2016 Black Hills Iron

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Vintage Indian motorcycle refurbishing business booming in Deadwood Jerry Greer’s Engineering in Deadwood, is well known for restoring vintage motorcycles. Pioneer photos

by Jaci Conrad Pearson

By Jaci Conrad Pearson BLACK HILLS IRON

When doing vintage restorations, rebuilds are part of the package, starting from the frame on up. Here, Jerry Greer’s engineer Marwin Anderson, alias, “Pooch,” works in the back shop on getting this fundamental Indian foundation just right, form fitting the fenders and frame.

DEADWOOD — Going full tilt came quite quickly for Jerry Greer's Deadwood location, a vintage Indian Motorcycle parts, showroom, restoration and retail business that formerly saw an average of two to three restorations per year.

With more than a dozen projects now in the pipeline, business as shop owners Todd and Lore Ksenych knew it has been left in the dust.

"We've been open about a year now. We had the best year we've ever had last year," Todd said. "Basically, we used to average a couple of in-house restorations per year — two in the loop in Watertown — and right now, we have 13. People are seeing where we're at, what we're about and are more comfortable sending us their projects."

The restorations take anywhere from a year to a year and one-half to complete, which isn't swaying most customers.

"We don't turn any business away, but they need to understand it could take that long," Todd said. "And then it's up to them to decide."

With the average age of customers of the refurbishment end of the business ranging from 50 to 80 years old and Jerry Greer's specializing in the rebuilding of Indians

from the 1936 to 1953 era, embarking on the road to refurbishment is a significant investment, averaging between $25,000 and $30,000.

With just a couple of highly trained, specialized mechanics working in the shop, specializing in engine rebuilds, partial and full restorations, first frames are sent out to be straightened.

"You want to start out with a good foundation," Todd said.

Next comes work on all the chassis parts that need to be replaced and engine work.

"An engine rebuild costs around $9,000," Todd said.

From there, the fitting process begins.

"We set the whole bike together, beginning with a bare sheet-metal form," Todd said. "Then we set the fenders and frame."

In the pipeline and up on the rack are projects ranging from a '41 Chief headed for California once its owner arrives for the rally to pick up the vintage gem, to a 1946 complete with aftermarket bling, a '47 Chief for a repeat customer, now on his second project purchase.

"We need to get around 150 miles on that one yet before it leaves," Todd said. "This one, the guy wants restored for his high Indian Motorcycle Pg 19

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More than just a bling thing

Black Hills Harley-Davidson’s chrome consultants are experts in tricking out bikes

By Adam Hurlburt BLACK HILLS IRON

STURGIS — It’s a tough job, but somebody has to do it — helping people trick out their motorcycles, that is. For Brian Gruhn and Curtis Crow at Black Hills Harley-Davidson, this is 9 to 5 reality. They’re the Rapid City bike dealer’s so-called “chrome consultants.”

It’s not always as easy as it sounds. The goal is to help each rider customize their motorcycle perfectly to themselves and their riding style.

And with stacks of parts catalogs thicker than phone books, their work is cut out for them.

“We’ve sold bikes with over $20,000 worth of additional accessories installed. They could’ve bought a whole other motorcycle with what they put into accessories. The sky’s the limit here.”

Despite the title, being a chrome consultant is about more than just chrome enhancements and other cosmetic modifications. Performance and ergonomic modifications are just as important, if not more so.

“When I started here, it was about making the bikes perform better and sound better, then making the bikes look cool, then making them comfortable. Today, it’s about making the bikes comfortable, making them perform and sound

better, and then looking really cool,” Gruhn said. “We’re getting older, we’re getting smarter, we’ve had several bikes, you know. We still have the new folks, but people are wanting to be more comfortable on their bikes — better heated grips, a better seat, seats with heat, etc.”

Gruhn said during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally he sells more ergonomic accessories than anything else, as there are a lot of bikers in town who have a very long ride back home ahead of them when the rally comes to a close.

Performance is big, too. Gruhn and Crow can help customers turn their bikes into fire breathing monsters, with everything from custom ECU tunes, custom exhausts and intakes, big bore engine kits, and more.

Then there’s aesthetics. Black Hills Harley’s chrome consultants offer everything from chrome dress up kits to full paint jobs — everything short of frame fabrication.

“The best thing is seeing the finished product and seeing the smile on the customer’s face the way they dreamed of it,” Gruhn said. “When people come in and see the finished product and they’re like, ‘wow,’ when you make somebody’s day that makes my day. That’s what we strive for. We want people happy when they leave here.”

Brian Gruhn helps customers pick out parts to customize their motorcycles.

Pioneer photos by Mark Watson

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Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame

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Pioneers, innovators and living legends inducted 2016 Sturgis Motorcycle Museum Hall of Fame If you’re in the market for a great event that honors some of the best bikers in the industry during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, there are lots of folks around who will tell you the “don’t miss” event of the week is the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame’s annual induction ceremony.

It’s where hundreds of bikers gather to pay tribute to the new class of hall of fame inductees. The other thing people who have been there will tell you is that once you’ve participated in the event, you’ll go back year after year.

“The hall of fame’s mission is to honor those who have made a positive and significant impact on the sport and lifestyle,” said Tigra Tsujikawa, marketing and development director for the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame. “It honors the men and women who have dedicated much of their lives to improving, promoting and advancing motorcycling.”

The induction ceremony takes place at 9 a.m. Aug. 10, at the Lodge at Deadwood.

Tickets are $35 each or $300 for a table of eight. You can purchase them by calling the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame at (605) 347-2001, or they can also be purchased online at http://www.sturgismuseum.com/shop/hall-fame-breakfast.

While the museum certainly pays tribute to the heritage of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, the hall of fame transcends the Black Hills of South Dakota, Tsujikawa adds.

This year’s class of inductees into the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum Hall of Fame represent every aspect of what makes motorcycling great — from pioneers and innovators to customizers and dealers. In addition to the Hall of Fame inductees, the museum will also honor one Freedom Fighter by inducting him into the nation’s only Freedom Fighters Hall of Fame.

The six who will be honored at this year’s breakfast on Wednesday, August 10, 2016 are:

Arlen Ness

Lifetime Achievement Award Arlen Ness was born in 1939 in Morehead, Minn. His family moved to San Leandro, Calif., while he was a sixth-grader. He was “just a local guy,” Ness says, who didn’t stand out. His first bike was a 20-year-old Harley-Davidson Knucklehead he purchased in 1967 when he was 27.

“My wife really didn’t like moArlen torcycles,” Ness said. “Something Ness you can’t have, you want more than anything else. So I bought a motorcycle and brought it home.”

He hadn’t yet learned how to ride it.

“My wife didn’t talk to me for a couple of weeks,” he laughed.

With only his high school shop experience, Ness took it apart, added a peanut gas tank and painted it metalflake green by converting a vacuum cleaner into a spraying rig. It won first prize in a local bike show.

Ness’ reputation spread quickly throughout the Bay Area.

He found himself painting other people’s hogs to bring home some much needed bacon. Working nights in his garage, he made deliveries by day for his father’s furniture store. His wife complained that strangers were hanging around the house at all hours dropping off and picking up bikes. When the empty beer cans piled up too high, Ness leased a storefront in San Leandro that remained his headquarters for 33 years. He capitalized that new enterprise with winnings from a semi-professional bowling career.

Ness expanded his business by handcrafting custom parts for a growing list of customers. He was one of the first

manufacturers to market a line of signature billet parts to consumers. Other builders grabbed them up, and by so doing helped Ness achieve an even broader influence over the look of custom motorcycles. He single-handedly invented the “theme bike” with voluptuous designs modeled after famous automobiles and with other examples of what came to be known as “body bikes.”

Ness has kept every bike he built since 1967. Actually, he had to buy back a few that were sold in leaner times. He has 60 of them in his collection today. He makes as much time to ride now as possible. He meets up several times each year with his buddies, Dave Perewitz and Donnie Smith, with whom he founded the Hamsters USA, a fiendish name that was obviously chosen to strike terror into the hearts of law-abiding citizens.

— Tom Zimberoff, Art of the Chopper.com

Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Breakfast

Where: The Lodge at Deadwood When: 9 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016 Tickets: $35 each or $300 for a table of 8: purchase by calling the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame at (605) 347-2001. Or: tickets can also be purchased online at http://www.sturgismuseum.com/shop/ hall-fame-breakfast.

Gary Wetzel

Freedom Fighter Hall of Fame Wetzel is a Vietnam veteran and Medal of Honor recipient who has been active for decades in raising awareness of not only veteran’s issues, but also protecting rider’s rights. Wetzel has ridden in Rolling Thunder — most times as the lead rider — since shortly after its inception in 1989. Wetzel spends his free time on the road advocating for veterans.

John Penton Gary Wetzel

Bert Baker

Baker left behind a cushy career at GM to risk running his own business building a better motorcycle transmission — and motorcycling is better for it. A stalwart champion of the American-made movement, he’s an enthusiastic gearhead with far-reaching mechanical ability; we all benefit from Bert’s solutions to making his own bikes run better and faster. Bert Baker Bert is also a V-Twin drivetrain innovator, savvy businessman and stalwart patriot who has been described as having a pathological aversion to conformity.

Jerry Covington Whether it is on TV or the cover of virtually every biker magazine in the world, it is hard to miss custom builder Jerry Covington. With a career spanning more than 40 years, Jerry is recognized as one of the top custom builders in the business. Covington is less wellknown for his behind-the-scenes commitment to the motorcycle community, and a selfless donation of time and resources to those less fortunate through has various charity projects.

