1040 Harley-Davidson Way, Sturgis, SD 57785, (605) 347-4422, www.sturgis-sd.gov
STURGIS – Nearly 450,000 vehicles entered Sturgis during the 86th Sturgis Motorcycle
Rally, as hundreds of thousands of visitors once again made their way to this
motorcycle mecca.
Sturgis Mayor Rod Bradley said the 2026 Rally demonstrated the event’s enduring
strength, particularly coming on the heels of last year’s milestone 85th anniversary.
“Year after year, people continue to choose Sturgis, and that says a lot about the
strength of this event,” Bradley said. “We are grateful to everyone who came to Sturgis
this year, supported our businesses and experienced what makes this Rally and our
community so special.”
South Dakota Department of Transportation traffic counts show 448,166 vehicles
entered Sturgis during the 10-day Rally period. That total was approximately 10 percent
below the five-year average of 498,042 vehicles, which includes last year’s 85th
anniversary Rally and its significantly higher traffic count.
The 2026 Rally got off to a strong start, with traffic on both the opening Friday and
Saturday exceeding their respective five-year averages.
Bradley said the numbers should be viewed in the context of the Rally’s normal year-to-
year fluctuations, particularly following a milestone anniversary.
“Even in a non-anniversary year, hundreds of thousands of visitors made Sturgis and
the Black Hills their destination,” Bradley said.
The five-year comparison includes a wide range of Rally years, including the 85th
anniversary in 2025, when traffic reached 537,459 vehicles.
Despite finishing below the five-year average overall, the 2026 Rally started strong.
Traffic on the opening Friday totaled 54,515 vehicles, about 2.9 percent above the five-
year average of 53,002. Saturday followed with 58,519 vehicles, approximately 2.5
percent above the five-year average of 57,087.
Bradley said traffic counts represent only one way of measuring an event that brings
visitors from across the country and around the world to Sturgis each August.
“We look at the bigger picture,” Bradley said. “The Rally is about the people who come
here, the businesses and organizations that serve them, and the experience we provide
as a community. Some years are bigger than others, but every Rally is an opportunity
for Sturgis to welcome the world.”
Vehicle counts are one of several measurements used to evaluate attendance at the
Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Because the traffic figures count vehicles rather than individual
people, they do not represent an actual attendance count. The City also considers other
indicators when evaluating Rally activity and attendance from year to year.
For Bradley, the conclusion of the 86th Rally also provides an opportunity to recognize
the people behind an event that temporarily transforms a community of about 7,100
residents into an international destination.
“It takes an incredible amount of work from our City employees, law enforcement, first
responders, businesses, volunteers and community partners to host the Rally,” Bradley
said. “I’m proud of the way Sturgis once again stepped up to welcome our visitors, and
we thank everyone who chose to spend part of their summer with us.”
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