Looking for a memorable adventure this summer? Look no further than Revzilla’s Get On! Adventure Festival being held in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota next month. If there’s one thing we all know about this powerhouse online parts and apparel retailer, it’s that it has a massive presence, both in its vast array of offerings, and also in personality and passion for the sport. We expect no less from this event. 

You can even rub elbows with some of your favorite personalities from Revzilla’s YouTube channel and Common Thread e-magazine, including Spurgeon Dunbar, Jen Dustan, Brandon Wise and “Hi-Viz” Brian Conner. 

Need more motivation to head to South Dakota this summer? Here are 8 reasons why you should consider adding the Get On! Adventure Festival to your summer calendar.  

1. Top Shelf Adventure Riding 

If South Dakota isn’t on your adventure riding bucket list, it should be. The Black Hills National Forest and Badlands areas surrounding Sturgis, where you’ll find the Fest’s basecamp, are loaded with single- and two-track adventures for every skill level, including the 900-mile Dakota Adventure Loop, a dual-sporter’s dream ride. At the Adventure Fest you’ll be able to choose from rides curated by Revzilla’s sister company REVER, with some sections said to be pro level, while at the other extreme there are backcountry roads for those new to riding dirt. The lion’s share, of course, will be for those of us in the middle who want to have a challenging ride, but also see some amazing scenery.  

2. Scenic Highways and Sites

In addition to the innumerable off-road opportunities offered by Western South Dakota, you’ll also find some of the country’s most famous scenic highways in this area. Iron Mountain Road (SR36) is the one you’ll want to check out if you take a day trip to Mount Rushmore. It’s paved, yes, but with 314 corners in 17 miles, including 14 switchbacks, 3 pigtails and 3 natural tunnels, it’s still quite an adventure. And imagine riding that famous route, or maybe gorgeous Spearfish Canyon (US14-A) on your way to check out Deadwood without 1000 cruiser riders plugging it up as they do during Sturgis Bike Week. Other nearby wonders include Devil’s Tower, Cathedral City and, of course, Badlands National Park.

3. Demo The Latest ADV Bikes from BMW and H-D

That’s right, Harley-Davidson will be at the event to host demo rides on its talk-of-the-town Pan America. After a super long rollout, the Pan America is just now arriving at dealers, but with most units pre-sold you won’t see them loitering on showroom floors. At the Adventure Fest you can not only see the bike up close, you can take it for a demo ride that we hear includes a bit of dirt. BMW will also be set up for test rides of the latest GS and GSA models. Pretty interesting to compare the flagship models from both manufacturers, especially since the GS is the Pan America’s target model.

4. Gear Paradise

As you’d expect from Revzilla there will be a vast array of vendors at basecamp. In fact the entire 600 acres of the infamous (during Bike Week) Buffalo Chip campground has been commandeered for the Fest. Yes, you’ll camp for free on the property, but within walking distance of all of the accessories, parts and apparel you’ve been wanting to check out. But wait, it gets better because the team of mechanics from Fozzy’s Cycle will open its Buffalo Chip Garage to install those new items on your bike. Need some service? Tires? It can all happen in the site’s huge service area while you’re kicking back seeing a seminar or having some beers with your buddies. 

5. Get Some Training

In addition to demo rides, instructors from Rawhyde will be at the event to host one-day Intro and Intermediate adventure riding clinics. For all the many women taking a shine to adventure riding, one-day “Adventure Essentials” clinics will be offered by ADVWoman, including some co-ed options that might be perfect for couples. In these clinics you typically explore the skills from the ground up, going over the fundamentals such as how lean angle affects traction and riding pre-laid courses and obstacles. One of the most helpful things about these clinics, perhaps especially for experienced riders, is the opportunity to have a professional coach watch you take your own bike through its paces and give you feedback on things like body positioning and line sighting. 

7. It’s A Party!

It’s always a party when you put hundreds of adventure riders in one place, but Revzilla’s idea of a good time will take it up a notch. The Buffalo Chip is massive and famous for fun. Most attendees will choose to camp at the Chip, which is included in the package (some cabins and trailers are available onsite at extra cost, and of course there is a ton of lodging nearby). And since all the campsites are a safe walk or shuttle ride to and from the onsite saloon and afternoon and evening entertainment events, it’s time to let loose. Friday and Saturday nights will be especially fun, with live bands on the campground’s main stage.  

8. Lastly, It’s Sturgis Without the Straight Pipes

There might be a few black-shirted, helmet-less bikers chugging around in Sturgis on their unbaffled cruisers during Adventure Fest, but since the Fest is being held a full three weeks ahead of Bike Week, we should have the place mostly to ourselves. And that’s cool, because Sturgis when it’s not the Sturgis Rally is a neat little town. Even more so, a visit to historic Deadwood ahead of the crowds is a huge treat. Yup, it was the backdrop for a TV show, but in real life, the entire town is a National Historic Landmark, laced with rich history and legends. So many great things to see and explore in the Black Hills. Add a big party for adventure riders? And, jackpot. 

Revzilla’s Get On! Adventure Fest will be held from July 15th – 18th. For more details or to buy your adventure pass visit Revzilla.com/adv-fest. 

Author: Jamie Elvidge

Jamie has been a motorcycle journalist for more than 30 years, testing the entire range of bikes for the major print magazines and specializing in adventure-travel related stories. To date she’s written and supplied photography for articles describing what it’s like to ride in all 50 states and 43 foreign countries, receiving two Lowell Thomas Society of American Travel Writer’s Awards along the way. Her most-challenging adventure yet has been riding in the 2018 GS Trophy in Mongolia as Team AusAmerica’s embedded journalist.