                              SKID ROW

                              presents

                 Harley-Davidson: The Road to Sturgis
                      Amiga Quick Reference Card

Whatcha Need

Amiga

o Amiga 500, 1000, or 2000 computer with AmigaDOS 1.2 or later
o 512K minimum
o Color monitor or TV
o Joystick or mouse (recommended)

Note: If you've been using your computer, turn it off for about 10
seconds to reset it; then turn it back on.

Amiga 

1.  Make sure the joystick is plugged into Port 2.
2.  Turn on your monitor and computer.  If necessary, insert Kickstart
    version 1.2 or higher into the disk drive.
3.  When asked for a Workbench disk, insert the program disk, label
    side up, into the disk drive.  You will be prompted to enter a
    specified word from the manual.
4.  After you enter the correct word, the game will load into your
    computer's memory.  The title screen will appear, and the game will
    begin to run.

Installin' on a Hard Drive

Sorry 'bout the inconvenience, bro, but this game can't be installed on
your hard drive.

Gettin' Started

When the game has finished loadin', it'll display the Hall of Fame
screen.  From this screen, you can choose to do one of four things by
pressing the followin' keys on the keyboard:

N                   Start a new game
O                   Load and resume an old game
L                   Load a previously saved high score table
S                   Save the current high score table to disk

If you're startin' a new game, the biker will ask you for yer name.
Type in at least one character; then press Return.

If you're loadin' a saved game, the program will instruct you to
insert your Save Game disk into a drive and to press Return/Enter.
You'll be shown a list of the saved game files on the disk.  Use the
up/down arrow keys to select the saved game you wanna load.  Press
Return.  The saved game will be loaded so you can hit the road from a
previous stoppin' place.

If ya get a high score you're especially proud of, you can save it to
your Save Game disk to amaze your friends later (or just to amaze 
yourself later).  The program will ask ya to insert your Save Game
disk into a drive and to press Return/Enter.  The high score table
will be saved to the disk.

If you wanna load that high score you're so proud of,  the program
will tell you to insert your Save Game disk into a drive and to press
Return/Enter.  The high score table will appear on the Hall of Fame
screen.  Each Save Game disk will hold 1 high score table.  The current
high score table is saved onto the Save Game disk whenever one is
formatted.

Formattin' a Save Game Disk

The only way to format a Save Game disk is by using the Format Disk
option under the Game Options menu.  You can get to this menu by
choosin' Options from the gas pump or by pressing the O key when you
are in front of the store.  You'll be instructed to insert the disk
to be formatted into a drive and to press Return.  The disk'll be
formatted, and you'll be returned to the Game Options menu.  Each Save
Game disk holds up to 15 games and 1 high score table.

Savin' Games and Loadin' Saved Games

You can save your game any time you're in town.  Choose Options from
the gas pump (or press the O key)  when you're in front of the store.
Choose Save Game from the Game Options menu.  You'll be told to put
a Save Game disk in the drive and to press Return.  Use the arrow keys
to select the save file number and press Return.  You can save the game
by the name you used when you started the game, or you can rename the
game you're savin'.  Press the Space Bar after you've selected the 
file number; then just type in the new name, and press Return again.

You can also load a saved game any time from the middle of another
game.  Just go to the Game Options menu and choose Load Game.  Just
follow the instructions on screen.  (It's almost exactly like what you
do when you're savin' a game.)  The saved game will be loaded so that
you can pick up where you left off.

Usin' a Joystick

If you wanna use your joystick, choose Options from the gas pump
(after you've made your selection from the Hall of Fame screen) or
press the O key when you're in front of the store.  Then select
Control from the Game Options menu or press C when the Game Options
menu appears.

Ridin' Yer Bike

To increase the rpm's of your engine and accelerate, press the joystick
forward or press the left button on the mouse.
To decrease your rpm's and decelerate, pull back on the joystick or
press the Space Bar if you're usin' a mouse.
To tilt your bike to the left or right (causing it to move in that
direction), move the mouse or joystick left or right.

