August 10, 2016 - Sturgis Buffalo Chip

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TONIGHT’S HEADLINER:
WEDNESDAY
AUG. 10, 2016
INSIDE
BIKER BELLES
Page 10
EASYRIDERS SHOW
Page 12
FREEDOM HONOREES
Page 13
RAT’S HOLE
Page 14
STURGIS WEATHER
Thurs 8/11
Wed 8/10
89/60
Partly Cloudy
ROCK, RUMBLE & REBELLION
Yeah, that describes 35 years at the Chip!
80/59
Partly Cloudy
Courtesy of weather.com
STURGIS BUFFALO CHIP’S
WOLFMAN JACK
STAGE
TONIGHT
10:30 PM
FIVE FINGER DEATH
PUNCH
8:30 PM
REVEREND HORTON
HEAT
7 PM
LOW VOLTS
TOMORROW
10:30 PM
MIRANDA LAMBERT
8:30 PM
RATT
7 PM
STOLEN RHODES/
SGT ROCK
I
t’s been 35 years since Rod “Woody” Woodruff
first rolled out the welcome mat to bikers and
that tradition has become ingrained in the culture at the Buffalo Chip. You don’t have to read it to
know you’re welcome here; you can feel it.
What better way to celebrate this milepost than
to pool the capabilities of one of
the industry’s best-known aftermarket companies and the talents of the custom world’s most
remarkable painters to build the
consummate classy custom Harley-Davidson motorcycle?
That’s the genesis of the Buffalo Chip’s 35th Anniversary
Rock, Rumble and Rebellion
motorcycle, built in a partnership with Kuryakyn, an industry
legacy in its own right. The bike
incorporates cosmetic and per-
formance parts from Kuryakyn’s extensive line-up of
brands plus brilliant 35th anniversary livery applied
by Todd “Gilby” Gilbertson of Gilby’s Street Dept.
in River Falls, WI. (See sidebar for details.)
“Kuryakyn has created a motorcycle masterpiece,” said Rod Woodruff. “It’s so much more than
I expected. The fine attention to detail and design is
remarkable, and it’s a joy to ride. There is no mistaking that the muscle and melodious grace embodied
in this bike and matching Epiphone guitar clearly
represent 35 years of rock, rumble and rebellion at
the Buffalo Chip.”
Continued on Page 2
STURGIS
PAGE 2
SHOWCASE STAGES
Wednesday 8/10
BIKINI BEACH STAGE
11 AM ................................ Bikini Beach Party
1 PM ................................................. Karaoke
2 PM ...................... Beers And Burps Contest
2:30 PM .......................... Whip Cream Twister
3 PM .............................. Rope Swing Contest
3:30 PM ............................. Slip n’ Slide Relay
4 PM ........................... Frozen T-Shirt Contest
4:30 PM .................................... Air Sex World
Championships
5:30 PM ................ Homemade Bikini Contest
7 PM ...............................BC And The Big Rig
Midnight ...............................................Nicnos
CROSSROADS EVENTS
7-11 AM .............................Sons Of Light Free
Pancake Breakfast
8 AM-8 PM .....................Ride-Thru Weddings
9 AM-1 PM .......................... Miss Buffalo Chip
Bikini Bike Wash
9 AM-9 PM ............... Husker Helicopter Rides
9 AM ........Easyriders Bike Show Registration
10 AM-8 PM ...................... Trike Daddy Derby
Noon ......................... Clint Ewing Stunt Show
Noon ............................Easyriders Bike Show
12:30 PM ............................ Seattle Cossacks
1-4 PM .........................Free Fuel Happy Hour
2-6 PM ........................... Sexy Dance Routine
Bike Wash
4 PM ......................... Clint Ewing Stunt Show
4 PM ............................Easyriders Bike Show
Awards Ceremony
4:30 PM .............................. Seattle Cossacks
5 PM ......................... David Mann Art Auction
CROSSROADS STAGE
Noon ......................Sassy And Classy Signup
12:30 PM ..............Sassy And Classy Contest
2 PM ................. Jekill & Hyde Exhaust Demo
2:30 PM ..................................Sweet Cyanide
3:30 PM ..................................... Biker Games
5 PM .......................................... Biker Games
6 PM ........................................ Colossal Boss
7 PM .......................................... Sturgis Rider
Rhythm Rockers
7:15 PM ................................... Colossal Boss
HOYT AXTON STAGE
1:30 PM ..................................... Biker Games
4 PM ................................. The Big Dick Dash
5 PM ..................................Reformed Whores
5:30 PM ....................................Dueling Dicks
6:30 PM .......................Charlie Brechtel Band
Midnight .....Midnight Endurance Ride Charlie
Brechtel Band
KINISON STAGE
8 PM ................................... Buffalo Dreamers
8:05 PM .................................. Stolen Rhodes
9:55 PM .............................. Buffalo Dreamers
10 PM ................................... The Flaunt Girls
10:05 PM ................................ Stolen Rhodes
Midnight ................................ The Flaunt Girls
12:30 AM ...................................... Mothership
ROADHOUSE STAGE
8 & 10 PM ... MMS With Sturgis Rider Rhythm
Rockers
Schedules are subject to change.
RIDER
DAILY
35 YEARS AT THE CHIP
Continued from Page 1
The motorcycle was unveiled during Daytona
Bike Week in March along with a paint-matched
Epiphone® Sheraton II guitar. That set the stage
for an epic celebration honoring 35 years of freedom, motorcycles and music at the Chip, culminating at the Sturgis Rally, right here, right now.
