STURGIS, S.D. – At Wednesday morning’s Hall of Fame Inductee Breakfast in Deadwood, Sturgis Mayor Rod Bradley praised the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame for helping preserve the people, history and traditions that make the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally special.

Bradley, a Sturgis native, told those gathered that he has experienced the Rally from several different perspectives, first as a child watching motorcycles fill his hometown, later as a downtown business owner who came to understand the Rally’s economic importance, and now for the first time as mayor.

“Growing up in Sturgis, I’ve had the chance to experience Sturgis from a lot of different angles, from a wide-eyed kid taking in all of the sights and motorcycles to a downtown business owner,” Bradley said.

Serving as mayor during the Rally, he said, has given him yet another perspective and an opportunity to think more deeply about what has allowed the event to become what it is today.

“The Rally is truly a big deal in a lot of different ways,” Bradley said. “We can’t have the Rally we have without all of us.”

Bradley said Wednesday’s breakfast was a particularly fitting example of that cooperation because it brings together people from throughout the motorcycle industry who have helped shape and support the Sturgis tradition.

He also said his first Rally as mayor has given him an even greater appreciation for the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame and the role it plays not only during Rally week, but throughout the year.

For Bradley, that appreciation is also personal. He recalled when the building that now houses the Museum served as the Sturgis post office and said seeing what it has become is especially meaningful for someone who grew up in the community.

“Seeing the transition from that to everything they have done is truly remarkable and rewarding from a hometown guy who really appreciates everything that goes into the Rally,” Bradley said.

The mayor also thanked the Museum for helping connect the City with 2026 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Grand Marshal Tim Duffy. Duffy, a retired New York City firefighter who responded to the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, is also among this year’s Sturgis Motorcycle Museum Hall of Fame inductees.

Bradley said the opportunity to spend time with Duffy during Rally week has been one of the highlights of his first Rally as mayor.

“He really epitomizes what we should have in a grand marshal,” Bradley said. “The time I’ve been able to spend with him and how he really embodies the Rally — it’s meaningful to have him.”

Bradley closed by welcoming attendees to the annual breakfast and thanking the Museum and Hall of Fame for its continued partnership with the City and for its work preserving the legacy of motorcycling and the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.