To shift gears upward and start movin' forward, press the right
button on the mouse or the fire button on the joystick while
accelerating.
To shift gears downward, press the right button on the mouse and the
Space Bar, or press the fire button on the joystick while decelerating.

To hit the brakes, press the Space Bar on the keyboard if you are using
a mouse; pull back on the joystick to brake.

Bike Function   Mouse             Joystick        Keyboard (Amiga only)

Left            Left              Left            <
Right           Right             Right           >
Accelerate      Left Button       Forward         Left CTRL
Brake           Space Bar         Back            Left ALT/Amiga/Space
Clutch          Right Button      Fire            Left SHIFT
Fire 2          Return            Return          Return


Fire 2 is used to:

         Grab yer card in the Poker Run
         Duck to avoid falling objects in the Hill Climb
         Bite the weenie in the Weenie Run (Press to raise the babe;
         release to make her bite.)

Commands You Should Know

While you're on the open road, you can use the followin' keys:

Help       Pauses the game
Return     Resumes play once the game is paused
ESC        Quits the game if the game is paused  (You will be returned
           to the Hall of Fame screen.)

Additional Keyboard Commands 

In Town                               In Bike Shop

E           Enter store               I                Inventory
R           Refuel                    B                Bike Status
J           Join event                W                Where am I? (Map)
X           Exit city                 ESC              Exit Store
O           Options (Game Options)
I           Inventory
B           Bike Status
W           Where am I? (Map)

From Bike Status Menu                 In Inventory

T           Tires                     N                Next item
C           Clutch                    P                Previous item
B           Brakes                    X                Exit Inventory
S           Shocks
M           Transmission
E           Engine
X           Exit Bike Status
or
ESC         Exit Bike Status

From Game Options Menu

X           Exit Game Options
S           Save Game
L           Load Game
F           Format disk
C           Control - toggles between mouse and joystick control (On
            the Amiga, the keyboard or the josystick may be used when
            joystick is selected for this option.)
A           Sensitivity Adjust - adjusts mouse or joystick sensitivity

All Yeah/Naw options have Y and N as keyboard shortcuts.

When the game says Press Fire to Continue, you can use the followin'
dependin' on which control device you're using:

Mouse     Either mouse button
Joystick  Fire button
Keyboard  Either Shift key (Amiga only)

See the manual for a description of the game and details about each
event.

                              SKID ROW
==============================================================================
                          HARLEY - DAVIDSON
  
                         THE ROAD TO STURGIS
                         ===================

GETTIN' STARTED
After you load the game, one of the brothers will come on-screen and ask you a few questions.

First, if you've played HARLEY-DAVIDSON: THE ROAD TO STURGIS in the past and have saved yer game, he'll ask "Do you wanna continue a ride" If you wanna to use the saved game, move the highlighted bar to "Yeah" and press a fire button. If you wanna to start a new game, move the bar to "Naw" and press the fire button.

If you're startin' a new game, the biker will ask you for yer name. Type in at least one character, then press ENTER.

Then, the biker'll ask the all-important question: "How much hair ya got?" This determines the difficulty level of game-the more hair on you, the bigger the challenge. The four levels vary in terms of number of obstacles on the road, amount of wear on your bike, and difficulty (and potential rewards) of events. After selectin' your level of hairness, press a fire button.

Finally, the bro will ask you what you're good at. You can allocate your 30 points among five characteristics, which control the following attributes:

RIDING ABILITY     This controls your skill in handling your Hog on the open road. 
Bikers with high points in this area can hit rocks, puddles and other little obstacles                  and be more likely to keep on goin'. Those with low ridin' ability points will have 
to do their best to avoid even the teeniest road hazards. 
(Of course,no matter how good you are, you're gonna wipe out if you hit a semi 
or telephone pole, so watch out!)

MECHANICAL ABILITY    This controls how well you can fix the parts on  your Hog. 
If you're a good mechanic, you'll be able to keep your pride'n'joy fixed up proper, 
and she'll keep runnin' for a long time. Bikers with little mechanical ability will 
have to content themselves with buyin' replacement parts.

BRAWLING ABILITY   This controls how likely you are to win in a                            "confrontation", and whether you might pick up extra dough and prestige as a bouncer at parties.