“The response we received throughout Bike
Week was remarkable,” said Kuryakyn President
Holger Mohr. “We’re incredibly honored Rod and
the Buffalo Chip team presented Kuryakyn with
the opportunity to commemorate their legacy
through a custom bike build. I think our product
development and design team really shocked the
industry with this project, proving there’s much
more to Kuryakyn than just chrome.”
The bike was displayed at Black Hills H-D
the week before rally and on the streets of Deadwood Monday, August 8, as the Legends Ride got
underway. Don’t be surprised if it rolls onto the
Wolfman Jack stage in the Chip’s amphitheater
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2016
one night to dazzle under the lights, too.
Of course the best place to see it would be in
your own garage and that could happen if you
want it bad enough because the one-off commemorative bagger and matching six-string are up
for private sale. Find out more here: BuffaloChip.
com/Bike
Meanwhile, let’s celebrate with Woody and the
Chip staff in the finest Buffalo Chip tradition; by
enjoying the freedom, camaraderie and unfettered
fun that naturally break out when music, motorcycles and friends unite at the Buffalo Chip.
A closer look
ROCK, RUMBLE & REBELLION CUSTOM
It’s the rare biker that rides a stock bike. But customizing your own motorcycle can be a tricky business. OEM model year changes lay traps for unsuspecting shade tree wrenches; that luggage rack or turn signal relocation kit
that was supposed to fit your make and model just doesn’t sometimes.
That’s why savvy bike owners rely on the depth of experience at companies such as Kuryakyn. It was a design team from Kuryakyn, led by Senior
Designer Michael Bates, that transformed a stock 2015 Harley-Davidson
Road Glide into the brilliant custom bagger you see here. Dubbed the Rock,
Rumble & Rebellion bike it was built as a collaboration between Kuryakyn
and the Buffalo Chip to
mark the Chip’s 35th anniversary. “Kuryakyn’s beautiful custom bagger classically
represents the 35 years of
world-class music, motorcycles, freedom and camaraderie folks have experienced
at the Buffalo Chip,” said
Chip President Rod Woodruff. “We’re delighted to be
represented by this leading
parts and accessories manufacturer.”
The cool, sleek, understated look of the beautiful
bagger was carefully crafted
by a deliberate and conscientious selection of almost
40 just-right components
from Kuryakyn’s broad
range of products. The team
used almost the entire collection of Tri-Line accessories for Road Glides, plus new satin black Teardrop Mirrors, Tune Trapper
Hidden Antenna, L.E.D. Turn Signal Conversions, Saddlebag Extensions,
and more. Enlisting participation from outside brands netted support for
the project from Bahn, Jim Nasi Customs, Mustang Seats, Performance
Machine, Progressive Suspension, Roland Sands Design, and Xtreme
Machine. Epiphone provided their Sheraton II guitar to extend the theme
and complete the package.
But as eye-pleasing as it is, the Rock, Rumble & Rebellion Glide is no diva!
Turning to their Crusher performance division, Kuryakyn designers tweaked
power and delivery with TC-24D Cams, Easy
Install Adjustable Pushrods, High-Performance
Lifters, and their new Maverick Pro Air Cleaner
and Crusader True Dual Head Pipes with 4”
Slip-Ons. Tuning is compliments of a TTS Mastertune unit. The resulting 93 rear wheel horsepower and 113 ft/lbs of torque combine for a hot
bagger profile that Woodruff described as “a joy
to ride.”
Superior braking and handling are due to PM
Differential bore Calipers, Hawg Halters 49mm
7-degree Trees and Progressive Suspension 444
Series Shocks. Kuryakyn Kinetic foot controls
plus RSD Convoy bars mated to Kuryakyn grips
and levers aid comfort and function.
Renowned custom shop Gilby’s Street Dept. of River Falls, Wisconsin, was
tapped to craft the paint scheme and it’s a stunner. Various color-matched
Kuryakyn parts seamlessly blend with the smooth satin graphite base coat.
Inspired by the style of the Epiphone Sheraton II, Gilby laid down line after
line of intricate pin striping that provides a pure, organic flow throughout the
entire build and extends to the guitar.
The bike is featured in the August issue of Baggers magazine and you can
learn more here: www.kuryakyn.com/c/rockrumblerebellion. But you truly
have to see this motorcycle with your own eyes to fully appreciate it.
STURGIS
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2016
RIDER
All about the Chip landmarks
We got the skinny about
the Chip’s iconic landmarks
from the only one who knows
the scoop: Rod “Woody”
Woodruff. And starting with
Issue 1, as part of the Chip’s
35th anniversary celebration,
we’re telling you about one
in each edition of the Sturgis
Rider Daily.
SRD: One of the newer
sculptures at the Chip is the Big Engine at the CrossRoads. What’s the story behind it?
RW: Sometimes we use our sculpture projects
as an excuse to keep the staff employed over the
winter. The Big Engine was one of those projects.
It was around 2010 and we were wondering what
we could do for a new sculpture—because, as you
can tell, we like sculptures at the Chip. A group
of us were talking about it and someone said, ‘It
should be something motorcycle.’ When we came
back from lunch Darwin had this 30-foot tall
engine drawn out on a napkin.
It was winter and snowing. I parked my 2004
Fatboy in the shop and, over that winter, Darwin built a to-scale model of that bike’s engine.
