Indian Motorcycle and Veterans Charity Ride to Sturgis Announce Third Annual Ride

Indian Motorcycle has again joined forces with “Veterans Charity Ride to Sturgis,” a nine-day journey that provides veterans a chance to use motorcycle therapy as a way to decompress from the challenges of post-war life. Through the “Hero’s Ride of a Lifetime” program, well deserving veteran heroes can be nominated to join the ride from now until May 21.

Rolling out of Los Angeles on July 28 on Indian motorcycles, trikes and Champion Sidecars, the ride provides participating veterans the opportunity to work toward overcoming their post-war challenges while out on the open road. Riding through the most scenic back roads of the western United States, veterans will not only experience the great outdoors and the beauty this country has to offer, but also make stops to meet with other veterans, supporters, riders, and participate in various adjacent adventures. Upon arrival in Sturgis on August 5, the group will be treated to a special “Heroes Welcome” before taking part in a week of activities that further solidify the brotherhood and sisterhood formed during the ride.

“We’ll spend over a week riding on America’s most beautiful roads, getting to know each other and helping each other through Motorcycle Therapy,” said David Frey, Veterans Charity Ride Founder. “The shared experience of serving brings us together, veteran to veteran, to help each other heal.”

Twenty deserving veterans and veteran mentors will join the Veterans Charity Ride to Sturgis in 2017. Additionally, organizers are offering two post-9/11 veteran heroes the chance to participate in the ride via the Hero’s Ride of a Lifetime program, which enables the public to nominate these two veterans. One space will be given to an ambulatory veteran motorcycle rider (proof of motorcycle license endorsement and sufficient riding experience required) and the other space will be given to a severely wounded or amputee veteran to ride as a sidecar passenger (no motorcycle experience required). Submissions are now being accepted online (here) with the selections to be announced July 4.

The Veterans Charity Ride to Sturgis was conceived and developed by veteran Army Paratrooper Dave Frey and Emmy Award-winning producer and director Robert Manciero of Full Vision Productions, leveraging the therapeutic effects of motorcycle riding to create an adventure of a lifetime for wounded veterans.

Primary sponsors of the Veterans Charity Ride to Sturgis include Indian Motorcycle and Champion Sidecars & Trikes, with additional sponsorship and support provided by Monster Energy Drink, Cycle Gear, Nordic Components, Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys, and the Sturgis Buffalo Chip.

“Indian Motorcycle has been a proud supporter of the Armed Forces dating back to its role as a military supplier during WWI,” said Reid Wilson, Indian Motorcycle Marketing Director. “It’s an honor to give back to our military veterans through our relationship with the Veterans Charity Ride to Sturgis and the incredible experience this ride provides.”

“Supporting our veterans by donating sidecars to accommodate amputee veterans in a safe, comfortable manner is something near and dear to our team and to me personally,” said Craig Arrojo, President of Champion Sidecars. “We are honored to be associated with such a worthy event, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with the Veterans Charity Ride for years to come.”

For more information: IndianMotorcycle.com/en-us/veterans-ride and VeteransCharityRide.org.

The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame recently named Marilyn Stemp and Steve Piehl to its board of directors.

Stemp is a pioneering figure in the motorcycle industry, founding IronWorks Magazine with her late husband, Dennis, and becoming the first female editor of a nationally circulated, mainstream motorcycle magazine. She also revived their trade magazine, Iron Trader News; edits the monthly Kiwi Indian News; contributes to several powersports media outlets; and is the founding editor of Sturgis Rider Daily. Stemp is a noted editor and writer of several motorcycle-focused books. Her consistent support for charitable efforts in the industry include the annual Biker Belles Celebration, Las Vegas BikeFest and as campaign chair for the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum’s development plan in 2014. She co-founded the Flying Piston charity events taking place in Daytona and Sturgis each year and is a National Ambassador for All Kids Bike. Stemp was inducted into both the Las Vegas Motorcycle Hall of Fame and the Sturgis Museum's Hall of Fame in 2018, and in 2022 she was recognized as one of the Top 100 Women in Powersports by DealerNews.