sturgis
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,165
Likes: 33
From: Acworth
RE: sturgis
Milt, I left out something. Each Time we go to Sturgis we only stay for 2 or 3 days in Sturgis. The rest of our time we travel all around the area. We usaully ride to different places. Last time we took Alt. 14 from Sheridanto Cody Wy. Cheif Joseph Hwy to Bear Tooth , thru Yellowstone down thru Colorado and then back home.Great Ride! So as far as being in Sturgis for the entire Rally/week, I can't say.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 4,519
Likes: 5
From: Slidell, LA
RE: sturgis
The best advice I have seen here is everyone needs to go once. If for no other reason than to just do the ride and ride around the area. Rushmore, Devil's Tower, Badlands etc are all great day rides. Go early as crowds do get bad towards mid week. I ususally get there on the Friday before and leave by Thursday. Campgrounds are loud all night but a great place to party. I have stayed at the Chip many many times. Great bands at night. Sleeping takes ear plugs. There are about 10 of us here that go almost every year. 3 day 1600 mile ride one way from New Orleans. Road out by the big campgrounds (Chip and Glencoe) and goes by Full Throttle has been widened to four lines and helps with traffic.
Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,379
Likes: 2
From: Central, NY
RE: sturgis
I went this year. Rode from Central NY to Sturgis in 4 days. Came back in 3. I initially planned for 400 plus mile days. We learned 600 plus was very do-able. Only you know how much saddle time your rear-end will take.
Sturgis itself wasn't for me, but that doesn't mean it's not for you. What I enjoyed was the entire area. We rode the Black Hills, Badlands, out to Wyoming and all over. We stayed in Custer Park which was beautiful and the Harley Events were a lot of fun. Frankly, we had the time of our lives. The traffic was heavy and 90 percent of it was motorcycles.
I'm glad I went. We'll do another long trip again this summer, but we'll be headed down the east coast, rather than out west.
Sturgis itself wasn't for me, but that doesn't mean it's not for you. What I enjoyed was the entire area. We rode the Black Hills, Badlands, out to Wyoming and all over. We stayed in Custer Park which was beautiful and the Harley Events were a lot of fun. Frankly, we had the time of our lives. The traffic was heavy and 90 percent of it was motorcycles.
I'm glad I went. We'll do another long trip again this summer, but we'll be headed down the east coast, rather than out west.
Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 147
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver, Canada
RE: sturgis
Do it.
I went down from Vancouver, BC, 1400 miles 1 way. 3 days there, 3 nights and 2 days in Sturgis and 5 days to get back. Coming back is the hard part. Tired.
Arrived Monday evening of rallyand left Thursday noon, I full day in downtown Sturgis and 1 Full Throttlenight. 1 day rode thru Badlands and past Rushmore, then on way out of town on return trip home caught Devils Tower.
I stayed 12 miles out of town at Shade Valley. $10 a night for tent spot, 15 min ride form Sturgis (traffic was only bad 2 blocks back form edge of town @ 4 way stop, take the side streets to get around it no problem), quiet, shade, resonable prices on food& beer garden, (most expensive beer was at Full Throttle Saloon almost $6 for a bud). Shuttlesto all the watering holes too, came in handing for Full Throttle night..
When I got home I thought, Been there done that, but now i'm thinking I'll do it again in a few years, there was a lot of riding and towns I missed. But I didn't have enough time. I'll stay a few more days next trip. Sturgis 71th 2011 here I come, when I turn 50 and can still stay up past 11....lol
I went down from Vancouver, BC, 1400 miles 1 way. 3 days there, 3 nights and 2 days in Sturgis and 5 days to get back. Coming back is the hard part. Tired.
Arrived Monday evening of rallyand left Thursday noon, I full day in downtown Sturgis and 1 Full Throttlenight. 1 day rode thru Badlands and past Rushmore, then on way out of town on return trip home caught Devils Tower.
I stayed 12 miles out of town at Shade Valley. $10 a night for tent spot, 15 min ride form Sturgis (traffic was only bad 2 blocks back form edge of town @ 4 way stop, take the side streets to get around it no problem), quiet, shade, resonable prices on food& beer garden, (most expensive beer was at Full Throttle Saloon almost $6 for a bud). Shuttlesto all the watering holes too, came in handing for Full Throttle night..
When I got home I thought, Been there done that, but now i'm thinking I'll do it again in a few years, there was a lot of riding and towns I missed. But I didn't have enough time. I'll stay a few more days next trip. Sturgis 71th 2011 here I come, when I turn 50 and can still stay up past 11....lol
Banned
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,543
Likes: 1
From:
RE: sturgis
ORIGINAL: fxdwgcvo
LITTLE STURGIS ON THE EASTCOAST???WHERE im on the eastcoast never heard of littel sturgis is this also the same date????or just an alternative
http://www.eastcoaststurgis.com/
www.littlesturgisrally.net
check them out..pretty good times at both and smaller, but the rideing is better out east then in Kan-tuck-land, just my thoughts on this..and do try Wisconsons roads, pretty good stuff there to.
peter
LITTLE STURGIS ON THE EASTCOAST???WHERE im on the eastcoast never heard of littel sturgis is this also the same date????or just an alternative
http://www.eastcoaststurgis.com/
www.littlesturgisrally.net
check them out..pretty good times at both and smaller, but the rideing is better out east then in Kan-tuck-land, just my thoughts on this..and do try Wisconsons roads, pretty good stuff there to.
peter
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,015
Likes: 5
From: Alaska
RE: sturgis
I have made the round trip from Alaska 3 times now. 03, 05, and 06. Still undecided about 07.