When the weather broke Darwin used the Chip’s
equipment to put the pieces together on a permanent foundation that insures this iconic sculpture
will last forever. It’s now the namesake of the Big
Engine Bar and the first thing people see when
they come in the west gate.”
Have Your Say!
What do you love about spending the Sturgis Rally at the Buffalo Chip? Drop us a line to say.
Not the verbal type? Shoot us a picture and show us how much fun you’re having. We’ll get it.
Text: 828-205-8482 • Email: GetSocial@BuffaloChip.com
Letters to the Editor: marilyn@buffalochip.com
STURGIS
Co-Publishers
Sturgis Buffalo Chip
Rapid City Journal
RIDER
Editor
Marilyn Stemp
Printer
Rapid City Journal
Advertising Sales
Rapid City Journal
Paul Mitchell, Sturgis
Buffalo Chip
DAILY
Design & Prepress
Amy Runestad,
Rapid City Journal
Contributors
Aaron Packard, Jordan Axtman, Jessica Nelson, Brad Schneck, Kevin Karns, Nelson Horsley,
Madeline Campbell, Jeff Smith, Vincent Stemp, Jack McIntrye, Mary Panerio, Shandell Cutter,
Max O’Connell, Roady Loner. Other material contributed by staff of the Rapid City Journal.
Circulation
The Sturgis Rider® Daily is published eight consecutive days during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. 9500 copies are distributed each day at 70
locations in the Black Hills and to campers at the Buffalo Chip.
Disclaimer
The Sturgis Rider® Daily neither endorses nor warrants the products or services of advertisers, nor does it warrant the completeness or accuracy of the data
provided herein. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the publishers, advertisers, editors, contributors, or their agents. Sturgis Rider® is a registered
trademark owned by Rod Woodruff. Reproduction or transmission of content herein, in whole or part, without expressed written consent is not permitted.
PRINTED IN USA
DAILY
PAGE 3
PAGE 4
STURGIS
RIDER
DAILY
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2016
MOTO STAMPEDE IS TODAY!
They don’t call it the wild west for nothin’
I
The Chip’s photographers swarm the campground daily for the best shots — but you’re out there
taking them, too. So share! The best one we get each day will appear in the next issue of this paper.
So make it a good one and remember, it has to be printable — both in content and image quality.
Text to: 828-205-8482. Email: [email protected].
f you’re taking a ride today put down the coffee and get going. Because you do want to
be back and inside the Buffalo Chip amphitheater this afternoon when the flag drops on
the extreme racing throwdown known as Moto
Stampede
It starts when beauty and the beast combine
in the Street Drag Invitational with Crazy John.
Only the best are invited to pit and spit for bragging rights, striving for the hottest ETs and highest MPHs. It’s take-no-prisoners, one-on-one
elimination racing. Whiners get out of the way!
RSD Super Hooligan racing, presented by
Indian, gets the dirt flying next. Classes include
Vintage, Hand-shifter, Pro, Hooligan and Run
What Ya Brung — all guaranteed to keep spectator eyes glued to the action. Thrills are guaranteed! Spills? We hope not!
All this mayhem takes place smack dab in
the middle of the Buffalo Chip amphitheater
with plenty of elevated viewing platforms for an
intense, chest-thumping spectator experience.
Exhausts will rumble and the ground will shake.
Before and after the races take in the Seattle
Cossacks precision drill team, Reverend Horton
Heat, Five Finger Death Punch and the Red Bull
after party at Club Chip — all amid the unpredictable serendipity that transpires when you
party with thousands of your friends at The Best
Party Anywhere™.
STURGIS
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2016
RIDER
MEET DR. JEKILL & MR. HYDE
One motorcycle: Two personalities
I
s your bike a perfectly mannered reliable rider
like Dr. Jekill? Or a snarly, impertinent beast
of a bike like Mr. Hyde? Maybe, like most of
us, you want both sides of that equation but you
only have one motorcycle. What to do?
That’s what a small R&D team in the Netherlands was wondering in 1997 when they combined Dutch engineering and German craftsmanship to develop an exhaust system that could go
from tame to tough with ease. The stainless mufflers in Jekill & Hyde exhaust systems conceal electronically controlled adjustable valves that channel
the exhaust into different sound chambers. At the
push of a button they go from mild to loud, from
angel to demon — and vice versa.
You can check out the transformation firsthand
by being at the Buffalo Chip’s CrossRoads stage
today, Wednesday, August 10, about 2 p.m. Reps
will toss out swag to get the party started, then
demo the system soon after. You’ll also find demos
at Black Hills Harley-Davidson through the week
where Jekill & Hyde will be showcasing their line
of exhaust systems.
With a J&H system, when the open road beckons and an unencumbered cruise is in order, your
bike will deliver smooth, quiet power no matter
how much horsepower lies sleeping within its
cases. But for those times when there’s no room at
all for humility, and a command performance of
your motorcycle’s capabilities can’t be denied, well,
you’re ready for that, too.
Jekill & Hyde exhaust systems are 100 percent street legal and have all the proper emissions approvals. Most are offered in both chrome
and matte black finishes with a variety of end cap
options to tweak the look.
Yes, your bike can transform from socially
acceptable citizen to deep grumbly growler without the turn of a wrench. Visit Jekillandhyde.com
to see fitments for H-D, Indian, Honda, Victory
and BMW.
