Croatia could have been custom made for hosting a Harley party - great biking roads, breathtaking scenery, sunshine, beaches... and a party that more than 20,000 Harley riders travelled from all corners of Europe

From the hazy, rugged hills inland to the glistening Adriatic sea that hugs the Dalmatian coastline, Croatia certainly proved itself as a truly spectacular location to mark the 20th European H.O.G. Rally.

The bustling town of Biograd Na Moru, located midway along the western coast, was the epicentre of the celebrations. Its two-kilometre-long harbour promenade and beach was draped in black and orange as Harley-Davidson brought its legendary party to the town.
The Harley-Davidson Demo Experience marked the northern end of the site, by the ferry port, entertaining riders with the incredible 2011 model line-up, including the whole range from Sportsters to Cross Bones and the Touring models. A specially designed demo route gave riders the opportunity to experience the best roads the area has to offer, astride a motorcycle that made the ride truly memorable.

The new Jumpstart Experience - a Fat Boy at the Demo Ride area and a Sportster located further along the site near the Expo Tent - gave non-riders the chance to feel the power of riding a Harley-Davidson, without moving an inch! One participant said: "I've never even sat on a motorcycle before, not even as a passenger, and I was buzzing with adrenaline when I got off - I have to learn to ride one of these!"

The Harbour stage nearby provided music and entertainment during the afternoon and early evening, hosting bands including Heavy Metal Kids, The Crave, local band Prljavo Kazaliste and tribute acts to Zucchero and Rammstein.

For party goers left wanting more, the party moved south to the Beach stage which saw breathtaking fire and acrobatic displays from Flowfuzion, the Katy Shotter Band, popular classic, Queen on Fire, High on Heels and a Rolling Stones tribute act. An after-hours DJ Tower marked the southern end of the event site on the beach.

Along the promenade, local bars and restaurants overlook the sea, a view temporarily complemented by a line of beautiful Harleys. The main entrance to the site was a hive of activity during the event, with Harley-Davidson Berlin, event merchandise and H.O.G. Hospitality areas drawing the shoppers and spectators to watch the bikes pour in.

Friday's Custom Bike Show moved out of town, to the neighbouring city of Zadar to the north. The show was held at the beautiful point named Salute to the Sun, beyond Zadar's old town and harbour and attracted a range of beautiful motorcycles from across Europe that competed for first and second place in one of 10 categories. Additional prizes included the coveted People's Choice, Best in Show and, of course, as an Affiliate AMD World Championship event, the Best Modified Harley class where the prize is a trip to Sturgis to compete at the World Championship of Custom Bike Building, won by Tomaz Capuder from Dream Machine Motorcycles in Slovenia with his beautifully modified VRod.

Between Biograd and Zadar, and beyond, visitors to the event were spoilt with magnificent biking roads. A real bikers paradise, the coastal roads feature a mix of hairpins, long sweeping bends, tunnels buried through the rocks, great road surfaces, and all set against the backdrop of the gleaming blue Adriatic Sea.

The terrain in Croatia is rugged, with a mix of rocks, forests, mountains and of course, the islands. To help visitors make the most of what this country has to offer, the Pleter chapter designed a number of guided and self-guided tours.

Saturday's parade saw more than 3,000 bikes line-up at Zadar's Falkensteiner camping ground. As the line of thundering Harleys made its way south on the road to Biograd, spectators lined the streets, creating a spine-tingling atmosphere that represents everything Harley-Davidson and H.O.G. stands for.

With the sun setting on the final night of partying, drawing the first Croatia Harley Days and 20th European H.O.G. rally to a close, the 65,000 people who have enjoyed this experience look forward to the next adventure... Did someone say Portugal...?

Watch the video in VIDEO GALLERIES.