The corona virus has resulted in a variety of motorcycle rallies, events and gatherings being called off. At Sturgis, though – that South Dakota mecca for motorcycle lovers the world over – the show must go on.
“I don’t mean to belittle the danger of the disease at all,” Rod Woodruff, President and CEO of Sturgis Buffalo Chip said yesterday in a phone interview. “But we’re here to stay and planning to have our event and make the best use of knowledge between now and then in order to do that.”
As of this writing, REO Speedwagon and ZZ Top are still booked. Killswitch Engage, Stitched Up Heart, Shinedown, Puddle of Mudd are also still listed as making appearances either on the main stage or at venues in town.
“We’re good for all the bands,” said Woodruff. “I just got confirmation from another major headliner that confirmed Tuesday. We have confidence that our government and President are gonna figure this out. Information is power. In terms of people just getting on motorcycles, we have 600 acres. We can spread people out. We don’t want to succumb to the fear at this point.”
The following motorcycle 2020 gatherings have been either canceled or postponed:
Dubbo Motor Bike Rally (postponed until May 2021)
The Festival of Speed at Eastern Creek
The Gloucester Motorcycle Expo
Triumph Rat Rally in Kingscliff
BMW’s GS Safari, postponed from this month until May 24-29.
Experts say motorcyclists planning on riding in the coming year should take the following precautions:
*If you have symptoms, don’t ride. Seriously. Give your keys to your significant other or your mother, after you’ve doused them with alcohol or similar disinfectant. (The keys, not your mother.)
*Wear an R-PUR anti-pollution and anti-pollen motorcyclist face mask
*Wash hands thoroughly and frequently, and wipe your hand grips, keys, and the zipper of your jacket.
*Ride purposely in sparsely-populated, rural areas, and avoid direct contact with humans. If you must converse, keep six feet away as corona virus is spread mainly person-to-person via droplets that can come from coughing, but also from a person speaking. Carry hand sanitizer with you.
*Avoid touching your eyes, mouth or nose. Keep your helmet on if it reminds you.
*Pay with a credit card if you can, rather than using cash, which is pretty filthy as a rule, and germ-infested. Use gloves when you enter your PIN. It may seem like your sausage finger may punch a whole bunch of buttons at once, which is annoying, but you can get used to it. Otherwise, use a pinky and sanitize that pinky when you’re done.
*If you stop in a cafe or restaurant and you see employees working without gloves, take your business elsewhere.
*PACK TOILET PAPER. People are currently hoarding this essential item at unprecedented rates, so plan accordingly. Get used to it. Get used to a lot of things you’ve never seen before, as a matter of fact. Life as we knew it is over.
*As always, ride safe.
Make Sure You are Subscribed to our Facebook page!
Source: Forbes