We are now just two weeks away from the start of the 74th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally held in Sturgis, South Dakota. If this year's rally holds true to tradition, and there is no reason to believe it will not, it will be a great time for bikers of all ages. If you haven't yet made your plans to attend, you probably should get it in gear this week. The rally runs from August 4 through the 10th.
Sturgis began as a gathering in the late 1930s, compliments of the Jackpine Gypsies motorcycle club and their desire to get together with their best biker friends for hill climbs and other motorcycle stunts. The first rally was known as the Black Hills Classic, featuring a single race with fewer than a dozen participants. The modern rally includes multiple races and the infamous hill climbs. But there's also a ton of great music, food, vendors and just hanging out with fellow bikers. You can even get married at the rally!
Sturgis Tradition
As the bike rally has grown over the years, the way people get to South Dakota has changed. Fewer and fewer participants actually ride their bikes to the event; some pull them on trailers while others have them shipped to airports so they're ready to ride when their owners come in on arriving flights. Technology has also become a big part of the rally as well. However, there are still a number of traditions that remain intact after all these years.
For example, the Buffalo Chip Campground is still the focal point of the entire rally. If you're going, that's the place to be. The Buffalo Chip was first established in 1981 as nothing more than an open field for rally attenders to camp in. Over the years the owners have added electricity, plumbing and a multiple stages capable of handling the many live concerts featured at the rally.
Another of the favorite traditions among yearly attendees is the annual Legends Ride sponsored by the Buffalo Chip. All monies raised go to local charities including the Black Hills Special Olympics and the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame. It concludes with a special riders-only reception at the Buffalo Chip. The ride is only in its seventh year, but the beauty of the Black Hills has made it a favorite among attendees.
Sturgis Technology
There is no escaping the fact that the modern motorcycle rally is changing by way of technology. Not only can you go online to make reservations and keep track of all the events happening during the week, but you can also follow things remotely by way of various web cams, smart phone apps, and other pieces of technology scattered around the Sturgis area. Social media lovers will be all over the rally posting their favorite picks and tweeting up a storm.
Sturgis is a great motorcycle rally to choose as your first one. If you are a veteran, there's not much more can we say. The Black Hills of South Dakota makes a great place for one of the world's largest and most attended motorcycle rallies. There is a reason it has been going strong for 74 years.
We have a range of Sturgis motorcycle patches from which you can choose. Just click on the preceding link to see our collection.
