Have you ever been to the legendary Sturgis Motorcycle Rally?
If you haven’t, you’re missing out…
Maybe it’s your first time, or maybe you’ve been riding to Sturgis for YEARS but always like to find out the latest happenings. Either way, we’re here to tell you some of our team’s favorite spots and events at the rally.
The most exciting thing for this year? We have a pop up shop at the Crossroads at the Sturgis Buffalo Chip!
Look for the Big Engine Bar - a massive engine up front in the FREE area of the Chip!
PLACES TO STAY
Our hands-down favorite place to stay during the Rally is the Sturgis Buffalo Chip. This all-enveloping campground has everything you need - from bike shows, to led rides, to live music, camping, real bathrooms, an after-party club, “Bikini Beach” a pond you can take a dip in, a motorcycle mechanic shop, and some great food AND cold brews! Oh, and did we mention yet, that FIRST MFG will be set up at the FREE Crossroads area of the Buffalo Chip?!
This year, the Buffalo Chip hosts some of our favorite Bike Shows - the Women’s Ride In Bike Show hosted by Maiden Moto on Aug 8th, where one lucky lady will win a FMCo jacket. Other favorite shows include the FXR & Dyna Mixer, The School’s Out Chopper Show, and the Biker Belle’s Ride & Brunch. The Crossroads also has the Ives Bros Wall of Death!
They also have a killer music lineup, including ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Steel Panther, Limp Bizkit, Lita Ford, Styx, Def Leppard, Pop Evil, and more!
And probably our favorite, the First MFG booth up front, where you can grab yourself a new leather vest or jacket, get measured for a custom vest, and more!
Not into camping? There are a ton of hotels and motels ranging from Deadwood to Rapid City, but hurry, they sell out quickly!
RIDES
Everyone knows the Black Hills has some of the best riding in the country!
RIDE THESE ROADS:
Iron Mountain Road
17 MILES, 314 CURVES, 14 SWITCHBACKS. 3 PIGTAILS, 3 TUNNELS, 4 PRESIDENTS, 2 SPLITS - all on ONE road. This road is considered one of the best, and is best suited for experienced riders.
Devils Tower
This monolith of rock is a good ride out of town, and perfect for a day trip from Sturgis!
Vanocker Canyon
If you’re headed to, or from, Deadwood or Lead to Sturgis proper, don’t miss out on Vanocker Canyon Road - with sweeping turns and beautiful views, this is an essential in the Black Hills. This ride is great for ANY rider.
Spearfish Canyon - see the waterfalls like Bridal Veil Falls on this casual cruise through the canyon.
Wildlife Loop
This 18 mile road starts at Custer State Park and takes about 2 hours. Be prepared to see lots of wildlife, including Bison! (But PLEASE, stay far away from the wildlife, they are dangerous! We’ll leave you to Google what happens when visitors get too close…)
Want more? Be sure to grab a Road Map at most area businesses!
LED RIDES:
Legends Ride - Monday August 7 - Sturgis Buffalo Chip - led by Rusty Coones of SOA and Mayans, and Lorenzo Llamas of Renegade. This ride goes from Deadwood to the Buffalo Chip.
Biker Belles - Tuesday Aug 8 a women’s ride for charity, this ride puts the women at the front! Men are welcome to ride along as well, it’s all for charity! This ride goes from Deadwood to the Buffalo Chip.
The Medicine Wheel Ride - Sunday Aug 6 - this ride supports Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, going from Bear Butte to Crazy Horse.
Carey Hart’s Good Ride - Sunday Aug 6 - Famed MotoX rider Carey Hart leads a ride benefiting Veterans. If you can’t go, you CAN purchase a ride pass for a Veteran to go!
Run to the Line - Wednesday Aug 9 - Ride through Vanocker Canyon, with the whole ride being photographed by legendary Michael Lichter!
LIVE MUSIC
Of course, the Buffalo Chip has a wide variety of music to enjoy, but there’s a few other spots to catch some loud music, too.
The Iron Horse Saloon has a ton of free shows, including favorites like Hairball. This year, Yelawolf will grace the stage, too!
The Iron Horse also has bike shows and events, too. One of our favorites is the Baker Burnout Drags, where you can roast your tire and become the Burnout Champion!
EVENTS AND SHOWS
When you’re not out riding, there is plenty to take in at the Rally, especially Bike Shows.