WEALTH    This determines the amount of dough you start out  with at the beginnin' of the game. 
If you're especially weathy, you might find a nice surprise waiting for you 
as you ride into certain towns.

CHARISMA      Your charisma score determines how attractive you are to others. 
This applies to other bikies, cops, store owners, women-so keep this in mind 
before you complain that you ain't been treated square.

The game is pre-set with 6 skill points per category. To change your abilities, move the highlighted bar to the characteristic to be changed by using the joystick, mouse, or up-and-down arrow keys, dependin' on which input device you selected when you started the game. To decrease the number of points, move the joystick or mouse to the left, or press the left arrow key. To increase the number of points, move the joystick or mouse to the right, or press the right arrow key.

Keep in mind that you have only a limited number of points, and that if you wanna add them to one category, you're gonna have to take'em away from another. (Course, if you're a little bit masochistic, you don't have to allocate all the points, making it tougher on yourself.)

After you're done figurin' out what you're like, press a fire button.

You'll see a map showin' the road you're takin' to Sturgis. Press the fire button again, and you'll see the current status of your bike.(Both of these are explained in more detail a little later on in these instructions.)

RIDIN' THE OPEN ROAD
Now that you're left your job in Maine, you'll want to get to Sturgis within 10 days, in time for the big rally. You'll need to do some smooth ridin' on the roads between towns, if you wanna get there before it's too late!

A few basic instructions to get you goin':

To increase the rpm's of your engine and accelerate, press the up arrow, or move the mouse or joystick away from you.
To decrease your rpm's and decelerate, press the down arrow, or move the mouse or joystick towards you.
To tilt your bike to the left or right (causing it to move in that direction), use the left or right arrow key, or move the mouse or joystick left or right.

To shift gears upward and start movin', press CONTROL or fire button #1 while accelerating.
To shift gears downward, press CONTROL or fire button #1 while decelerating.

To hit the brakes, press ALT or fire button #2. Keep the ALT key or fire button held down till you're finished brakin'.(Brakin' won't work in the poker run, hill climb, or weenie run. You'll have to decelerate to stop.)

Here are a couple pointers that might come in handy while you're on the open road.

* Maintain your speed while in high gears. If you get below 1000 rpm's or so (3000 when you're off the road). your bike'll stall out.
* Unless you're a very good rider, watch out for puddles, rocks, and other obstacles in the road-they'll all cause you to hit the pavement.
* No matter how good you are, try to avoid hitting trucks, cars, metal signs and other solid objects. There's only so many scrapes a bike can take before havin' to be toted off by a buncha EMT's for a long hospital stay.
* Leanin' your bike in order to turn will slow you down, as will drivin' off the road. (Also, driving off the road is hard on your shocks and tires, and will wear you out too.)
* If you try to turn too sharp while going at very low speeds, your bike may tip over.
* Goin' fast will get you to your destination sooner. However, the speed limit on most interstates is 65 mph, and reckless driving is against the law. A reminder from the sheriff's patrol: Watch the signs and watch your speed!
* Your Harley owner's manual recommends that your engine not exceed 5000 rpm's. If you ignore this warning and redline the engine too often, it'll wear down quickly, and may even leave you eatin' dust on a stretch of road between cities.
* Once in a while you might see a stranded motorist who seems to need some assistance. If you got the makin's of a good bro, you might pull off the road and lend a hand-specially if she would look good on the back of yer bike.
* Just for fun, if you wanna pop a wheelie, get your engine goin' real good (almost redline it), then shift into gear.

IN TOWN
After you're traveled a while, you'll get the opportunity to enter one of them excitin' towns along the way. Stoppin' will cost you some time, but it will also allow you to refuel and make any needed repairs on your bike, to earn some dough and to increase your standin' among the bros. You'll also get a chance to check out your maps, your inventory and the condition of your scoot, and save your game-things ya can't do on the open road.

If you wanna go on into town, select "Hit town" and press a fire button. If you wanna keep movin' on select "Blow off town" and press a fire button.