John Penton

Jerry Covington

One of the most influential figures in off-road motorcy-

cling in the world, John Penton developed a legendary brand of motorcycles that bore his name (better known as KTM today). He also founded Hi-Point, an accessory and distribution company that had 50 percent of aftermarket sales in the U.S. and set the mold for modern distribution powerhouses like Parts Unlimited, Tucker Rocky and WPS.

Gary Spellman

Using motorcycle as means to further charitable causes, philanthropist Gary Spellman has been quite effective in utilizing motorcycles to raise money for charities benefiting first responders and their surviving families.

He has also brought major business owners into the family of motorcyclists as well as creating the Peace, Love and Happiness Charity Ride with fellow Hall of Famer John Paul Dejoria.

Gary Spellman

Buddy Stubbs

Talk about being born into the business, Buddy Stubbs was raised in his father’s Harley dealership in Decatur, Illinois and has spent his entire life in and around dealerships, including opening two of his own in the greater Phoenix area. This year marks his 50th year as a dealer and more significantly an ambassador to the motorcycle lifestyle.

Buddy Stubbs

The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum is excited once again to welcome Hall of Famer John Paul Dejoria as the emcee of the 2016 induction breakfast. Dejoria is one of those fabled American rags-to-riches stories. After having been homeless, he clawed his way up from the gutter to become a captain of industry and philanthropy as well as an ambassador for the United Nations Environmental Project. He credits the biker community, and the brotherhood shared in that community with his transformation. Dejoria will welcome the 2016 Class of the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum Hall of Fame in a breakfast ceremony at The Lodge in Deadwood on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016.

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2016 BHSU Jacket Ride set for Tuesday of Rally Week

The 2016 Black Hills State University Jacket Ride is at 10 a.m., Tuesday, Aug. 9. The annual event will be held during the 76th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and proceeds from the ride go toward the BHSU Jacket Ride Scholarship for student veterans. Pioneer file photo

SPEARFISH — The fourth annual Black Hills State University Jacket Ride is set for Tuesday, Aug. 9, during the 76th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

The annual community event is a fundraiser for the BHSU Jacket Ride Scholarship, which awards scholarships to student veterans.

Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. in the Donald E. Young Sports & Fitness Center parking lot on the BHSU campus. The cost is $50 for a single rider; $75 for a rider and a passenger.

Registration can be done online at www.

BHSU.edu/JacketRide. Registration includes lunch and a t-shirt.

The Jacket Ride is a two-hour, 91mile trip that takes riders through the scenic Northern Black Hills. Nearly 75 motorcyclists took part in last year’s event.

This year’s Jacket Ride will begin at the Joy Center in Spearfish and end at the Scott Peterson Motors in Sturgis, where there will be lunch and other special events. This year’s ride will

take motorcyclists through the picturesque Spearfish Canyon and south on Highway 385 to Vanocker Canyon and into Sturgis.

Phil Pesheck, director of public safety at BHSU, participates in the Jacket Ride each year. Pesheck said the event provides comradery and an excellent opportunity to honor veterans.

“There is nothing better than participating in a group motorcycle ride through the Black Hills,” Pesheck said.

“And participating in the BHSU Jacket Ride is just one way that I can support our veterans. Our military veteran students at BSHU have served our country and deserve our support and recognition.”

Last year, the proceeds for the Jacket Ride provided four scholarships to BHSU student veterans.

For more information on the 2016 BHSU Jacket Ride, contact Steve Meeker at (605) 642-6228 or email Steve.Meeker@BHSU.edu.

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Fort Meade Way opens to traffic

Eagerly anticipated Sturgis shortcut traversable for travelers

By Jaci Conrad Pearson BLACK HILLS IRON

STURGIS – Completed a month ahead of schedule and now open to the general public, a new route takes motorists from Interstate 90 to the outer edges of Sturgis via a scenic new country backroad.

The road is a graveled county road, approximately 2.8 miles in length and connects the northern and southern dead ends of Fort Meade Way. "It is a large truck bypass around the city," Meade County Highway Superintendent Lincoln Shuck said. "As a highway safety measure, it does give a second option for big trucks."

With crews beginning construction on the road in February, the original completion date was set for July 1, but Shuck said Sturgis's new I-90 access road and truck bypass is traversable to motorists early — in just over four months — due to an open winter with good weather.

In explaining the new road's route, Shuck updated construction progress, as well.

"It will be coming in Pleasant Valley Road, which is the old Cardinal Place Road and is now called Fort Meade Way, and runs up to Highway 34," Shuck said. "We’re not 100 percent done with it yet. We’ve still got a little bit of re-grading to do.”

The road provides for an eight-minute

The new Ft. Meade Way, a 2.8 mile county road that runs from Exit 37 on I-90 to the outer edges of Sturgis, is open to motorists with a speed limit of 45 mph and 25 mph in the residential zone.

Pioneer photo by Jaci Conrad Pearson

ride from I-90 to the Buffalo Chip and has laid the foundation for a direct 5.6-mile shortcut from I-90 Exit 37 to the front gate of the Buffalo Chip.

Road construction costs were $1.3 million for dirt work only.

Because the new scenic byway is a county road, Meade County will assume mainte-

nance responsibilities and is responsible for the associated costs of doing so.

"The county will gravel it," Shuck said, explaining the ongoing upkeep required to get the road up and running for the Rally and beyond.

Gravel estimates are 3,200 tons per mile at a cost of $8.50 per ton, or just

over $76,000.

Schuck emphasized that motorists should be aware of the 25 mph zone on Fort Meade Way. “It is posted as a 45 mph road, but there is a 25 mph zone on the southern end,” Shuck said. “So please watch your speed in that residential area.”

35 years of ‘the best party anywhere!’ www.bhpioneer.com

Buffalo Chip celebrates milestone BUFFALO CHIP — On Aug. 13, 1982, a group of fun-loving bikers rode into an 80-acre field just east of Sturgis for the very first time. After attending the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally for decades, bikers had been cast off as riff-raff. So these wandering spirits rode onward in search of a place they could call home — a place where they could experience music, freedom and camaraderie with no hassles.

The bikers who showed up at the first “Buffalo Chip Picnic” made history, turning a patch of land into the home of “The Best Party Anywhere.”

Since then many have continued to make the annual pilgrimage to the Sturgis Buffalo Chip, passing through its “Welcome Home Bikers” gates to discover and live the authentic Rally experience and now the Buffalo Chip is celebrating its 35th anniversary.

Many things have changed since that first event.

In 1982, a hand-painted piece of plywood greeted you on the property corner when you arrived to the party.

Now, a 13,000 pound buffalo sculpture built by Chip employee Darwin Brink and an iron “Welcome Home Bikers” gate welcome

bikers home each year.

Then, bikers gathered in front of a small stage covered by a tarp during the first party to see performances from Johnny Paycheck, Susan Nelson and Foggy Notion Band.

Today, the state-of-the-art Wolfman Jack Main Stage, built by employee Dave Vice in 1997, hosts national acts that love to perform at the Chip like Ozzy Osborne, Motley Crüe, Zac Brown Band, Rob Zombie including those performing in 2016 such as Kid Rock, Miranda Lambert, 3 Doors Down, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and more.

When the Chip first started, there was only one stage for performances. In 1997, the Kinison Stage was added. It was named after legendary comedian Sam Kinison. In years following, additional stages were built to host music and entertainment.

While there have been many changes, the one constant that will always remain is that the Buffalo Chip is the place for bikers. As the “Largest Music Festival in Motorcycling,” the Chip is a place created by bikers, for bikers. From badass bike shows and stunning stunts to legendary rides and radical racing, motorcycles and riding are at the heart of everything Sturgis Buffalo Chip.

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Courtesy image

From humble beginnings in an open field, the Buffalo Chip celebrates its 35th anniversary this year in what has become to be known as “The Best Party Anywhere.” Courtesy photos

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New Full Throttle, Pappy Hoel Campground open for Rally

By Mark Watson BLACK HILLS IRON

STURGIS — There will be a new bar and campground open in time for the 76th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, and it will be run by a familiar face.

The new Full Throttle Saloon and the Pappy Hoel Campground, named in honor of J.C. “Pappy” Hoel, the man who started the Jackpine Gypsies, will take the place of the former Broken Spoke Campground, located north of Bear Butte.

The former Full Throttle Saloon was destroyed in a fire Sept. 8, 2015, and will remain an attraction, of sorts, as well as a location for Rally-goers to camp in the 200 cabins on the 30-acre site.

“Because there was so much interest in the old location that burned, there’s so many people stopping and taking pictures, we’re going to put up a giant circus tent like we put up at the Throttle Fest events around the country,” said Michael Ballard, owner.

Ballard recalled the phone call he received informing him of the fire. He was sleeping at his home in Tennessee when his head of security called him at 1:30 a.m.

“He called me and woke me up. From there I was on the phone with the Meade County Sheriff’s Office throughout the night,” Ballard said.

“In the first hour it was just the main bar, and I thought (firefighters) would get it put out. … But as the night went on (the fire) went 360 (degrees) and burned everything out there. It made it all the way around the stage. It became a total loss as far as the bar goes.”

Fire investigators determined the blaze started in the main part of the bar caused by a crimped power cord.

Shawn Barrows, Sturgis' assistant fire chief, said in an interview the morning after the fire, that firefighters tried to get inside the bar, but heavy heat and smoke and locked doors forced them to battle the blaze from the outside in heavy winds.

Barrows added that a Meade County sheriff's deputy told

him the distillery contained 500 gallons of grain alcohol.

Some 45 firefighters fought the blaze, and their efforts were complicated by the lack of fire hydrants or a ready water supply at the site. Water had to be trucked in and held in holding tanks. Firefighters from Sturgis, Whitewood, Fort Meade, Vale, and Piedmont helped battle the fire.

