“Is the rally really worth it?” The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and the Costs of Neoliberalism

By

Catherine McNicol Stock

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A People's Party campaign poster promoting James Weaver for President of the United States, 1892.

Populist Poster

A People's Party campaign poster promoting James Weaver for President of the United States, 1892.

Symbol used to represent the Pandora Papers leak by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.

Pandora Papers logo

Symbol used to represent the Pandora Papers leak by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.

View of Sturgis, South Dakota in 2014.

Sturgis, South Dakota

View of Sturgis, South Dakota in 2014.

Motorbikes on Main Street during Bike Week 2006 in Sturgis, South Dakota.

Sturgis Bike Week

Motorbikes on Main Street during Bike Week 2006 in Sturgis, South Dakota.

Bear Butte, located near Sturgis, South Dakota, is an indigenous religious site protected as a National Historic Landmark.

Bear Butte

Bear Butte, located near Sturgis, South Dakota, is an indigenous religious site protected as a National Historic Landmark.

Governor Kristi Noem speaking at an event in 2020.

Kristi Noem

Governor Kristi Noem speaking at an event in 2020.

South Dakota Governor William Janklow (right) at the 1983 Governor's Snowmobile Ride through the Black Hills.

William Janklow

South Dakota Governor William Janklow (right) at the 1983 Governor's Snowmobile Ride through the Black Hills.

Attendees at the 2018 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally on Main Street.

Sturgis 2018

Attendees at the 2018 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally on Main Street.

Full Throttle Saloon in Sturgis South Dakota is a famous biker bar that plays a large role at the motorcycle rallies.

Full Throttle Saloon

Full Throttle Saloon in Sturgis, South Dakota is a famous biker bar that plays a large role at the motorcycle rallies. (Image by Don Barrett, 2013)

This image of the 2010 motorcycle rally shows the corporate sponsor Sony displayed on a banner over Main Street.

Privatized Rally

This image of the 2010 motorcycle rally shows the corporate sponsor Sony displayed on a banner over Main Street. (Image by Nicholas Ng)

A panoramic view of the Black Hills in western South Dakota.

Black Hills Landscape

A panoramic view of the Black Hills in western South Dakota. (Image by Robert J Heath)

South Dakota Governor William Janklow in 2003

William Janklow

South Dakota Governor William Janklow in 2003.

A tweet from South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem encouraging bikers to attend the 2021 motorcycle rally despite the risk posed by COVID-19.

Kristi Noem Tweet

A tweet from South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem encouraging bikers to attend the 2021 motorcycle rally despite the risk posed by COVID-19.

A motorcycle parked in front of the Sturgis city limit sign.

Sturgis City Limit

A motorcycle parked in front of the Sturgis city limit sign. (2008) (Image by Chris Heald)

A view of the 1996 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

1996 Sturgis Rally

A view of the 1996 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. (Image by Rebecca Partington)

A view down Main Street between motorcycles with a banner welcoming riders to the 2005 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

Welcome to Sturgis

A view down Main Street with a banner welcoming riders to the 2005 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. (Image by Jeff Siarto)

The 2015 Congressional delegation from South Dakota: (from left) Senator Mike Rounds, Senator John Thune, and Representative Kristi Noem. Both Mike Rounds and Kristi Noem have made appearances at the Sturgis Rally.

South Dakota Congressional Delegation

The 2015 Congressional delegation from South Dakota: (from left) Senator Mike Rounds, Senator John Thune, and Representative Kristi Noem. Both Mike Rounds and Kristi Noem, who is now Governor of South Dakota, have made appearances at the Sturgis Rally.

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Cite this Site

Catherine McNicol Stock , "“Is the rally really worth it?” The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and the Costs of Neoliberalism" , Origins: Current Events in Historical Perspective

January, 2022

https://origins.osu.edu/index.php/read/south-dakota-sturgis-motorcycle-rally-neoliberalism?language_content_entity=en.