Observations from Sturgis 2022
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Joined: May 2007
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From: Off the X
Observations from Sturgis 2022
So here I sit a few days home from Sturgis and about half way through a 30 pack and I thought I would throw out some observations, points and suggestions from my recent trip besides it being 456 degrees outside this year.
Observation number one. This is the second year, in the times I have gone, where I thought it was the Chinese year of the new rider. Highway 385 between Deadwood and Hill City is not an overly challenging road and is 55 mph most of the way. More times than not I was stuck behind riders who could not even do half the speed limit. I **** you not there were times we were doing 25-30 mph because some douche canoe was too afraid to lean his motorcycle. Now not to stereotype here, but these fellas were from a flat state. Not saying everyone from a flat state can't ride the hills, but you know who you are.
So here is my point. If you are a new rider or your skills just are not up to par STAY THE F#@K HOME! The week of the Sturgis rally is not a place to learn how to ride a motorcycle. There is some beautiful scenery there but some of the roads are unforgiving if your skill level is not up to par. Even the best of us can get bitten by the road gremlins if we are inattentive for a moment. Come the week before, the week after or go somewhere else. Dont decide youre going to have a midlife crisis, go buy a new Harley, get your license and go to Sturgis because that's what the cool kids do. Stay home until your skill level is such that you won't be a danger to yourself or other riders because you will be sitting at the kids table.
Observation number two. Now I know it is almost automatic to start customising our bikes to make them ours, or give them our personal touch. We all love to do things like aftermarket bars, engine stage kits, big bore kits, exhaust, tuners and stereos. Oh boy there it is, stereos and exhausts. Look, no one gives a **** that you have a loud stereo. No one wants to sit on a patio and enjoy a beer or a meal and have some a**hole role by blaring Wake me up before you go go by Wham and we have to stop our conversation because you want to be an attention *****. Keep that crap for the open highway.
One good thing about Harleys compared to say a Goldwing's is that we can tell that the bike is running. So the same thing goes for your exhaust. Once it starts, there is no need to brap the throttle to remind yourself that it is running or let everyone know you're here. Trust me no one cares. Seriously, we had a meeting and we determined that not only do we not give a **** about your loud stereo and exhaust, we actually think you're a ball bag for doing it and you can't sit at the cool kid table.
Last point, unless I hit the Jameson after this then there may be more. Now this may sound contradictory, but roads like Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Road are not time trials. They are not Pikes Peak. Do not be that guy who thinks he is going to drop back and then race up on the bike in front of him to get him to go faster. Those roads are there to enjoy the ride and beautiful scenery. There are too many people on those roads for you to act like it is a time trial or you're in some motorcycle grand prix. There are plenty of other roads if ya wanna do that kind of riding. And yes, I was that guy who slowed down just to **** you off.
Observation number one. This is the second year, in the times I have gone, where I thought it was the Chinese year of the new rider. Highway 385 between Deadwood and Hill City is not an overly challenging road and is 55 mph most of the way. More times than not I was stuck behind riders who could not even do half the speed limit. I **** you not there were times we were doing 25-30 mph because some douche canoe was too afraid to lean his motorcycle. Now not to stereotype here, but these fellas were from a flat state. Not saying everyone from a flat state can't ride the hills, but you know who you are.
So here is my point. If you are a new rider or your skills just are not up to par STAY THE F#@K HOME! The week of the Sturgis rally is not a place to learn how to ride a motorcycle. There is some beautiful scenery there but some of the roads are unforgiving if your skill level is not up to par. Even the best of us can get bitten by the road gremlins if we are inattentive for a moment. Come the week before, the week after or go somewhere else. Dont decide youre going to have a midlife crisis, go buy a new Harley, get your license and go to Sturgis because that's what the cool kids do. Stay home until your skill level is such that you won't be a danger to yourself or other riders because you will be sitting at the kids table.
Observation number two. Now I know it is almost automatic to start customising our bikes to make them ours, or give them our personal touch. We all love to do things like aftermarket bars, engine stage kits, big bore kits, exhaust, tuners and stereos. Oh boy there it is, stereos and exhausts. Look, no one gives a **** that you have a loud stereo. No one wants to sit on a patio and enjoy a beer or a meal and have some a**hole role by blaring Wake me up before you go go by Wham and we have to stop our conversation because you want to be an attention *****. Keep that crap for the open highway.
One good thing about Harleys compared to say a Goldwing's is that we can tell that the bike is running. So the same thing goes for your exhaust. Once it starts, there is no need to brap the throttle to remind yourself that it is running or let everyone know you're here. Trust me no one cares. Seriously, we had a meeting and we determined that not only do we not give a **** about your loud stereo and exhaust, we actually think you're a ball bag for doing it and you can't sit at the cool kid table.
Last point, unless I hit the Jameson after this then there may be more. Now this may sound contradictory, but roads like Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Road are not time trials. They are not Pikes Peak. Do not be that guy who thinks he is going to drop back and then race up on the bike in front of him to get him to go faster. Those roads are there to enjoy the ride and beautiful scenery. There are too many people on those roads for you to act like it is a time trial or you're in some motorcycle grand prix. There are plenty of other roads if ya wanna do that kind of riding. And yes, I was that guy who slowed down just to **** you off.
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 86
Likes: 92
From: New Mexico/Arizona
Well stated, could not agree more
..I just dont do the Black Hills during Sturgis for the reasons you state. Also
really good advice for beginning riders
Bravo and pass the Jameson on the rocks please!👍
Last edited by Largeandy; Aug 16, 2022 at 06:44 PM.
Road Master
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 897
Likes: 307
From: se wi
I feel the same way about people just learning to ride. Wife and I passed a few people going way to slow on the road, not iron mountain or needles. We had a suburban in front of us on needles and some *** clown went screaming by us and the suburban around a corner on needles, only to get stuck behind a group of bikes that weren’t going any faster than the suburban was.
still had a great time and already looking forward to next year, hopefully taking the new toy hauler next year instead of staying in a hotel.
still had a great time and already looking forward to next year, hopefully taking the new toy hauler next year instead of staying in a hotel.
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