“I got a flight from Memphis at 6 in the morning and was in Rapid City around lunch (that day.) (The saloon) was already gone by the time I got here,” Ballard said.

While the bar, stage, and other parts of the Full Throttle lie in ashes, the office and cabins were untouched.

“We just had to figure out what we had to do and pick the pieces up,” Ballard said.

“That was a devastating couple months.”

Now, in its 17th year, the Full Throttle Saloon will Hulk out.

“We are rebuilding, basically the same footprint as the old place, but a lot bigger,” Ballard said. “The main stage that is going in will be the largest stage in the state of South Dakota.”

It will measure 130 feet by 90 feet deep.

The new location boasts 600 acres, 50 of which will be the saloon, and the other 550 will be set aside for RV and tent camping.

Ballard said that demand for RV camping was tremendous.

“For every cabin (inquiry), we would get 15-20 RV calls. We never could accommodate people because we didn’t have enough property for the RV sites,” Ballard said.

The Pappy Hoel Campground can accommodate 600 RV sites and unlimited camping sites, he said.

“We’re excited to have that. That’s a big plus for us,” Ballard said. “The phones are blowing up from people wanting to come out and be part of it.”

Additionally, there will be triple the number

Fire investigators sift through ashes of the former Full Throttle Saloon. It was determined that the Sept. 8, 2015 fire, which destroyed the popular Sturgis Motorcycle Rally party venue, was caused by a crimped power cord.

Pioneer file photos

of vendors at the new location, as well as a full lineup of nationally-recognized entertainers nightly.

“The stage inside the main bar will be blowing and going,” he said. “We’re taking everything to the next level out there.”

Ballard said publicity from the truTV series, “Full Throttle Saloon," which aired beginning in 2009, was a big reason the campground and new saloon are becoming a reality.

The Full Throttle, he said, is a safe place where bikers can let their hair down

during the Rally.

“When people come to the Throttle, we let them do what they want to do,” Ballard said.

“If they want to get on the bar and dance, go for it. We don’t have a lot of rules. We have the burnout pits and let people get in there and do burnout. We just let people have fun.

We promote fun.

“People are taking their only week of vacation of the year, and they are spending a lot of money,” Ballard said. “It’s ex pensive to get here and stay here. … It is our responsibility to let them have fun and show them a good time.”

Construction crews work on building the new Full Throttle Saloon.

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By Kaija Swisher

Polaris buys Lehman building, locates paint facility in Spearfish

BLACK HILLS IRON

SPEARFISH — The paint equipment used to finish Lehman Trikes at 125 Industrial Dr. in Spearfish weren’t out of use for long after the company relocated its operations to California mid-2015: Polaris Industries Inc. bought the approximately 51,000 square-foot facility in October to provide additional liquid paint capacity for Indian and Victory motorcycles made in its Spirit Lake, Iowa, plant.

Jeremy Hoven, president of Spearfish Economic Development Corporation, expressed the corporation’s excitement to work with and welcome Polaris to Spearfish at the time of the company’s announcement about locating

in the building.

“It is so important to the economic growth of the community to have the large former Lehman building being utilized to its capacity by a nationally known company,” Hoven said. “Polaris investing in Spearfish and creating 80-plus jobs shows how attractive we are as a community.”

“It’s really the painting part of that facility that we need,” Marlys Knutson, external relations manager for Polaris Industries Inc., said, explaining that the site is used for painting. “We’re short of painting capacity in our Spirit Lake facility, and that (facility) works perfectly for us.”

Polaris designs, engineers,

Polaris Industries Inc. bought the approximately 51,000 square-foot facility at 125 Industrial Dr. in Spearfish in October 2015 to provide additional liquid paint capacity for Indian and Victory motorcycles made in its Spirit Lake, Iowa, plant. Pioneer photo by Kaija Swisher

LY E RAL L C Y TORC O M S I 6 TURG S , 201 L 4 A 1 U 8 N ST th AN 76 AUGU Pioneer file photos

manufactures, and markets off-road consumer and military vehicles, including all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), snowmobiles, motorcycles, including the Indian, Victory, and Slingshot brands, and on-road electric/ hybrid powered vehicles. The company’s annual 2014 sales topped $4.5 billion.

“Spearfish is known for its active outdoors environment. Polaris is a leader in their industry. It will be a great partnership,” Larry Klarenbeek, in charge of special projects at the Spearfish Economic Development Corporation, said.

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The building, built in 1997 and located on a 6.39-acre site, has approximately 10,000 square feet of office space, which was renovated in 2014; 9,800 square feet of dust-free paint booth space, and more than 30,000 square feet of production/ warehouse space, accessible through six overhead doors. Though the price of the building was not disclosed, the price listed on the Spearfish Economic Development Corporation website was $2.75 million at the time of the sale.

The company plans began production at the Spearfish location soon after purchasing the building and filling a two-shift operation.

Polaris Pg 14

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Artist Scott Jacobs sets up shop in Deadwood

By Jaci Conrad Pearson BLACK HILLS IRON

DEADWOOD — Known for paintings of motorcycles, cars and wine appearing so real, many people mistake his detail-laden art pieces for photographs, widely celebrated photo-realist painter Scott Jacobs is moving the basis of his West Coast operation to Deadwood, with Jacobs Gallery and Scott Jacobs Studio all set for a July 4 opening.

While Jacobs is no stranger to the Black Hills or the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, already owning two homes in Spearfish, this is the first time his company will be based out of South Dakota.

“Now everything will be shipped from South Dakota,” Jacobs said. “We’ve been coming to the Black Hills as a family since 1994. Not only my wife and I, but my daughters love it, as well. We’re in San Francisco and you can get overwhelmed with the amount of traffic and people. It’s so much more comfortable here. What we found is that when we were getting ready to leave South Dakota, we all started dreading it.”

Enter the newest gallery, located at 670 and 672 Main St., Deadwood, where Jacobs will also now do the majority of his painting in a new studio, as well. With the build-

ing purchased in August 2015, construction began in October.

“Eight months or so. We already have a couple more times than the building cost us into the renovation,” Jacobs said. “We were thinking around a half a million, but we’re way over that. It’s beautiful. Not because it’s our store, but I think it’s the prettiest retail space in the area.”

Throughout the renovation, Jacobs and crew strived to maintain the historic integrity of the space.

“We restored the mirroring in the ceiling, saved the original meat locker, integrated some of the original Main Street cobblestones,” he explained. “There is a lot of history here. We have Jacob Goldberg’s safe and are doing the building office the same way it was when he had it. It’s an elevated office overlooking the building.”

A treat for visitors, the new gallery and studio will house seven or eight Scott Jacobs originals.

“These are rare to see anywhere in the world,” Jacobs explained. “Over the years, I’ve bought back 33 paintings for display purposes.”

Jacobs Gallery and Scott Jacobs Studio will also house between 200 and 300 other pieces by Jacobs, early 1900s vintage motorcycles, a clothing line, bar ware, kitchen tow-

els and a huge selection of steam punk hats.

“That’s what we’re doing with the old cooler,” Jacobs said. “The meat locker will be the viewing room for the hats and it is spectacular.”

Jacobs arrived into the mainstream of American fine art culture from his roots as Harley-Davidson’s first officially licensed motorcycle artist in 1994, a privilege he still proudly holds.

Over the years, added to that licensing list are; Chevrolet, Ford, Mattel, Marilyn Monroe Estates and Elvis Presley Enterprises.

Jacobs’ art-on-canvas paintings revolve around biker art, car art, lifestyle art, bar art or game-room art. From Harleys to classic cars and wine bottles to delicate, dewcovered flowers, Jacobs explores some of the finer things in life, in a very fine way, indeed.

Jacobs has mastered a multitude of genres in his 20-year career and his modern art depictions on canvas giclees, paintings, canvas prints and posters have found their way to major art collections worldwide including museums and numerous celebrities.

His images can be seen on many objects from limited editions graphics to Franklin Mint Collector Plates, coffee mugs, beach towels, clocks and many others.

“I have 34 paintings in process, featuring five different genres I’m concentrating on right now,” Jacobs said. “Most of the stuff I’m painting now are things I personally enjoy in life. A lot of scenes I’ve encountered when traveling with my daughters and wife. I started riding motorcycles in the late 1970s and that inspiration for art really comes from life.”

Jacobs has been featured on the ABC network television series, “Secret Millionaire,” and continues to travel across the country promoting his artwork.

Scott Jacobs, a widely celebrated artist, is moving his studio from California to Deadwood.

Pioneer photos by Jaci Conrad Pearson

Jacobs said he looks at the new venture in Deadwood as a Field of Dreams.

“If you build it, they will come,” Jacobs said. “I’ve never been so busy. The building is 11,000 square feet and we’re putting in a 3,500 square foot apartment in the top half.

Studio framing area, studio shipping area, 5,000 square feet of gallery space … this is a thank you to all the people who got us here. We’re giving back to our collectors.”

Why Deadwood?

“It’s a motorcycle mecca,” Jacobs said.

“Yes, there’s Sturgis, but Sturgis is not a year-round business … Deadwood has things to draw you into it, casinos, outdoor recreation. I hope more people take note from what we did and try to bring nicer retail stores to town. We’re trying to make our gallery in Deadwood a destination … We love Deadwood. We love the Black Hills.”

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! n i n s! u o n o e s Rid ospitality i The h

Polaris from Pg 11

“We are very happy about the job opportunities now available to our community and the surrounding communities,” Klarenbeek said, adding that it shows that Polaris recognizes that the area has a good talent pool of workers.

