HD Open Road

You will hear them before you see them. And not a sound, but rather a stopping of sound and activity along Lazelle Street in Sturgis. Vendors seem to relax a little; activity seems to slow to a stop as they are spotted. Hamsters in Sturgis!

The elusive Hamsters M/C can be spotted in their yellow t-shirts and custom motorcycles moving throughout the streets of Sturgis during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, and you can usually find an event somewhere in town in which the Hamsters are attending.

The Hamster’s M/C has a rather auspicious history. Started as a joke in 1978 by six custom bike enthusiasts over 30 years ago, today they number over 300 dedicated members from a wide range of backgrounds. In fact, membership has grown worldwide as the dedication and camaraderie that is the foundation of the Hamster’s M/C has become the root of their activities. The Hamster’s are involved in various charities, most notably the Children’s Care in South Dakota.

In 1978, while at the Daytona Bike Week, Susan Perewitz and Jim Leahy hatched their little joke. Staying at the Mystic Sea Motel on North Atlantic Ave, they were joined by custom bike enthusiasts Arlen Ness, Barry Cooney, Steve Allington, Ed Kerr, and Donnie Smith. The story goes that they were all attending the drag races in Daytona, at the end of which Susan and Jim retired to their rooms for a nap. When they arose, they found that their friends rode out leaving them behind. Somewhere over a few beers, Jim referred to their friends as “a bunch of Hamsters”. Jim then drew a hamster on a paper plate and labeled it Hamsters MC. Both Jim and Susan decided that this sign definitely belonged on one of the offending party’s doors, but unable to decide which deserved it most, they quickly drew up several more plates and put them on all the doors.

And of course, there were a few that deserved a “little more personalization”. Jim personalized a few of the plates, assigning Arlen Ness as “West Coast chapter president, Dave Perewitz as the East Coast chapter president, Donnie Smith the Midwest chapter president, and Barry Cooney the Northwest chapter president.

When the guys returned to the motel, they found the signs hanging on their doors. What was planned as an act of revenge backfired, as they guys all found the signs hilarious. The idea stuck, and plans for a proper kickoff in Sturgis were quickly planned.

Hamsters are expected to participate in at least one event a year, ride to Sturgis, and pay their yearly dues. Barry will be the first to tell you “The first rule is, there are no rules. Well, there’s a $100 fine for anyone blocking the door if a fight breaks out in a bar.”

Every year the Hamster’s M/C holds a gala banquet at the Spearfish Holiday Inn, including a silent auction. The proceeds benefit the Children’s Care Hospital and School in South Dakota. The Hamster’s got involved with this organization over a decade ago when Bob Illingworth brought it to the group. Today people donate all kinds of big prizes for the auction, including custom motorcycles. “You stand there with your heart in your hand and it’s a wonderful thing,” says Donnie. “Things like that put us on the map and got us more organized. A lot of the locals say thank you and it makes you feel pretty good. We’re happy to do it.”

(some excerpts from “History Of The Hamsters M/C” by Mark Maker)

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As of this writing, the 70th Annual Sturgis Rally is just 34 days away. If you haven’t started preparing, what in the hell is keeping you?

I probably began preparing for the 70th Sturgis event at the end of last year’s run to Sturgis. And all of the adjustments and modifications to my 2008 Ultra and gear has been with an eye towards this year’s run.

There wasn’t a lot of changes I felt I needed to make to the bike for this year. But I did do a few things anyway. First, I replaced my handlebars with Wild 1 575 bars. These bars gave me 2 1/2″ more pullback, allowing me to comfortably sit back into my drivers back rest (this was added before last year’s run). I believe that Wild 1 bars are probably some of the best manufactured bars out there. They are heavy, with a good feel to them and are plated in heavy chrome. The holes are reamed, so you don’t have to do it. And you just can’t beat the look of 1 1/4″ chubbies!

Another important change I made was to the suspension. I noticed that I was getting real loose in the swingarm. It was getting hard to hold my line in corners, and the got so bad that it even felt like the front end was having a problem.

To solve this problem, I purchased a touring stabilizer made by Throttle-Up Industriesin Bend, Oregon. This stabilizer bots right to your tranny and frame, and eliminates the sway that our beloved Harley’s get when cornering. It was priced at $159, came with free shipping, and is comparable to similar items costing $400! I have to say, my bike now handles like it did when it was new. I can’t recommend this item enough!

Most of my pack is set from last year. I have my rain parka, chaps and leather jacket/vest. Winter and summer gloves (it can get cold on the road even in the summer). Boots are in great shape. Tent, Ultralight cot, and folding table, check. What I needed was a new folding chair that would pack easily on my bike with the existing gear.

I purchased the GCI PICO folding armchair. A little expensive, but what a great chair. And it packs small like a suitcase. And it fits perfectly on my luggage rack on top of the tour pack. But there is a problem. The width is such that it now puts my pack way to high in the air. This causes too much drag and makes the bike unstable at low speeds. Back to the drawing board.

I found the answer, and a lot cheaper, too. GCI also makes a folding chair that is 24″ tall when folded. I just had to pick up a stash sack for it, and I have solved my chair problem. And all for about $25.

The rest of my pack is standard, and can be found in the related article Biker’s Survival Kit.

It is hard to tell how the turnout will be this year. It is the 70th Annual Sturgis Rally. And yes, it is the granddaddy of them all. But it has been a very tough economic year for a lot of our brothers and sisters. A lot of motorcycle events have been cancelled this year, and the turnout has been dismal at best at a lot of other runs. Still, I would hate to bet against Sturgis and find myself camping along the side of the road.

I will be staying again this year at the Shade Valley Campground. I really like this campground for a number of reasons. New bathhouses. A great bar staffed by great people. Lots of trees in the campgrounds. This is important because you don’t want to come back from a day of riding to find that your tent has blown away. But most important is the free nightly shuttle to town. Now I can get tore up each and every night if I choose, without having to worry about riding back to the campgrounds. And since it is located right near the Buffalo Chip and the Full Throttle Saloons, I won’t miss the great entertainment.

Speaking of entertainment, check out this list! The Buffalo Chip has entertainment going all day, every day. Artists include Charlie Bechtel, Dave Mason, ZZ Top, Kid Rock, Bob Dylan, Motley Crue, Ozzy Osbourne, Scorpions, and The Doobie Brothers.

The Broken Spoke has some top entertainers as well, including .38 Special, Great White, and Eddie Money. And the Full Throttle Saloon will host Marshal Tucker and Jackyl.

You are going to have to select a few, because there are just too many to see them all!

But for me, the biggest attraction is the riding. South Dakota is home to some spectacular sights, including Mount Rushmore, the Badlands, and Custer’s Park. Old west towns like Deadwood spring up in the Black Hills providing a little history with that beer. And Devils Monument is just over the border in Wyoming.

There should be plenty of vendors along Lazelle Street this year in Sturgis. And of course you don’t want to miss the Motorcycle History Museum and the Biker Hall of Fame.

There are a few websites that offer great info to help you prepare for your trip. Both Sturgis.com and Sturgis-Rally.com have events and campground and rental info. Sturgiszone.com also has great information and plenty of pictures, too.

Sturgis IS the granddaddy of them all.  And of course, there are lots and lots of bikes, women, beer, and cool things to do every day. If you aren’t ready yet, what are you waiting for?

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