The bulging batch of Baby Boomers who exercised their second young-adulthood in recent years by buying motorcycles will have shiny new toys to ogle in Cobb County.

The Progressive Interntional Motorcycle Show kicks off its 13-city tour beginning today through Sunday. It features the latest bikes from industry leaders such as Harley-Davidson as well as a custom bike competition featuring top builders. Bikers and wannabes can watch a stunt show, attend talks on maintenance and riding or lust over the custom motorcycles they probably never will be able to afford.

Builder Don Parkinson of Bikers Dream of Atlanta, who will enter a bike in the competition, talked with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution about the lure of riding and building machines that are the closest most people will ever get to riding a personal rocket.

AJC: What is the appeal of owning a custom bike?

Parkinson: The appeal is, it’s your own. It is what you like. They have larger, more powerful engines. They typically have a six-speed transmission where the standard bike has five. They handle better, have more agressive braking, and the big thing is they look cool.

AJC: So how much does a custom bike cost?

Parkinson: The customer has to know up front it is going to cost a lot of money. The last one I built was about $65- or $70,000. It just depends on what you want. You can build something way less expensive, down in the teens or twenty thousand. But if want one of these radical looking bikes, with the big, wide tire on the back and custom engine it is going to cost a lot. Some of the paint jobs on some really custom bikes start at $5,000 just for the paint. A lot of people don’t understand that.

AJC: I understand a lot of older bikers have bought motorcycles in recent years. What’s up with that?

Parkinson (who is 66): There are more older people, both male and female. Everybody spends the time raising their kids, and they get in their late 30s or early 40s and want to do something that is fun and enjoyable and is a little bit of escapism. And riding a bike is one of the most fun things you can do. And you can do by self or in a group, unlike boats or airplanes. It is kind of unique.