Mayor Dana Boke spoke of her excitement about Polaris moving to the community at the time of the relocation and the opportunities that the company brings to Spearfish. As the building is prominently seen from Interstate 90, Boke is pleased that

Center r o t i s i dV um an ome. e s u M e ri-Stat ays feel at h T e h t t n alw Here a Pick up you ca Tour our friendly museum and pick up a souvenir from our Gift Store.

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another company occupies the site, employs a larger workforce, and further strengthens Spearfish.

“I think that shows that we are a vibrant community and a place where businesses want to come to and that economic development has worked hard to promote our industrial park throughout the state,” Boke said. “This is a good sign of the health and vitality of our community.”

“We look forward with great optimism toward a continued growth in production, which in turn means even more jobs available to our communities,” Klarenbeek said.

“Our hope is that Polaris will be successful and will reach a point that they can continue to grow business in Spearfish.”

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15

Spearfish-based custom motorcycle builder Jason Mook, of Black Hills Cycles, rides the 2014 Harley-Davidson Street Glide built for aftermarket motorcycle parts supplier Drag Specialties to showcase the parts they offer. The bike is featured on the cover of the company’s 2016 parts catalog.

Photos courtesy of Maverick Publishing

Cover to cover

Spearfish builder’s custom bike graces the cover of a very big motorcycle parts catalog

By Adam Hurlburt BLACK HILLS IRON

SPEARFISH — What’s red and black and seen in motorcycle shops the world over? Spearfish motorcycle builder Jason Mook’s custom 2014 Harley-Davidson Street Glide bagger, which made the cover of a very big aftermarket motorcycle parts supplier’s very big 2016 catalog.

Drag Specialties is one of the largest aftermarket motorcycle parts distributors in the world. The Wisconsin company has thousands of dealers all over the globe, including Mook, who used to lead sales for the company in the state of South Carolina before he moved to Spearfish in 2014 to reboot Black Hills Choppers as Black Hills Cycles, a full-service motorcycle shop.

Last year, a Drag Specialties employee who happens to live in Spearfish hit Mook up about tearing down and rebuilding a previously customized Drag Specialties bike to potentially feature on the cover the 2016 “Fat Book,” the company’s famous 800-plus-page annual catalog. The only real stipulations were that Mook would have to exclusively use parts available through Drag Specialties, and the build had to be conservative enough that mechanically-inclined motorcycle enthusiasts with the tools, the time, a garage, and a decent budget would feel like they could piece together something similar with the parts available in the Fat Book.

As you can tell by the photographic evidence above — and the existence of this article — Mook decided to take on the project.

“It’s a builder’s dream, you can pick out whatever you want and you’re not putting in any of your own money,” Mook said. “You’re like a kid in a candy store.”

The Fat Book isn’t the first publication Mook’s

custom Street Glide graced with its visage. American Bagger magazine featured the entire custom build in how-to tech articles spread across five issues, and the finished product was featured on the cover of the publication’s March 2015 issue.

Drag Specialties doesn’t pick just any builder to put together a cover bike for their catalog. The list of builders whose bikes made it on previous covers is a who’s who in the custom motorcycle world — a list that Mook can now proudly say he’s on.

Mook co-designed the bike with his shop partner Dave Withrow, who also owns Maverick Publishing, home of American Bagger magazine, Urban Bagger magazine, and the American Cycle Buyer’s Guide.

Mook went through the bike mechanically top to bottom and built the whole thing up without doing any welding, which was a goal from the beginning. The bike is a testament to what a passionate motorcycle enthusiast with a finely honed sense of stylistic flow can achieve simply through turning some wrenches with bolt-on parts and a trip to good paint shop.

Speaking of, Dimension Paint and Body in Spearfish handled the custom tri-tone paintjob on this bagger.

“It’s just enough custom to where it sets you apart and your bike’s not getting lost in a sea of baggers in a parking lot, but at the same time it’s not so far out there that people will think, ‘oh, I can’t ride that.’ That bike can be ridden by anybody who’s comfortable riding a stock bagger,” Mook said of the bike.

As the cover bike on this year’s Fat Book, Mook’s custom bagger is destined for more exposure than an adult film star. Not only is the bike on display on motorcycle shop countertops all over the planet, Drag Specialties will ship the bike out to every major North American motorcycle event this year.

This past weekend Mook was in Cincinnati with the bike for Easyriders’ 2016 V-Twin Expo, where it was officially unveiled.

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Indian motorcycle from Pg 3

school class reunion. It hasn't been driven since '82. It's a 1947 Chief out of Kansas City, Missouri."

Obviously, a customer with fabulous planning skills.

"I've got until 2018 to get that one done."

To bikes in the shop from New York, Pennsylvania, Nebraska, Colorado, even a $12,000 side hack project.

"It's a side car. I like to call it a side hack. It's a 1948 Chief and we're going to convert it to a '46," Todd said. "We'll attach it to the bike this winter and make adjustments as needed. People like these to carry their wives, dogs, grandchildren in."

Although the shop appreciates a call first, occasionally, a random customer drive-up with mechanical problems will occur, such as was the case with a recent rider headed home to Alabama who stopped by the shop.

"He needed a new alternator, and we were able to help with that and send him on his way," Todd said.

Displayed on the showroom floor are what Todd refers to as "shop bikes," either to be reverse engineered for parts and sometimes for sale to refurbish.

"I bought that yellow bike, drove it a thousand miles and refurbished it," said Todd of his Indian muse, a '45 from Ohio.

"I started out as a hobbyist/enthusiast 20 years ago. It was this thing where my mom said I could never have a motorcycle. I wanted something different. Everyone has a Harley."

And that desire was the basis for something that just keeps growing, setting the foundation for Deadwood's awesome antique Indian motorcycle Mecca.

In an arena where parts are not just parts, a renovation that began at 136 Sherman St. has transformed the 15,000 square foot former Keene Real Estate building into a vintage Indian motorcycle mecca called Jerry Greer’s, specializing in the antique manufacture and online fulfillment of 1936-1953 antique Indian motorcycle parts and bike refurbishment, as well as retail offerings.

Owners Todd and Lore Ksenych desired to augment their Watertown operation, Custom Fabricators, Inc, the parent company, which employs 70 and specializes in the manufacture of vintage/antique Indian motorcycle parts and felt that Deadwood was the ticket to open Jerry Greer’s, a subsidiary of that company, which employs 10.

“My husband and I always liked Deadwood,” Lore said. “We vacationed here several times. We just felt it was a good location for the restoration and parts business. It’s a destination place and we felt that customers might find us better here than Watertown because it is a destination vacation spot. We also needed more room.

We were running out of room – this was just run out of a square in the corner of the manufacturing facility … we wanted to get it in its own facility and own entity, separate from the manufacturing.”

With over 6,000 part numbers, Jerry Greer’s in Deadwood does offer a bit of retail, but is mainly a warehouse, where shipping orders from the company’s online catalogue occurs.

“We ship all over the world and we do both work and full restoration,” Lore said,

Called the “corral” by Jerry Greer's owners Todd and Lore Ksenych, patrons to the Deadwood store are welcome to come in and browse the shop area to view vintage and antique Indian motorcycles for sale that come with a refurbishment as part of the package, as well as projects in the works and a couple that have just been finished up.

Pioneer photos by Jaci Conrad Pearson

estimating that between 15 and 20 orders are fulfilled on a busy day, with an average of 50 orders sent out per week. “We don’t do the early 1900s. Our facility in Watertown reproduces vintage Indian motorcycle parts. We reproduce them from the original. We try to keep everything authentic. If it’s ordered online, it’s shipped from Deadwood. Since we moved to Deadwood we have opened up a retail store, where we display motorcycle parts and sell apparel and gifts.”

Jerry Greer’s opened just prior the Rally in August, 2015 and is worth a stop just to see the amazing restoration work that has and is occurring both on the floor and throughout the building.

“We hired local people to renovate and restore the building and tried to keep as much of the original intact as we could,” Lore said. “For the restoration and renovation of the bikes, we brought some with us from Watertown and hired some locally.”

While one 5,000 square foot area houses retail, another 5,000 in the basement houses the parts and yet another 5,000 square foot area houses the engine work and restoration area.

His Indian passion on display, Todd owns both 1936 and a 1947 models.

While there are around a dozen vintage/ antique Indian motorcycles on display, purchasing one means purchasing a restoration, as well.

The name Jerry Greer’s comes from the original 15-year owner of the company, founded in Stanton, Calif., from whom the Ksenychs purchased the enterprise 14 years ago.

The first Indian motorcycle was produced in 1901.

All of the parts in the foreground of this photo go to this red 1947 Indian motorcycle refurbishment, a project from a party in California who will pick up their rebuild during the upcoming Sturgis Rally. While some of the parts will be salvaged and are still useable, most moving parts, such as gears and the like, will need to be replaced.

Gesturing toward a shop bike that's seen its better days, Todd explained that the rarer Indian motorcycles are four-cylinders.

"The Junior Scouts," he said. "They really got abused, raced, hill-climbed. It's harder to find them all intact."

All in all, the Deadwood store opening has definitely kicked things into high gear for Jerry Greer's.

"The reason we're here is that Deadwood is a destination point," Todd said. "Just yesterday, we had people from Montreal, from Germany, people come here from all over the world."

Todd gestures out front and says, "You

can see what's happening right now," as a group of motorcycle riders rubber neck at the Indians parked out in front of the shop.

Another group walks down the street, only to stop and snap pictures of the beloved bikes.

"We call that area out front the corral," Todd explained. "It's designed so we could open up the garage, have the bikes outside, so people can see what we're doing in here."

Jerry Greer's in Deadwood is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and seven days a week in August.

