I plan on going to sturgis for the 1st time real soon. My question is about roadway safety with the unlimited alcohol that's there. I'm not worried about theft or getting beat up etc, but riding towards or next to someone that's been drinking all day scares the hell out of me! Most people on here openly avoid large groups when they ride at home for fear of stupid acts or drunks! But sturgis is the largest group ride in the world. So how safe or un safe are the roads????????

 

about like any city after dark ...lot of peoples drink and drive everywhere

 

I went in 2011. I saw a few rider who were obviously drunk and shouldn't be on a bike. Everyone else seemed fine. I don't know how many riders were just buzzed.

I was more concerned with the crowded streets, not drunk drivers. They were surely out there, but there are drunk drivers in every city (unfortunately) not just Sturgis.

Only you can decide if you want to take the risk. But every time I swing my leg over my bike, I know there is a risk of coming across a drunk or unsafe driver out there.

 

"Unlimited alcohol?" Where'd that come from? It's a bunch of motorcyclists representing a cross section of society. No different than riding anywhere else.

 

OP's been watching too much TV. 34 DUI arrests over the seven day period with 400,000 people there. I feel safer riding there than I do anywhere else.

 

I've been twice 2013/14 and have never had an encounter with a drunk rider (that I know of). I'm usually off the streets well before closing time so maybe that's why. If you use the same riding logic and vigilance as anywhere else you should have no more or less problems. Certainly it's not a reason to NOT go.

 

I think a lot of the serious partying takes place at the campgrounds. At least I didn't see anything real crazy on the streets anywhere. There are enough police on the streets that they would probably intercept someone who looked like they had way too much before they rode off. Police on every corner and walking outside the bars and clubs etc.... I also was expecting what I saw on TV but it really isn't like that in Sturgis and small towns in the area. It is heavily monitored.

 

If you're going "real soon" then you'll be fine, it's pretty much a ghost town as the rally is over. If you're going next August, it's the 75th and will have a large crowd. However, the roads are as safe as anywhere else while on a motorcycle. Always a chance for bad **** on any roadway at any time.

 

+1 - The rally ended over two weeks ago so don't sweat it, man.

 

We went last year. We usually picked a destination Custer state park, Devils tower etc and rode out in the morning. Got back and looked around town late afternoon then headed for the campground (stayed at Glencoe) for the evening. No problems anywhere. In town there is very heavy police presence. We rode across the highway one night to Full Throttle and about 1am a hell of a thunderstorm blew through. Picture thousands of bizzed/drunk bikers trying to find their bikes on a grass/mud hillside field in the dark in the driving (and I do mean it was pouring) rain with wind and vivid lightning. Incredibly we didn't see anyone even drop their bike in those conditions.