Ives Brothers Wall of Death in Sturgis

The Ives Brothers are one of my favorite things about showing up to motorcycle rallies and shows off of the west coast. They're genuine, friendly dudes that love what they do, and put on a hell of a show. Riding bikes ranging from an old Harley-Davidson flathead and a couple of AMF two-strokes to a 70's Honda thumper, these brothers have been getting sideways on the wood wall since they were tweens.

As patrons and fans roll up the stairs and shuffle around the wooden wall to get to their viewpoints, the guys below kick some tires and look over the ramp, making sure everything is double and triple checked. They know very well that once they start going around, everything moves. Their dad gets on the mic and gives a short explanation about the history of board tracking and what this family is paying homage to before 21 year old Kyle hops on the flathead and starts givin' it the what-fer. After a few laps, Kyle comes down and parks it, letting his 24 year old brother Cody take his turn. Cody hops on a rigid H-D two-stroke and brings it up a bit faster than the flathead was going. Whipping the bike RIGHT up to the edge before turning the bars and bringing it back down. Kyle jumps on another similar bike and joins his brother up on the wall. Within moments the two are riding side-by-side, each with one hand on the bars, holding a perfect line like they've done a thousand times.

Once the Harley-Davidson riding aspect of the show is done, the guys' Dad talks a little more and lets the crowd know that if you hold out a $20, Kyle will bring you back a shirt. Flawlessly executed, he goes around and around, pulling bills out of peoples hands and returning with a t-shirt (he guesses the size and gets it right every time...). Once the show is done, the guys sit outside at the bottom of the stairs and thank their fans.

It is a small, family operation that is rooted in everything we love: community, motorcycles, adrenaline, and American history. We love the Ives Brothers, if you haven't had a chance to go see their show, check out their Facebook HERE for info on where they'll be next!