Sturgis 2018

Finally booked our place for the Sturgis rally this year. We are staying near Custer SD. This is our first time traveling to this area.

My question is, with so much to do surrounding the rally and in the area what are some of your favorite "must see/do" things? Our plan is to mix it up between downtown Sturgis and riding to sights. We plan to arrive the 4th and leave the 11th. None of us are afraid to put miles on so even a day ride to something would work.

I am mostly curious to hear what your favorite thing in the area would be if you could just pick one.

Also any tips you have to offer would be appreciated. (like avoid ____, or make sure you bring ____, etc. .. anything out of the ordinary)

Thanks.

Needles highway and Iron Mountain highway. just be careful. a lot of people go to that rally that do NOT know how to ride a motorcycle. A LOT !

The Black Hills is a wonderful place to visit, but you see the area best in June and September when it is not so hot and not so many people. I have been to the Sturgis Rally several times and you go to take in the rally stuff, and there is a lot. You will be able to do some sightseeing that week, but there are so many people everywhere that it can be pretty crazy. Some friends and I (about 5 bikes) are going to the Black Hills the 2nd week in July. Really looking forward to it. My recommendations for you:

• Needles Highway
• Custer State Park Wildlife Loop
• Iron Mountain Road (could swing into Keystone for an early lunch)
• Mount Rushmore
• Deadwood
• Sturgis of course
• Vanocker Canyon (best headed south out of Strugis)
• Spearfish Canyon
• Nemo Road
• Devils Tower (not to be missed -- the ride out from Belle Fourche is great)
• Badlands National Park

Don't miss Cave Creek. The town rocks. Also the Buffalo Chip and Full Throttle Saloon have great bands. Enjoy and ride safe!

Good evening Mr. Sutton will you be camping or hotel ? You will close to Crazy Horse and Mt Rushmore it will be a little ride to town of Sturgis. Black hills Harley has a lot of shopping stuff to buy....

Thank you to all for the suggestions. Thankfully I have some time to look into them and to plan.

My wife and I are traveling with two other couples. We rented a house just outside Custer. A few years back we got a travel trailer and my wife doesn’t like to tent anymore, so, unless I’m solo the tent gathers dust. The six of us rode to Daytona bike week last year as well. The two guys and I have ridden dirt and pavement together for a long time.

I think I definitely want to see crazy horse. I was hoping staying a little ways out from the rally would reduce the number of people ..... and idiots. It doesn’t sound promising.....

You will have fun, but being "just outside Custer", doesn't get you away from the craziness. The whole area, say 70 miles around from Sturgis, is all crazy. Custer Lead, Deadwood, Spearfish, Rapid City, Hill City, Keystone, are all crazy, and jam packed with cycles. Just allow yourself plenty of time to get from place to place. The Black Hills has become a "premier" area for off-road vehicle, too, like ATV's UTV's, Side by Sides, etc. They fill the campgrounds, when the Sturgis Rally is NOT on.

If Bear Country is still open they have / had cars for bikers, large RVs to use to drive through the park.

My recommendation is to go off rally. Better sightseeing/riding, less idiots. Oh, and Crazy Horse is very cool.

https://i.imgur.com/R9QIC0Dl.jpg

All of the suggestions are spot on. After 2 trips to the rally, I would say riding the Black Hills is much better and important than being in Sturgis. One or two days in Sturgis is enough. I thought I was going for the Rally, but was blown away by the Black HIlls. If I go again, I may go in early September wen it is cooler and no one is there. Also, be careful in Sturgis: police are everywhere. Do not drink (to excess) and ride. Two of my friends had problems (which they created). I had to bail one out. The police are just trying to keep people safe, but you don't want to ruin your trip by getting locked up for an evening.
The ride to Devils Tower was nice, but the focus should be on the Black Hills; also, there is a huge rally at the HD dealer in Rapid City.

I have been to the Rally a number of times, always got their the Wednesday before it starts, to get in some riding before it turns into a shtshw and then usually leave the next Tuesday. Have also been their in early/mid Sept, after the bikes and family vans are gone, enjoyed that the most.

Last time I went to the Black Hills we went the week after Labor Day. What we found is that many things shut down after Labor Day. Tuesday they were closed for the season. Make your plans ahead of time and call. We had desided to make the trip a week before. Our plan was to shoot from the hip. We had a few disappointments of things we wanted to see and places we would have liked to stay. The day we started our return, the wife wanted to do the Bad lands loupe until she was told that the temps that day would be near 120*. Scratch that idea. As we pull off for gas in Chamberlain S D the bank sign read 105*. They say it’s a dry heat. Ya.

All have been good suggestions. If you like to people watch and have time, spend a few hours downtown Sturgis. There's a constant parade of bikes coming and going. Can be entertaining.

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Originally Posted by carpdm

All have been good suggestions. If you like to people watch and have time, spend a few hours downtown Sturgis. There's a constant parade of bikes coming and going. Can be entertaining.

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Not sure whether I will be solo or with others or if I will even be able to go, relationship status in life has changed and the dog and who will take care of her, has to be taken into consideration. But for me, after having rode the area a quite a few times, the people watching is as much fun as the riding and considering the number of numbnuts:crackup: on new bikes, safer.

After going many times many years I have found that a week early,
or a week late is the same, and the thing to do.
Same drunk people, same sites, same roads, same beautiful ride!
BUT the hotel rates go back to near normal.
800 a week, (and way more) is a LOT of cash!
Next-
It is not quite a crowded. Almost.
If you go at the appointed time there is a line and crowd for everything.
The only way to do a ride is get up EARLY!
or the 25 MPH white knuckle club will be there going sooooo slow everywhere.
They trailered their POS in to be seen.
Now they plug up every road.
I miss the good old days when people were scorned for trailering.......

So I printed up info on all the suggestions thus far. Thanks again for everyone’s input. As the time nears I’ll get our group together and make some final decisions.

I am usually awake first in our group. I like to make the most of my vacation time and to me sleeping in is a waste! My wife doesn’t usually agree so I generally get a short morning ride in and return when they get up. Or wash the bike etc.

Trailering at this point is not an option! I love to ride and as long as I am able (I’m 33) I try to take advantage of every opportunity. I know that at some point age will catch up but until then .....

At least it won’t be hovering around freezing and sleeting like our Daytona bike week trip. That makes for a sketchy ride through the mountains. I do hope to hit some of the bigger rally’s during the event just to have that experience. I would say if I were to visit again it may be off rally.

So my brother and a buddy of ours leave for sturgis this upcoming Thursday afternoon. We hope to find a place to hang a few hammocks about 4-6 hrs from the Cleveland area. We are all backpackers/hikers and are simply looking for somewhere to cash out for a few hours.

Any suggestions? Even if we have to be ground dwellers for a night and rough it in a tent. All suggestions/offers welcome!

Thanks.

Just got back from Sturgis....Make sure you ride Spearfish Canyon! Very scenic and drops you smack dab into Deadwood which is way cooler than Sturgis anyhow...
Made it home to San Jose in 2 days again....The F6B is a mile eater...
a1scoot

When you left Sturgis which way did you go back to SJ?

Rode thru Rapid City...on to 385 down thru Nebraska...picked up I 80 and blasted home...
a1scoot

Found some WiFi in deadwood. Heading to the spearfish canyon loop now! We are all having a blast here. So much to see.

Ah straight on 80, came across from Fort Bragg...down to Merced through Yosemite and took hwy 50 in Nevada. I get why they call it the loneliest highway in the States...no cars very nice..but 108 degrees