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NOSTALGIA CYCLES

TREVINO’S LEATHERS

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Your 2016 Sturgis Rally

Schedule of Events OTORCYCLE 76th ANNUAL STURGIS M

RALLY

AUGUST 8-14, 2016

STURGIS MOTORCYCLE RALLY HEADQUARTERS Open Aug. 4-13, 9 a.m.-9 p.m.

1019 Main St., Sturgis, SD 57785 (605) 720-0800 www.sturgismotorcyclerally.com

STURGIS MOTORCYCLE MUSEUM & HALL OF FAME

Open 7 days a week $10 for one person, $15 for two people, $30 for five people, seniors 62+ $1 discount Free for children under 12 with an adult admission.

999 Main St., Sturgis, SD 57785 (605) 347-2001 www.sturgismuseum.com

BLACK HILLS HARLEY-DAVIDSON

I-90 Exit 55, Rapid City 100+ Manufacturers and Vendors on sight July 30 & 31 — Pre-Rally rollout Aug. 3-13 — Sturgis Rally www.blackhillshd.com

RACES AND HILL CLIMBS Jackpine Gypsies Race Schedule Jackpine Gypsies Club Grounds Short Track Rd., Sturgis www.jackpinegypsies.com Events tentative Aug. 7 — Moto-X Aug. 8 — Hillclimb P. Hoel Memorial Outlaw — PRO/AM Short Track Aug. 9 — PRO/AM Xhort Track Aug. 10 — Verta-X Hillclimb Aug. 11 — JPG Tour PRO Verta-X Hillclimb

Baggers Race & Rodeo Aug. 12 — PRO Hillclimb White Plate Flat Trackers Pappy Hoel Classic Motorcycle Races Meade County Fairgrounds Aug. 8 — 10 a.m. Pro Half-Mile Aug. 9 — 10 a.m. Vintage Black Hills Harley-Davidson presents AMA Pro Flat Track Race Black Hills Speedway

2467 Jolly Ln Rapid City Aug. 9 5:15 p.m. — pre-race show 6:30 p.m. — Opening Ceremonies www.blackhillshd.com Sturgis Dragway East of Sturgis on Hwy 34 then turn North on Hwy 79 less than a mile www.sturgisdrags.com Aug. 6 — MC Rally- Move in/Test & Tune Aug. 7-8 — MC Rally/Nitro Drags Aug. 11 — MC Rally/S&S Demo Ride Day Aug. 26 — Kool Deadwood Nights/Street Legal Drags Buffalo Chip Campground, Sturgis www.buffalochip.com Aug. 10: 1:30-3:30 p.m. — Buffalo Chip Street Drag Invitational with Crazy John 3:30-4 p.m. — Seattle Cossacks 4 p.m. — Roland Sands Design’s Super Hooligan Races

RIDES 14th Annual Sturgis Mayors ride Aug. 8: 6:30 a.m. — Registration 9 a.m. — Departs from Motorcycle Expo, Sturgis To register, call (605) 720-0800 www.sturgismotorcyclerally.com/info-guide/ mayors-ride.php Legends Ride Celebration Aug. 8: 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. — Registration 3 p.m. — Ride leaves Deadwood 5:30 p.m. — Legends Ride Celebration at Buffalo Chip Campground 7 p.m. — Legends Ride Live Auction www.buffalochip.com Black Hills State University’s Jacket Ride for Veteran Scholarships Aug. 9: 8:30 a.m. — Registration at the Donald E. Young Center, BHSU campus, Spearfish, SD 10 a.m. — Ride Departs $50/ Rider, $25/passenger Benefits Veteran Scholarships 1625 St. Joe Street Spearfish Contact Steve Meeker at (605) 642-6228, Or steve.meeker@bhsu.edu

Biker Belles Aug. 9: 10 a.m. — Registration 3 p.m. — Group Photo at The Lodge at Deadwood 3:15 p.m. — Ride from Deadwood to The Buffalo Chip 7 p.m. — Auction www.bikerbelles.com 18th Annual Custer Cruisin’ Mayors Ride Aug. 4: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. — Registration at VFW Post 3442 Registration fee $25 Ride departs at 1:15 p.m.

721 Mt. Rushmore Road, Custer (800) 992-9818 info@custersd.com 16th Annual Dakota Thunder Ride Aug. 9: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Ellsworth Air Force Base 3rd Annual BasezBroz Ride with Ben and Eric Bostrom and Friends Aug. 10: 8 a.m. — Registration at Sturgis Dragway Registration fee is $150/rider + Tax Ben and Eric will take you for a 50-mile ride through the Black Hills After ride party at the Sturgis City Park Pappy Hoel Motor Ride Aug. 10: 11 a.m. — Ride starts Full Throttle Saloon www.fullthrottlesaloon.com Freedom Celebration Ride Aug. 11: 9 a.m. — Parking and Registration Begins 1:30 p.m. — Ride to the Buffalo Chip 2:45 p.m. — Arrive at Buffalo Chip www.buffalochip.com Annual Veterans’ Ride & Ceremony Aug. 11: 11 a.m. — Beings at Custer VFW Post 3442 www.custercruisin.com 5th annual Haulin’ for Heroes Ride (Led by Big Kenny of country duo “Big & Rich”, Niles Harris, John Paul DeJoria and many more.)

Aug. 11: 10 a.m.–12:45 p.m. — Registration 1 p.m.–2 p.m. — Ride Immediately following ride: Live music, Live auction, Hors d’oevres Deadwood Mountain Grand 1906 Deadwood Mountain Dr., Deadwood, SD (605) 559-1157 info@deadwoodmountaingrand.com 2nd annual Aidan’s Ride Sturgis Aug. 8: 9 a.m.

Sturgis Guns 2324 Junction Ave Sturgis, SD 57785 Aidan Jack Seeger Foundation Charity Ride to fight ALD Serenity Ride Aug 11: 9 a.m.–noon Depart at 10 a.m.

Arrive at Nemo Rock at 12 p.m.

St. Thomas Episcopal Church

21

BUILDERS AND EXHIBITS BUFFALO CHIP CAMPGROUND, STURGIS

www.buffalochip.com Motorcycles as Art Aug. 7-12: 2 p.m.–10 p.m.

Michael Lichter presents: “The Naked Truth” Buffalo Chip Rat’s Hole Custom Bike Show Aug. 11: Noon–5:30 p.m.

Buffalo Chip Hamsters USA Custom Bike Show Aug. 11: Bikes arrive at 2:30 p.m.

Deadwood Mountain Grand

DEMO RIDES Harley-Davidson lot Lazelle & 4th St. 2016 Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Lineup Free 2016 Harley-Davidson Motorcycle test rides Yamaha/Star, Victory, Indian, and Can Am Spyder Hersruds of Sturgis, I-90 Exit 30 Slingshot, Honda, Victory, Cam-am, Suzuki Demo Rides Rice Honda & Black Hills Victory 301 Cambell Street Rapid City

CONCERTS The Harley-Davidson Rally Point Main St. & Harley Davidson Way (formerly 2nd St.) Downtown Sturgis Aug. 5 — Live Music: Randy McAllister, noon-3 p.m.

35th & Taylor, 4-7 p.m.

Opening ceremony 5:00PM Aug. 6 — 35th & Taylor, noon-3 p.m.

Lexi Larson, 4-7 p.m.

Aug. 7 — Lexi Larson, noon-3 p.m.

35th & Taylor, 4-7 p.m.

Aug. 8 — The Art of Pinstriping presented by the H-D Museum®, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Mayor’s Ride

Randy McAllister, 12:30-3 p.m.

The Devil in California, 4-7 p.m.

Aug. 9 — The Art of Pinstriping presented by the H-D Museum®, 11 a.m.- 1 p.m.

The Devil in California, 12-3 p.m.

Good Ride

Bike Show, Registration 8 a.m., Judging noon, Awards 4 p.m.

Military Ride

Randy McAllister, 4-7 p.m.

Aug. 10 — Randy McAllister, 12:30-3 p.m.

The Devil in California, 4-7 p.m.

Aug. 11 — Chris Duarte, noon-3 p.m.

35th & Taylor, 4-7 p.m.

Aug. 12 — Meet and Greet UFC® Fighter, 1-2 p.m.

EVENTS Pg 22

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Events from Pg 21

Chris Duarte, noon-3 p.m.

35th & Taylor, 4-7 p.m.

Angel’s Ride Aug. 13 — Chris Duarte, noon-3 p.m.

35th & Taylor, 4-7 p.m.

MDA® Raffle — Grand Prize Bike Drawing, 4:15-4:30 p.m.

Buffalo Chip Campground Aug. 3-8 Buffalo Chip Campground East of Sturgis Aug. 5 — Jimmie Bratcher; Drake White & the Big Fire; Willie Nelson Aug. 6 — ONE, the only tribute to Metallica; 3 Doors Door Aug. 7 — Tim Montana & The Shednecks; Midnight Mob; Leon Russell; Kid Rock Aug. 8 — Elle King; Lynyrd Skynyrd Aug. 9 — Stolen Rhodes; The Grizzled Mighty; Texas Hippie Coalition; Mothership; Cheap Trick Aug. 10 — Stolen Rhodes; Low Volts; Reverend Horton Heat; Five Finger Death Punch Aug. 11 — Ratt; Miranda Lambert Aug. 12 — Sweet Cyanide; Pop Evil; Buckcherry Aug. 13 — Weird Al Yankovic Other performances: SGT Rock; Reformed Whores; The Living Deads; MMS; BC and the Big Rig; Nicnos; Well Hung Heart; The Mods; Colossal Boss; Charlie Brechtel Band; Iron Cowgirl Missy; Brian Grilli; Brandon Jones and the Thirsty Fish; The Flaunt Girls; Buffalo Dreamers; Dwight York; CaptainJack; Josh Funnemann, and Dueling DJs: DJ Hulio & VIP Rob. www.buffalochip.com Full Throttle Saloon Highway 34, Sturgis Aug. 5 — Sevendust; Crobot Aug. 6 — Molly Hatchet Aug. 7 — Brian Howe Aug. 8 — Foghat Aug. 9 — Ted Nugent Aug. 10 — Cinderella’s Tom Keifer Aug. 11 — Jackyl Night!!

