If riding in the Motogiro d’Italia is on your bucket list, but the logistics or cost of getting to Italy are daunting, consider participating in the U.S.-based Small Bike Big Adventure (SBBA) event instead.
It’s a smaller event than the Motogiro (a few dozen riders rather than a couple hundred), but both events cover about the same distance over five days. And while the U.S. ain’t Italy, our domestic scenery can certainly rival what you’ll find on the other side of the Atlantic.
Faithful readers of this magazine may remember Richard Backus’s story featuring the 2023 SBBA event, which went into the origins of the event. The 2024 SBBA was the fifth edition of the event and, for the first time, took place outside of Colorado.
In keeping with the spirit of the event, participants are restricted to riding machines made no later than 1972 and no larger than 350cc. Late ’60s Hondas were popular choices, but there was everything from a pair of two-stroke Puchs to Ducatis, Bultacos, Benellis, Aermacchis, Moto Guzzis and even a 1930s vintage New Imperial.
The ride traditionally takes place over five days and covers approximately 800 miles, with daily distances ranging from 120-190 miles. With such small displacement machines, average speeds tend to be relaxed — 35-45mph depending on how much climbing there is.
The 2024 event also differed from previous versions in that, rather than going from point-to-point each of the five days, it was based in two locations in South Dakota: Rapid City and Hill City, with three days of riding based in the former town and two days out of Hill City.
Organizers provide SAG support and a riding mechanic to help with breakdowns and motorcycle misbehaviors. Riders were encouraged to self-navigate using either roll charts or guidance devices — the organizers provided instructions for both methods. The more intrepid folks chose to simply follow someone who knew where they were going.
A WhatsApp group was created for riders to communicate with each other and to share important information. Each day started with a ride briefing which reviewed the day’s ride and pointed out any tricky sections. For the most part, the route was paved, except for one day that included about thirty miles of gravel road. We got lucky with the weather, with moderate temperatures and only one day of afternoon rain.
The scenery in South Dakota was spectacular, varying from rolling plains to rocky canyons with narrow hairpins to lovely green valleys — sometimes all within a few miles of each other. We visited Mt. Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial and rode through Badlands National Park, Wind Cave National Park, Custer State Park and the Black Hills. We also rode through the famous towns of Sturgis, Wall (home of the Wall drugstore), Spearfish and Deadwood.
As with the Motogiro, the eye-popping scenery and riding experience were wonderful, but the best part is really the camaraderie — old friendships renewed and new connections forged. Post ride BS sessions on lawn chairs or at the local brewpub were lively and great fun. The organizers provided a picnic lunch one day, and post-ride pizzas and Mexican food on other days. Evening entertainment centered on hanging around the bikes in the parking lot, admiring the beautiful classic machinery or kibitzing as owners tackled mechanical challenges. And while a few problems proved insurmountable, someone always seemed to come up with an alternate bike to ride.
Two Coloradans, Ben Foster and Todd Wallis, created SBBA and serve as its leadership team. Todd is a veteran of multiple Motogiro d’Italias and dreamt of re-creating that multi-day riding experience here in the U.S. Ben leveraged his management and planning skills to realize the dream to practice.
When Ben was asked about the event’s guiding principle, he stated, “SBBA rides have always been conceived as trips that Todd and I want to ride, even if we ride by ourselves. We’re humbled that experienced riders who have literally been around the world commit their time and resources to join us.” Todd added, “Many of our riders have been with us over the last several years. During that time, Ben and I have moved away from a follow-the-leader type of ride to one that gives more autonomy to the riders. Ben does a fabulous job creating the maps and navigation aids, and the riders have really stepped up in their self-management, giving themselves more freedom and allowing us to focus on other issues.”
Participants were responsible for paying for their rooms at the two base hotels, plus any park entrance fees as well as a SAG fee of $300. The event has grown over the last five years, from about a dozen participants in 2020, to almost forty participants in 2024.
Those interested in riding in future SBBA events can stay updated by joining the dedicated Facebook group. If you want to see the routes and logistics for the 2024 event, check out their website. Once plans for the 2025 event are ready, a new website will be created and posted. SBBA is always held the week before Labor Day and next year’s route will likely be revealed sometime this fall. MC
