Arriving rally bikers benefit towns across South Dakota

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — The welcome mat is out in Sioux Falls for bikers like Lou Pavsek of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

This is his 12th year traveling to Sturgis. He usually stops at J&L Harley Davidson, sometimes just to say hi, but this year, his bike needs a little TLC before he continues west.

“I got oil leaking out of my clutch cable,” said Pavsek.

He says what he loves best about traveling to Sturgis is the people.

“I like Sioux Falls. This Harley shop has been a really good shop to me; I’ve had different issues over the years, and it’s been like a stopping place for me, said Pavsek.

Experience Sioux Falls, used to greet the bikers like Pavsek at the I-90 rest stop at the Minnesota border and welcome them to the state and to the city.

“They stay in our hotels, they eat in restaurants, they buy some groceries sometimes,” said Experience Sioux Falls CEO Teri Scmidt. “Those who are pulling the bikes buy more things, if you are just on a bike you don’t have as much space so a big deal big deal both coming and going.”

However, complications with state rules forced the organization to pivot away from the rest-stop welcome. They are now working on a program with the state Department of Tourism to provide area hotels with promotional material and gifts for the bikers.

“These posters will be or are already in every hotel to welcome the bikers. South Dakota Rally Rush is the Department of Tourism’s biker welcome program, and we all got together to make more things happen. And the hoteliers should be wearing these,” said Schmidt as she held a gray shirt with “Rally Rush” printed on it.

The swag also includes a rally bandana and a Kleenex packet. A 2022 study by Texas A&M study found that rally goers spend $122 a day outside of Sturgis. Schmidt believes the amount is higher. But no matter what they spend, Schmidt says the end goal is to make sure bikers feel welcome all across the state.

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