Miss Behavin' in Sturgis

[The Lone Rider]

i don't think i'd make it very far into sturgis on a TL1000S streetfighter...

Thats where you are wrong...

Get your shoei helmet airbrushed

[n0regret5]

Thats where you are wrong...

Get your shoei helmet airbrushed

pfft the hell with that, i just bought one of these...

[The Lone Rider]

pfft the hell with that, i just bought one of these...

The owner of the Hoss needs to get his Shoei airbrushed


YOU are the one wrong about what bike will make do at Sturgis

[RDJ]

Quote:

"The owner of the Hoss needs to get his Shoei airbrushed"

Been there done that... (well, the Craniotomy Helmet is actually an Arai :-) )

[n0regret5]

The owner of the Hoss needs to get his Shoei airbrushed


YOU are the one wrong about what bike will make do at Sturgis

ah. it's all falling into place, now..
mint then i'm fully gonna make a trip someday. when i have oodles of money with which to buy tickets..

[Subike]

those helmets are just the thing

[Subike]

now that I like!

[The Lone Rider]

ew, skull one with brain a bit much for me!

I think that bomber one posted before would be perfect.

And.. get yourself a bomber jacket!

Squadron badge for the shoulder even hehe

[hondav2]

The plan was to spend few days riding out from LA, maybe Bryce Canyon, maybe Monument Valley. But if I could get a few more days I could go via Sturgis - would be my first trip there.

So, landed on Wednesday night, picked up Miss B (my '01 502 ci V8 bike) Thursday and headed out via Nevada (Vegas), Utah (Provo), Wyoming (Laramie), then South Dakota (a night in Hill City and three in Rapid City). Rode the Black Hills 'circuit' with Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horse etc. and spent one day seeing the bikes and other sights in Sturgis itself, before heading south to Arizona to Monument Valley, then back to Los Angeles again on the second Saturday (via Flagstaff). Lots of different weather - 118F in the deserts, 56F in the mountains!

Apparently the Sturgis numbers were down by about 30% from usual and while the roads were congested at times they never seemed to be jammed.

A few mechanical gremlins visited but did not stay too long. Biggest delay was 200 miles south of Sturgis, with a major electrical malfunction, fortunately fixable with basic tools and advice from the factory / dealer.

Lessons learned:

1. A phone can be even more useful than a toolkit.

2. I should put the rain gear on before I get wet.

3. Best mileage on my 502 is ~22mpg (worst mileage on my 502 is, actually, quite a bit less than 22... but who cares...)

4. To really stand out in Sturgis is quite simple - wear a full face helment and ATGATT!

5. With an 8.5 gallon main tank, 2.5 gallon reserve, and highway pegs, a man can ride clear across a state with only one stop.

6. Not sure who was more startled - the deer or me.

7. I really must invest in Loctite.

8. A V8 makes a great touring bike. Riding through Arizona / Wyoming, you have to downshift maybe twice an hour!

3302 miles. A great ride.

I was at Sturgis in 05 and 06 . I thought the numbers were down the 2nd year I went. Also I think the bikers are going to other rallys that are cheaper. Its an eye opener aye. I travelled 47,000 miles around Nth America on a DR650 . I had all the states I went to written on the tank and the yanks just loved looking at it. I reckon 50% ship there bikes in . If you are ever down south look me up. Cheers Toddy