Article By: Chris Callen
Photos Courtesy Of: Iron Horse Saloon
Originally Published In The June 2016 Issue Of Cycle Source Magazine
There are a few places in the motorcycle scene, when it comes to the major events at least, that have a vibe and feel all their own. The Suck Bang Blow in Myrtle, The Original Broken Spoke that used to be on Lazzelle St. in Sturgis and probably at the top of that list for me, is the Iron Horse Saloon in Daytona. While there are even more of the giant box style overnight biker bars popping up at the national events these days, few manage to capture the ground up look and feel of a historic location like the Iron Horse. You see, that place was built by the people, literally, one piece at a time. It evolved through the years with the crowds that came and went and naturally morphed into what it is today. So what’s the point of this article? Well, you may or may not have heard that there will be some big changes in Sturgis this year. Michael Ballard of the Full Throttle Saloon bought what used to be the Broken Spoke Campground, Buffalo Chip celebrates their 35th Anniversary and the Iron Horse Saloon is coming to town. That’s right, quite possibly the world’s most iconic and famous biker fun spot is setting up shop on the corner of Lazzelle and Junction in the previous spot of Easyrider Saloon. Now the name is changing, the style and atmosphere will change to fit more into the Horse World System but what will stay the same are the people behind the establishment and the level of entertainment that people have come to love over their 5-year history. During that time, the spot on Junction and Lazelle has made some incredible headway in the type of facility they run. 3 incredible restaurants inside their building; a proper sit down dining location on the first floor, a fast food joint with pizza and hamburgers on the 2nd floor, and all the way up top all you can eat prime rib and crab legs in their 3rd floor restaurant. They have some of the most notable names in music regularly grace their stages with Lynch Mob being the first announcement of this year and much more to follow.
In their huge courtyard a giant pro audio stage sits as the center piece that can be viewed from anywhere you sit or stand. If there is any chance that you might not have the best seat in the house, two giant LED screens hang at both sides of the stage to give event goers a firsthand look at what’s happening right up front. There are porch type deck walkways all around the upper level and seating throughout. Day time activities have always played a huge role in what they do; this year will be no different as they already have The Cycle Source / Michael Lichter Ride, The Perewitz Paint Show on Wednesday and The Cycle Source Custom Bike Show on Thursday that will be awarding a complete rolling chassis to the Best of Show winner on the calendar. There are a few things in the works right now that I can tell you will be absolute game changers, but you will have to watch the web site for all the announcements. Additionally, the signs that adorn the building will change to display the iconic name, Iron Horse Saloon, that began in Daytona over 30 years ago but more importantly they are going to do their best to bring the feel of that unmistakable property along with it. I am thrilled to have the honor of announcing the return of the original Broken Spoke. Many people don’t know that the real reason the original Spoke disappeared from this location was the result of a massive snow storm in 2014. The damage left to the building when the roof collapsed left it an unrealistic proposition to rebuild. The plans are to re-create a structure at the exact spot where the Spoke stood for so many years to honor the OG and give people a meeting point that will be just like the feel of its roots and heritage. While we at Cycle Source have heavy hearts as we mourn the passing of the torch as it pertains to the Campground at County Line, our longtime home in SD, the news of the World Famous Iron Horse Saloon and original Broken Spoke location sets the tone for the beginning of a new decade, and one that we can’t wait to see flourish on Lazelle. For more information, please watch the Iron Horse Sturgis website at www. ihsturgis.com and their FaceBook at www.facebook.com/ sturgissaloonco
