What do you guys think about to go the week before of the 2015 Sturgis rally. We are a group of 10-12 of us and my suggestion is to go the week before, is our first time and a couple of guys want to be there during the rally not the week before. I heard from a lot of members here that the week of the rally is a madness very very crowded and the next year probably even more. What are your thoughts i heard the week before is very good the vendors are there and all the rally places are open. I'd like some input from some of you that try both week.
Thanks

 

Never been there for bike week but went once the week after. No crowds but of course all the action is gone also. Don't like crowds anyway.

 

I heard some people talking today about making reservations for next year and they were told that next years rally would be 2 weeks long due to the 75 anniversary.

I don't know, just what I heard some people saying today.

 

I am going the week before been there before hotels are very expensive and hard to get now
Even for the week before I rented a house for 8 and that's was very hard to get
2015 it's a big Anniversary Celebretion so you better get some reservations nowadays lot good riding to do over there

 

I went for the first time this year and we went the week before. The crowds were not there and the stop and go wasn't too bad down town. There were a lot of bikes just not the madness I've heard about. I wanted to go early to ride around the area and still get a chance to see the booths and stuff. It is amazing, there are a lot of the same booths you see at the smaller rallies but even better as almost all of the big name and small name vendors are there. I got a few items at a discounted price and free shipping. you can get stuff installed with them too if you make an appointment. I would like to go for the first 3 days of the rally to experience the night life at some point. Roads like needles highway will be packed as the big machine gets rolling. when we went through we went early in the morning and never had any traffic jams on the favorite rides. if you want to ride and see the booths and stuff going the week prior is a good Idea in my experience.

 

tanks for the info

 

I guess it all depends on what you want to get out of your Sturgis/Black Hills trip.

The two weeks before Sturgis is certainly a better time to be there if your main purpose of the trip is to ride the Black Hills with the Rally smell in the air.

Not only will there be less crowds but the cost of lodging will be half of what it is during the Rally. Also the week prior to the Rally most of the vendors are already setup.

Note though that the last weekend in July is the Days of 76 Rodeo in Deadwood so the lodging prices are a bit higher in Deadwood, but still a lot cheaper than the week of the Rally. Also those Cowboys do know how to party!!!!

However you will not get the Sturgis experience unless you are there during the Rally.
There's just no substitute during that week.

I lived in Rapid City for 12 years so I've had my Sturgis experience so we always go up the two weeks before the Rally even though we have relatives with a vacation home in the Hills we stay in Deadwood the last weekend in July so we can party with the Cowboys at Saloon #10 and then crash without having to ride. I highly recommend the Hickok Hotel.

I was there during the 50th Rally so I can imagine how nuts the place will be so next year we are going up in June to ride the Black Hills and then heading down to Arkansas during Sturgis. I have no need or want to deal with the crowds.

Again though eventhough it's cheaper and less crowded the two weeks before the Sturgis Rally, you will not experience what the Rally is really like; good and bad. So my recommendation; make you lodging reservations ASAP and go up during the Rally so you can write Sturgis off your bucket list, then for future trips do the pre-Sturgis.

 

if this is a one time deal...go during rally week. find a place to stay that is on "the bus" route, party hardy and leave the driving to them.

 

We rented a place in Custer. Going Tuesday before hit the Fri,Sat Sun of 1st weekend then out on Monday. Hope it works out?

 

Wife and I have been to Sturgis numerous times both during the rally and the week before. For the best "Sturgis Experience" the main week is best if you don't mind the traffic and crowds. We have also went the week before and stayed the first weekend just to see the crowds then left.

Hotel prices are also bad during the rally week. I have also found many hotels have already jacked rates even higher for the 75th as they expect to have huge crowds. The hotel I stayed at for 2014 called me right after the rally and offered me a room for 2015 for only $419. a night (I'm not going at that rate). I paid $139. a night for 2014 and that was bad enough.