DAILY
WIN
The Buffalo Chip’s ubiquitous Rod “Woody” Woodruff loves to
meet campers. He roams far and wide at the Chip, so keep your
eyes peeled for his smiling face and say hello. And if you want to
win classic Chip merch, also look for Woody in the pages of the
Sturgis Rider Daily. Each day there’s a different Woody caricature
hidden in a photo of an event or location he especially recommends. The first three campers or visitors who report their find to
the Chamber of Commerce/Rally Info Center at the Chip Crossroads win a prize. And don’t forget to take note of where Woody is
hiding out, because that’s definitely the place to be.
a
Rally Gift
Package
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For a chance to
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WHERE’S WOODY?
PAGE 5
n on
Winner to be draw
Aug. 16, 2016
rapidcityjournal.com/email
STURGIS
PAGE 6
CALLING ALL RUNNERS!
RIDER
DAILY
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2016
Feel the thunder, smell the nitromethane!
Buffalo Chip
5k is today
R
un — don’t walk — to the Buffalo
Chip amphitheater right now and
join a small but enthusiastic group
of runners for the first ever Buffalo Chip
5K Fun Run. The event has been pulled
together by the Happy Camper Enterprises fun run team, a group of campers
like you and all volunteers. So even if you
don’t want to run you can spectate or help
out. Walking the route is fine, too.
There are prizes for the top male and
female runners and fun to be had just for
turning up. All that aside, you’ll get your
blood pumping, start the endorphin flow
and get primed for another day of Sturgis
Rally vacation in the Black Hills.
Crazy John’s Buffalo Chip Street Drag Invitational and an RSD Super Hooligan Throwdown on the same
day? Right on! We’ve got drag racing, stunt teams, and four classes of dirt track racing on the Chip’s
brand new tracks skirting the Wolfman Jack stage. You’ve never seen anything like this!
Register Today
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STURGIS
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2016
RIDER
DAILY
RSD Super Hooligan Flat Track racing, Street Drags, stunt
riders and more will crank it up today inside the Buffalo Chip
Amphitheater.
brian bell
SRD: What’s your connection? Do you race?
BB: I got into racing about 10 years ago. I raced
desert motorcycles and some flat track. I just never
got good enough at flat track and I kept getting
hurt. I was going to get fired if I got hurt again so
SRD: Are there restrictions on the bikes?
BB: None of the bikes run front brakes. Hooligans have to be a stock frame, 750 or higher. The
Run What Ya Bring is literally anything, and the
Pro class is typically unlimited because the fast guys
are the fast guys.
SRD: What’s special about the track at the Chip?
BB: I don’t want to say it’s the only one of its
kind but it’s definitely a rarity to have a track shaped
like this. Whenever there’s a right-hand turn, we
call those TTs. The Pros do one TT in Peoria every
year but that’s been the only one.
Overall the track at the Chip is stellar! When
I came to inspect it at the end of July it was far
superior to what I’d expected. The races here are
going to be epic!
SRD: Why is your business called IV League Flat
track? Did you go to Yale or Harvard?
BB: (Laughs.) The IV stands for Imperial Valley,
which is the county where El Centro, California, is,
were we started. The league portion was an idea to
get promoters together to each run their own series,
but that part was a little aggressive for a brand new
promoter.
SRD: What’s your goal?
BB: This is all about trying to get eyes back on
the sport. It’s been forgotten about for so long.
track racing is ultimately controlling a crashing
motorcycle!” If you think about it, the thing is sideways. You can try to control the skid but realistically
you don’t have traction and you’re sliding.
SRD: Would you say dirt track racing is the oldest
extreme sport?
BB: I think it’s the oldest American motor sport.
It predates NASCAR, drag racing and everything
else.
Dirt track builder and race promoter Brian Bell is
on the cutting edge of the dirt track racing resurgence
and he’s been running full-on since early 2015. His
company, IV League Flat Track, designed the racetrack at the Chip this year, and it’s far from typical. We
caught up with him to learn more.
SRD: So where’d the idea come from?
BB: In SoCal we don’t have a whole lot of tracks
but we have a lot of riders. We decided to throw
a race at a little half-mile track in El Centro and
got addicted to doing it. We now average just under
one race a month. Sturgis will be the 20th event
since we started in 2014.
PAGE 7
that was what pushed me in the direction of being
a promoter.
mph — or much faster on a bigger track. It’s barbanging action, that’s how we describe it.
SRD: So your experience on the track informs what
you’re doing now?
BB: Absolutely. I know how intense it can be.
I know what riders do and don’t like. It’s not like
I’m guessing when I put these facilities together.
You could say I come from a vegetative flat track
background!
SRD: What kind of bikes will spectators see?
BB: Flat track bikes are the Harleys and Hondas and everything under the sun. We’re doing
five classes at the Chip: Vintage, Hand-shifter,
Pro, Hooligan and Run What Ya Brung. That last
class requires a costume. We had a guy in a Donald
Trump mask in Austin. He killed it!
SRD: What’s so fun about dirt track racing?
BB: It’s really intense. We call it bar to bar racing.
Guys can be an inch apart from each other going 50
SRD: Are different skills necessary for dirt track
racing?
BB: A friend of mine put it best. He said, “Flat
COME JOIN US FOR
That might change today, Wednesday, August
10th, when grassroots American competition gets
traction. RSD Super Hooligan Flat Track racing,
Street Drags, stunt riders and more will crank it
up inside the Buffalo Chip Amphitheater. Practice
sessions start about noon. In the spirit of pick-up
racing of the storied past these renegades are in it
for flat-out fun and bodacious bragging rights. It
could well be the best event of the entire Rally.
