75th Sturgis Rally is Coming!

Hard to believe the little rally started by the Jackpine Gypsies as a little flat track race is in its 75th year. August 14th 1938 is the date of the very first race, rumor has it only 9 people attended that first race.

Planning for the 75th rally started before the end of the 74th rally. There are crazy numbers being bandied about, attendance estimated to top 1 million! Heck the Buffalo Chip is hosting a pre rally rally.

City Park was a vital Sturgis destination in the past, once a hub of biker revelry, the party at City Park just got too wild. Partiers behavior fueled by bonfires, rock and roll, and booze. So the town kicked the rally out of the park. Despite objections from many townsfolk, Sturgis City Park is hosting a full slate of events this year. AMA Supermoto “Elephant Run” race Saturday, Aug. 1, and continues all week long, from freestyle Harley riding demos by UNKNOWN Industries to bike shows every day of the week. The Boz Brothers, Ben and Eric Bostrom, are hosting the Boz Bros Charity Ride Wednesday, Aug. 5, out of the park.

An incomplete list of all the bike shows:

1. Dave and Jody will be holding the Perewitz Paint Show Wednesday, Aug. 5, at the Easyriders Saloon on the edge of Main Street.
2. The saloon is also hosting the Easyriders Magazine Bike Show (Sunday, Aug. 2)
3. The Wrench Magazine Old School Chopper Show (Monday, Aug. 3)
4. Twisted Tea Trike Show (Thursday, Aug. 5)
5. Misfit’s “The Masters” Bike Show (Friday, Aug. 7)
6. Paul Yaffe’s Bagger Nation Bike Show goes down Tuesday, Aug. 4, at Michael Ballard’s Full Throttle Saloon
7. Billy Lane of Choppers Inc. is holding a Vintage Bike Show out at the Broken Spoke

The City Park lineup of bike shows includes:

1. Roland Sands (Saturday, Aug. 1)
2. “Sturgis FXR Only” show (Sunday, Aug. 2)
3. Biltwell and The Speed Merchant’s “Dyna Only” contest (Monday, Aug. 3)
4. Street Chopper Magazine’s “Winner Take All” show (Tuesday, Aug. 4)
5. Hot Bike Magazine’s “Winner Take All” show (Wednesday, Aug. 5)
6. Baggers Magazine’s bash (Thursday, Aug. 6)
7. Biltwell and Rusty Butcher’s “Tracker Only” bike show (Friday, Aug. 7)

Moving on to the Sturgis Buffalo Chip:

1. Full Throttle Magazine’s Bike Shows (Sunday, Aug. 2 & Monday, Aug. 3)
2. Indian Motorcycle and Classic American Iron Black Hills Rally contest (Tuesday, Aug. 4)
3. Cycle Source’s Annual Chopper Show (Wednesday, Aug. 5)
4. Rat’s Hole Custom Bike Show (Thursday, Aug. 6).

This is a just the tip of the iceberg of what will be at the rally. Group rides, bands of all genres, alcohol, half naked people, tattoos, and of course motorcycles.

More people, more traffic, more music, more bikers, and just plain more await those going to Sturgis this year. Will you be one of them?