Don't fret too much, just go and be prepared to wing it.

Most of the rental places in states close to South Dakota will charge a $45.00 a day surcharge on top of rental for the week of the rally, so consider renting from states a bit further away as to avoid the extra cost. It may take you a couple extra days to get to and get back therefore absorbing the cost saving, but hey, the touring is worth it. Choice is yours.

We picked up a two man tent and a sleeping bag each in Denver and only used it twice by choice at Buffalo Chip, every other night we ended up in a motel along the way and found that there was plenty available in the towns a bit out of Sturgis, and a damn site cheaper than pre-booking special Sturgis rates accommodation, about a third less. Food, drinks and free Wifi is everywhere. Camping grounds are everywhere, motels are everywhere.

Rent a bike with luggage and either take or buy a top pack and you'lle be set. Not too many clothes as you won't need them, whatever you have to get buy it there as the prices are dirt cheap. Plan on bringing more home than you take.

Really, the best plan is no plan, as nothing can go wrong with pre-booked and advanced bookings,(except the bike of course)

Either make sure your rental can supply a GPS or go straight to the nearest Walmart, Target, Best Buy, or Office One and buy one for what it will cost you to rent.

 

ZBAN nothing wrong doing as Red did and to wing it but a couple of key points you need to know now.Firstly Sturgis is huge and you really need to be there the whole week cos there is a lot to see and you will get caught up in bars and the day will dissapear. You will need transport and a bike is the only way to go so you need to do a rental deal now from somewhere on the way to Sturgis cos there wont be any availabe if you leave it to long,There are no taxis or mini buses as such an when you consider that Deadwood where we stayed is 20 kls from Sturgis but is part of it so you can imagine how big it is .Talk to as many as you can on here and get as much info as possible.I will go again next year cos I didnt see a lot of it !! (to much time in bars ect)...but one thing is for sure it is all worth it

It's all about networking mate i did 6 weeks riding all over the states including sturgis in 2008 and i did it cheap as. Maybe i was lucky but i joined a bunch of the yank HD sites and got to know some great blokes over there they love the fact that we are so into Harley's on the other side of the world. I ended up getting a bike for free to use the whole time i was over there and it saved me a packet on rental.

I am looking at going back to do Sturgis in 2012 and have already got a couple of blokes i met while i was over there trying to hook me up with a cheap rental bike.

The internet makes the world very small these days mate so maybe join some of the yank HD sites and see who ya meet just a thought but it worked for me

Cheers

KB

 good luck with the trip ,me and wife would like to do the same 2012  or 13

good luck zyban , i'm sure whatever way you do it you will have plenty of stories to tell when you get back ,

Me and the old fart are heading to Sturgis this year   For the length of time we'll be in the states [3 months] it works out cheaper to ship your own bike over!!   And I don't get a choice, as a disabled rider I gotta send my trike !!

Have booked a cabin at the Ride 'n' Rest camp ground in Sturgis. This is the big bucket list trip