The Spoke is a major cog in the machine that is Sturgis-so much so that last year it expanded into two locations: the original Lazelle Street Spoke and Sturgis County Line, which made its debut last year. Jay Allen bought the Spoke from Dave Iverson in the early ’90s, and he’s made it his life’s mission to expand the saloon’s name at other bike events throughout the riding season. Although he takes his business seriously, he’s even more committed to his love of motorcycles (and partying).

What this means to the rest of us is a huge party with lots to do at the Broken Spoke every year. Jay’s constantly looking for newer and bigger ideas to try out each year. Last year, that meant Sturgis County Line. This year, there’ll be even more to see and do. While nothing was set in stone when we talked to Jay, he mentioned a couple of new things you can expect this go-’round. First, a few big-name builders will have their own themed bars at the Spoke, guys such as Eddie Trotta, Dave Perewitz, Chica, and Paul Cox.

His second idea has to do with our troops overseas. Jay’s going to have a live feed to a military base in Iraq so our fighting men and women can attend Sturgis in spirit, if not in person. It’s his way of supporting the troops, and it should be a lot of fun.

The Broken Spoke’s address is 905 Lazelle Street, and Sturgis County Line is located at 13025 Broken Spoke Boulevard. From the original Spoke, you can take Route 34 to Highway 79 North. It’s about a 4-mile trip (or 10 minutes with no traffic, but we all know how likely that is…). However, there’s also a local access dirt/gravel back road that runs between the two places, and there’ll be a shuttle bus service running to and from County Line on that road as well. For more information, call (605) 347-4314, or log on to www.brokenspokesaloon.com

Sturgis County Line

It’s located on Highway 79 and home to the 22,500-square-foot Broken Spoke Saloon, which will feature vintage bikes, cold beer, live music, and, naturally, the beautiful Broken Spoke bartenders. Says Jay, “Granted, the Sturgis rally is a great party, but experiencing the Black Hills is much more than that; it’s a spiritual encounter. Sturgis County Line gives the motorcycle tourists a more enchanting experience than ever before during the rally because Sturgis County Line is so beautiful and inspiring.” The venue also provides much-needed access to builder semis, a luxury not available in most bar parking lots. Jay also offers a towing service that operates within a 25-mile radius of the grounds, so folks will always have a way to get there and won’t have to risk the road if they aren’t in any condition to do so.