The 74th Annual Sturgis Bike Rally roared through South Dakota the first part of August with a week of activities and events. One noteworthy event was Jesse Jurrens, owner of Legend Suspensions, being inducted into the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame at the 14th Annual Hall of Fame Induction Breakfast held at the Lodge in Deadwood, SD.
Rural Development Area Director Tim Potts was on-site on my behalf to represent the agency and congratulate Jesse on this major milestone. The mission of the Hall of Fame is to collect, preserve, and interpret the history of motorcycling, honor those who have made a positive and significant impact on the sport and lifestyle, and pay tribute to the heritage of the Sturgis Rally. Jesse definitely has shaped and changed the sport and lifestyle of motorcyclists globally and is inspiration for future generations.
“I’m personally honored to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, however the induction is only possible with the support of a great community in Sturgis, an amazing team of dedicated employees, and the support of First Interstate Bank and USDA,” said Jesse during the ceremony. “I’m the one honored. It’s truly a team effort. I don’t do this alone!”
Through the support of USDA Rural Development, Legend Air Suspension enjoys a great local, national and global reputation. USDA has assisted Legend with two Business and Industry Guaranteed loans. In 1997, then 18-year-old Jesse started the business in his parent’s basement in Watertown. He saw the benefits an air spring could have on a motorcycle and had a vision to applying this technology to a Harley Davidson softail. Over the nearly two decades he's been in business, Jesse has been committed to “lean manufacturing” principals, and this responsible and calculated growth strategy has allowed Legend Suspensions to enjoy a surge in popularity. Legend now includes a full line of innovative Aero Air and Revo coil suspensions for motorcycles as well as a new line of Utility Task Vehicle (UTV) suspensions.
I'm proud of the job Jesse has done, and equally proud that USDA Rural Development has been able to support Legend Air Suspension as they continue to grow and prosper.