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.