Stay at the Chip each time.
If you go with a preconceived notion that you won't have a good time, then you probably won't.
The Chip is not too loud for me but then I can pretty much sleep anywhere. The facilities are improving and this year the owner actually made an effort at planting more trees. (Which all of South and North Dakota away from the mountains, hills, and rivers could use.
)
Each time I have gone the best part of the trip was meeting fellow riders from around the US and Canada (and the world) and shooting the breeze with them. The rides in the Black Hills are a real treat if you come from the flatlands but they will be crowded.
I met up with four of our fellow forum members one hot afternoon and got to sign the mascot.
The traffic in Sturgis proper can be a real nuisence they pretty much turn the town into nothing but stop signs so you roll 8 feet and stop and repeat.
You will find stupid prices and also some good bargains.
Just buy your water at the Dakota Mart.
Stay at the Chip each time.
If you go with a preconceived notion that you won't have a good time, then you probably won't.
The Chip is not too loud for me but then I can pretty much sleep anywhere. The facilities are improving and this year the owner actually made an effort at planting more trees. (Which all of South and North Dakota away from the mountains, hills, and rivers could use.
)Each time I have gone the best part of the trip was meeting fellow riders from around the US and Canada (and the world) and shooting the breeze with them. The rides in the Black Hills are a real treat if you come from the flatlands but they will be crowded.
I met up with four of our fellow forum members one hot afternoon and got to sign the mascot.
The traffic in Sturgis proper can be a real nuisence they pretty much turn the town into nothing but stop signs so you roll 8 feet and stop and repeat.
You will find stupid prices and also some good bargains.
Just buy your water at the Dakota Mart.
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Tourer
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 370
Likes: 0
From:
RE: sturgis
Milt,
I've only been to Sturgis, SD about 10 times and loved every minute of it.
Always stayedat Hog Heaven where you can get sleep at night and almost coast down the hill and in to town. There is always room at the Sturgis Campgrounds. If you want a big-time party and have lots of money, try the Chip or Glenco. Most of the campgrounds have a band, some vendors, food, and lots of cold beer for after the day's ride. Hog Heaven has always had reasonable prices, aband in the evenings,lots and lots of space, a truly handy location as you can get to I 90 in about two minutes without the traffic jam, good to great food, and friendly folks in the campground. I plan to keep going back each year until I'm too old to ride.
Sturgis is really about the RIDE..... The ride to get there, and the wonderful places to ridewhile you are in the area, and the greatest folks in the world at the camp grounds. Down town is a hoot but take "Da Bus" (local public transportation from the big camp grounds to downtown and back) if you plan on tilting a few as the local cops have no tolerance for DUI. Also take a digital camera or lots and lots of film. The photo ops are priceless. What a bunch of 'nut cases.'
Having said all that,this year I went to the Little Sturgis Rally in Kentucky. WOW! That rally is about the PARTY! Never had more fun at a rally - but only been riding since '66.
I've only been to Sturgis, SD about 10 times and loved every minute of it.
Always stayedat Hog Heaven where you can get sleep at night and almost coast down the hill and in to town. There is always room at the Sturgis Campgrounds. If you want a big-time party and have lots of money, try the Chip or Glenco. Most of the campgrounds have a band, some vendors, food, and lots of cold beer for after the day's ride. Hog Heaven has always had reasonable prices, aband in the evenings,lots and lots of space, a truly handy location as you can get to I 90 in about two minutes without the traffic jam, good to great food, and friendly folks in the campground. I plan to keep going back each year until I'm too old to ride.
Sturgis is really about the RIDE..... The ride to get there, and the wonderful places to ridewhile you are in the area, and the greatest folks in the world at the camp grounds. Down town is a hoot but take "Da Bus" (local public transportation from the big camp grounds to downtown and back) if you plan on tilting a few as the local cops have no tolerance for DUI. Also take a digital camera or lots and lots of film. The photo ops are priceless. What a bunch of 'nut cases.'
Having said all that,this year I went to the Little Sturgis Rally in Kentucky. WOW! That rally is about the PARTY! Never had more fun at a rally - but only been riding since '66.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,137
Likes: 17
From:
RE: sturgis
I think some are being a little hard on Sturgis. It goes without saying it's going to be crowded. So get a room somewhere else. Hot Springs is a hundred miles away, but the ride to Sturgis from there is entirely in the Black Hills. Plus you go throught neat places like Custer and Hills. Or try Newcastle, Wyoming, about 80 miles away, again Black Hills all the way. Or get a cabin in the Hills somewhere.I'm not a big fan of paying motel prices for a patch of dirt to pitch a tent on, with the added bonus of communal showers.
The end of the rally week seems to be less crowded, but I wouldn't go after rally week. Virtually every vendor is packed up and gone by Monday. Go the week before. And take a route other than I-90. Much more scenery, cheaper gas and motels.
The end of the rally week seems to be less crowded, but I wouldn't go after rally week. Virtually every vendor is packed up and gone by Monday. Go the week before. And take a route other than I-90. Much more scenery, cheaper gas and motels.
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