Sturgis
Road Master
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 928
Likes: 2
From: Near Richmond VA.
Rode it from Virginia last year. Take sunblock, rain gear, cold gear, and be prepared to ride in some hot weather also, have a way to hydrate. Hearing protection even is something to consider. The trip is over half the fun BTW! Be prepared for the storms also, they can get fairly nasty. Hail last year the size of your fists. Wife and I got caught in 65mph winds and sideways rain before we could get under an overpass, but we met some cool people from Czek and RI. As far as a route, can't help you there... umm head North then West? Have fun! Still on the fence about going this year, as I burned all my vacation time last year making the trip.
Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 167
Likes: 0
From: North Carolina
I live in North Carolina, north west of Raleigh, and my wife and I plan on making our first trip to Sturgis this year. If you go on line there is a lot of information and I also get a lot of information from this site. And yes, you need to get used to riding long distances on the bike and make sure you have rain gear etc. We have made several long trips in the past, but this will be the longest. We are allowing 4 days to get out there so we don't have to slab it much.
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 42
Likes: 0
Been there twice
Made the trip from Houston the last 2 years (1400 miles).
1st time on a Dyna Superglide, 2nd time on Streetglide. The 1st time taught me I wanted a real touring bike to go again. I won't bother to advise you about routes as there are numerous and we came and went different ways both times. I will advise you to take it easy and stay well hydrated. My 1st year I got heat exhaustion after 650 miles the first day from not drinking anything and not eating. Didn't feel it until I got off for gas in Kansas and pretty much collapsed at the gas pump. Lucky there was a mom and pop motel next door to the gas station and i recovered that night. You never feel it and don't sweat on a bike moving 75 mph on a 100+ degree day. Took 3 days to go up and 2 to go back. Did 850 miles straight the last day which was a hard run on a Dyna. Last year we took 3 going up and 3 coming back going different and longer routes through wyoming, colorado and new mexico, stayed hydrated, had a real touring bike and ate regular. Much better ride and didn't kill ourselves by staying at around 600 miles per day which is a good 12 hours in the saddle. I found that my *** burned at the end of the day but you can beat that with a sheepskin cover or just a plain old bath towel. I learned to stay away from gel pads because they seem to trap the heat and you need something that lets air circulate between your *** and the seat. One last thing,if you go north up 35 through Kansas get gas BEFORE you get on the turnpike. No gas for over a hundred miles unless you pull off an exit and go through backroads in search of a small town with a gas station which is kind of squirley when you are bouncing on empty. There are no gas stations right off the turnpike like we are used to seeing. Have fun.
1st time on a Dyna Superglide, 2nd time on Streetglide. The 1st time taught me I wanted a real touring bike to go again. I won't bother to advise you about routes as there are numerous and we came and went different ways both times. I will advise you to take it easy and stay well hydrated. My 1st year I got heat exhaustion after 650 miles the first day from not drinking anything and not eating. Didn't feel it until I got off for gas in Kansas and pretty much collapsed at the gas pump. Lucky there was a mom and pop motel next door to the gas station and i recovered that night. You never feel it and don't sweat on a bike moving 75 mph on a 100+ degree day. Took 3 days to go up and 2 to go back. Did 850 miles straight the last day which was a hard run on a Dyna. Last year we took 3 going up and 3 coming back going different and longer routes through wyoming, colorado and new mexico, stayed hydrated, had a real touring bike and ate regular. Much better ride and didn't kill ourselves by staying at around 600 miles per day which is a good 12 hours in the saddle. I found that my *** burned at the end of the day but you can beat that with a sheepskin cover or just a plain old bath towel. I learned to stay away from gel pads because they seem to trap the heat and you need something that lets air circulate between your *** and the seat. One last thing,if you go north up 35 through Kansas get gas BEFORE you get on the turnpike. No gas for over a hundred miles unless you pull off an exit and go through backroads in search of a small town with a gas station which is kind of squirley when you are bouncing on empty. There are no gas stations right off the turnpike like we are used to seeing. Have fun.
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