Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2008) |
 |
This article's introduction section may not adequately summarize its contents. To comply with Wikipedia's lead section guidelines, please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of the article's key points. (August 2009) |
The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is an American motorcycle rally held annually in Sturgis, South Dakota, usually the first full week of August.
Contents |
[edit] History
The first rally was held on 14 August 1938, by the "Jackpine Gypsies" motorcycle club,[1] who still own and operate the tracks, hillclimb, and field areas where the rally is centered. The first event was called the "Black Hills Classic" and consisted of a single race with nine participants and a small audience. The founder is generally considered to be Clarence "Pappy" Hoel. He purchased an Indian Motorcycle franchise in Sturgis in 1936 and formed the "Jackpine Gypsies" that same year.[1]
The focus of a motorcycle rally was originally racing and stunts. In 1961, the rally was expanded to include the Hillclimb and Motocross races.[1] This could include half-mile track racing (the first year in Sturgis, there were 19 participants), intentional board wall crashes, ramp jumps and head-on collisions with automobiles.
The Sturgis Rally has been held every year, with exceptions during World War II. For instance, in 1942, the event was not held due to gasoline rationing.[1]
This rally is not for the weak of heart or the younger children. Drinking in public and public nudity are occasional problems for the local police.
[edit] Recent Rallies
In recent years, there has been a revitalization of motorcycling and a new group of fans that are interested in the old rallies. This has led to huge attendance numbers for classic rallies such as Sturgis. Attendance was estimated at 514,951 in 2004, 525,250 in 2005, and 754,844 in 2000—statistics rivaling South Dakota's population. Many of the new attendees of the Sturgis Rally are families, bringing their children and driving trailers and campers to the rally, riding their motorcycles the last few miles.[2] This has prompted several of the attendees to start wearing patches and shirts saying "I Rode Mine to Sturgis" with the date instead of the traditional patch stating that the wearer attended the event in that year.
[edit] Media coverage
In 1997, the crew from the COPS television series attended the rally, as well as Dennis Rodman. In 1996 WCW held a pay per view event called Hog Wild. From 1997 to 1999, it also featured a wrestling pay-per-view television program called Road Wild.
Annual television coverage of the festival by the VH1 Classic network includes interviews and performances as well as rock music videos. The rally was featured in 2005 as part of the ESPN SportsCenter promotion 50 States in 50 Days.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d Official Site: Rally History
- ^ Higgins, Michelle (5 August 2005). "The Really Easy Rider". New York Times. http://travel.nytimes.com/2005/08/05/automobiles/05sturgis.html. Retrieved 12 February 2009.
[edit] External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sturgis Motorcycle Rally |
