Portland Alley Sweeper
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| Portland Alley Sweeper | |
|---|---|
 2012 Alley Sweeper Urban Enduro poster | |
| Frequency | Annually |
| Location | Portland, Oregon |
| Country | United States |
| Inaugurated | 2009 |
| Founder | Zac Christensen |
| Most recent | April 13, 2024 |
| Next event | April, 2025 |
| Participants | c. 300 |
| Activity | Motorcycle rally |
| Patron | Sang Froid Riding Club |
| Website | sang-froidridingclub |
The Portland Alley Sweeper, also called the Alley Sweeper Urban Enduro,[1][2] is a motorcycle rally in the city alleys of Portland, Oregon. Begun in 2009 by Zac Christensen of the Sang Froid Riding Club motorcycle club in Portland,[2][3] the rally has been described as "a cross-city tour of Portland’s mangled side streets by way of whatever two-wheeled contraption you can hobble together", drawing around 300 riders a year.[4]
Event organizers say by riding street legal two-wheeled vehicles in the city's alleys, they are merely exercising their rights on a public right of way and said that it is "not a race but a parade".[5][6] Opponents say they are concerned about child safety[7] and some even say they are "hostage in their own yard" for the duration of the hours-long rally.[6] One resident said that the mostly small-displacement dual-sport motorcycles and scooters[notes 1] "sound like tanks".[8]
Portland police have said the rally riders are permitted in the alleys if they are obeying the 15-mile-per-hour (24 km/h) speed limit, and other traffic laws.[8]