USA – 2000 Motorcycle Rally IRENA VLKOVÁ teacher.

USA – 2000USA – 2000Motorcycle RallyMotorcycle Rally

IRENA VLKOVÁ IRENA VLKOVÁ teacherteacher

Motorcycle RallyMotorcycle RallyI have been a friend with motorbikes literally I have been a friend with motorbikes literally since my birth.since my birth. All family trips, including my All family trips, including my mother's way to maternity hospital, were mother's way to maternity hospital, were nevernever made in a car but on a strong made in a car but on a strong motorbike with a "sajdka" (lateral double-motorbike with a "sajdka" (lateral double-chairchair wheel lift for my brother and me). We wheel lift for my brother and me). We called our motorbikecalled our motorbike "Viktorka" and we "Viktorka" and we enjoyed it a lot (perhaps when during our enjoyed it a lot (perhaps when during our dad's driving the "sajdka" had fallendad's driving the "sajdka" had fallen off as off as well with us, his kids, into a forest near the well with us, his kids, into a forest near the road without our dad'sroad without our dad's taking notice).taking notice).

Motorcycle RallyMotorcycle Rally


Motorcycle RallyMotorcycle RallyBut back to the U.S.A. Every good bikerBut back to the U.S.A. Every good biker knows Sturgis, hidden in theknows Sturgis, hidden in the middle of middle of the Black Hills in South Dakota. Each the Black Hills in South Dakota. Each beginning of August this smallbeginning of August this small quiet quiet American town changes, thanks to the American town changes, thanks to the global Motorcycle Rally, into theglobal Motorcycle Rally, into the non-non-stop roaring and honking (this year stop roaring and honking (this year with over half million participants)with over half million participants) reunion of the most bizarre models of reunion of the most bizarre models of Harley-Davidson, Kawasaki, Indian…Harley-Davidson, Kawasaki, Indian…



Motorcycle RallyMotorcycle RallyDuring the rally time it isn't easy to get to this Mecca of all bikers at all. Most ordinary tourists' goal is the nearby mountain Mt. Rushmore (with carved heads of American statesmen), sometimes at most Rapid City, but such "travellers" usually don't have any idea of only a few miles away Sturgis and continue travelling to the west or east coast. During the one-week rally usually a few-minute motorbike journey from Rapid City to Sturgis takes six hours or more and places to sleep in near camps are measured in inches.


Motorcycle RallyMotorcycle RallyI've known about Sturgis for a long time but all my American wandering that are always flexible, without a specific schedule, had avoided Sturgis for unknown reasons. Until this year, thanks to my friendly American bikers, I was able to live out this rally with them in one of the biker campsites directly in Sturgis. In addition to unique experience I've brought some information you could be interested in.




Motorcycle RallyMotorcycle RallyIf you don't know what to do with If you don't know what to do with excess $1.500, rent a three bedded excess $1.500, rent a three bedded cabincabin in a biker camp.in a biker camp.

Motorcycle RallyMotorcycle RallyNever touch the motorbikes you're Never touch the motorbikes you're shooting. Their owners are very shooting. Their owners are very anxiousanxious about each of your finger print.about each of your finger print.


Motorcycle RallyMotorcycle RallyDon't underestimate a helmet. Not as it Don't underestimate a helmet. Not as it ccould save your life at the inordinateould save your life at the inordinate speed of some machines, but it speed of some machines, but it spares you desperate untangling spares you desperate untangling mussed up hair.mussed up hair.



Do not rely on the fact that during your Do not rely on the fact that during your evening pub sitting the motorbike,evening pub sitting the motorbike, overheated after your riding, cools overheated after your riding, cools down. The scar souvenir on my calfdown. The scar souvenir on my calf testifies that.testifies that.



As a co-rider don't forget to give the As a co-rider don't forget to give the other bikers cheery waves.other bikers cheery waves. They are They are partial to it like our avocational partial to it like our avocational watermen.As a co-riderwatermen.As a co-rider don't forget to don't forget to give the other bikers cheery waves. give the other bikers cheery waves. They are partialThey are partial to it like our to it like our avocational watermen.avocational watermen.


After your arrival in a town you're After your arrival in a town you're expected to unfasten your helmet strapexpected to unfasten your helmet strap as the proof of your desire for freedom. as the proof of your desire for freedom. (You can amplify overall impression(You can amplify overall impression by by lying back on the back seat).lying back on the back seat).



Bikers are the best companion in pubs: Bikers are the best companion in pubs: they don't get drunk (their motorbikesthey don't get drunk (their motorbikes are waiting outside, often with a are waiting outside, often with a cop), they readily offer free transport cop), they readily offer free transport andand they don't do pointless comments.they don't do pointless comments.



