1982: The year the rally almost ended
By: Sturgis Rally Daily
June, 12 2007
No history of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is complete without a discussion of 1982. This is billed as "the year the rally almost ended."
The number of campers allowed to stay at the city park was capped at 2,500. The rates were increased from $2 to $4 per night; this caused many to take refuge elsewhere and call for a boycott of the park.
Campers were required to register, produce a license number, and abide by the city's "no visitors" regulation. In addition, the park was divided into two sections to cut down on drag racing and gain some control of the park. Gates in the divider fence were torn down; rocks were thrown at city employees trying to fix the gates; some of the campers used guns to threaten a backhoe operator. After other city employees were threatened that Wednesday, Sturgis Mayor Robert Voorhees ordered all employees out of the park.
Some of the outhouses were torched; this number eventually reached 20.
Campers also tore out the speed bumps, burned a motorcycle, and chopped down a pair of trees. Subsequent meetings were held.
Months later, the following advisements were implemented: •City park would be closed; •Vendors on downtown sidewalks would observe a 5-foot clear zone; •No vendor cooking facilities would be permitted on downtown sidewalks; •The only public address system allowed downtown would be the officials'; •Downtown restroom facilities would not be at city taxpayer expense; and •The state department of revenue was urged to make a greater effort to collect sales tax.
A suggestion to not block off Main Street for motorcycle traffic only was not implemented.
Angry residents circulated a petition. It read, "We, the people of Meade County and the City of Sturgis, do not want the annual Motorcycle Classic in Sturgis next year or in the future." Enough signatures were collected, and the issue was brought to the voters.
That November, voters elected to keep the rally by an 846-758 margin.
Going back to 1980, it was estimated the total financial impact could be at least $800,000. Three residents of Washington state were arrested in 1983 for possession of more than 50 lbs. of marijuana.
Also that year, Sturgis Public Works Director Clancy Walsh said the closing of city park made his office's duties much easier.
"It's just about like a normal week for the shop," Walsh explained. "It saves us three to four weeks' work in the summer."
Martin Lavoie of Canada won the regional Half-Mile Championship in 1985 at the fairgrounds. Spectator numbers increased, as did the rider numbers.
It was speculated in 1988 that at least one-half of rally attendees were here for the first time. Officials speculated the 1987 crowd was 60,000; 1988 numbers were reported to be up by about 10 percent. One of those visitors in 1987 was millionaire Malcolm Forbes. His two goals were to bike down Main Street, and fly over town in his other Harley: a balloon costing $75,000.
More than 3,700 rally-goers attended the second annual Rat's Hole Custom Chopper Show at city park in 1988.