LITTLE KNOWN FACTS AND STATS ABOUT STURGIS MOTORCYCLE RALLY

Sturgis is a city in Meade County, South Dakota, United States. It is the county seat of Meade County and is named after General Samuel D. Sturgis.

The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is not just a biker rally but a regional celebration. It draws over 500,000 people on average to the small town of Sturgis each year. The event makes the town the fourth largest city in the state and has grown to be more than a two-week event.

The town itself has a rich history and offers a variety of shops, restaurants, and museums for visitors to explore.

The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is an annual biker rally held every August in Sturgis, South Dakota, USA. It was first called the "Black Hills Classic" and later, the "Sturgis-Black Hills Rally.” It has also been called the "World's Greatest Motorcycle Rally."

The event has become an iconic part of motorcycle culture. Sturgis is also known for its location in the Black Hills region of South Dakota, which is known for its stunning natural beauty and historical landmarks such as Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse Memorial.

Some popular activities during the event include:

• stunt shows

• charity rides

• live entertainment

• fantastic live music

• many vendors and concessions

• numerous spectator competitions (drag racing, ATV racing, etc.)

As the largest motorcycle rally in the world, there are plenty of interesting facts to explore. Here are nineteen little-known facts about the infamous motorcycle rally.

1803 was the year that the United States annexed the area that is now South Dakota because of the Louisiana Purchase. Before then, the Spanish had claimed the land as their own in 1762, following the French, who had explored the area in the 1740s.

1878 is the year Sturgis was founded. Back then, it was called Scooptown because many of the town's inhabitants "scooped up" their salaries from nearby Fort Meade.

Later, the town was renamed to commemorate the Civil War Union General Samuel D. Sturgis.

The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame is from 1907. You can see an extensive collection of bikes from America and around the world at the museum, plus all sorts of artifacts documenting the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally’s history.

When did the Sturgis bike rally start? The first “rally” was initially staged as a single-day event on August 14, 1938.

Known as the Black Hills Motor Classic, it began as a race organized by Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club featuring nine participants, a small audience, and a few stunts performed by local motorcyclists. Then everyone had a beer and went home.

The first official rally T-shirt, sold in 1940, featured an image of a motorcycle and the words "Black Hills Motor Classic".

Main Street in Sturgis was first partially closed to motorcycles for an award ceremony in 1949.

Traditions include the Mayor's Ride, the Legendary Hill Climb (officially starting in 1957), and early "Gypsy Tours".

The Devil's Tower was the first United States National Monument. President Teddy Roosevelt designated it in September 1906. The monument takes up a collective 1,347 acres. About 400,000 people visit Devils Tower, and 1% climb it, mostly with traditional climbing methods.

The tower is 867 feet from the summit to the base. Famously, the Tower played a pivotal role in and was the climax of the 1977 Steven Spielberg film Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

The Tower is a one hour and 15-minute ride away for those looking to extend their Sturgis adventure.

The percentage of attendees who do not own a motorcycle has increased from 1% in 2015 to 12% in 2022⁴ including a growing female attendance, aligning with the increasing number of women in motorcycling.

In a 2022 poll, rallygoers were asked how they got to Sturgis. While 42% said they rode their motorcycle, a surprising 38% said they towed their motorcycle. This is an increase of 12% from 2015⁴.

In 2021, South Dakota became the 49th state to receive a Gold Star Families Memorial Monument. It is located in Sturgis, near the Black Hills National Cemetery. The project cost approximately $48,000.

The average age of rally attendees has decreased in recent years, from 53.1 in 2015 to 50.8 in 2022.

Fifty-two miles from the famed Sturgis Buffalo Chip to Mount Rushmore National Park is roughly the number of miles. This is one of the many great ride maps you can use for an exciting day trip or try the Harley-Davidson® Ride Planner.

Other routes will take you to the Devil's Tower, Spearfish Canyon, Needles and Crazy Horse Memorial, Bear Butte, and the Badlands.

Seventy-five represents the number of bricks (74 from Harley-Davidson’s Milwaukee headquarters and 1 from the Harley-Davidson Museum) integrated into the Harley-Davidson Rally Point.

This permanent space is located at the corner of Main St. and Harley-Davidson Way and will serve as a hub for both rally riders and Sturgis citizens.

2025 marks the 85th rally taking place August 1-10, 2025. Organizing is already underway with concert headliners to be announced. It will undoubtedly include a mix of local bands and national headliners like ZZ Top and Gene Simmons.

The 2024 rally had 896 temporary vendors, 17 less in attendance than 2023.

What is the population of Sturgis, South Dakota? The population estimate of Sturgis in 2020 was 7,020, according to the U.S. Census. This represents an estimated population growth of 5.9% from 6,627 in 2010.

The area's original inhabitants were the Lakota Indians, who Europeans and later Americans displaced.

How many bikers go to Sturgis each year? The rally's attendance has steadily increased, from 3,000 in 1940 to reaching a high of 747,032 in 2015 - the Rally’s 75th Anniversary.

Over the last five years, the average attendance has been around 500,000, with 2023 decreasing 8.1% from 2022 to 458,161.¹

If you want to get married at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, all you need is $40 in cash or traveler's checks and ID. And, of course, both applicants must be present. So, if you’re riding two-up on your way to Sturgis, here are some safety tips for riding with a passenger.

The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally event generates over $1 million in sales tax revenue for the state of South Dakota each year. In 2024, total collections were $1.4 million, down 3 percent from 2023².

The city of Sturgis profits significantly from the rally, with revenue from the event estimated at $784 million in 2022, according to a press release from the City of Sturgis.³

The speed limit around the outskirts of town near attractions like the Full Throttle and Buffalo Chip can be 35-MPH. With congestion from the rally, those speeds can be even lower, so make sure you’re comfortable riding at low speeds.

And if you can’t make the rally in 2025, then there’s always the one in 2026, which will surely be an unforgettable experience as the rally celebrates its 86th anniversary!