August 3-9 2015 will mark the 75th. year for the Sturgis motorcycle rally. Will you be in South Dakota this year?
Jay Allen takes us on an insiders tour of Sturis S .D. the Mecca of motorcycle rallies. This is some of the last footage of Indian Larry before his tragic death. A cool classic hope you enjoy.
The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is an American motorcycle rally held annually in Sturgis, South Dakota usually during the first full week of August. It began in 1938 and was originally held for stunts and races, but has evolved into being a meeting for motorcycle enthusiasts from around the world. It brings significant income to the citizens of Sturgis, a town of only 6,627 people. It is one of the largest motorcycle rallies in the world.
The City of Sturgis has calculated that the Rally brings over $800 million to South Dakota annually. The City of Sturgis earned almost $270,000 in 2011 from selling event guides and sponsorships. In an unusual licensing arrangement criticized by Jack Hoel, son of rally creator Pappy Hoel, the city had to buy rights to its own name from the corporation that owns the trademark rights for terms such as “Sturgis Motorcycle Rally”.
There were 405 individuals jailed at the 2004 rally, and approximately $250,000 worth of motorcycles stolen annually. Rally-goers are a mix of white-collar and blue-collar workers and are generally welcomed as an important source of income for Sturgis and surrounding areas. The rally turns local roads into “parking lots”, and draws local law enforcement away from routine patrols.
The Lakota Indian tribe in coalition with other tribes has protested the large amount of alcohol distributed at the event so close to the sacred Bear Butte, but also acknowledged that income from the event was important to the region and also benefits some members of the tribes.
