Bruce Rossmeyer, owner Daytona Beach Harley-Davidson died doing what he loved Thursday.
Rossmeyer, 66, owner of several Harley-Davidson dealers, was on his way to Sturgis, South Dakota with a pack of friends for a motorcycle rally.
A Wyoming police report said Rossmeyer failed to see the turn signal of a truck that pulled in front of him. He wasn't wearing a helmet and was thrown from his Harley and landed partially under a trailer the truck was pulling.
The Daytona Beach community is mourning the loss of the man who was largely responsible for Bike Week.
"Bruce was an integral part of the business community," said Kevin Kilian, senior vice president of the Daytona Beach-Halifax Area Chamber of Commerce. "He was certainly part of the motorcycle community, but locally and nationally."
Rossmeyer had the largest portfolio of Harley-Davidson dealerships in the world, owning 15 in total.
He also supported several children's charities, including helping to found Camp Boggy Creek.
"It's just tragic and there's not too much more to say about it," Kilian said.
"He was somebody who was very active not only in charitable causes but obviously in the bike event and helped to bring them to the next level in Daytona Beach not only with the downtown effort but with the Ormond Beach and the Destination Daytona facility as well," he said.
Kilian said Rossmeyer did a lot to prepare for the future and the entire community will benefit.
