Kewaskum, WI – On Father’s Day, June 15, 2025, the rumble will rise once again from the grassy slope just outside West Bend, as the 41st annual Kettle Moraine Sport Riders Hill Climb kicks into gear. And like he has every single year since the very first throttle twist, Mike Dricken, now 69, will be there—goggles down, helmet on, and heart full of fire—ready to take on the hill with the same 1970s Triumph he’s been riding since before some of today’s riders were even born.
“This is our 41st actual hill climb,” said Dricken. “We skipped a year way back, but I’ve never missed one.”
Dricken, who hails from the Town of Barton, isn’t just a longtime rider—he’s the living legacy of the event. His journey began in the mid-70s, back when the Kettle Moraine Sport Riders put on a scrambles race at the base of the hill.
Dricken showed up with what was then his street bike, a modest 500cc Triumph. But one ride was all it took—he was hooked. He upped the suspension, then swapped in a 750cc engine from a 1973 Triumph, stretched the frame, and tuned the machine into a dirt track bruiser.
“I dirt-tracked it for years—did the state circuit, had some good success,” Dricken said. “Then the hill climb took off, and I’ve been climbing with it ever since.”
A Hill Full of History
Dricken isn’t the first in his family to twist a throttle and challenge a hill. That distinction belongs to his father, Lenny Dricken, who competed in climbs back in the 1940s—one of which took place on the Arthur Klein farm in Barton. Dricken’s brothers raced too, and now his sons and grandkids are carrying on the tradition.
“My dad introduced me to bikes when I was about four or five,” said son Dan Dricken, now 33. “I went up the hill for the first time when I was seven and never stopped. It’s just what we do—it’s a big family ordeal.”
Mike Dricken’s two sons and five grandchildren—including Bryce, Lincoln, and three granddaughters—are all set to ride this year. That’ll make eight Drickens taking a crack at the hill.
“You watch the kids go up now and I still yell at ’em—‘feet on the pegs, lean forward, and keep it wide open,’” Dricken said. “That’s always been the rule.”
Dricken’s motorcycle is a time capsule on two wheels. It’s the same Triumph 750 he’s ridden for every climb—same frame, same engine, and same signature three-quarter open-face helmet.
“We always joke he and the bike both qualify for the antique class now,” Dan Dricken said. “Took him a while to admit it, but now he’s in there—and proud of it.”
Through the years, Mike Dricken has had great runs, sailing over the top of the hill in triumph. Lately, the climb’s gotten tougher. The terrain is rougher, the bike’s old bones more noticeable, and the gear ratios more critical.
“The last few years, I haven’t made it over the top,” Dricken said. “But I changed the gearing this year. Hopefully that’ll keep the revs up and help me out. It’s got wild cams, so if I let off even a little, it’s like pulling a plug wire—it just dies.”
And yet, the thrill hasn’t faded.
“Oh man, when you make it over the top… That’s the feeling. That’s why we keep coming back.”
More Than a Race
The hill climb has become a Father’s Day tradition not just for the Drickens, but for hundreds of families across Washington County and beyond.
“Every year, we take a three-generation photo around that same bike. It’s a reminder of the family, the history, the commitment. It’s something really special,” said Amy Dricken, Mike’s daughter-in-law.
Dricken agreed. For him, the climb is more than just an adrenaline rush—it’s about family, legacy, and being part of something bigger than himself.
And for folks who’ve never been?
“Come out and see it,” Dricken said. “We start on time—first bike goes up at noon sharp. Two runs, intermission in between, and usually wrapped up by 3:30. You don’t have to spend all day, but you’ll remember it for a long time.”
Father’s Day – Sunday, June 15, 2025
First run at noon sharp
