I have ridden through once and my wife and I were coming back from the eastern seaboard aand we arrived in Sturgis that monday after the event was over. We have ridden to bike week in Daytona so i would expcet it to be wilder, weirder and even louder. I ride to Ontario most years so here is a bit of trip planning help for you. Book the High Speed cat from Muskegon to Milwaulkee http://www.lake-express.com/ Upgrade to PREMIER CABIN SEATING ( no one under 12 allowed) It costs $12.50 more You will need some soft tie down loops for your bike to protect the finish http://www.amazon.com/Soft-Loops-Tie-Down-Straps/dp/B002MYLB1Y You can see the HD museum in Milwaulkee and avoid the Chicago mess. Before your trip get a National Parks directory and follow the parks and historic sites http://www.nps.gov/index.htm Don`t forget the historic sites as well The Wiki app is the best for this scroll down and then just click on a state. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._National_Historic_Landmarks_by_state There is lots of ass hattery riding when you get near Sturgis (100 miles each side) and as long as you are aware for many riders only ride their bikes to Sturgis and back. The Black Hills has great riding but I prefer to do it when it is less crowded. Try not to need tires or service on your bike within 300 miles of Sturgis the shops are quite busy. Buy Medjet (the motorcycle policy) http://medjetassist.com/ Book your accomdation in Sturgis ASAP Have fun and post up your trip report (with pics)
This was the first trip. I hoteled it, because I was just three weeks out of the hospital after having surgery. The second trip I cheated and put the bike in the back of the truck, because I had my wife with me. We camped at the KOA in Spearfish....great Mexican food right next door! Both times I came at Sturgess from the West. There's not much between Niagara and South Dakota so we just blasted it home when we had the truck. Three days when I rode the bike. I'm not one to make a lot of plans. I basically have a destination, and how I get there doesn't matter. I ride by GPS....if I see a squiggly line, I take it!
Some great advice here so far. I've spent a night in Sturgis, but not during the bikefest. I can't imagine how this town can accommodate so many folks. If you can, take the secondary highways. Stay at the Mom and Pop motels. You will see more, and won't feel bored as you would riding the Interstate. Also less traffic. One year I went out West taking Highway 2 at the top of the US and came back through the smaller highways in Canada, avoiding the TransCanada where I could. If you haven't done the top of Superior, it is a must, but maybe out of your way this time. You have to do Needles Highway: http://www.visitrapidcity.com/sport...sing/blackhillssceniccruising/needleshighway/ If you get to Montana there is Going to the Sun road in Glacier National Park: http://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/goingtothesunroad.htm Go as early as you can here, as it gets busy. A beautiful ride, Once if finished it going West, I turned around and went back one more time. Going early and during the weekdays is the best way to see the National Parks. For motel/hotels, I didn't make any reservations. I just would start looking around for a place around 5 or 6. That will give you time to get settled in and find a place for dinner or pick up stuff. I always take my tent and sleeping bag, but sadly have yet to camp! If it is a good day, I want to keep riding, if it rains, who wants to camp? You will have a great time out West. But be prepared that once you start riding West, you will keep going back. Just keep finding a different way to get there each time. Don't rush if you can. It is very easy to slab it home to get back fast, but you will regret it (usually a couple of days after you get home). Good luck on your trip. Half of the fun is planning it!
Wow Kirbs that's a good trip ! I think my outward route would be your inward one. I'll probably 'hotel' it too, only because i haven't camped since 'boy scouts', lol. again great advice, thanks...j.f.
Sunday Rider, great post by you ! I agree with no interstate if possible, only problem is i get lost very easily ! I have G.P.S. that will be my riding partner so will just follow the instructions. M om and Pop places suit me just fine but will have the tent along too. Thanks for your help...j.f.
Interstate will certainly get you there faster, but just realize that it will be a solid stream of truck traffic from here to West of Iowa. I usually try to mix it up between interstate and back roads.....sometimes you just have to put in the miles. I find that in the USA, you can actually put on some good miles on secondary roads, because they have proper speed limits in most States. Just remember to obey them, especially when riding through towns.
Let me share with you some GPS tips that we have developed travelling using GPS. 1. Garmin Gourmet (our name) Learn to use the find food section. Garmin sucks at their instructions on this. You can select find food then select on my route then sub select by category The pick the type of lunch you want to have. So if you see a town with 5 bbq joints you can ride by a few see which one has the most pick up trucks beside it 2. Making hotel reservations A few things to consider "Fracking" and other oil work means that hotel rooms in certain areas are had to find.(one night we talked the front desk into letting us rent a meeting room and using the washroom in the pool area. When there is a storm coming or lots of nighttime animal activity you want to be off the road. The other issue is the hassle of bring to find a place at 4 pm (or later) Here is what we do 1. At lunch get out your paper map and figure out where you want to spend the night 2.make that your new destination in your garmin 3. select find hotels at destination 4. When you select a hotel name it comes up with phone number and address 5. Call a few get the room rate plus AAA & AARP and make your reservation with a credit card and get the confirmation number . Don't let anyone tell you they will hold it without a credit card and always get the confirmation number All the stress of the hotel /motel search is now gone. 5. As a fellow Canadian buy on of the US walmart phones for your tip so that you can not end up spending a fortune on cell service 6. We have the CAA Platinum package and it has a very good tow mileage arrangement for bikes
On the topic of cell phones while you are down in the states, here is what I use. http://www.roammobility.com/ works good for me,
Bill, great stuff, i actually use the G.P.S. a lot when driving. They are very useful. thanks man...j.f.
Leaving midweek after work for Sturgis this year from NE Indiana. Back roads for the most part to avoid Chicago. Easier camping options. Only stayin around Sturgis for a couple days at most. Just for the freak show and t-shirt purchases. The rest will be all miles. One loud Softail and an overloaded XR Sportster. Been to Sturgis but not during bike week.
I'm heading to Sturgis in September for the REAL motorcycle event - supermoto racing on the streets of Sturgis
Dropped into Sturgis last June during my Blackhills/Badlands trip. That area of SD has some incredible roads and sights to see....far more than my 3 day stop over allowed. Sturgis on the other hand is a stop I guess you have to make, at least to get a Sturgis BMW T-shirt for me, but if you're not on a HD with a bedazzled passenger you're sort of the odd person out... just glad I wasn't there during their annual 'party'. In the same rough area....Devil's Tower and Little Bighorn (very moving..)
This is great advice, thanks. As soon as I get back stateside after this deployment, I'm planning on picking up my new hack and riding it from Seattle to Michigan to get my dog and bring her back home to Colorado. I just noticed that I'll likely be passing through Sturgis right around the time of the rally. (exact dates TBD, "welcome to the Army") This is gonna be weird.
That sure sounds like a great adventure. What could be better than a trip on a hack with man's best friend. Hope you get home safe and soon.