BIKER STATUS
To give yer bike a once-over, press B (for "Bike Status"). The gauges will display the condition of the following items:

TIRES         Your bike starts out equipped with standard-issue tires.                For game purposes, a better set will help you move                      quicker, stop faster, and ride through puddles. If the                  tires start gettin' worn down on the other hand, you                    won't be able to stop as quick, you'll skid more, and                   you won't be able to accelerate as fast. If they wear                   down to zero, you'll end up with a flat, helpless as a                  kitten by the side of the road.

CLUTCH        A worn clutch will require you to put more effort into                  shifting gears. A broken clutch will again leave you                    stranded.

BRAKES        Your bike is equipped with good-stoppin', standard-issue                brakes, which don't last as long as some. Drivin'                       reckless will make you'll crash and become just another                 highway statistic-so keep'em in good repair.

REAR SHOCKS   The standard Harley shocks are adequate, but nothin'                    special for racing. Good shocks in good repair provide a                smoother ride and more vehicle control, resulting in                    less wear and tear on your Hog- and on you.

TRANSMISSION  A transmission in good repair will prevent a loss of                    power between the engine and the wheel. The stock Harley                transmission is adequate for the standard engine, but                   may not have the right gear ratios for high-performance                 engine.

ENGINE        The standard Harley is equipped with an engine that has                 a maximum speed of around 100 mph. If you want a faster                 scoot, you'll need to get a high-performance engine,                    which will let you accelerate much quicker and move way                 in excess of the legal speed limit. However, be wary of                 them high-powered turbo engines - if you're not used to                 'em they could try and get away from you! An engine in                  poor shape will be slower and more sluggish.

RIDER FATIGUE This measures your own physical condition. If you get                   too worn out, you'll end up in hospital and will be                     unable to make it to Sturgis in time for the rally. Take                care of yourself - we wouldn't want to lose you.

FUEL          Runnin' out of gas would be pretty embarrassin',                        wouldn't it? It also would slow you down, so keep your                  eye on that gauge.

After you're done examinin' your bike, press a fire button. The screen will ask if you'd like to try makin' any repairs on your bike. If so, move the scroll bar to the item that needs fixin', and press a fire button. (If you're not much a mechanic, I wouldn't advise messin' around with your engine - you're liable to louse things up even worse than they alraedy are.)

You can only spend time repairing each item once in any given town. Keep in mind that repairin' your bike takes time too. When you're done makin' repairs, move the scroll bar to "Quit Fix Ups" and press a fire button.

INVENTORY
To check what you're carryin', press I (for "Inventory").

In addition to your level and skill points, the inventory lists your current biker rank.
Ranks (from lowest to highest) are listed below.

Wanna-Be
Gas Jockey
Bike Duster
Biker Rookie 
City Slicker
Biker
Highway Bro
Asphalt Junkie
Road Burner
Diehard
Biker Grunt
Righteous Dude
Hawg Brother
Road Captain
Highway Leader
Ultimate Biker God

You'll want to get to Sturgis with the best rank you can. (You wouldn't want to show up still a wanna-be, wouldja?) As your rank moves up, you'll notice that you appearance changes - you grow longer hair and a beard, and start to look like you really belong to the pack.

The better the bros think of you, the higher your rank will be. Ways to get in good with'em includes doin' well in events, hangin' out with them at parties, fixin' up your bike so's you look like a real Harley biker, and bein' seen in the company of nice-lookin' women. And it only makes sense that you'll never make it to the highest ranks if you don't accept the challenge of the higher levels.

If you embarrass yourself, though your status among the bros might decrease.

This screen also shows your current supply of cash, and the number of days until the rally in Sturgis.

Finally this screen allows you to check what you're currently carryin'. To scroll through the items, move the highlighted bar to "Next Item" or "Previous Item" and press a fire button.

To escape from the screen, move the highlighted bar to "Exit Inventory" and press a fire button.

YOUR LOCATION
To check your location, press W (for "Where am I?"). The screen will show a map of your route, with each town highlighted. Your current town will be marked with a motorcycle.

FUELL' UP
If you need fuel,move the highlighted bar on the gas pump to "Refuel" and press a fire button. The fine-lookin' service-station attendant will fill your tank, and then ask you if you want anything else.