STURGIS RALLY HOUSE FOR SALE
BURNOUT
by owner in Belle Fourche, S.D. Built in 2008 specifically as a Rally House.
1,800 sq. ft., 4 bdrm/2 bath with a finished basement. Fully furnished, carport/covered patio, no-maintenance yard, 2 full-service RV spaces. Comes
with tenant since house was new ($400/mth) who vacates when you’re in
town. The house can be purchased for $160,000 with furniture, appliances,
dishes, pictures on the wall, etc. (turnkey ready). The house is located at
214 7th Ave in Belle Fourche. More information and pictures can be seen
on Zillow. Call or text 541-980-2746 or email: [email protected]
WEDNESDAY
AUG. 10, 2016
SUNDANCE, WYOMING
SRD: Back to El Centro for a minute. Isn’t that
where the Blue Angels train?
BB: Right. And I’ll tell you something: I invited
some buddies to come out to visit one time — we’re
all avid gun enthusiasts. So we were out shooting
in the desert and the Blue Angels flew right over
our heads. It was the most patriotic thing I ever
experienced!
3RD STREET
PAGE 8
STURGIS
RIDER
DAILY
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2016
Sportster Showdown
T
hey didn’t name it the Sportster Showdown for nothing! Biltwell and Led Sleds
joined forces yesterday to bring the coolest
custom Sportys to the Buffalo Chip Crossroads.
It was a celebration of a model that’s finally getting its due, thanks to an appreciation of its lightweight, reasonable cost and endlessly customizable platform. Let’s take a look at what rolled in
to the show.
The other half of the Sportster Showdown was
the after party at Bikini Beach. With live music by
Mothership, 2-for-1 Pabst and a crowd primed to
party, a raucous time was had by all.
WHO SHOWED UP?
STURGIS
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2016
RIDER
DAILY
PAGE 9
A PERSISTENT ART SPIRIT
The legend of ‘Crazy George’
“By the late ‘90s [Crazy George]
had become an institution …
which turned out okay because
he’s very talented.”
– Rod “Woody” Woodruff
I
n the Buffalo Chip’s early days, there was no
gate and no box office. Consequently, the
campground drew many free spirits who spontaneously joined in, and one of them was William
George, a.k.a. Crazy George. George kept coming back until he became the Chip’s resident artist.
“George was our unofficial branding agent,”
said Chip president Rod “Woody” Woodruff. “He
was really good at painting signs; he could print so
perfectly. One time he painted a sign for the Buffalo Chip that looked exactly like a real highway
sign and put it up on the road. It was taken down
almost right away!”
According to Woody, George hung out at the
campground early on, but he was smarter than
most people. “For years he was sneaking in and
setting up. For years we challenged security to
catch him. But no one ever did!”
George’s personal folklore claims
that when his parents came to the
Sturgis Rally from their home in the
Midwest in 1947, his mother was
pregnant. On the 8th of August, here
in the Black Hills, William George was
born, in the shadow of Bear Butte.
So it became George’s tradition to
spend his birthday in the Hills, most
years conveniently during the Sturgis
motorcycle rally. As a young man with
some spunk, George was kicked out of City
Park along with the other ne’er-do-wells in
1982, and he skulked out to the cow pasture just east of the park with the rest of the
bikers — before it was called the Buffalo Chip.
As the band of misfits returned each year, George
saw the potential of a place like the Buffalo Chip.
He wasted no time designing and selling knockoff
Chip souvenirs while expressing his creativity in
various forms: posters, patches, signage and most
memorably, body painting.
He challenged himself to perfect the art of
painting the female form — literally. The fine
print on a Chip poster from 1989 refers to Crazy
George as providing “lessons in BS, body painting, & consummate con-artistry.”
He branched out to other endeavors as well.
In the 1980s he had one of the best publications
around, Way Out Willy’s
Motorcycle Happenings
Guide, and he’s a bit of
an actor too; his claim to
fame is a bit role in George Romero’s zombie classic “Night of the Living Dead.”
“By the late ‘90s he had become an institution,”
said Woody, “which turned out okay because he’s
very talented.” He’d show up a couple of weeks
early with his hippie friends, start a campfire, and
hold court. And he always had a few ladies in tow.
His hook for selling a T-shirt to a guy was having
the lady remove it from herself after the customer
paid for it!
George’s influence became sprinkled around
the campground. Scavenging lengths of wood
and scraps of metal, some from porta-potties that
had met untimely ends, George formed them into
sculptures and art installations. He also painted
the signs above the stage, visible in many early
images. One distinctive example of George’s work,
constructed in the early ‘90s, is the red-eyed buffalo skull above the Kinison Stage at the western
edge of the Chip’s amphitheater.
Eventually George cobbled up a small shed
from found materials and ensconced himself in an
official capacity as the Chip’s information booth.
He occupied the poached spot until it became permanent by persistence.
Sidelined by a motorcycle accident in late
2014, George missed the 75th rally and is still
physically unable to make the rally this year.
However, his spirit is here, glowing from the ruby
eyes of that skull sculpture on the Kinison stage.
If you want to send him a message, stop by the
information booth and sign his birthday card.
Whether he’s here or not, he’s still celebrating his
birthday at the Chip.
