World's largest motorcycle rally roars into Sturgis as bikers flood tiny US town

The rally is held annually for 10 days in August and involves races, concerts and group rides and typically draws about 500,000 attendees to Sturgis, population 7,100.

The event extends far beyond the city itself, with concerts, races, stunt shows, motorcycle demonstrations, vendor exhibitions and organized rides taking place throughout the region.

Indian Motorcycle is also introducing a new bike.

"The new Indian Chief Vintage Sturgis SD Edition celebrates Indian's place in the rally's history with special paint and badging inspired by Indians of the 1930s," reported Rider Magazine. "It features a classic two-tone Indian Motorcycle Red and Cream paint with a multicolored Indian Motorcycle headdress logo."

One other attraction Sturgis attendees frequently visit is Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming, a particularly popular motorcycle destination in the Black Hills.

The Sturgis Rally was started by Indian dealer Pappy Hoel in 1938, according to the official Sturgis Rally website.

"He was like a P.T. Barnum-type character. He always had a trick up his sleeve," said Vinny Terranova, who knew Hoel and his wife Pearl and who operates their original Junction Avenue motorcycle shop today as Pappy's Vintage Cycles.

"He loved motorcycles, loved racing and loved motorcyclists," said Terranova of Pappy Hoel. 

"He and Pearl always had a pot of beans and franks on the grill. Nobody left hungry."

The Hoels ran the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally for nearly 50 years, before turning it over to the City of Sturgis in the 1980s.

Kerry J. Byrne contributed reporting.