Select "Yeah" or "Naw" and press a fire button. Yuo'll be charged accordingly - unless she likes you a lot.


EVENTS
Many towns along the route to Sturgis will have special biker events in anticipation of the big rally a few days off. Participatin' in these special events will raise your standin' among the biker crowd, and will get you some needed cash, dependin' on how good you do.

To check out what's happenin', move the highlighted bar on the gas pump to "Join Event" and press a fire button. One of the brothers will tell you what's goin' down, and ask you if you'd like to join in the fun.

The better you do in each event, the more money and prestige you gain.

SLOW-RIDE CONTEST
If you've bought one of those souped-up engines for your sled, it won't help you much here. The idea of the slow-ride contest is, naturally, to go slow. The guy to finish the course in the longest period of time wins.

Course, the catch is that you can't fall down, or you'll be disqualified. Be sure to keep from leanin' so far that your bike tips over sideways, puttin' you out of the race.

In the slow-ride contest, you need to maneuver around the orange cones that are scattered strategically down a length of the highway. Knockin' over cones or failin' to ride around 'emincurs a penalty, which is then deducted from yer score. Stoppin' your bike won't help your score none either.

DRAG RACE
In this classic competition, you race against an opponent on a short stretch of closed highway. The bike that gets to the finish line first wins.

Acceleration and speed are important in a drag race,so its almost mandatory to have a rock 'n' roll engine (along with the transmission and tires to go with it) if you wanna be the winner. Start revvin' up the engine long before that flag goes down so's you can get a real quick start.

As everybody knows, it's pretty illegal to drag race on interstate highways, and if you get caught you might have to pay a big fine and/ or go to jail for a few days. We don't want to risk missin' the party in Sturgis, so we hold our drag races on closed highways.

HILL CLIMB 
In this famous Harley event, you ride your bike up a steep hill. Yeah, I know, it's bloody murder on your transmission and engine, but the rewards to the victor are usually worth it. This hill climb is even more difficult than most because some sadistic weirdo has taken it upon himself to throw stuff at the bikers who are tryin' to make it up the hill. If somethin' starts comin' at you, you got two choices. If it looks like it's gonna hit yer head, you can duck by pressin' the ALT ket or fire button #2. If it's gonna hit yer bike, you can slow down or speed up to avoid it.

If you goto slow, you'll wobble and fall over. If you go too fast, you'll tip over backwards. A little experimentin' will clue you in as to the best speed.

As you might suspect, havin' a good engine and transmission helps a lot when you're doin' the hill climb.

POKER RUN
This great event combines two of us bikers favorite things: ridin' our Hogs and playin' cards. Poker runs pit you against a competitor, and both of you try to pick up cards from folks standin' by the road. Hands are compared when one rider crosses the finish line.

In this race, the bikers holdin' the cards are scattered about on either side of the road. To pick up a card, you'll need to ride by next to the card-holder, in a upright position, and press ALT or fire button #2 to stick out your hand and get the card. (Stickin' out your hand while your bikes leanin' over on a curve would be too dangerous.)

Your best five cards are displayed at all times. At the end of the coarse, your best five cards will be compared to your opponents best five cards. The best hand, according to the standard rules of poker, wins.

WEENIE RUN
This is by far my favorite event. My ex old lady was the best at bitin' them weenies.

The idea of this stimulatin' event is as follows: Frankfurters are suspended from strings above the road. You steer the bike, and your lady sit on back. When you get right under a dog, your lady should stand up and take a bite out of it. Whichever team gets the most weenies by the time one team crosses the finish line, or when time runs out, wins.

Drive careful now - you've got a passenger on your bike and you sure wouldn't wanna take a spill! To make your lady stand up on the bike, press ALT key or fire button #2. When she's right under the dog, release the ALT key or fire button, and she'll try and bite the weenie. The lower left-hand portion of the screen will show you when it's exactly the right time to bite.