STURGIS
PAGE 10
C
RIDER
DAILY
halk up another outstanding presentation of the Biker
Belles Event! This gathering of women riders and the
people who support them has carved out a solid place
in the Sturgis Rally roster and never has that been so apparent.
Enthusiasm and positive energy reigned as riders gathered and
staged for the ride at the Buffalo Chip then journeyed to the
Lodge at Deadwood for a host of connected experiences. Women
riders in the motorcycle industry shared their stories, the Team
Diva Comfort Zone delighted, and friendships were renewed and
begun.
Said program manager Toni Woodruff, “It’s both gratifying and
inspiring to witness the power of an event like the Biker Belles.
We have seen riders take the energy they discovered here back to
their own communities to make tangible differences in the lives
of others — all from the spark that started at Biker Belles.”
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2016
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2016
STURGIS
RIDER
DAILY
PAGE 11
THE CLASSICS ARE ALWAYS
For more than 80 years,Bugler® has
provided smokers with a real American
cigarette made with the highest quality
tobaccos and built by hand – your hands,
not machines. Roll Bugler today.
Bugler Tobacco is available during the
Sturgis Festival inside the amphitheater
at the Buffalo Chip General Store. Or visit
BuglerCigarette.com to find a retailer near
you and sign up for additional savings.
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PAGE 12
STURGIS
RIDER
DAILY
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2016
CUSTOM BIKE SHOW & ART AUCTION
Two chances to connect with old-school magic
N
othing screams “American V-Twin” like
Easyriders. And the editors of America’s
iconic biker rag will be in Sturgis, specifically at the Buffalo Chip CrossRoads, today,
Wednesday, August 10, for the Sturgis Ride-In
Custom Bike Show and
an original art auction.
According to Joe Teresi,
owner of Paisano Publications, “The 76th Anniversary of the Sturgis Rally is
also the 46th anniversary
of Easyriders magazine
and the Buffalo Chip’s
35th. Our long collaboration with the Buffalo
Chip continues this year with a custom Bike Show
on Wednesday and an auction of biker lifestyle art
of David Mann.”
Entry in the custom show is absolutely free and
classes include Best Old School, Modified Stock,
Custom Bagger, Street Custom, Radical Custom,
Editor’s Choice and Best of Show. Registration
is from 9 a.m. till noon, judging runs till 3, and
awards are at 4. You can be sure that the best in the
west will turn out for this one. As always, Carolina
Customs provides the coveted trophies and MidUSA supplies gift certificates for the winners.
As for the auction, it features the original biker
lifestyle art of David Mann,
the longtime Easyriders artist
described by Easyriders editor
Dave Nichols as, “the Norman Rockwell of the biker
world.” Mann’s work first
appeared in issue number
three and has continued to
run in Easyriders and Biker
ever since. Many a teenaged
daydreamer taped David
Mann’s images on a bedroom wall. Now everyone
has the opportunity to own a rare piece of biker
history.
The auction starts at 5, shortly after the bike
show awards wrap up in front of the Big Engine
at the CrossRoads. So stick around for an opportunity to take home an original work of art by one of
motorcycling’s best known and loved chroniclers.
You may pre-register to bid on the paintings by
visiting the David Mann art display at the Buffalo
Chip CrossRoads or online at Easyriders.com.
So that’s two great reasons to be at the CrossRoads today: to connect with biking’s classic images
and to show off your ride. With the Easyriders editors on hand, you never know when they’ll snag
a bike for a magazine feature — and it might be
yours! But you have to be there to be seen so roll
on into the CrossRoads, enjoy the fun on tap, and
enter the Easyriders bike show.
My ride begins and
ends in my Roadtrek
With up to 7,000 lbs of towing capacity,
you can experience the luxuries and
comforts of home wherever you ride.
Visit our booth at Lazelle and 5th St.
www.roadtrek.com 1.888.ROADTREK (762.3873)
STURGIS
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2016
RIDER
DAILY
PAGE 13
FREEDOM CELEBRATION HONOREES
T
he 2016 Bob Hanson Distinguished Service Awards honor American heroes – and
that’s not a term we take lightly. Past recipients include Senator John McCain and the families of Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty, two Navy
SEALs slain in the attack on the American compounds in Benghazi, Libya.
The award ceremony happens tomorrow night
on the Wolfman Jack stage. If you’ve witnessed this
in the past you know it’s one of the most remarkable examples of respect for our nation’s military
you’ll find anywhere. If you haven’t, prepare to be
inspired – and humbled.
Introducing the 2016 Bob Hanson
Distinguished Service Award Honorees:
Medal of Honor recipient Gary Wetzel distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the
call of duty while serving in Vietnam. His incredible story of courage and indomitable drive to assist
and save his fellow crew members while suffering
from severe wounds is a testament to unswerving
devotion and bravery.
Sadly, on his way to Sturgis, Wetzel was badly
injured when his trike went off the road near La
Crosse, Wisc. Due to several fractures he is scheduled for surgery but is expected to fully recover.
“Gary is in pain but he has nine lives and is
already on number 18,” his wife Kathy wrote in an
email. We wish him the very best as he heals.
While deployed in Afghanistan in 2010, Glen
Silva stepped on an improvised explosive device
and sustained horrific injuries. He lost his left leg
above the knee and the blast shattered his left pelvis,
resulting in complete amputation of his penis and
testicles. His lower stomach was ripped open, both
lungs were popped, left forearm and hand were
shredded to the bone, all his teeth were shattered,
both ear drums were popped and he sustained traumatic brain injury. As a motivational speaker, Glen
has appeared before a wide range of organizations
and has worked with Feherty’s Troops First Foundation to provide meaningful assistance to military members wounded while serving in Iraq and
Afghanistan.
