raised a lot of dough for our country's greatest cause ... our children."

The three-day celebration became too big for Hollister's city limits, taking over the airport for Tom Corbin's motorcycle trade show, Bolado Park Fairgrounds (for the Motorcycle Classics Gypsy Tour), and downtown Hollister, where the Kiwanis, Elks Lodge, Rotary, Lions Club, and National Exchange raised money for local youth services. High-powered motorcycle races and events of all kinds roared all over Hollister.

The Victor McLaglen Motor Corps and Seattle Cossacks Stunt and Drill Team performed three shows per day. Live entertainers included Blues Smuggler's Backyard Blues Band, the Cruisin' Deuces, Broken Vessel, Riguez Band, Crossroads, John Kay and Steppenwolf, Blue Oyster Cult, Pat Travers, the Greg Kihn Band, Cosmo's Factory, the original members of Creedence Clearwater Revival, Stu Cook, Doug "Cosmo" Clifford, Elliot Buston, Steve Gunner, and John Tristao.

What happened in 1947's Hollister made a movie star out of Marlon Brando in 1953. Last year's rerun in Bill Enders' Ride for Polly -- which scared the beejeepers out of citizens who remember their town getting torn up by rowdy bikers 50 years ago -- has in 1997 become Hollister's and Harleyworld's biggest annual event.

Riding into town on the backs of two Harleys were Marc and Violet Klaas, grateful to have Polly's memory associated with such a warm-hearted time for town and bikers alike.