Aug. 12 — Black Label Society Aug. 13 — Zakk Wylde Book of Shadows II Aug. 14 — TBA www.fullthrottlesaloon.com Shade Valley Entertainment & Music Shade Valley Camp Resort, 20158 137th Place, Hwy 34, Sturgis

www.bhpioneer.com Aug. 8: 9 p.m. — The Charlie Daniels Band Aug. 9: 9 p.m. — Confederate Railroad Aug. 10: 9 p.m. — Black Hawk

OTHER COOL STUFF! Military Appreciation Day Aug. 9 City of Riders Motorcycle Expo, Sturgis Globe and Wall of Death Full Throttle Saloon, Sturgis Killed in Action National Ride-in and Veterans Memorial Garden Tilford Road, I-90 (exit 40) Piedmont (ABN Rally Store) Signs & Wonders Bike Art Show Aug. 8: 10 a.m.- 3 p.m.

Vendor Row Custer, SD www.custercruisin.com Vietnam Memorial Wall Rally Week Buffalo Chip Campground, Sturgis Main Street photo towers Open daily Main Street, Sturgis James Otto Aug. 11: Live Music 6-9 p.m.

Main Street Square Corner of Main & 6th, Rapid City Corn Fest Aug. 9: Noon-5 p.m.

Lee Street Station Deadwood

Schedule as of July 5.

All dates and times subject to change without prior notice.

Not responsible for misprints or errors.

Bikes fill the Deadwood Information Center parking lot. Pioneer file photos

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23

Expansion planned for Klock Werks Kustom Cycles in Mitchell

By Evan Hendershot THE DAILY REPUBLIC

MITCHELL (AP) — As Brian Klock would say, Mitchell is crushing it.

Despite worldwide brand recognition and growing sales one might expect from a company based in a big city, Klock and the Klock Werks Kustom Cycles crew wouldn't want to work anywhere else.

"Early on I had people say, 'Hey, you could move to Texas, move to California and team up with us, we can do this, we can do that,'" Klock told The Daily Republic. "And I said, 'Do you know what? I'm going to chase my dream from right here.'"

The Emery native, who started the business in 1997 alongside John Patton and his first employee Dan Cheeseman, recently decided to expand the business in his adopted home of Mitchell with plans to add a $600,000 warehouse to boost its growing distribution efforts for motorcycle parts.

As the company approaches its 20th year in business, Klock maintains that Mitchell is the perfect fit for the business. Developed during the Internet boom, Klock Werks had the ability to promote its clever motorcycle designs and quality service early on. With the recent transition into distribution of major amounts of product, Klock still points to technology as

the means to make it work in Mitchell.

"With technology, you can do whatever you want from right here," Klock said.

Last month, Klock pointed to a towering stack of product ready to be shipped worldwide. With the ability to airmail the company's popular fenders and windshields throughout the world, Klock sees no reason to leave Mitchell in the rearview for New York or Los Angeles.

And working out of Mitchell has had virtually no impact on the small 17-employee business that operated out of Patton's garage 19 years ago.

But through all the success of the company, and with the new building on the way, Klock realizes there are many people in Mitchell who don't know quite what the company does.

When the business revved up in 1997, Klock Werks Kustom Cycles focused on building unique bikes and offering mechanic services to the people of Mitchell. But the business rocketed toward success when Klock and his team set out to make the best fender on the market, one that wouldn't flex or succumb to normal wear and tear like many others available.

While Klock regularly heard there was no room for him in the sheet metal industry, he

kicked the negativity to the curb to create the top-selling fender on the market.

Klock, now joined in the business by his wife, Laura, was riding a wave of success garnered from his nationally recognized bike builds. In 2006, the company won the Discovery Channel's "Biker Build-Off" against Indianapolis-based Chopsmiths with a bike that would lead to a revelatory idea for the company.

Shortly after winning the build-off, the company took the bike west to the Bonneville Salt Flats, where Laura Klock piloted the bike to a land speed record. While hitting a top speed of 143.6 mph across the hardpacked salt in Utah, the Klock Werks team realized the front fairing was lifting the bike as it increased speed. Brian Klock said it was the ride back to Mitchell where he had an idea that would revolutionize the business for the better.

Klock realized he could create a safer ride by inventing a windshield allowing better airflow over the front of the bike with the help of a grooved windshield. He said a third party predicted he could sell 500 of what would become Klock Werks' signature Flare Windshield over the life of the product, but Klock took a leap and ordered 1,000 windshields for distribution.

Klock Werks would go on to sell 18,500 windshields in the first year of the product alone and the company grew by 650 percent.

The company now sells more than 25,000 windshields annually, and Klock said the product was so popular it was later imitated

by Harley-Davidson.

"What they did is they validated that those kids in South Dakota might have been onto something," Klock said.

But Harley-Davidson's similar product hasn't put a dent into Klock Werks' sales, and the company continues to thrive. Now distributing high-strength magnetic cell phone holders for motorcycle handlebars and a line of cleaning products, the company is offering more than ever to its growing fan base.

With a newfound focus on product distribution, Klock Werks is in the middle of another crossroads in its business strategy.

After abandoning the service shop in favor of more profitable product development and distribution, which Laura Klock said disappointed some Mitchell residents, the next step may be to finally call it a day for their fender business.

"It's not always been easy to change, but you have to be willing to change in order to grow," Laura said.

Klock Werks Kustom Cycles Pg 24

Black Hills State University

invite you to the 4th Annual

!

E D I R KET

& Yellow Jackets

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h Hills wit the way! k c a l B Northern locals leading Tour the RAISING MONEY FOR

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR VETERANS

BLACK HILLS IRON©

is produced by the Black Hills Pioneer, 315 Seaton Circle, Spearfish, SD, 57783, (800) 676-2761 www.bhpioneer.com • bhiron@bhpioneer.com Letitia Lister, publisher Mark Watson, managing editor Adam Hurlburt, reporter; Kaija Swisher, reporter Jaci Conrad Pearson, reporter; Lacey Peterson, reporter Alison Walk, layout The publisher will not be responsible or liable for misprints, misinformation or typographic errors herein contained.

Publisher also reserves the right to refuse any advertising deemed not to be in the best interest of the publication. © 2016 BLACK HILLS IRON, all rights reserved.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9 Ride Starts at 10am at the Joy Center

1531 St. Joseph St. on the BHSU Campus (beside the football field)

Registration starts at 8:30 a.m.

Ride Ends at Scott Peterson Motors, Sturgis

$50.00 per Rider $25.00 per Passenger INCLUDES: Limited Edition T-Shirt Ride • Lunch • Prizes • FUN ALL FOR A GREAT CAUSE!

For more information contact Steve Meeker 605-642-6228 or steve.meeker@bhsu.edu

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Klock Werks Kustom Cycles from Pg 23

But closing one door will open another one of Mitchell's most celebrated success stories. Laura Klock said the company is working to develop Flare Windshields for other types of recreational vehicles and boats, and a new website to help boost web sales is expected to launch in June.

The company has also continued to design bikes in association with corporations around the country. Recently, Klock Werks teamed up with Jack Daniel's to design a bike that ties into the company's Tennessee Fire whiskey.

While Klock said the Flare Windshields remain the core of the brand, he said opportunities to work with companies like Jack Daniel's makes it possible to continue research and development of new and improved motorcycle parts.

"That's just because that allows me to do what I love, but that's not the core," Klock said.

The company also teamed up with Jack Daniel's and Indian Motorcycle to design a bike for Jack Daniel's 150-year anniversary. With the full support from both companies, Klock was given a chance to show what kind of quality product could be developed in small-town South Dakota.

Jack Daniel's decided to manufacture 150 bikes using Klock's design, and Klock said the project would have been a success if all were sold within one year's time. But the product carefully crafted right here in Mitchell wouldn't need more than eight hours to sell out.

"It was a huge, huge gamble for us, because if the bikes would've flopped, we're the idiots," Klock said. "But if we hit the home run, we win."

And Klock Werks knocked it out of the park.

Klock, whose team designed the bike on a handshake deal with Indian and Jack Daniel's, said he had only hoped to sell one Flare Windshield for each bike, but the product sold so fast Jack Daniel's and Indian Motorcycles thanked Klock by giving him bike number 150.

Brian Klock, President of Klock Werks, shows the difference between the fenders his company makes and how sturdy and durable they are versus many of the other competitors fenders that are thinner and less durable. Fenders were the first product made by Klock Werks that launched the company beyond a custom bike shop. Photo courtesy of Matt Gade/Mitchell Daily Republic

"When I walked into the launch in Daytona, (Jack Daniel's director of events and sponsorships) Dave Stang met me at the door and he goes, 'If you were a little better looking I'd kiss you on the lips,'" Klock said about the response he earned for his motorcycle design.

With success after success over the past 19 years, Klock

credits the hard workers he found in Mitchell for keeping the company moving forward and their commitment to excellence.

"It's just been this crazy ride, but I always say it takes a team to win the Super Bowl," Klock said.

