Video: The Bikers Are Back in Town

LOUISVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Area business owners are gearing up for two things this weekend.

The rev of motorcycle engines and the sound of cash registers.

The annual bike rally in Sturgis, brings in thousands of bikers, and a boost to the local economy.

It’s about twenty-five minutes from Starkville and Louisville.

When hotel and camper space runs out, bikers cruise on over to the nearby towns.

Each year, Louisville hosts events to welcome bikers to town.

This means some will stay at hotels and eat at restaurants.

A roaring bike engine is common in Sturgis this time of year, along with area towns.

It means, bikers are back.

Patti Purser and her husband have been cruising to the rally from Ridgeland for three years.

“When you go to a bike rally, you have such an influx of people and you’re checking things out, you’re looking, you’re dining in restaurants, so I imagine most cities are pretty friendly to the bikers.”

Riders fill up hotels, restaurants, and their gas tanks, pumping in several thousand dollars into the town.

“We have 30 to 40 staying with us, not 30 to 40 rooms, because a lot of them are couples and that sort of thing and then they really, a lot of them will eat with us. You’ll be surprised how many will roll in and have lunch tomorrow,” says Lake Tiak-O-Khata co-owner, Carmen White.

Which means, Lake Tiak-O-Khata staff has to plan ahead.

“We know the restaurant is going to be extra busy during this time, so we do set up extra staff and that sort of thing for that, so it’s, you know, we really enjoy having them. We’re fortunate that we have a Sturgis close by,” says White.

Everyone seems to benefit when the rally rolls around.

“People are familiarizing with our town because if you go to downtown Louisville, it’s beautiful. We have a variety of shops and it’s just a nice place to come so we’re getting to expose Louisville to a lot of people.