The History of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally

As one of the largest and oldest motorcycle rallies in the world, we wanted to take a look at why the rally keeps riders coming back each year. The Rapid City Journal, which has been around longer than the rally itself and has chronicled rally events over the years, has published the rally's history and how it has transformed into what it is today.

The 1940's and 1950's

In the 40's and 50's, the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally was all about the races.

"The people that came here in those days were here for the races," said Joe DesJarlais, a lifelong Sturgis resident and campground owner. "It wasn't a motorcycle rally. We referred to it as the 'motorcycle races.'"

The rally claimed to feature the fastest dirt track in the world, which attracted residents from all over the state to attend as spectators. Other features of the event included a ride with the Jackson Pine Motorcycle Club through the Black Hills, a street carnival, and the naming of the ‟neatest dressed” lady and gentleman.

The 1960's

The racing tradition continued in the 60's, but the crowds began to diminish. That was until 1964 when free parking for motorcycles was introduced on Main Street in Sturgis. The event then was extend to four days, vendors started setting up camp, and the local church began serving food.

The 1970's

In the 70's when biker gangs were becoming more popular, the atmosphere of the event changed. It became louder, rowdier, and more dangerous, as it started to attract a rougher crowd. In 1976, Rally riders gave the police an especially hard time.

"They started the highway on fire with gasoline and then started running the bikes through it. We had a pretty tough time for awhile there," said Russ Hilton, Sturgis police chief at the time. "They shot holes in our fire trucks."

The 1980's

In 1982, local officials attempted to enforce more restrictions on the rally by enhancing registrations, and dividing the Sturgis campgrounds with fences to prevent drag racing. This resulted in an all-out riot, with bikers ripping down the gates, torching outhouses and antagonizing local officials. Afterwards, some Sturgis residents called for the rally to be shut down, but proposed legislation was voted down and the rally was able to continue.

The 1990's

Rally attendees and local residents found common ground in subsequent years. What many call the rally's ‟growing pains” in the 80's led to a return to a (slightly) more peaceful event in the 90's. The crowds kept getting bigger year after year, and the town of Sturgis experienced an economic boom. It still attracted the biker gangs who liked to stir up trouble, but it also started attracting a more mainstream audience.

The 2000's til today

In the past decade, the rally has returned to its ‟campfire rally” roots and has a whole host of daytime and nighttime events to keep the party started. With lots of concerts, vendors, group rides, and other events, it's certainly more family-friendly than it has been in the past.