Yes, you will find pretty much every make and model in Sturgis. The majority are harleys though. I myself have never witnessed any problems because someone had a non-harley but then I've only been there a few times and probably don't hang out where the rough people do!lol Anyway, I really don't think it's a problem.

Maybe some non-harley riders who have been to Sturgis will speak up on this subject!

 

Like many rallies, the overwhelming majority of attendees at the Sturgis Rally are Harley riders. There are a lot of non-Harleys in attendance though. Will you be made to feel at home? Maybe. Depending on the attitude that you exhibit and the people you associate with. IMHO, ridin' is more important than what you ride. Is everyone so accepting? No. Some riders will not even "wave" to a passing motorcyclist who is riding a non-Harley. That attitude can transfer over to their behavior at events & rides. For example, I would discourage you from riding a sports bike into a parking lot where a "bash the rice rocket contest" was taking place. All of this being said, ride any kind of bike you want to ride. Give yourself credit for riding! And others should, too.

 

I have found over the years that some of the more interesting conversations are to be had with scruffy old dudes riding rat bikes, wether Harley's or not.

 

We all started out on a Honda

Are there people that ride non-harleys to Sturgis? Do they ever take sport bikes and such? Do they get into fights or are most people cool to them? What if someone rode in on a V-max or something, would they be looked down on?

In 2002 I bought a shadow aero 1100 and in 2 years put 14,000 miles on it. i have a lot of friends that ride Harleys and some that ride euro and jap bikes. I went to a rally last year and a small old dirty biker came up to me and said what is that thing? I said " a Honda". He sighed with a disaproving snarl and his Big dirtier older biker friend looked at him and said "shut up we all started out on honda's" I thought it was funny. At any rate I bought a FLTRI this year and love it. I have never been to Sturgis and hope to make it.[

 

Anything but a damn Vmax!!!!!! LOL!!!!!!

 

I rode my Ducati to Sturgis in 2001 (for something different). If you really want to stand out from the crowd, ride a stripped down, chromed up, race piped, modified Italian exotic to a big rally.

I had more people coming up and asking about it than my buddies $50,000 custom.

 

its a come as you are party dude! noone cares what your riding, sure, probley a majority are harleys, but there are all makes and models there. i have seen fights, but not over whose bike is the best and because they weren't riding harleys. as jim said, its just having your knees in the breeze. ride what you have here, and i guarentee your ganna have the time of your life

 

I enjoyed reading jeff022889 post. When I was 15 (back in the mid 60's) I helped my brother rebuild a 53 hard tail chopper that he got. After working on it all winter and spring it was done. He told me that he would teach me to ride (he rode for the NYCPD) if I could start it up. Needless to say, I must of weighed about 130lbs and the first time I tried to kick start this monster, well I found myself on the floor of the garage not knowing what hit me with all his friends laughing. Shortly thereafter, he started to take me riding. The first bike I really road was his fast Honda CB 750. Since then, he had a number of HD's (still has the Honda) and his current one is a Electra glide classic. On the other hand, I started out with a small Kawasaki, moved up to a big bore Yamaha because I wanted to ride and didn't want to wait years to get a 883 or 1200.

Well, here I am, proud owner of a new Electra Glide Classic getting ready to ride to Sturgis. When we started to plan this trip last summer I was riding my Yamaha. I had every intention of riding out to Sturgis on my Yamaha. As far as I was concerned, the bike was rock solid, ran like a swiss watch and I had just put on a corbin seat and forward controllers. It fit me like a glove. My wife knowing that I always wanted a HD decided to just get me one.... so here I am, riding to Sturgis for the first time on a new HD..... Life couldn't get much better. Oh, of the 5 people going on the trip, 3 are on Classics and 2 will be on Yamaha Road Stars.

If anyone gives you a hard time, just look and hang with us, NY and NJ plates in Sturgis or Black Hawk where we are staying shouldn't be that hard to find.

 

I usually go in my Dodge Caravan. Stop at Stuckey's along the way and pick me up one of them "Ride to Live" generic Harley shirts that they keep next to the pecan logs. I just roll in to town, park around the corner, jump out with my new shirt, logger's, and chain-drive wallet and blend into the crowd looking like the rest. Nobody knows the difference. If anybody asks, I just tell 'em that I rode my Knuckle/Pan/Shovel/Evo/TC all the way from Bumfuk in the worst conditions possible because I'm hardcore.