A little silver or brass bell suspended A little silver or brass bell suspended on the exhaust is supposed to protecton the exhaust is supposed to protect American riders from road elves American riders from road elves (Evil Road Spirits). They cause all (Evil Road Spirits). They cause all bikers‚bikers‚ crashes and problems. crashes and problems. Magic power of donated bells is double.Magic power of donated bells is double.



Leadership of Harley-Davidson begins Leadership of Harley-Davidson begins to be threatened by the increasingto be threatened by the increasing popularity of the Indian brand, popularity of the Indian brand, classical, fully-fendered motorbikes classical, fully-fendered motorbikes whichwhich were from the very beginning of were from the very beginning of the rally.the rally.



Motorcycle RallyMotorcycle Rally As Harley-Davidson motorbike As Harley-Davidson motorbike requires, thanks to its continuous requires, thanks to its continuous tremor,tremor, everyday checking (my sloppy everyday checking (my sloppy friend's Harley-Davidson kept losing friend's Harley-Davidson kept losing singlesingle parts during riding), some riders parts during riding), some riders prefer reliability to trendiness andprefer reliability to trendiness and ride ride on Kawasaki motorbikes.on Kawasaki motorbikes.



And one advice for my female students: And one advice for my female students: don't hitch-hike in Sturgis afterdon't hitch-hike in Sturgis after the the dreaded biker LA clan Hells Angels' dreaded biker LA clan Hells Angels' arrival.arrival.


Motorcycle RallyMotorcycle RallyThe motorbike decoration fantasy The motorbike decoration fantasy knows no bounds. Riders wear knows no bounds. Riders wear demons, ragingdemons, raging wolves, snakes, skulls, wolves, snakes, skulls, eagles and voluptuous beauties' bodies eagles and voluptuous beauties' bodies drowned indrowned in colors and chrome, so the colors and chrome, so the attributes of the male tough' world. attributes of the male tough' world. Some mSome motorotorbikesbikes are coated with are coated with buffalo skin and handlebars are buffalo skin and handlebars are replaced with buffalo horns.replaced with buffalo horns.








Sturgis motorcycles can be identified Sturgis motorcycles can be identified according to a red stripe.according to a red stripe.


The innovated motorbike tricycle The innovated motorbike tricycle becomes more and more popular.becomes more and more popular. Sometimes it is supplemenSometimes it is supplementted with a ed with a roof so it looks more like a golf cart.roof so it looks more like a golf cart.




Motorcycle RallyMotorcycle Rally The rally is becoming to be the showcase of The rally is becoming to be the showcase of the typical biker fashion: leather,the typical biker fashion: leather, leather and leather and leather again (even female co-riders' leather again (even female co-riders' underwear is made of leather),underwear is made of leather), dead wolves' dead wolves' heads instead of hats, bandanna heads instead of hats, bandanna headscarves, live snakes replacingheadscarves, live snakes replacing scarves, scarves, piercing on really "all" parts of the body, piercing on really "all" parts of the body, patriots' swimsuit made ofpatriots' swimsuit made of the American the American national flag, the wide range of metal studs national flag, the wide range of metal studs and ornaments...and ornaments...





Bikers are no sociable dropouts. You Bikers are no sociable dropouts. You can find doctors, teachers and lawyers can find doctors, teachers and lawyers amongamong farmers and artists here. I even farmers and artists here. I even met a banker here.met a banker here.



Love to the wind in your hair and sitting Love to the wind in your hair and sitting over the roaring engine bringsover the roaring engine brings bikers bikers without reference to age or gender to without reference to age or gender to Sturgis.Sturgis.


Motorcycle RallyMotorcycle RallyDuring the week of the annual rally During the week of the annual rally Sturgis is chock-full of tattoo salonsSturgis is chock-full of tattoo salons (it is customary to bring a new image (it is customary to bring a new image as a souvenir on your skin each year),as a souvenir on your skin each year), traders with fox tails, bobcat leather, traders with fox tails, bobcat leather, buffalo and bull's genitals orbuffalo and bull's genitals or accessories made of the skull or a accessories made of the skull or a rattlesnake.rattlesnake.


Motorcycle RallyMotorcycle RallyEven musicians' ears can have a slice Even musicians' ears can have a slice of the action. Sturgis evenings are of the action. Sturgis evenings are dedicateddedicated to rock, blues, western and to rock, blues, western and jazz, performed by both local and top jazz, performed by both local and top American bands andAmerican bands and soloists (the soloists (the Doobie Brothers, ZZ Top, Steppenwolf, Doobie Brothers, ZZ Top, Steppenwolf, Joan Jett, Neil Diamond, TanyaJoan Jett, Neil Diamond, Tanya Tucker, Waylon Jennings ...)Tucker, Waylon Jennings ...)


USA – 2000 Motorcycle Rally IRENA VLKOVÁ teacher.

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