Bike Rallies: Rite of Passage or Played-Out Party?
Bike rallies. Sturgis, Daytona, Myrtle Beach, Laconia... they’re a rite of passage for any ripper. You’ve got to hit at least one. It’s part of earning your miles.
But after that—then what?
I’ve always liked to party hard. And I’ve always liked to ride hard. But let’s be honest: at rallies, the two rarely go together. Riders gather—some rode there, some trailered. But once they arrive, it’s mostly party and very little riding until it’s time to head home.
And I get it. A lot of these rallies aren’t exactly surrounded by epic roads. Try getting your crew to go on a ride during a rally—it’s like herding hungover cats. All they want to do is wander, drink, and dick around.
So if all I’m doing is partying, I can do that near home—with better roads, better hangover food, and a shorter ride home.
Because let’s be real—most rallies are lather, rinse, repeat. Same vendors. Same tribute bands. Same food trucks, knife guys, patch sewers, drink girls, burnout pits. If you time-traveled into the middle of one, you wouldn’t know if it was 2017 or 2025.
Am I salty? Nah. I just prefer throttle over tequila. Don’t get me wrong—I’ve got some EPIC rally stories. But they’re the kind of tales you only tell over a beer, in person, when the moment’s right. Rallies have their place. I still go—just not as often, and with different expectations.
Why Rally at All?
Rite of Passage
Your first rally is unforgettable. First Daytona. First burnout pit. First time stumbling around at 3 a.m. trying to find your tent.
Being Part of Something Bigger
The camaraderie, the chaos, the sheer scale of it—there’s a vibe you can’t replicate.
Making Memories
Some wild sh*t can happen. The kind you won’t read here. Ask me about Roar on the Shore in Erie sometime.
Why Rallies Start to Feel Recycled
Drinking vs. Riding
I show up to ride. Most show up to drink. And once the hangovers hit, no one’s interested in getting out on the road.
Same Old Story
Same vendors, same bands, same burnout comp, same dudes yelling “Wooooo!” like they’re on a payroll.
Mid Roads, No Plan
Most rally locations don’t have great roads nearby—and even when they do, rally chaos makes it a pain in the ass to actually ride them.
I’m not bitter—I just want substance over spectacle.
If I’m gonna burn a weekend, I’d rather be out crushing twisties than doing shots of Screwball with a drink girl in fishnets. And if I am partying? I’d rather do it close to home, where I can throw a leg over and rip the next day.
That said, I still hit a rally here and there. Gettysburg is a mainstay for me. It’s close, gritty, and a chance to see my crew. Yeah, we’re the reason you need earplugs to sleep.
Steel Rippers doesn’t turn its back on the scene—we just ride in with different priorities.
I do think rallies could evolve—more real rides, more performance-focused events, more variety. But right now, they’re too locked into the same beer-tent-template and calling it a wild time.
So if you’re like me, know this: it’s okay to outgrow the circuit. Some things are meant to be wild, messy, and temporary. Rallies helped shape who I am as a rider—but they don’t define me now.
The open road does. And that’s why I rip.
– Bagger Shawn
Founder, Steel Rippers
