Sturgis Bike Rally traces it’s beginning back to August 1938 when a motorcycle dealer J.C. “Pappy” Hoyle decided to host a motorcycle race between the Jack Pine Gypsies Motorcycle Club riding Indians and the Rapid City Pioneers Motorcycle Club riding Harleys.

Since that inception the rally has grown from 200 spectators and friends of “Pappy” to over 400,000 people who attend including over 1700 vendors.

The most legendary feature of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally remains its historic Main street with five blocks devoted only to motorcycles creating a sea of colorful bikes, bikers and vendors.

Bike Week is the first full week in August. 

People come to the Sturgis area the week before through the week after the official rally. Between 400,000 – 600,000 people attend the event.

Bike week includes a 100 mile stretch from Hulett Wyoming (corner of Wyoming and North Dakota) to the other side of the Black Hills (Custer-Hot Springs)

A small percent of rally participants are outlaw biker gangs like the Banditos, Hell’s Angels, etc.

The heart of Bike week is located on Main Street in Sturgis, South Dakota. The Sturgis Bike Rally is the Mardi Gras of South Dakota. 

Most people who attend the rally are ordinary people from every walk of life.  Many of them are ripe for the harvest.