Sturgis North?

[Kootenanny]

Caught a piece on CBC this morning about Sturgis North in Salmon Arm.  Gaah, what a stupid idea...we can't even hold a local charity toy run without riders getting drunk (and dead), now they wanna be Sturgis North?

[bubba zanetti]

Just came here to post on this as I was listening to CBC this morning as well.

My first reaction is I resent the name Sturgis North but that is likely my petty Canadian nationalism at play.  My guess would be it will grudgingly be accepted on the economic argument alone after some pretty heated, local discussion.  

The other thing about Salmon Arm is that the riding is not that great around there given that it is on the TCH.  Some pretty vistas and all but it is slow with tons of traffic. Was just through there this summer and did find a great little road that connects with Falkland though ... shhhh !  

From the website ....



Welcome to the 1st Annual Sturgis North™ All Make Motorcycle Rally, Music Festival & Motorcycle Trade Show. Canada’s Largest Outdoor Motorcycle Trade Show and Expo.

Our vision is to combine a first class All Make Motorcycle Rally, a Music Festival and a Motorcycle Trade Show, the first one of its kind in Canada!

Welcoming motorcycle enthusiasts from Canada, North America and around the globe to come and enjoy “THE RIDE”. We are holding this world class event from JULY 13-17 2011, located at  four different venues;

    * Sturgis North™ Grounds,
    * Fairgrounds,
    * Summer Stomp Grounds
    * Downtown  throughout Salmon Arm

Sturgis North will be offering Live Music, Vendors, Trade Booths, Show Bikes, Camping, RV’ing and Activities”

If your’e interested in tickets sign up for the Sturgis North Newsletter.

Salmon Arm is known as a popular summertime lake resort area in BC.  Situated beside the beautiful  Shuswap lakes the area features many recreational activities and is well renowned as a fun filled holiday destination.  It is approx.  5 hours from Vancouver with easy access to many other great vacation destinations! Salmon Arm is located centrally in the interior of BC, with picturesque rides heading east to Banff and to Alberta, west to the Fraser Canyon to go either north or south, south east to Kelowna and the warm Okanagan and down to the USA, or through the rolling foothills of Kamloops  across the mountains to Merritt, just to name a few, the options are endless, the location is ideal for the motorcycle ride!

Sturgis North™ will feature:

    * Biker Build Offs
    * All make Motorcycle Rally
    * Show & Shine Contest
    * Live Music and so much more!

[blkhrt81]

I'm with you on the "Sturgis North" Bubba, seems like copycats are doomed to fail. That said, if there is a decent organisation they might be able to make it work. I used to go to Sportbike West and before that Bikerdaze in Ymir. Enjoyed both events but eventually they just got to be too much work for the volunteers involved.
It will be interesting to see how the normal summer crowd in Salmon Arm gets along with an influx of bikers.

[stromgal]

Who knew salmons had arms?  

[bubba zanetti]

Who knew salmons had arms?  

How else could they arm wrestle for beers ?

[Kootenanny]

It will be interesting to see how the normal summer crowd in Salmon Arm gets along with an influx of bikers.

Yup, there's that.  I can see how, for many of the hospitality businesses in town, this might seem like a great idea...but Salmon Arm is NOT Sturgis, ND, and they already have a thriving tourism business.  I can see, a few years down the road, the current family vacation set specifically avoiding Salmon Arm because of this event, and that could hurt more overall.  Does Salmon Arm really want to become the kind of town that depends on hosting a bunch of drunk wannabe "bikers" every summer for their tourism dollars?

There's also the "Great Canadian Bike Rally" supposedly happening in Merritt this summer...hmmm...competition?  Actually, Merritt seems a better choice for a rally of this sort--it's not currently a tourism town, and the rally could be held well apart from the locals (although, Merritt locals seem, in general, more the types to enjoy this sorta thing...did I just say that?).

[blkhrt81]

That's the thing, Sturgis has had years as THE tourist event in town so now wields a pretty impressive financial clout. Don't know that the event in Salmon Arm will be able to swing enough benefit to offset the established clientele. Considering the reputation of the original Sturgis, if this outfit tries for that outlaw vibe I could see some problems there. The Merrit Bike Rally looks like it could turn out fairly well though not having that sort of image to live up to.

[Mrs. DantesDame]

That's the thing, Sturgis has had years as THE tourist event in town so now wields a pretty impressive financial clout. Don't know that the event in Salmon Arm will be able to swing enough benefit to offset the established clientele. Considering the reputation of the original Sturgis, if this outfit tries for that outlaw vibe I could see some problems there.

I would guess that they'd shoot for the lame, tame pack o' chrome that is Sturgis now. And Salmon Arm has enough "easy" roads within 100 miles to keep the clan close to base. It is also far enough away from Hwy 6 that none of them should make it that far  

The Merrit Bike Rally looks like it could turn out fairly well though not having that sort of image to live up to.

I'd say that has merit...  

