Riding Shotgun at the Sturgis Rally

Every year, the South Dakota Office of Highway Safety makes a splash at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally to encourage safe riding and helmet use. The mood? Festive. The riders? Fired Up. And us? We were happy to tag along for the ride.

We hit the road for one hog-wild weekend with our trailer (and a lot of free swag) in tow. Over three days we met riders, handed out free neck gaiters and playing cards, and signed people up for a chance to win a free custom rally jacket. Plus, we had free Jim Reaper branded waters on a 90-degree day, making our booth a literal hotspot.

All in all, the trip was a success not only for the swag but for the safety. Overall rally fatalities and DUI arrests were down. And while citations for the rally were up, that just gives us all the more reason to come back next year.

As riding season wraps up, wear your helmet and share the road. And remember, the Reaper’s always riding shotgun.