20 Wild & Historical Facts You Didn’t Know About The Sturgis Rally

The world-famous motorcycle rally didn’t become legendary overnight. From humble beginnings to headline-making moments, the Sturgis Rally is packed with stories that are as wild as they are historic.

Here are 20 fascinating facts through the years that dive into the unexpected, unforgettable, and undeniably bold legacy of the rally that put this small South Dakota town on the map:

1. The 4th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally (August 16-18, 1940)

It was the first time maroon printed T-shirts advertising the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally hit the shelves, marking the beginning of rally merch history.

2. The 5th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally (August 1-3, 1941)

Pearl Hoel spoke at the gathering about driving the Sturgis Rally Ride chase vehicle to pick up stranded riders, and one time giving their leftover tea to a tourist who needed water for his radiator to cool down his over-heated Ford along Needles Highway.

3. The 6th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally (August 9-11, 1946)

Johnny Spiegelhoff was once again named the Sturgis Champion.

Photo Courtesy of AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame

4. The 7th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally (August 8-10, 1947)

The 7th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally had over 400 riders register for the Gypsy Tour. Saturday’s races were successful (Bill Tuman was named the Sturgis Champion), but Sunday’s races were canceled due to heavy rain.

Photo Courtesy of Weirs Beach

5. The 9th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally (August 12-14, 1949)

This was the first year that Main St. in Sturgis, SD was partially closed off to Motorcycles, but only for 2 hours on a Friday night.

6. The 12th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally (August 8-10, 1952)

The 12th Sturgis Rally was the first year of the AMA 5 Mile National Championship Race (to a crowd of 7500!) 

Photo Courtesy of Cycle World

7. The 13th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally (August 6-9, 1953)

The 13th Sturgis Rally was the first rally to run for 4 days.

Photo Courtesy of South Dakota Public Broadcasting

8. The 13th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally (August 6-9, 1953)

The Motor Maids of America also held their 5-State convention in Sturgis during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

Photo Courtesy of Motor Maids

9. The 17th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally (August 8-11, 1957)

The 17th Sturgis Rally was the first year of the Hill Climbs at the Jackpine Gypsy’s property.

Photo Courtesy of Michael Lichter

10. The 25th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally (August 11-15, 1965)

The 25th Sturgis Rally was the first year it was expanded to a 5-day event. This was also one of the first years where housing the visitors became a real problem.

Photo Courtesy of American Rider

11. The 32nd Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally (August 8-13, 1972)

Some of the Gypsy Tours became 8 miles long! The tour was organized into groups over 2 days the following year.

Photo Courtesy of Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum

12.  The 35th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally (August 4-10, 1975)

The Sturgis Rally was expanded to a 7-day format.

13. The 36th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally (August 9-15, 1976)

Over 18000 visitors attend the 1976 “Classic”. A few ‘undesirables’ staged sex shows behind back-lit canvases while others poured and lit gasoline across the highway in front of the City Park. The Economic impact that benefited the city of Sturgis was over $1.8 million.

14. The 38th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally (August 7-13, 1978)

1978 was the first time the National ABATE convention was held.

15. The 40th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally (August 7-13, 1978)

An estimated 40,000 people attend the Classic, generating rave reviews from local merchants.  More than 3,900 registered to camp in the City Park causing some local concern.

Photo Courtesy of Gary V Shallbetter

16. The 41st Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally (August 3-9, 1981)

Locals proposing to abolish the City’s participation in the Sturgis Rally bring the issue to a referendum. The City’s participation in the rally survives by a slim vote margin, but Sturgis kicks bikers out of City Park and the Mayor states he would like to “get the riff-raff out of Town.” A welcoming place was needed if the rally were to survive. The Buffalo Chip Campground opened its Welcome Home Bikers gates 4 miles outside of town and became the main promoter of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

Photo Courtesy of Michael Lichter

17. The 42nd Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally (August 2-8, 1982)

The Buffalo Chip promotes the Sturgis Rally! That first year the campground was called the Buffalo Chip Picnic, and the grounds consisted of an open field with a few porta potties and a makeshift stage where campers enjoyed three nights of performances by entertainers Johnny Paycheck, Susan Nelson and Foggy Notion.

18. The 47th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally (July 31-August 8, 1987)

The Sturgis Buffalo Chip expands the Sturgis Rally entertainment to ten days and nine nights of concerts – Black Oak Arkansas and Canned Heat headline.

 19. The 76th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally (August 5-14, 2016)

Although it had been promoted by other businesses as a nine-night/ten-day event for nearly 30 years, the City of Sturgis council votes to also acknowledge the rally as a ten-day event within the city limits.

Photo Courtesy of Autotrader Motorcycles

20. The 78th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally (July 31-August 8, 2018)

The United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit and the US District Court ruled the Sturgis Rally is not owned or organized by the City of Sturgis or any single entity.

The courts state the Sturgis Rally is “a pluralistic endeavor promoted by multiple organizations.”

These court cases began as a trademark dispute about who owns the title “Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.” They additionally brought to light answers to the question of who is the official organizer of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

The court stated: “We agree and hold that the jury could not infer from the onerous planning that the City undertakes to provide infrastructure for the rally that the City was the organizer or sponsor of the rally. To allow such an inference would be tantamount to saying that it would be reasonable to infer that the City of New York organizes the sessions of the United Nations General Assembly because of everything it does to assist their occurrence.”  

From maroon T-shirts to motorcycle stunt legends, the Sturgis Rally’s history is as bold and unpredictable as the riders who roll through each year. These 20 wild facts are just a glimpse into the stories that have shaped the rally’s legacy. One thing’s for sure—Sturgis isn’t just a rally, it’s a rite of passage.