[chomy]

Look on the up side, it's far enough away from the Kootenays that you and the sport touring riders that come to visit (me, me,) shouldn't be bothered by the go slow chrome crowd.

[Kootenanny]

No, we shouldn't be bothered directly (although, Vernon is less than an hour from Salmon Arm, and I'm sure word will spread about Hwy 6 towards the Needles ferry...I predict catastrophe, of too many of the "go slow chrome" crowd hit those 20km/hr hairpins after stopping in for a few beers at the Goldpanner Cafe...).  I'm more concerned about the general reputation of the motorcycle community in the eyes of Salmon Arm residents...

[alphabet man]

No, we shouldn't be bothered directly (although, Vernon is less than an hour from Salmon Arm, and I'm sure word will spread about Hwy 6 towards the Needles ferry...I predict catastrophe, of too many of the "go slow chrome" crowd hit those 20km/hr hairpins after stopping in for a few beers at the Goldpanner Cafe...).  I'm more concerned about the general reputation of the motorcycle community in the eyes of Salmon Arm residents...

 well at least it will take the focus off of all those crazies on their darn crotch rockets, pffft  

I have to agree Geoff I see no good coming from this, I liked it when only 8 people with bikes  knew about Hwy 6 and 31A  sadly we will all be painted by the same brush and this will only bring more enforcement targeting all people that ride motorcycles not just the "bikers" or wanna be bikers

[Kootenanny]

well at least it will take the focus off of all those crazies on their darn crotch rockets KTMs, pffft  

There, ftfy.

I can see an advantage with those big trailies, though...you guys can just cut off on the logging roads and avoid the carnage on the highways...

[alphabet man]

There, ftfy.

I can see an advantage with those big trailies, though...you guys can just cut off on the logging roads and avoid the carnage on the highways...

 I had assumed you knew I was excluding STN members as we are all sensible law abiding citizens    

[Kootenanny]

I had assumed you knew I was excluding STN members as we are all sensible law abiding citizens    

Yes, yes, of course!  

[David Morrow]

I don't give it much hope. Location wise, it's really dumb. In Sturgis, the action is in town, close to, but away from the highway. The interstate gives them great access. The highway into Salmon Arm goes through the center of town. Arriving or departing in both directions can be excruciatingly slow if you get just one slow moving vehicle.

Up until a couple of years ago there was an event which was called Sport Bike West and was held in the Okanogan (B.C.). I think it turned into a zoo which is why it no longer exists. One year I drove through Penticton when it was held there and I would have been embarrassed to tell anyone that I was a biker. I see that Sport Bike West's website was last updated for the 2006 event.
http://www.sportbikewest.com/

[blkhrt81]

Up until a couple of years ago there was an event which was called Sport Bike West and was held in the Okanogan (B.C.). I think it turned into a zoo which is why it no longer exists. One year I drove through Penticton when it was held there and I would have been embarrassed to tell anyone that I was a biker. I see that Sport Bike West's website was last updated for the 2006 event.
http://www.sportbikewest.com/
[/quote]

Sportbike West started out around Kelowna, used to be held at the 8 Mile Ranch outside of town. The organizers moved it to Oliver for the last three years IIRC but '06 was the last one. Got to be just too much work and too many hassles for the guys that ran it. The last year there were a bunch of squids around town so rather than try to control it, they just shut it down. The first couple years in Oliver had been pretty well received by the townspeople but the last year seemed like there was getting to be some (deservedly) negative feelings.

[Kootenanny]

I'm only a few hours from the Okanagan, but I never attended Sport Bike West.  Hey, I live here, and can ride here whenever I want...I don't need to attend an event like SBW as an excuse to ride, and I'm a bit skittish about big events like that anyway (the BBBBQ is about as big and organized a riding event as I'd want to attend).

I understand that they did have some issues with squids, and yes, the event is no more.

[motrhead]

 That's some great organization between the two events...Merritt and Salmon Arm on the same weekend- 120 miles apart. I know that is light years for some of the cruiser crowd   , but for most riders that's right next door.
 Maybe that's a good thing, and both events will both stay small and under control. I see Heather Ireland of Biker TV will be covering the Merritt event...my money is on that one surviving.
 I know two places I won't be that weekend...  

[bubba zanetti]

 That's some great organization between the two events...Merritt and Salmon Arm on the same weekend- 120 miles apart. I know that is light years for some of the cruiser crowd   , but for most riders that's right next door.
 Maybe that's a good thing, and both events will both stay small and under control. I see Heather Ireland of Biker TV will be covering the Merritt event...my money is on that one surviving.
 I know two places I won't be that weekend...  

Yeah ... but Sturgis Arm has already booked ... wait for it .... NAZARETH !!!

[alphabet man]

Yeah ... but Sturgis Arm has already booked ... wait for it .... NAZARETH !!!

  watch it buddy , I grew up in Trail BC drank more cheap liquor and smoked more pot to these guys than most others    Frug they must be old now