Myrtle Beach Fall Bike Rally is almost here. Here’s what’s different from the spring rally

Emalyn Muzzy

The Myrtle Beach area will soon be filled with bikers as they come for the 2024 Fall Bike Rally, the autumn version of the Myrtle Beach Spring Bike Rally.

While the spring rally can seem like a kick-off to summer, the fall rally may be a goodbye to the warm weather.

The fall rally will run from Sept. 27 through Oct. 6 with most of the action happening in Murrells Inlet. You can visit the Myrtle Beach Bike Rally website to find events, popular bars and learn more.

If you’ve attended the spring rally but not the fall rally, here’s what you can expect to be different.

Smaller attendance size

One of the major differences is the size of the two motorcycle rallies, said Chairperson of the Myrtle Beach Bike Rally Promotion Committee Lee “Spider” Webb. The fall rally is about half the size of the spring rally.

During the spring rally, there could be 300,000 to 400,000 people in attendance on a given day while there may be 150,000 to 250,000 during the fall rally.

“You have a bit more elbow room,” Webb said. “It’s not as crowded and a lot of people like that.”

Bikers roll into Murrells Inlet, S.C. on Friday evening for Fall Bike Week. Thousands visited the popular bars and vendors that line U.S. Highway 17 on the South end of the Grand Strand despite scattered showers. Oct. 6, 2023.
Bikers roll into Murrells Inlet, S.C. on Friday evening for Fall Bike Week. Thousands visited the popular bars and vendors that line U.S. Highway 17 on the South end of the Grand Strand despite scattered showers. Oct. 6, 2023.

Different kinds of fashion

The milder weather of October allows bikers to not sweat off their leathers in the South Carolina sun, Webb said. He said it’s more likely people will wear their leather vests, pants and chaps as it keeps them warm during the chilly nights. It also provides the bikers protection.

“It’s a good time for people to get out and ride before cold weather sets in, particularly people up north,” Webb said.

In the spring, some bikers will wear leather, but it’s a lot of T-shirts, shorts and jeans. The spring rally is held in the middle of May when the temperature is in the 80s, while it usually stays in the 70s in October, according to MyrtleBeach.com, a Myrtle Beach tourism portal.

A family affair

Webb said he’s noticed more families showing up for the fall rally than the spring. He said a lot of families like to use the fall bike rally as an opportunity to host a gathering and celebrate the end of summer.

There will be a mix of blood relatives — the stereotypical kind of family — as well as chosen biker families.

“The biker world is all about families,” Webb said.

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