Motorcycle riders by their nature are optimists and nothing bad will ever happen to them as long as we look out for our own safety. With those thoughts in mind I am encouraged to look forward to the good ole days.

In the past, I have had many memorial rides and one of those was my first overnighter. Well, more like two weeks turning into a year of riding around America. That was when I picked up my brand new 1993 Dyna Low Rider at the factory in York, PA and then rode to Sturgis. Before that ride I had only ridden my Yamaha 250 Virago a few thousand kilometres.

Now on the other side of this pandemic, I want to do that ride again especially the Black Hills, Yellowstone and through the Rocky Mountains. How about let’s do it next year for the 81st Sturgis Motorcycle Rally!

If you’ve been to Sturgis before then I am preaching to the church choir. But let’s say you haven’t been there, then here is a plan.

First and foremost – KISS or Keep It Simple Stupid. Just let Viv Brumby and Heavy Duty Motorcycle Tours do everything for you while you just enjoy the ride. You can read all about the tours at heavyduty.com.au/tours.

There’s Sturgis, Daytona Bike Week, Blues and Music which are all annual tours. And the really big one in 2023 which will see the Sturgis tour extended to include Milwaukee for the 120th Anniversary of the Motor Company. It’s not unusual to book well ahead for these USA tours, with bookings already reserved and locked in for 2021, 2022 and 2023.

With any overseas travel right now the most important thing is being able to fly and get back safely. Second, to do it right, you must ride a Harley or true touring bike that can run all daylong at 130 km/h along with the traffic on those beautiful American highways. And lastly, accommodations. All of these can be sorted out by Viv.

I for one think any trip to the States is about the ride and the people you ride with. I have done Sturgis seven times and found that, as in the beginning, it is all about riding in the Black Hills and surrounds.

Don’t even think that Sturgis is just the town. It is the whole package of roads, people and fun.

In the ole days I would do Main Street a couple of times in the week. Later, I found the crowds on those main streets were much the same so I did it once and then headed out of town and discovered all the magnificent twisty roads of the Black Hills and Custer State Park. As The Motor Company said in 2020, “The true spirit of Sturgis is rooted in riding to the rally and the spectacular routes that surround the event.”

So much has changed over the years for the good. Today The Motor Company and other manufacturers have moved from Rapid City to Sturgis along with most of the vendors. And today Harley has double-downed with the Harley-Davidson Plaza on Main Street and the new bikes on Lazelle Street. The demo bikes are at the Black Hills Harley-Davidson main store on Interstate 90 at Exit “55” near Rapid City. There too you have every vendor you’ve ever heard of. If you bring your bike you can get it fitted out on the spot while you are buying all the discounted Harley merchandise, eating, or even this year being one of the record 675 people who bought a new Harley on the spot.

Now keeping it simple, you will need at least five days to just ride the Black Hills. Even with a guided tour you will have some free time to explore. So plan your time and here is the KISS way, do it with Maps.

The Sturgis, Black Hills and Badlands tourist associations have three or four months a the year to make their living so they make it easy for you to plan by providing great maps that even a motorcyclist can use. You don’t actually need a GPS. Start with downloading the free Black Hills Motorcycle Maps at blackhillsbadlands.com and southdakotarides.com/printable-maps.

Those two sites have everything: Black Hills, Motorcycle Map, Tasting Trail, Badlands, Devils Tower, Pine Ridge, Rapid City, Western South Dakota. You can also signup there for the Black Hills Travel Newsletter. Heck you can even get discount coupons and off road permits there.

And if your holiday extends into September there are heaps more to do like the Deadwood Jam & Craft Beer Fest, Keystone Hometown Celebration, Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup & Arts Festival, and the Fall Volksmarch at Crazy Horse Memorial.

My final bit of advice is for you to look online for all the links I’ve added for this article and posted live at www.heavyduty.com.au/cybercycles.

Stay safe and ride faster than the wind.