Ask any motorcycle enthusiast where Sturgis is and that person can probably pinpoint the exact location of the small South Dakota city in any map. That’s the kind of love and affection riders have for the city that has hosted the biggest motorcycle gathering in the US for the past 74 years. This year marks the 75th anniversary of bike convergence in Sturgis, making it the perfect time for Harley-Davidson->ke300, one of the most well-represented brands in the annual event, to step in and ensure that Sturgis lives on for another 75 years.

The American bike maker has just signed a deal with the city, making Harley-Davidson the official motorcycle of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. That’s a distinction Harley-Davidson will be proud to wear. More importantly, the deal sets up the rally for at least until 2090. I don’t think I’ll be able to live that long, but apparently, the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally will.

As part of the deal between the city and Harley-Davidson, the latter will build a permanent structure on the main street in the town for events all year round. The road towards building this structure began when a 2015 Harley-Davidson Street 750 motorcycle tore a brick out of the company's Milwaukee headquarters. That brick, another one from the brand’s museum, and 73 others from the headquarter’s parking lots will all be part of the new building in Sturgis. Once completed, the location will be able to accommodate a wide variety of events, including concerts, weddings, and obviously, motorcycle gatherings.

Harley expects to finish the project in time for the 75th rally this August, so in the event you’ve already circled Sturgis on your calendars, this is one part about this year’s festivities - and the 75 more to follow - that you can look forward to.

Click past the jump to read more about harley-Davidson's deal with the city of Sturgis.

Why it matters

It’s pretty cool that the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally will live on longer than most of us will be alive to see it. I mean, 75 years? That’s a long time from now!

Give credit though to Harley-Davidson and the city of Sturgis for recognising the importance of the rally, not just from an enthusiast’s standpoint, but from a cultural point of view.

We’ve all seen how big the rally has become, especially how mainstream media seems to have adopted it as a must-attend event for any bike enthusiast in America and the whole world for that matter.

This deal is perfect because we get to see the rally take place for another 75 years. A lot of us won’t be around to see what happens from it, but you can be sure that the generation of people that will be around in 50 or 60 years from now will certainly appreciate the fact that steps were taken to ensure that the rally continues to become an important date for bike lovers the world over.