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Bike build by the numbers

2016

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Specifications General

Bike Owner: Scott Lister, Spearfish Year/Make/Model: 2008 Harley-Davidson/ FLHTC Build Time: 5 months Wheels: Renegade Wheels/Yukon Rotors: Renegade Wheel

Finish/Paint Colors: Lobster Red Metallic/Aluminum/Star Fire Black Metallic Body Work: Jakes Collision Repair, Sturgis, SD

Aaron School, Owner Painters: Tevin Larson

Bryce Heying

Aaron Schoon

Dennis Hansen

Slade Hansen Graphics/Pinstriping: Ian Strachan

Accessories Front Fender: 2013 Harley-Davidson/FLHX Stretched Tank: Baggster, Spearfish SD Side Panels: Baggster, Spearfish SD Dash/Gas Tank Cover: Arlen Ness, Dublin CA Saddle Bag Latches: Arlen Ness, Dublin CA Rear Filler Panels: Klockwerks, Mitchell SD Taillight: Kuryakyn, Somerset WI License Mount: Kuryakyn, Somerset WI

Pioneer photos by Mark Watson

RAPID CITY

2650 JACKSON BLVD #9

605-721-6699

HealthySystemsUSA.com

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Legends Ride raises funds for charities

DEADWOOD — The Sturgis Buffalo Chip invites you to participate in a Sturgis Motorcycle Rally tradition on Monday, Aug. 8 — the ninth annual Legends Ride. This event is dedicated to bringing Rally goers together to raise significant funds for local charities. The Legends Ride has, since its inception in 2008, raised nearly $400,000 for charity and hosted riders from all over the world, in addition to some of the biggest names in television, film, music and motorcycling.

The Legends Ride kicks off the rally with an unparalleled live custom motorcycle auction right on Deadwood’s historic Main Street. Following the auction, riders will enjoy a self-guided, scenic ride alongside hundreds of fellow Legends Riders through the beautiful Black Hills. All riders will reconvene at the special riders-only reception complete with complimentary food, drinks and viewing of the world-class Motorcycles as Art exhibit.

The Legends Ride is truly iconic. Its high-profile, celebrity appeal has been featured on CMT, the National Geographic Channel, the Tonight Show, FX Network and the Travel Channel, as well as in countless print, online and newspaper articles.

Don’t miss your chance to meet, ride and party with the stars, all while raising money for worthwhile charities. Join the Ride that Rocks during the rally by reserving your tickets online or calling (605) 347-9000.

The annual Legends Ride will take place Aug. 8 starting in Deadwood. Pioneer file photo

Pioneer file photo

Photos courtesy of Steve Babbitt

Top rides

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in the Black Hills Pioneer Staff Reports

SPEARFISH — With Sturgis situated in the heart of the Black Hills, the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is the venue for some of the best riding in the country.

From long stretches of highway on the scenic plains to curves and tunnels through the beautiful Black Hills, there is something for every kind of biker here.

The following is a list of our favorite rides.

Nemo Road

Off Highway 385, Rapid City to Brownsville

A nice, lazy ride through some of the less-populated parts of the Black Hills, Nemo Road offers amazing views, twisty turns, and straight highway stretches that promise bikers entertainment and relaxation. Just one trip down this road and you will understand why Sturgis Rally veterans call this “The best kept secret in the Black Hills.” The Nemo Bar & Grill also offers bikers great food and cold drinks for a scenic break from the road that is filled with first-class hospitality!

Badlands Loop State Scenic Byway

S.D. Highway 240, Badlands National Park

An approximate 30-mile ride, this highway cuts through the natural rock formations of Badlands National Park. A

Spearfish Canyon on Two Wheels

If you’re a regular attendee of the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, chances are you’ve ridden Spearfish Canyon at least once, and probably more frequently.

Spearfish Canyon is older than the Grand Canyon if you can believe that! It’s smooth, well maintained, and its curvaceous pavement is a joy to ride for any bike/ motorcyclist. The 35 mph speed limit allows the canyon walls to talk back to you in the form of your motorcycle’s reflected exhaust note. If you’ve never ridden the canyon, it’s about time you did. It’s an unforgettable motoring treat for any rider or driver. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for excessive speed vehicles; some riders can’t resist a little extra speed. Keep your eyes on the road though; you can stop almost anywhere in the canyon to take a longer

favorite of bikers who flock to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, this route also features natural grasslands that are filled with hundreds of different species of plants and wild animals. Scenic overlooks also offer great photo opportunities.

Custer State Park 13329 U.S. Highway 16A, Custer

Custer State Park isn’t just home to one of the largest free roaming buffalo herds; it’s so beautiful that the State Game Lodge served as the summer White House for President Calvin Coolidge in 1927.

This 71,000-acre vacation paradise is home to abundant wildlife and buffalo herds, making it common to encounter a “Buffalo Jam” while driving in the park.

Look for elusive elk, deer, big horn sheep, mountain goats, and bands of begging burros. Four distinct lodges offer accommodations to suit every family, from rustic and historic to elegant and upscale. All offer unique on-site activities, including Jeep rides to the buffalo herds, guided fly-fishing, and chuckwagon suppers. There are also endless camping opportunities in the park.

Crazy Horse Memorial

12141 Avenue of the Chiefs, Crazy Horse (near Custer)

Crazy Horse Memorial is the world’s largest sculpture-in-progress, and frequent drilling and mountain blasts make each visit unique. When completed, Crazy Horse Memorial will stand 563 feet tall. look at one of the many different spots of interest. Starting at the mouth of the canyon at the extreme east end of Spearfish, the road takes vehicles past the golf course and into the verdant and summer leafy steepwalled canyon. Halfway up the canyon is Spearfish Canyon Lodge, a great place for lunch if you don’t want to wait to arrive at Cheyenne Crossing, world famous for its burgers and hospitality. A quarter-mile hike down the trail-footpath below the lodge will get you to Spearfish Falls; don’t forget your camera. If you skip the lodge stop, and continue almost another 10 miles, you’ll get to the aforementioned Cheyenne Crossing at the junction of Highway 85. Make a left and head for Lead, S.D. It’s an uphill climb away from Cheyenne Crossing, and the speed limit is 55 mph. Throttle up, but stay within the speed limit. Continue through Lead, then Deadwood, and before you know it, you’re in Sturgis. See you on the Road.

— Buck Lovell

Sundance, Wyo., to Devils Tower

Sundance, Wyo., sits astride Interstate 90 approximately 53 miles west of the city of Sturgis. With a population of 1,139 souls, Sundance is visitor friendly, especially during Sturgis Rally days, and hosts a permanent full service HarleyDavidson dealer with everything from T-shirts to leathers and rain gear. I recommend you start this ride during the mid-morning hours and return during the evening. If you do this, you’ll have the sun at your back both directions. Leaving Sundance northwest on Highway 14, it is a continuous uphill climb into heavily timbered wild territory with panoramic views all around. The speed limit is 65 mph unless otherwise posted; you probably won’t get into sixth gear on the way up to Devils Tower. Pay attention while on Highway 14: wild deer abound.

If you see one, there are probably several more nearby, their favorite pastime being unexpectedly dashing across the road after hearing the noise from your loud pipes. When you get to the junction of Highway 14 and Highway 24, you’ll turn The project was started in 1948 by sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski and Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear to honor the heritage, tradition, and culture of North American Indians. Its namesake, Crazy Horse, was a war leader of the Oglala Lakota tribe and a prominent leader in the Sioux resistance to white encroachment in the Black Hills. His bravery and skill are admired, and he is revered by the Sioux as their greatest leader. The complex surrounding the mountain carving includes the Indian Museum of North America, the Native American Cultural Center, the Sculptor’s Studio, and a 40,000-square-foot orientation center and theater. Nightly performances of a multimedia laser-light show spotlight American Indian culture using dramatic animations and a stirring musical score.

In June, the Crazy Horse Volksmarch opens to hikers a 10K route that winds around the base of the mountain and up onto Crazy Horse’s outstretched arm.

Korczak’s wife and family have continued the project and the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation. An entrance fee is required to enter the memorial, which is open year-round, and good for one day of admission.

Proceeds fund further development of the memorial.

Peter Norbeck National Scenic Byway U.S. Highway 16A/S.D. Highway 87, Custer State Park

This ride is so cool that it deserves mentioning apart from Custer State Park! The 70-mile drive offers amazing

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northbound to finish the ride to Devils Tower National Monument. At several locations midway from the junction to Devils Tower along Highway 24, spectacular views of small canyon escarpments with rocky overhangs beg for attention from you and your camera.

As you continue riding uphill, the top of Devils Tower will begin to be visible as it rises above the horizon. At 5,112 feet above sea level, Devils Tower is the predominant landscape feature of the area. The rocky tower itself is a full 867 feet from its base to the summit. The Belle Fourche River slowly meanders away eastward 1,267 below the tower.

When heading back to Sundance, preferably in the mid-evening hours, the long slow descent makes it easy to enjoy the grand views of the terrain and typically white clouded blue skies. So majestic is the roadside scenery here, you may find yourself wanting to make this ride more than once, with the images of the first riding sticking in your subconscious. Total mileage here (round trip) is approximately 56 miles, give or take a burnout.

— Buck Lovell

views of the best the Black Hills has to offer. This scenic drive incorporates the Needles Highway (S.D. Highway 87) and Iron Mountain Road (U.S. Highway 16A). The Needles Highway features hairpin curves, drive-through tunnels, and massive granite formations that draw climbers from all over the world.

Iron Mountain Road features pigtail bridges that were constructed in a corkscrew fashion, as well as drivethrough tunnels that perfectly frame Mount Rushmore.