Robin Andersen honorably served 30 years in
the United States Navy and has an extensive military background. Her primary role now is that of
veteran advocate. As the mother of Rob Guzzo, a
Navy SEAL who lost his battle with post traumatic
stress and traumatic brain injury on Veterans Day
2012, Andersen uses Rob’s story to increase awareness of PTS and TBI, and reduce the stigma preventing today’s warriors from seeking help. She
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currently volunteers her time and talent for America’s Mighty Warrior’s as their Director for Helping
Heroes Heal Program. In this capacity she speaks
about the signs and symptoms of PTS and TBI,
and their effect on the warrior and the family. Her
primary mission is to instill hope in the often forgotten warriors suffering from the invisible wounds
of war.
While deployed during operation Iraqi Freedom,
Chief Petty Officer Benito Olson was critically
wounded as a two-story house detonated - burying him, his teammates and dog. After nine months
of vigorous rehabilitation to repair two shattered
femurs, wrist, and head injuries, he redeployed in
support of a Joint Task Force to Afghanistan then
deployed three additional times to Afghanistan in
support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Olson’s
personal decorations include the Bronze Star w/
Valor, Purple Heart, Joint Commendation Medal
with Valor (2), Navy Commendation Medal, Combat Action Ribbon (2), and Navy and Marine
Benito Olson
Keith Marshall
Robin Andersen
Glen Silva
Gary Wetzel
Tradition of Honor continues with 2016 Hanson Awards
Corps Achievement Medal with Valor, among others. After being medically retired from the Navy,
Benito started Patriot Dog Training. When he’s not
training law enforcement, pets and estate protection dogs, he trains PTSD service dogs for veterans.
After graduating from high school in Cheyenne-Eagle Butte, S.D., in 1964, Keith Marshall
went on to earn a teaching degree from Northern State University in Aberdeen, S.D. He chose
to join the Army as an airborne combat medic and
was sent to Vietnam in 1967 with the Screaming
Eagles, the 101st Airborne Assault Division. He
received his first Bronze Star five months later.
In February 1968, he was severely wounded but
refused medevac as he was the sole surviving unit
medic. He received his second Bronze Star while
serving with the 173rd Airborne. The day before
Marshall was to return home from Vietnam he
valiantly battled through a long, intense firefight
and was awarded the Silver Star due to his selfless
actions during battle.
19,147
As of 2005, the number of
military veterans (and their
family members) buried at Black
Hills National Cemetery
Why not stop by and pay your respects? There’s a new Fallen Soldier Memorial / Battlefield Cross
in the center of the Chip’s Field of Flags this year, too. It is altogether fitting and proper to pay
respects there, as well.
STURGIS
PAGE 14
RIDER
DAILY
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2016
THE RAT’S HOLE SHOW
World Famous 27th Annual
T
he Rat’s Hole show is older than dirt — and
we’re not just talking about the Rat Bike
Class, either. We’re talking about the granddaddy of them all! There’s no bike show anywhere
SCHEDULE
REGISTRATION
Online and until 10 a.m.,
day of show
10 AM–5 PM: Judging
5PM: Awards
www.ratsholecustombikeshows.com/#!2016-sturgis-rally/c5cq
in the world that can compete with the longevity,
tradition and cool quotient of the Rat’s Hole. That’s
a fact.
A Rat’s Hole trophy represents the ultimate in
bragging rights among bike builders and owners,
so whether you’re going for your first or adding to
an existing collection, the place to be on Thursday,
August 11, is the 27th annual Rat’s Hole Custom
Bike Show at the Buffalo Chip CrossRoads.
“We’re honored to once again host the Rat’s
Hole Show at the Chip,” said Chip owner Rod
“Woody” Woodruff. “This show always brings out
the most unique, highest quality custom motorcycles at the rally.”
“We’ve had a great relationship with Woody. He’s
done a lot to help promote the Black Hills as a great
place to be with such great entertainment and charity functions,” said Ted Smith, owner of Rat’s Hole
Bike Shows. “It was a great move for us when we
came to the Chip seven years ago and we’re really
happy here. It’s one of our biggest shows.”
In the main show there are 16 different classes
on the slate this year, which means a place for
every make and style of bike including Bobber,
Three-wheeler, Antique, Sportster, Most Unusual
and — of course — Radical and Super Radical.
For bagger owners, there’s the Black Hills Bagger Showdown, a show-within-a-show that recognizes the popularity and outrageous custom cues
of these models in recent times. They’re not your
daddy’s baggers, either!
Expect the unexpected, from hand-fabbed fantastic to world-class wild, because you can never
predict what will roll into a Rat’s Hole show. Spectators are never disappointed.
Register online or on site (pre-registered entries
get free Rat’s Hole swag!) And if your ride isn’t yet
up to Rat’s Hole standards, come out to peruse
the contenders and soak up some fun at the
CrossRoads Big Engine Bar. The spectacular Rat’s
Hole panorama is sure to get your wheels turning
with custom culture creativity that you can take
back home.
