Sturgis: The King of Motorcycle Rallies

Sturgis is a city in the state of South Dakota with a population of 7,200 people. It was founded in 1878. Along with its picturesque landscapes and many great roads to ride your motorcycle on, Sturgis is a destination that has always beckoned travelers seeking two-wheeled adventure and real western culture.

The first Sturgis rally was just a small group of riders, which happened on August 14, 1938. The people involved in starting it were known as a riding group called the Jackpine Gypsies motorcycle club. And after all this time the Jackpine Gypsies club still owns and operates the race tracks, hillclimb, and field area where the rally was first centered. The first event was called the "Black Hills Motor Classic" by the founder, Clarence "Pappy" Hoel. Currently known as the “Sturgis Black Hills Rally,” this epic event has been held every year since 1938, with the exception of the year 1942 due to World War II. The event would not be held again until 1946, and there has been a rally in Sturgis yearly ever since. Though this event started very small, 85 years later the common attendance of the rally can swell to well over 500,000 visitors during the 10 days of the Black Hills Rally and consistently brings in over $800 million dollars to the state of South Dakota annually.

I have been attending the Sturgis rally for well over 25 years and have determined that it is so much more than just another bike rally in the United States. It is by far the king of ALL bike rallies. This is not because of the size of it or where in the world it is held. Yes, these are contributing factors, but it's really all about the people that make it stand out from the rest of the rallies I attend yearly. Sturgis is a place where the public gets to see a large percentage of builders, fabricators, artists, riders, and their creations all in one place. And that is very important because these days everyone is so busy with life, and it seems as if we only see things on social media or on the internet from our phone or computer. Sturgis is the place where people from all over the world can come and meet people, see the latest custom and performance motorcycles, and ride them in the real world.

V-Twin Visionary is very lucky to have 3-4 motorcycle events we produce with Harley-Davidson during the rally. We have ride-in and invite-only shows that bring the pinnacle of performance motorcycles from all over the USA, and we are proud to have these motorcycle gatherings both in downtown Sturgis as well as in historic Deadwood, South Dakota, about an hour away from Sturgis. Deadwood was named by early settlers after the dead trees found in its gulch. The city of Deadwood had its heyday from 1876 to 1879, after gold deposits had been discovered there, leading to the Black Hills Gold Rush. Now Deadwood is famous for the many hotels, casinos, restaurants, and coffee houses it possesses. But it still reeks with that real-deal Old West charm.

We always extend a personal invitation for anyone the world over to come to the Black Hills Rally and experience what a great event and place the town of Sturgis is and to see for themselves the true beauty of South Dakota.