Iron Butt questions

[Rexsname]

I may have an oppertunity to ride with a friend for 1000miles in 24 hours. I know very little about what makes an 'official' Iron Butt ride. I have heard that an official looks at your odometer, you keep signed gas receipts and another official reads the odometer at the end. It sounds interesting to me, kinda a 'badge of honor' thing. Don't know where we will go yet, don't know when, I just know that I think I want to go.

REX

 

[sasaholic]

My personal best so far is 1623 miles in 23.5 hours. Pasadena,CA to El Paso,TX and back.

dang over and average of 69mpg not factoring in the time it took u to refuel? thats darn good

 

[Hill Bill E.]

Wow! I've done 1500 miles in my CJ 7 in under 2 days, and I thought that was A Ride!

Been a few years since I rode a bike, but I know I'd never have made it with my KZ750:Wow1: 300 miles a day was more than enough for me!:snorkel:

 

[MarcFJ60]

I understand somebody having to ride 1000/24. I guess I don't really see the big deal about doing it for the sake of doing it. Why ruin a perfectly good bike ride? But to each his own.

But I really don't understand the "certification" thing. If somebody tells me they rode 1000/24 I'm jut as inclined to believe them as somebody who shows me some "certification." It's really an accomplishment for the person doing the feat. Heck, if I rode 1000/24 I wouldn't care if anybody believed me. But I imagine the story behind the 1000/24 would be more impressive than the feat itself.

I guess I'm kinda pissing on your parade here. I'll shut up now.

 

[1911]

I understand somebody having to ride 1000/24. I guess I don't really see the big deal about doing it for the sake of doing it. Why ruin a perfectly good bike ride? But to each his own.

But I really don't understand the "certification" thing. If somebody tells me they rode 1000/24 I'm jut as inclined to believe them as somebody who shows me some "certification." It's really an accomplishment for the person doing the feat. Heck, if I rode 1000/24 I wouldn't care if anybody believed me. But I imagine the story behind the 1000/24 would be more impressive than the feat itself.

I guess I'm kinda pissing on your parade here. I'll shut up now.

I'm right there with you, for all the exact same reasons.

The one that I thought was pretty cool was a fellow Indian rider in my local AMCA chapter that holds the record for the oldest bike to do a certified run on his 1946 Chief. For a bike that only makes about 45-50 hp from a flathead engine and in stock trim has a top speed of about 65 mph, not to mention the primitive suspension, it was a real accomplishment.

 

[grahamfitter]

A colleague of mine relocated from a suburban Boston office to one in Orange County, California. Naturally he rode his motorcycle 3000 miles across the country instead of having it shipped. It took him three days. :Wow1:

He said afterwards "It was the worst motorcycle ride of my life and I'd gladly repeat it."

After that, a mere 1000 miles in 24 hours doesn't sound so unreasonable!

 

[Rovertrader]

I guess I'm kinda the opposite- no certificates, no pins. Been riding for just shy of 40 years, and like being subtle. Rode last summer from SLC to Clt in two days, somewhat leisurely 2k miles- some secondary roads, lunch in Moab, etc on a new to me KTM990. