December 28, 2011 10:22 AM PST
Well I haven't been to Daytona since 1983, so I can't help you much there. Sturgis on the other hand I can give you a little insight....
Sturgis has something for just about everyone, unless you don't like crowds... because EVERYWHERE you go for 100 miles in any direction is packed.
There are a few ways to do Sturgis... Some people get a hotel or some type of lodging outside of town and ride in during the day to take in the vendors, bars and all the other stuff going on down town. If you're outside of town the good thing is when you do day rides like Rushmore, Deadwood, Crazy Horse, etc its pretty easy to get on the road.
For me personally I have seen down town enough and really go to the rally to hang out with friends and have a good time. I prefer to stay at one of the large campgrounds (Buffalo Chip, Glencoe, Broken Spoke, etc) where they have entertainment right there at the campground and you don't have to leave if you don't want to. Those places can get kind of wild and crazy though, so if that's what your looking for thats where you need to be.
Even Sturgis has gotten a little too big and too much of a hassle for my taste (probably something I'll only do every few years). I prefer the small to mid-sized (3,000-10,000 people), self-contained ol' school biker rallies where you can just hang out with friends, listen to music, drink beers and watch some wild contests and shows! If you're looking for a fun mid-sized rally in your area, you may want to check out the
Angel City Rally this spring.
Good luck and have fun!!!