The chance to explore the scenic Black Hills on a motorcycle may be one of the biggest attractions of the Sturgis motorcycle rally, but it’s also one of the hazards, according to officials and riders.

The 70th rally was the most deadly in the past 10 years. Nine people lost their lives in motorcycle accidents in western South Dakota in a seven-day period beginning Aug. 8 and ending Aug. 14. Five more people have died in motorcycle accidents across the state so far this month.

That’s what happens when you have a lot of people in a small area, according to Lt. David Berkley of the South Dakota Highway Patrol.

When 500,000-plus people spread out across the Black Hills on motorcycles, it’s busy, Berkley said. Traffic can be congested.

“It depends upon the venue or the area where they’re at,” Berkley said.

Factor in the scenery, the twisting, turning roads of the Black Hills; throw in a few thousand inexperienced riders and you have a deadly combination.

“You have to pay attention in the Hills,” Berkley said. “There are curves….The scenery is beautiful, but you have to watch both, more so the roadway.”

Of the 43 accidents the Highway Patrol released detailed information on during rally week, more than half (23) were attributed to driver error. Riders either missed a curve, drifted off the road or into the path of oncoming traffic, or they were not paying attention to what was happening around them.

Eleven accidents involved collisions between motorcycles.

Eight accidents involved another vehicle. One man died in a campground when the motorcycle he was driving hit a golf cart.

Motorcycles also collided with a tree and a deer.

Alcohol was a factor in six of the 43 accidents.

“If you’re driving a motorcycle, you don’t have the luxury of being able to not pay attention for a couple of seconds,” Maj. Brian Mueller of the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office said.

Accidents happened on Interstate 90, on four-lane and two-lane highways, Mueller said. They even occurred on less-traveled roads.

Mueller believes this year’s increase in fatalities was due to a combination of factors – the heavy traffic, varying road conditions, distracted driving and unfamiliarity with riding in the Hills.

“We saw a lot of people failing to negotiate curves,” Mueller said.

At Nostalgia Cycles in Rapid Valley, Gregg Mach heard several complaints about inexperienced riders from his customers.

“A lot of people are from areas where there’s more flatland, and they’re riding too fast,” Mach said.

People familiar with the Black Hills know they have to ride the curves at the designated speed limit, he said. Riders often mentioned riders who “just came flying by them” driving too fast for the road conditions.

A trip to the Sturgis motorcycle rally is a first-time experience for many riders, Mach said. They are thrilled to ride in the Hills, surrounded by wildlife and beautiful scenery, but they don’t think about what could be around the next corner.

A sudden rain storm in the Hills can wash loose gravel onto a highway. The summer temperatures can turn a highway treated with crack sealant into an oily, slippery surface, Mach said.

“You have to have a heightened sense of awareness,” Mach said. “You really have to watch it.”

Riders who switch from a smaller motorcycle to a heavier motorcycle will also have difficulty navigating in the Hills, Mach said, especially if they are inexperienced.

Tom Didier of Rapid City has ridden his Harley for 10 years. Didier took a ride to Sturgis last Friday after the crowds started to thin. His years of experience riding in the Black Hills have taught him to avoid the heavy traffic during the opening days of the rally. His best advice for riders: “Leave yourself more room and be careful.”.

Contact Andrea Cook at 394-8423 or andrea.cook@rapidcityjournal.com.