Today in motorcycle history, August 14, 1938
The Black Hills Classic kicks off on a Sunday afternoon in Sturgis, South Dakota on August 14, 1938.
What is known today as the Sturgis Rally actually began in 1937 when a local motorcycle club, the Jackpine Gypsies, invited the Rapid City Pioneers Motorcycle Club to Sturgis for a field day. The Gypsies rode the Indian motorcycles that Clarence "Pappy" Hoel sold at his Sturgis shop and the Rapid City group, known as the RPMs, were almost all Harley-Davidson riders.
Sturgis businessmen took notice with the number of people the event brought to town, and over the winter they met with Pappy and the Gypsies to secure an AMA sanction for a similar meet, with dirt track races to be held at the old half-mile horse track at the county fairgrounds, in the summer of 1938.
The Jackpine Gypsies held the first sanctioned rally on August 14, 1938. They dubbed it the "Black Hills Classic" and it consisted of a single race with only nine participants, various motorcycle stunts and daily rides, Gypsy Tours, to take in the beauty of the surrounding land such as the sacred Bear Butte.
It wasn't until 1961 that the rally was expanded to include the Hillclimb and Motocross races.
Little known fact- it was Pappy Hoel’s ever- chipper, gracious and dedicated wife, Pearl, more than anyone else, who probably deserves credit for the early success of this event. It's fair to say that without her reputation and support the Sturgis Rally would probably never have happened. In the formative years of the event, 1936-1941, Pearl’s reputation in Sturgis and Meade County helped sell his idea to influential leaders in the community. As a county official and an outstanding citizen of great stature in the community, Pearl lent credibility to the event. She was active in her church, served as an officer in her lodge, and was regularly involved in the bridge club and other community societies. The local powers that be, and especially their wives, were Pearl’s friends. If Pearl thought a motorcycle rally was a good thing, how could anyone disagree? And what a rally in has turned into.
*****
Somehow, somewhere, things have changed in this old school man's eyes. I find it really fucking odd that when Harley's weren't known as the most dependable bikes they were still ridden from places such as Portland, Oregon and Blackduck, Minnesota to Daytona Beach and from NYC and Presque Isle, Maine to Sturgis but, when they became more dependable (and hip) the fewer miles they actually get ridden by the $$$ crowd that buys them. Spend unfathomable amounts of money on a custom-built "chopper" or a "garbage-barge" and then put in a trailer to go to a bike rally/meet. Ride their motorcycles just the last few miles to be seen/scene. From Wikipedia - "...the director of the rally estimated in 2005 that less than half the attendees actually rode there. Shipping companies transport thousands of motorcycles to Sturgis for attendees who arrive via airline." Excuse me while I puke.
Sorry. I had to vent. Mind you, I know there still are many real bikers who actually ride to Sturgis and points beyond. I wish I was sharing a stretch of blacktop with them.
