Photo courtesy of Shooter ’ s Images Photo by Paul Dail

When you go to the Sturgis rally – where the whole town seems like a series of pop- up vendors , motorcycle- only parking , and bikes traveling every road as far as the eye can see – it ’ s easy to forget that you ’ re not at Disneyland for two- wheels and that people actually live there year- round .

To get the local take , I signed up for the city- sponsored Ride with a Local event . Along for the ride , which went through the beautiful Spearfish and Vanocker canyons , was Sturgis City Council member

Aaron Jordan , who is retired

Top : Our ride leader was local Ron Rodriguez ( second from right ). We were also joined by Sturgis City Council member Aaron Jordan ( right ). I ’ m the guy sporting the AR T-shirt . Left : A bit of the past meets the present at this stop in Nemo , South Dakota . Parked behind the 2023 Harley- Davidson Heritage Softail I was riding is the H- D Pan America lent to the city of Sturgis and ridden by Aaron Jordan .

Army and has lived in Sturgis most of his life . He has some great memories of the rally (“ I ’ m like 10 or 11 years old and walk by this tattoo artist , and I remember thinking , Oh , I didn ’ t know you could put a tattoo there .”), and he offers some unique perspectives on an event that is both a boon for the town and “ a source of tension .”

For the full story , visit AmericanRider . com and search “ Sturgis Ride with a Local .”

Left : Diva Amy Skaling on her Road Glide dubbed EmpowHer . It will be raffled off to support the HelpingWithHorsepower . org program , which helps girls aged 7- 17 . Right : Rain couldn ’ t interrupt a gathering of vintage motorcycles at the Iron Horse Saloon hosted by Motorcycle Cannonball founder Jason Sims .

Baker Drags : Baggers and Sportbikes and Trikes , Oh My !

I ’ d bet that even the most lawabiding motorcycle riders have found themselves on a long straightaway and twisted the throttle to achieve velocities way beyond the posted speed limit just for the thrill .

I don ’ t know how many riders participating in the 8th annual Baker Drags run- what- ya- brung races at the Sturgis Dragway fall into the “ law- abiding ” category , but I ’ m going to guess their primary motivation wasn ’ t the Brock ’ s Performance gift certificate or the John Jessup TDR Pro Series Saddlemen Seat .

The event drew several repeat competitors who had that desire for speed , pushing themselves and their machines as quickly down the eighth- mile dragstrip as possible . There was an undeniable element of competition , with everyone wanting to earn bragging rights over anyone in the other lane . Oddly , seldom were the bikes evenly matched ; sportbikes were paired with baggers , choppers with ADVs , and I even saw sidecars and trikes slotted next to two- wheelers .

The anxiety of head- to- head competition got the best of some

12 | OCTOBER 2023 | AMERICANRIDER . COM