 

A close friend of mine rode his 1979 Honda CBX six cylinder to Sturgis back in 2001. He said everyone was really interested in the bike and treated him fine.
Since this is my first H-D,any non H-D sure wouldn't bother me.

 

seriously, the bottom line is, noone cares what bike you show up on. there are all makes and sizes at the rally.

 

How do you feel about NON-Harley Riders at Sturgis???


Pretty much the same way I feel about non-Harley riders anywhere.....their dime, their bike.....doesn't affect me in the least as long as I'm not paying the bill.

T113

 

I usually go in my Dodge Caravan. Stop at Stuckey's along the way and pick me up one of them "Ride to Live" generic Harley shirts that they keep next to the pecan logs. I just roll in to town, park around the corner, jump out with my new shirt, logger's, and chain-drive wallet and blend into the crowd looking like the rest. Nobody knows the difference. If anybody asks, I just tell 'em that I rode my Knuckle/Pan/Shovel/Evo/TC all the way from Bumfuk in the worst conditions possible because I'm hardcore.

The friends house that we stay at every year has a city owned parking lot across the street. We can sit out front and watch them do exactly that -- pull up in Mini Vans all dressed and leathered just up to walk down town. They are easy to pick out of the crowd though, just like the trailered in bunch -- they may look the part but they just don't have the sun burnt raccoon face of someone who rode in.

It is all about riding -- not which brand.

 

Requirements at Sturgis

In response to your wturgis question.

You Need to bring three things to sturgis

1. A Harley

2. Alchohol

3. Titties or a female who has them to show (the nicer the better)


And as the old saying goes two out of three ain't bad.

see you there.

 

Well I'm going alone on my Harley and hope to get a lot of alcohol there! ennis

 

i have yet to see sturgis ever run out of alcohol, ice maybe, booze/beer.......NEVER

 

never been there, because gin keeps telling me she'll invite me "next year" but someday maybe..I'm guessing sturgis is like mcdonalds', don't care how you got but you can't just sit here and drink coffee all afternoon.

Seriously though, i have never been anywhere that anybody really gave a crap what bike i was on. sure there was always some good natured ribbing, but fights? come'on who the f cares?

Ps. Gin, is it too early to make my reservations for 2005?

 

If you are so scared as to have to ask, buy a Tank.

 

never been there, because gin keeps telling me she'll invite me "next year" but someday maybe..I'm guessing sturgis is like mcdonalds', don't care how you got but you can't just sit here and drink coffee all afternoon.

Seriously though, i have never been anywhere that anybody really gave a crap what bike i was on. sure there was always some good natured ribbing, but fights? come'on who the f cares?

Ps. Gin, is it too early to make my reservations for 2005?

depends on where you make your reservations really. most motels/hotels don't start taking app's until after the years rally, BUT, camp grounds are rarely full that you won't have a problem finding a spot to camp

 

I'll chime in on this one...

Last year I rode to Sturgis from Amarillo TX with my new friend TEXAN (here on VTF) and two other guys. One of the guys rode a Yamaha Road Star. The Yamazuki-Harley-looking bike was nice. Of course we gave him a lot of ribbing about his 'metric' bike, but once you get to Sturgis... there are literally thousands of old guys putting around on their quiet Goldwings with Mighty Mouse helmet and intercom microphone in place. No problems.

However, when I was in Deadwood, there were quite a few punk kids riding around on crotch rockets, who were flying down the packed streets riding wheelies. I saw a few bikers get a little peeved at the crotch rockets apparant lack of concern for safe riding. I personally don't care what people ride, but if they plow into my bike when I'm stopped at a light, because they are acting like a fool, then it becomes my business.

Bottom line is what Ginger and everyone else said... Sturgis is a party. Come to have fun. You can even ride around on a moped scooter like Bob.

 

Go here and notice the title. It is called,

"The 64th Annual Black Hills Motorcycle Rally"

No where does it say its a "Harley-Davidson Rally"!

Ya want to ride a minibike there or trailer your Harley, who cares?

 

most motels/hotels don't start taking app's until after the years rally,

umm..gin..i meant at your house.

 

ohhhhhhhhh, i mis understood

 

If anyone gives you a hard time, just look and hang with us, NY and NJ plates in Sturgis or Black Hawk where we are staying shouldn't be that hard to find.

Yep, ought to be real easy pick out them plates from the other 400 000 plates there...
Jus pullin' yer pisser, man.

 

Since the Black Hills Motor Classic was started by the INDIAN dealer in Sturgis, I don't think anyone has a right to look down on non-Harley riders.