Here’s some of our favorite Bike Shows:
BIKE SHOWS
Aug 5
11a - Dennis Kirk Garage Build - Iron Horse Saloon
11a - Schools Out Chopper Show - Buffalo Chip
Aug 6
11a - FXR & Dyna Mixer - Buffalo Chip
6p - Black Hills Boogie Chopper Show - Steel Pony
Aug 7
Aug 8
10a - Biker Belles Women’s Ride In Bike Show Presented by Maiden Moto - Buffalo Chip
8p - Baker Burnout Drags - Iron Horse Saloon
Aug 9
11a - Perewitz Paint Show - Iron Horse Saloon
Aug 10
11a - Rat’s Hole Custom Show - Buffalo Chip
EVENTS & PLACES
Motorcycles As Art Show - a motorcycle & art show at the Buffalo Chip featuring 20+ artists, 20+ custom bikes, and a curated art gift shop! You can purchase art from this show and have it shipped to your home, too!
Jackpine Gypsies Races - Monday, Aug 7 - the Jackpine Gypsies know how to put on a race, so if you like dirt racing, check this out!
Sturgis Motorcycle Museum - located on Main St, this is a must see!
Chopper Flats & The Sugar Bear Chopper Museum - located on the way out to Full Throttle.
WHERE TO EAT, GRAB A COFFEE, and MORE!
Need a coffee to start your day off right? We get it. We stop at Sturgis Coffee Co on Lazelle every day. No kidding, every day. This small, local owned coffee shop has the best beans, drinks, and even breakfast. Their lot also makes a great spot to meet up with friends!
Loud American’s on Main Street - their Steak Tips are famous, be sure to check them out!
Deadwood Social Club has traditional American food that’s sure to satisfy.
Love Indian Tacos? Cheyenne Crossing boasts some of the best around!
OTHER THINGS TO KNOW
Sturgis Laws - you do NOT want to mess around and find out at Sturgis. Trust us.
Here are some of the most important laws to know during the rally:
DO NOT DRINK AND RIDE. There’s “buses” that run from campgrounds to Main St like “Da Bus”. There is no Uber or Lyft.
HELMETS - Helmets are not required for adults in SD, but they ARE required for minors under 18. We do suggest wearing one, as the wind, bugs, hail, rain, and other drivers can be rough.
EYE PROTECTION - you MUST wear eye protection at all times. Sunglasses and tinted visors cannot be worn after dark. The law states that windshields may work for eye protection, but don’t leave that up to the officer, just wear glasses or goggles. Besides, you only have one set of eyes!
PASSENGER SEAT - your passenger must be on an actual seat, not a fender or similar. This is a misdemeanor offense. You must also have passenger pegs.
LANE SPLITTING - is illegal in SD.
FIREARMS - must be stored in a proper case, unless you have a SD CC permit or one with SD reciprocity.
REGISTRATION - have your registration on your bike! Along with insurance paperwork.
HANDLEBARS - there is no longer any handlebar requirements in Sturgis as of 2015.
EXHAUST - the law here is pretty ambiguous, but you must have “ a muffler in good working order to prevent excessive noise."
PARKING: If you leave your bike on Main St, it will be towed after 2 am until 6 am for the Street Sweeper to come by. Most lots are privately owned and have their own rules as well. DO NOT park on a red or yellow curb, or in Handicapped parking without a permit.
OTHER LAWS: You must have one leg on each side of the motorcycle. You must have at least one hand on your handlebars. Put BOTH feet down at stops, this gives them a reason to pull you over. If you are carrying anything on your motorcycle, it must be strapped down and not in your hands.
And, of course, DON’T SPEED. This is an easy one to rack up a large ticket - and they’re looking out for anyone going over the speed limit.
Drinking in public is allowed in a Sturgis purchased cup, in a marked area of downtown - you’ll see the maps.
Exercise good judgement during the rally, and avoid spending a night behind bars, or paying expensive tickets!
OTHER HELPFUL TIPS
Bring extra gear! Between the finicky weather of the Black Hills, and safety, bring that jacket just in case.
Bring rain gear - you don’t want to be stuck in a downpour without it!
Bring cash - not everyone takes cards during Rally.
WHERE TO FIND FMCo
You can find our booth up front at the free Crossroads area of the Sturgis Buffalo Chip! Just look for the Big Engine (you’ll know it when you see it!) and we’ll be just to your right!
You can also find some of our Authorized Retailers downtown, including
Highway Leather with locations on Main St. and on Lazelle,
And OZ Custom Leathers on Lazelle.
