Anyone go to Sturgis this year? I thought too many gray haired people, including myself. Too many trikes, several with walkers, oxygen tanks. Crowd lower than last year. 60's music bands. Prices sky high and even higher for next year.

Your thoughts and opinions please.

Thank You

 

Right before this year's Sturgis, there was an article in the Rapid City Journal about the efforts being made by the greater Sturgis area to draw a younger crowd, as well as us gray hairs. An example would be the sport bike riders doing their stunts in front of the city pavilion.

 

We were there and I thought Monday downtown was as busy as I've ever seen. By Thursday things had thinned out quite a bit though. The prices were already lower on Thursday on lots of the rally stuff that I noticed.

 

I thought the same....Monday was friken nuts around town and later that night....

 

I went the week after the rally this year. Last year, I went the week of the rally.

I camped a few nights at KOA in Keystone. I also stayed at a hotel a couple of nights. Hotel prices were back to normal. That was the good part. Sturgis itself was pretty crowded with normal tourist traffic, which was surprising. Lots of cars in town and people buying t-shirts and stuff.

I have heard pros and cons of going before or after the rally instead of during. I thought I was going to have a better overall experience on the roads but the hordes of bikes riding the black hills was replaced with hordes of tourists in cars/vans/trailers driving the black hills. It was more of a mess IMO as cars would stop everywhere along Needles Highway, Iron Mountain Rd etc. And I got trapped in a Buffalo Jam in Custer park and people in their SUV's would just sit there taking photos of the bison while I was close to getting nailed by a pair of massive Bison fighting next to my bike. Two SUV's were completely blocking the roadway and I couldn't get around them even when I asked one of the guys to please move forward a bit so I can get around.

Locals told me the best time to ride the black hills is the fall when tourists season is over. So if riding is the goal, that will probably be the best bet. Other times, expect large crowds before, during, or after the rally. I know there are some crazy riders during the rally but at least during the rally you are around other bikes who usually don't do crazy stuff like block a tunnel or wave you to pass on a blind corner on Iron Mountain rd.

 

Do Not feed the TROLL

 

My favorite time that I have had at sturgis was the week after Labor Day. School is back in session and weather is still nice. It is almost surreal how beautiful that place is after the rally.

 

We arrived Monday am, rode spearfish canyon and it was busy, lots of bikes. after that not so much. Needles, Badlands, Iron mt. and Rushmore had the road to ourselves lots of the time, never felt the crowds to be excessive. Ate breakfast at Jacks, hung around town some and then hit the road each day. Camped at Hog heaven and had a great time.

 

They meaning the powers that be near and around Sturgis has done everything they can to suck the fun out of the rally. At it has been completely over ran by people who trailer their bikes and don't ride!

 

Some people like the rally, some people don't like the rally. That's about the easiest way to say it.