OTHER EVENTS
Around sunset, locals in most towns usually plan some sort of party or other event. You don't have to go to 'em, of course, but the company of some diehard bikers and pretty women, a few Bob Seger tunes, and a nice cold one usually sound good after a long day on the road. At least they do to me.

Also, it never hurts to mingle with the bros - the better they know you, the higher they're likely to think of you. If you're good at brawling, you might also get a chance to pick up some dough and some respect by workin' as a bouncer or security guard.

The fortunate thing is that partin' costs money - you wouldn't expect somebody else to treat you, would you? (Well, maybe YOU would...)

After the partin', unless you're been really obnoxious, the group'll usually ask you if you'd like to camp out for the night. Campin' out is one great way to rest up and get rid of the fatigue from the road. (If you're in a hurry, you could ride all night, of course, but you'd be darn wore out the next day!)

FIXIN' UP YER BIKE
The Harley you're ridin' is of coarse - certainly better than most of the scooters out there - but it could be made into something really special. The great thing about Harleys is that they're easy to customize - and bike shops along the way will allow you the chance to turn your stock model into a flashy-lookin', finely-tuned ridin' machine.

You might work a little on your appearance too. Real Harley bikers can spot a wanna-be a mile away, I mean, really, what self-repectin' biker would wear sneakers, or a cheap jacket? A few tattoos and some nice leathers will gain you some respect.

These little biker shops tend to be pretty cluttered and disoranized, and you never know what you'll find. If I was you, I'd give all the boxes in each store a quick eyeballin', just to make sure I wasn't missin' anything.

However, followin' are some items that are often stocked in bike shops:

ENGINES      There's three different kinds of engines, the stock                     1338cc with 76.9 horsepower, which is what comes on your                bike: a modified engine that goes a touch faster: and a                 beauty with 85.7 horsepower, enough to please even the                  most hardcore rider. A little trial 'n' error will show                 you what you're most comfortable with.

TIRES        Tires come in three kinds - stock factory-issue, S-rated,               and H-rated. Better tires look nicer, go faster, skid                   less and stop quicker.

JACKETS      A good leather jacket will offer you some protection from               spills, rain and brutal sunshine, allowing an easier                    ride. A good-lookin' leather jacket-specially an unusual                one-will also raise you in the esteem of other bikers.

SUNGLASSES   These decrease glare, making your trip easier. They also                make you look cool.

HELMETS      Your bike comes with a plain-helmet that only city                      slickers wear - no one else would be caught dead in one.                Even if the government has the nerve to pass lid laws,                  you might as well look good while you're wearin' one.                   Bike shops have a variety of styles to choose from.

GAS TANKS,   These don't have any real pratical purpose in terms of FENDERS      lettin' you ride better. But the nice ones sure do look                 pretty!

ANIMAL PELTS Only a real Harley biker would drape road kill on the                   back of his bike.

TATTOOS      The more the better - you can buy as many as you want.                  (No pain, no gain!)

SHOCKS       Good shocks will decrease the bumpiness of your bike,                   makin' your ridin' easier.

SPARK PLUGS  Sometimes new plugs - or even plug wires - are enough to                bring an old, tired engine back to life.

CLUTCH CABLE This is usually all you need to repair your clutch.

BOOTS        A true biker dude absolutely must own a pair of boots.                 The funkier, the better.

Like I said before, the stuff in these stores can be endless. But this list should give you some idea of what you might find.

To enter a shop, move the scroll bar on the gas pump to "Enter Shop" and press a fire button.

To find out about an item, point your screwdriver at it and press a fire button. Then, choose "Purchase another item" or "Select another item" with the highlighted scroll bar, and press a fire button. If you choose to purchase the item, the screen will ask you to confirm your selection.

Once you buy something, it will be added to your inventory. Similar items (such as a factory-issue helmet when a new helmet is purchased, or worn-out shocks when you buy new shocks) are discarded from the inventory.

To exit the store, move your screwdriver to the welcome mat and press a fire button.

SAVIN' YER GAME
To save your game, move the scroll bar on the gas pump to "Save Game" and press a fire button. Only one game may be saved at a time-each time you save, you shoot any previous save into obilivion.