Lead-Deadwood

Separated by just three miles of highway but forever joined in their rich history of mining and gaming, the Black Hills’ own Twin Cities offer something for everyone! Visit the Black Hills Mining Museum, Homestake Visitor’s Center, or the Adams Museum to see the rich mining and old-west history of this section of the Northern Hills; relax for lunch or dinner at one of the many fine establishments in both towns; browse through the unique selection of gifts and supplies in Lead; or try your luck at a gaming table or slot machine in Deadwood. But most importantly, residents of Lead-Deadwood are evercognizant of the Rally and welcome the bikers with open arms. In Lead, bikers can enjoy vendors, entertainment, and bike shows throughout the week, and in Deadwood, bikers enjoy special parking privileges and other perks!

Belle Fourche

The name “Belle Fourche” is French for “Beautiful Fork” because of its site on the “Forks” of Hay Creek, Redwater River, and Belle Fourche River. Additionally, the quaint little Top Rides Pg 30

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Wildlife Loop Ride: Really Wild

If you’re looking for a short ride in between other Rally-related activities, and you’re in the area of Custer State Park, Wildlife Loop Road is perfect.

The road itself is very well maintained black top with almost no surprise potholes or other impediments to smooth riding. Don’t even think of going on this little sojourn without some kind of camera, even if it’s just the camera in your cell phone. Wildlife Loop Road has a strictly enforced speed limit of 35 mph, but if you are like most annual visitors here, you will be stopping frequently to either let the buffalo and other wild critters cross the road in front of you, or to just have a good long look. You won’t find many motorcycle rides that will give close-up views of wildlife as seen here. In many cases, these critters will hold up traffic as they stand blocking the pavement and stare in amazement at you and your

Top Rides from Pg 29 town is known for its status as the geographical “Center of the Nation.”

After the addition of Hawaii and Alaska to the United States in 1959, a point 10 miles north of Belle Fourche was named the official geological center of the United States. The site was originally in Smith Center, Kan., before it was moved to its new home in Butte County. Visitors can have their photo taken at the monument of a 21-by-40 foot compass rose made of South Dakota granite located at the Center of the Nation Visitor Center in Belle Fourche.

Wind Cave National Park

26611 US Highway 385, Hot Springs

Caves are one of the Black Hills’ most mysterious and intriguing wonders. To do your exploring underground, visit Wind Cave National Park. Stretching more than 100 miles, Wind Cave is one of the longest caves in the world, and the first cave to be designated a national park. With a mazelike, underground chamber system, Wind Cave features the world’s largest concentration of box work, a rare formation of thin calcite fins that resemble honeycombs. Above ground, Wind Cave National Park includes a wildlife sanctuary of 28,295 acres for antelope, bison, elk, prairie dogs, and other creatures to roam.

Here, the ponderosa pine forest meets the rolling prairie, one of the last remaining mixed grassland areas in existence. The cave’s visitor center is open daily except holidays. An admission fee is required to tour the cave. A list of tour options can be viewed at www.nps.gov/wica.

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vehicle. The rolling hills and wide open grassland scenery is studded with many varieties of pine and other trees of all sizes making for very pleasant riding.

Wildlife species to be seen here in Custer State Park include antelope, bighorn sheep, buffalo young and old, white tail deer, elk, coyote, prairie dogs, and all manner of flying fowl including bald eagles and other raptor species.

Custer State Park is home to one of the world’s largest buffalo herds. These buffalo live almost as they did before the West was tamed. Every year a roundup is held with buffalo harvested from the ever-growing herd. Wild “begging” burros live and play at the southernmost end of Wildlife Loop.

While the ride along Wildlife Loop Road is only 18 seemingly short miles and could take as little a 30 minutes to transit, you may find it taking just a little bit longer due to frequent stops to enjoy both the animals and the almost “as it was in the 1850s” view. I almost always do this ride both directions during the same day. No burnouts on this ride: it would only frighten the critters.

— Buck Lovell

Native American Scenic Byway

This 305.8-mile route takes bikers through the rich history and wildlife attractions of our American Indian population. It cuts through the heart of South Dakota’s grass prairie through the heart of the great Sioux Nation.

The route takes travelers through Yankton, Crow Creek, Lower Brule, Cheyenne River, and Standing Rock Sioux Tribes. Along the way, bikers will have a chance to see some wildlife, including prairie dogs, pronghorn, deer, bison, and elk.

Jewel Cave National Monument

U.S. Highway 16, 13 miles west of Custer

Located in the scenic Hell Canyon Ranger District, the ride to Jewel Cave is a gem in itself with scenic overlooks, hairpin turns, and some wildlife sightings. But once bikers get to the cave, they are absolutely encouraged to stop and stay awhile! Jewel Cave National Monument is not only the second-longest cave in the world, at more than 140 miles and counting, it is also one of the most structurally complex. Located a little more than an hour southwest of Rapid City, Jewel Cave is a regional gem tucked in the Black Hills. Exploration is ongoing in this pristine underground labyrinth. Visit chambers decorated with calcite, nailhead, and dogtooth spar crystals and other wonders like draperies, flowstone, and stalactites. The monument’s surface trails and facilities are open free of charge. A fee is required for cave tours, which are ranger-guided and are moderately strenuous, lasting about 1 hour and 20 minutes.

The cave is open daily from 8 a.m. to 4:30

p.m. except on holidays. Cave tours have been known to sell out in advance; therefore, waiting times could be several hours. Visitors are encouraged to call ahead for tour availability and to reserve tickets. Visit www. nps.gov/jeca for more information.

Rally can take advantage of the hiking trails to the top of the mountain, or just cruise on by the natural wonder located six miles northeast of Sturgis off Highway 79.

Mammoth Site

13000 SD Highway 244, Keystone

1800 U.S. Highway 18 Bypass, Hot Springs

More than 26,000 years ago, large Columbian and woolly mammoths were trapped and died in a spring-fed pond near what is now the southwest edge of Hot Springs. Discovered in 1974 while excavating for a housing development, the Mammoth Site is the world’s largest Columbian mammoth exhibit and research center for Pleistocene studies. It is truly a unique and natural location for the state.

Bear Butte

Highway 79, Sturgis

It’s simply not possible to come to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and not see one of the Black Hills’ natural wonders — Bear Butte. But seeing it and experiencing it are two different things, and all bikers should take in the scenic beauty and spiritual feeling of this site, named “Mato Paha” (Bear Mountain) by the Lakota Sioux for its resemblance to a sleeping bear. This geological formation is one of several intrusions of igneous rock in the Black Hills that formed millions of years ago. The mountain is sacred to many American Indian tribes, who go there to hold religious ceremonies to this day. Also, Bear Butte was once used by multiple tribes as a meeting point to discuss the advancement of the white man onto their lands. Bikers at the Sturgis

Belle Fourche to Sturgis via Bear Butte

Riding from Belle Fourche to Sturgis via Bear Butte can only be described as the open prairie or high plains ride.

Imagine yourself back in the 1880s riding a spirited four-legged horse.

When departing from Belle Fourche traveling eastbound on S.D. Highway 212, I recommend this route be traveled during the later part of the afternoon.

You will then have the sun over your right shoulder. Make sure you have your gas tank filled completely, for you will have no opportunity to gas up between Belle Fourche and Sturgis city limits, unless you divert north to Newell at the junction of Highway 212 and Highway 79. The speed limit on 212 is 65 mph unless otherwise posted. Riding 212 can only be reckoned to riding your horse at full gallop across the plains, but staying at 60-65 mph is the best speed to enjoy this fluffy cloud-studded, blue-sky route.

Make a point of checking the weather forecast for prevailing winds. Prevailing winds in August are typically west to east, which will give a very pleasant

Mount Rushmore Who can take a trip to Sturgis without stopping to see our nation’s Shrine of Democracy? Every year that visit gets better as there are continual improvements at the famed monument! This internationally recognized “Shrine of Democracy” is located only 17 miles from Rapid City. Surrounded

by Black Hills National Forest, the memorial protrudes from the granite with the faces of George Washington, commander of the Revolutionary Army and our nation’s first president; Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence; Abraham Lincoln, who abolished slavery in the U.S.; and Theodore Roosevelt, who reformed corruption and is responsible for our national’s national parks system and for conserving wildlife. The site also features mountain goats, the Avenue of Flags, an interactive museum, and a new visitors’ center. Visitors can also follow the Presidential Trail to the base of the mountain.

An evening lighting ceremony is also a sight to see during the summer months, and it begins at 9 p.m. Additionally, if you’ve already traveled the common route to the mountain through Keystone, try entering through the back way on Highway 244, which offers some unique scenic sights and a relaxing ride through the Hills.

Read more from Buck at BLABB (Buck Lovell’s American Biker Blog) online at www.sturgis.com.

tailwind from Belle Fourche to Highway 79 southbound. When leaving Belle Fourche, the first major landmark will be Belle Fourche Reservoir on the left (north side of the highway). There are several small towns with cafés serving home-cooked style food and cold drinks, which are well worth stopping. The smooth pavement and long radius curves of Highway 212 are punctuated by hills and rises, so for safety’s sake don’t attempt to pass on those blind curves.

Take your time and enjoy the view to the south of the Black Hills. They look black from out on the prairie; that’s how the hills got their name. At the junction of 212 and 79, you’ll turn right heading toward Bear Butte. If you’ve had a tail wind, it’s now a crosswind, so stay alert.

Also watch for deer on the road. It’s almost a straight shot to the outskirts of the city of Sturgis. You will be able to enjoy an ever changing view of Bear Butte as it grows larger the closer you get. Just before passing Bear Butte, you see the Broken Spoke Campground on the left. Continuing another 5-6 miles, you’ll make a right turn onto Highway 34 (westbound) on the way into downtown Sturgis. Total distance is about 55 miles, give or take a burnout.

— Buck Lovell

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STURGIS

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