RAT’S HOLE: Then & Now
We thought it would be fun to compare recent Rat’s Hole Shows with a blast from the
past: Big Daddy Rat Karl Smith movin’ and shakin’ at shows from the early ‘90s. And you
know what we noticed? The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Then …
Now …
RISTORANTE ITALIANO
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FREE Motorcycle Parking
Open 7 Days a Week
605.348.0089
523 MAIN STREET, RAPID CITY, SD
ACROSS FROM MAIN STREET SQUARE
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2016
TEN-HUT!
STURGIS
RIDER
DAILY
PAGE 15
Don’t miss Freedom
Celebration Day
T
oday is the day to step out of your comfort
zone and do what’s right: honor America’s
military veterans at the Buffalo Chip’s Freedom Celebration and Freedom Celebration Ride.
Happily, that’s a task easily accomplished: just register online now for the third annual Freedom Celebration Ride happening tomorrow, Thursday,
August 11, and join the fun. Go to www.buffalochip.com.
Riders gather in Spearfish for music, specials
around town and a group photo before heading
out through the beautiful Black Hills. By midafternoon riders reach the Chip CrossRoads for a
private reception with special guests and dignitaries near the Field of Flags and new Fallen Soldier
Memorial. The Rat’s Hole Bike Show will be underway along with tons of vendors, stunt riders and
more at the CrossRoads.
The tribute continues into the amphitheater for
the National Anthem and a stirring presentation
of the Bob Hanson Distinguished Service Awards.
Award-winning country music star Miranda Lambert follows with a show you won’t want to miss
and a rockin’ good time. (Campground admission
pass required.)
It’s really a slam dunk, folks. Everyone registered for the ride receives a FREE pair of Wrangler Cool Vantage jeans, well worth the $75 ride
donation! And better still, 100 percent of rider registration fees go directly to military organizations
that care for wounded veterans and their families:
the Warrior Dog Foundation, Combat Wounded
Coalition and America’s Mighty Warriors. To see
the complete schedule go to www.buffalochip.com/
EVENTS/Military-Tributes/Freedom-Celebration.
What are you standing there for, soldier? Didn’t
I give you an order? Get signed up then head to
Spearfish tomorrow to join the ride or meet us in
front of the main stage that evening. And prepare
to be inspired.
STA CONNECTED
AT THE CHIP WITH
ON-SITE WIFI SERVICE
Angel or demon
Choose your sound on the fly
Sign up or get help at RallyWiFi4U
displays at the Buffalo Chip
CrossRoads or outside the
General Store in the Chip’s
amphitheater.
Or follow these steps and
you’ll be online in minutes.
1. Select wireless network #RALLYWIFI4U.
2. Open web browser and select CONNECT.
3. Select package option.
4. Enter payment information or access code.
5. You’re DONE and connected.
#rallYwifi4u
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PAGE 16
STURGIS
RIDER
It’s what Chipsters appreciate and expect, that blend of sticky pop hooks, classic metal intensity
and punk grit that Cheap Trick delivers. The rock rebels raised hell as they blended classics from
their milestone albums with new sounds, too. All unmistakably hitting fans in the gut.
DAILY
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2016
As big as Texas, loud and proud, too, Texas Hippie Coalition
let ‘er rip with heavy metal strains and unapologetic headbanging beats to pump up the Chip amphitheater.
CAPTAIN AMERICA RIDES AGAIN
First editions and film artifacts unearthed
W
hen the film Easy Rider was released in
1969 its two main characters, Wyatt
and Billy — played by Peter Fonda
and Dennis Hopper — had surprising cultural
impact for a couple of non-conformist rebels
who didn’t fit in anywhere. All these years later,
these unlikely heroes still embody the allure and
romance of striking out across the country on a
badass chopper. Fonda’s Captain America motorcycle is one of the world’s most iconic choppers.
To celebrate the film’s 30th anniversary in
1999, artist Harold Cleworth was commissioned
to produce limited edition lithographs of the
Captain America and Billy bikes. They sold well
until the hype faded. Now, 17 years later, these
first edition prints and a variety of posters, photographs and other rare memorabilia is coming
out of the vault to meet another generation of
riders.
There are several limited-edition lithographs in
various sizes and configurations, some signed by
Fonda, some signed by the artist, some signed by
both! Reasonably priced unsigned 10 x 13 prints
are also available. Your art print will be shipped
home, too, to arrive safe and sound.
See these brilliant images and artifacts in the
Art Gallery at the Buffalo Chip Chamber of
Commerce all week long. The Chip Chamber is
located at the CrossRoads, the free access area of
the Buffalo Chip where riders can get a taste of
the Chip at the Big Engine Bar.
We’d be remiss if we didn’t take this chance to
recognize the man who built the iconic Captain
America and Billy bikes for Easy Rider, Benny
Hardy. Before filming began, Peter Fonda had
called on Cliff Vaughs, an L.A.-area rider, about
building the bikes. Vaughs went to Benny Hardy,
a man known as the ‘King of Bikes’ in the African
American riders’ community at the time. Hardy
built the two bikes and, according to Vaughs, the
styling is unmistakably Hardy’s.
Benny Hardy died in 1994 without ever
receiving credit for his work in the film, a fact
made known by L.A. custom builder and fabricator Sugarbear. Bear affirmed Hardy as the builder
of the Easy Rider motorcycles in an interview
with Jesse James for the 2007 Discovery Channel Special History of the Chopper, finally getting Benny Hardy his long-overdue recognition.
Grassroots American motorcycling? We’re all
about it! So cruise on by the Chip Chamber and
snag your own piece of biker history.