BACK ON THE ROAD 
To exit a town and get onyour way to the big event, move the scroll bar on the gas pump to "Exit City" and press a fire button.

ARRIVIN' AT STURGIS
If you get all the way to Sturgis with your scoot and your sanity intact, and if by the time you get there you've risen to a respectable level in the pack, then you're in for a treat. A little bit o'Harley heaven is just waitin' for you, provided you ain't too late. You could even be inducted into the Biker Hall of Fame if you've got a good enough rank.

And by the way, pat yourself onthe back for a job well done. Some guys got a right to be proud!

THE RALLY AT STURGIS
One of my favorite places anywhere is Sturgis, S.D., a quiet little town located off 1.90 in the Black Hills. Sturgis is quiet, that is, except durin' the second week of August, when the population grows from 5,184 to nearly 80,000, as bikers from around the world arrive to race and party with the best.

The Black Hills Motor Classic, which many of us just call Sturgis, is a party that shouldn't be missed by any Harley rider. The folks at Sturgis are serious bikers and have ridden the long, dusty trail in search of some honest-to-goodness, serious fun.

No matter what you're lookin' for, if you're a Harley rider you're likely to find it in Sturgis during rally week. Racin' fans go to drag races, short-track races and hill climbs, each with a grand prize of upwards of $1,000. Other participate in more informal events, like poker and weenie runs.

Bikers who like to take their time in the saddle go on long tours of up to 160 miles to places like Mt. Rushmore or Devils Tower, Wyoming. There's a trunkload of ideas for customized bike fans at the custom chopper show, and vintage Harleys are everywhere.

But the real reason for a diehard like me to come to Sturgis is not for the events, but for the feelin' of bein' in a place you can truly call your own. As soon as you get to Sturgis, you'll see thousands of bikes lined up on the streets, as well as hardcores coolin' out after the long ride through the desert. If you're lucky, you may even sight a couple of ladies in various stages of undress - despite warnings by local officials, these things do sometimes happen! Get ready for your first taste of Black Leather ice cream or Harley Beer, both served every year at the big event.

Even South Dakota governor George Mickelson got into the act in 1989 when he said that August 7 through 13 would be "Black Hills Motorcycle Classic Days". "No place in western South Dakota can escape the roar and hum of the engines." he said. Sure 'nuff, bikers, and their bikes, are everywhere, and everybody gets a chance to live high on the Hog - at least for a few days.

The Sturgis rally was started in 1938 by the Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club as a event for Harley Bikers and their families. (Until he died a coupla years ago, the founder of the club, J.C."Pappy" Hoel, would oversee everything, right as rain.) And even today, one of the great things about Sturgis is the wide variety of people who come there - from young folks with little babies to 70- and 80-year-olds who can still appreciate a ride in the saddle. Nearly everybody brings their Harleys, and most people make camp in places like the Hog Heaven Campground - motels are scarce, and anyway that would be missin' part of the fun.

If you got a few extra bucks on you, you'll be in for a treat with music by bands like Doobie Brothers, who show up on their own Harleys. You might also try to introduce yourself to this year's Ms. Harley-Davidson, or to Willie G. Davidson, the grandson of one of the founders of Harley-Davidson, who shows off the newest Harley models. Take a stroll past the vendors hawkin' tattoos, solid-gold Harley pendants and air-brished jackets too.

A few of the locals squawk about us bein' there, but most seem to take it in stride. McDonald's has "Special Bike Week Hours." local church groups have pancake breakfasts and hog roasts, and one local joint sells itself as the "Road Kill Restaurant." (I ain't been there yet, but if you go, let me know whatcha think.)

If you got some extra time on your hands, you can go and visit some tourist trap gold mines or stop by a famous historic bordello like Miss P.J.'s Parlor. See if you got what it takes to ride on the infamous Rainbow Curve, bet some o' your hard-earned cash on Greyhound racin', and take a gander at the new National Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame.

Whatever you end up doin', your week in Sturgis is liable to be over far sooner than you want it to be. Before you take off, pick up an official Sturgis calendar or a video that "lets you relive Sturgis all year long."
 

TYPED by UGG / PUNISHERS