I just got back from there, didnt ride the bike but wish I had. the area is amazing. If anyones plannin on headin that way there is a **** ton of gravel roads so that sucks but the scenery is awesome.
The town itself is dying. locals want a new mine to open up and other things that cause growth but alot of folks own vacation property and summerhomes up there and they are blocking everything to keep the area looking the same.
shops are closin, familys are moving, very few are moving to the town.
our car broke down, there are no taxis or car rentals in town. but im confident we coulda found a ride since every single local we met was super friendly. theres very few kids there, very few if any scumbags. the rowdiest I seen it get in a bar was when some retired locals started debatin politics.
the closest I seen to crime was grafiiti but that was the words mopar and 420 painted on some stop signs on a back road.
alot of the things that bring healthy growth also seem to bring the crime, they appear to have neither.
though the fishing was horrible. one summer home owner told us that the heat we been havin caused a massive fish kill and the resorts and guides paid a bunch of people to clean it up as fast and as quietly as possible. makes sense since fishing is what the ecoonmy of the area is based on but who knows if its true? all in all an amzing place to go where everyone is super friendly, but unless they figure out thier problems it wont be there much longer.
If you do go dee's and the cwazy wabbit are good places for drinks, locals recomended silver rapids lodge but i never made it in there. food wise the chocolate moose, ely steak house, and rock wood are the best (in that order).
it was my first time there and I only stayed a week so some of my "facts" may be a tad off. but this is my review for what its worth.

 

Ely is known as an outfitter town. You missed the best part of the area. Grab yourself a canoe, pack and a fishing rod and portage into the BWCA. Beautiful scenery with tent sites on scenic camp sites overlooking the lakes. Once you get away from the "drive to" lakes you can usually catch as many fish as you want. Nothing like fresh caught fish cooked over an open fire. Plenty of wildlife, wolves, eagles, moose and bear.

Like nothing you've ever experienced.