Here it is another year gone by and it’s time again for the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis, South Dakota. But the real thrill to going to Sturgis this year 2015 is that it is the 75th anniversary and it also has the potential to be one of the greatest and hands down the largest gathering of motorcycles of all time. A rally on steroids!
But the rally itself is only one of the reasons to go. Grant it that the people watching rivals any venue or thriving metropolis in the world, but then there are also the roads. Yes roads and incredible roads they are. Roads like The Needles Highway, Iron Mountain Road, The Wildlife Loop, Vanocker Canyon Road, Spearfish Canyon Road and Nemo Road to name more than a few that if you don’t twist your throttle on them, you will miss the best riding of your life.
The other advantage of getting on these roads is that they lead to amazing destinations. Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park, The Badlands, Crazy Horse Memorial, Bear Butte State Park and Devil’s Tower National Monument which is a short drive over the Wyoming State Line. Each of these destinations comes rich in history, animal life, and amazing stories that, if you’ve never been out west, will leave you wondering, WTF, where have I been my whole life?
Once you park the bike for the day, the evenings will make you feel like a kid in a candy store. You will discover great concert events, together with plenty of food, fun and motorcycle activities and of course, Vitamin A (alcohol). While you are in Sturgis, you will discover plenty to amuse you with all of the places to hang out. Places like The Full Throttle Saloon, EasyRiders Saloon, One Eyed Jacks to name a few.
But also beware that there are regulations to follow due to the large volume of people that attend. You need to be ready for this and just know that there are fines for fighting, public intoxication, indecent exposure, disorderly conduct and careless driving. Personal injury attorneys warn that the consequences of careless driving can be unpredictable, so both drivers and videos should be extremely careful. Check out https://www.itsaboutjustice.law/personal-injury-attorney/ to learn about legal consequences of careless driving. With regards to drugs there is a zero tolerance law, and you are going to be arrested and prosecuted, no matter the drug or how much.
The other comment I would make about riding in Sturgis and the surrounding area is that you should leave the alcohol consumption to the evening hours and only after you park your ride. All the great roads have more than abundant amount of curves and twisties. If you’ve never ridden them, you will find them exhilarating and some say, better than sex. But after a few drinks, you may find yourself overly confident and possibly in a ditch or a wheat field from taking that curve a little too hot. Ride safely and responsibly and you will save yourself from a visit to the hospital and your bike from a visit to the body shop.
Here are a few tips from experienced riders on riding in general and you can apply them getting to and being in Sturgis. These are not to insult anyone’s riding ability, just a reminder. There will be all levels or riders around you with many of them young and inexperienced. BE CAREFUL!!!
- Ride with people who know how to ride and that you trust
- Be seen
- Wear the right gloves
- Never ride tired (or hung over)
- Keep at least a two second space between you and the bike in front
- Feather your clutch on slow, tight turns
- Into a curve, use the outside, inside, outside path of travel
- Leave room for an escape route
- Always look where you want to go
- Ride your own ride but be considerate and follow the speed limit
- Stay away from semi trucks
When you are in the “zone” you need to remember safety first and that will insure you coming back in one piece with great memories and pictures of the 75th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.