STURGIS - During the 1990 Sturgis rally, a group of Hispanic bikers came back to their campground after a ride and found someone had burned their tents and camping gear.

"We know why it was. They were speaking Spanish," said Mario Nieves of Chicago, who was at the rally but not with the group.

Nieves is the founder and international president of the Latin American Motorcycle Association.

About 25 LAMA members, including Nieves, came to Sturgis that year. It was Nieves' first visit to the Sturgis rally. He has been coming back to the rally since, although not every year.

Hispanic bikers attending past rallies have sometimes been given a hard time, Nieves said. "That's coming to an end. It's much better now," he said.

"I think it's because people realize we're a great part of America. We're here because we love America. America has been wonderful to us."

Johnny Glover, another LAMA member from Chicago, agreed that Hispanics and other minorities feel more welcome at the rally, even though it is still dominated by white bikers.

Glover said when he came to his first Sturgis rally in 1999, nobody harassed him. "But there were things, like looks, not being waited on right away. There was a lot of body language," he said. "That has disappeared," said Glover, who is back at Sturgis for the third time on his 1999 Harley-Davidson Road King.

Glover who is black, not Hispanic, said he still sees few black bikers in Sturgis. "I saw two yesterday," he said Monday.

Nieves and Glover are among more than 160 LAMA members attending the group's international rally here. Members are here from Venezuela, Canada, Mexico, Uruguay, Puerto Rico and the United States.

Most of them rode their bikes here or, in the case of Puerto Ricans, had the bike shipped to Chicago and rode them from there to Sturgis.

Previous international rallies have been held in other countries in the hemisphere, including Venezuela, Argentina and Brazil. Next year's rally will be on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. LAMA, which Nieves founded in 1977, now has about 5,000 members worldwide, he said.

But LAMA chose Sturgis for its motorcycling heritage and the beautiful riding of the Black Hills, Nieves said.

Nieves and Glover said many Hispanic and black riders have been drawn to motorcycling, especially since the 1970s, even though they haven't been highly represented at Sturgis.

Black bikers have their own roundup, which takes place at different parts of the country, Glover said.

The Harley-Davidson company in recent years has reached out to minorities, trying to broaden its market.

Harley this year supported a black biker event during Bike Week in Daytona. The company also launched a Harlistas section on its Web site dedicated to Hispanic riders. It plans to produce a documentary on Hispanic Harley riders.

"Harley started realizing we need to be really fair and treat everybody really well, because that's what our future clientele is," Nieves said.

You don't have to be Hispanic to be a member of LAMA. But you have to have a motorcycle and a motorcycle license before you become a member, Nieves said. He said the group helps prospective members get the training they need and their licenses.

And members must have a job.

"If you don't work, don't come by," Nieves said.

LAMA members must not be involved in criminal activity, either, he said.

Nieves said the group includes a cross-section of people, ranging from state legislators and judges to cleaning people and construction laborers.

Nieves is dean of students at a Chicago area high school. Glover is retired after a career including a 15-year stint at Cook County, Ill., sheriff.

Glover said the group is aimed at having fun that families can enjoy.

LAMA members, many of whom are staying at the Best Western Ramkota hotel in Rapid City, filled the Golden Corral with talk and laughter Monday morning.

Nieves and Glover both said the group was enjoying its stay.

"Everybody has been astonished at the welcome, the way we've been treated," Nieves said.

LAMA members Leo Herard and his wife, Alicia, also of Chicago, rode here on Leo's 1997 Honda Valkyrie. It is their first rally.

"I love it," Leo Herard said. "I'll definitely be back."

Contact Steve Miller at 394-8415 or steve.miller@rapidcityjournal.com.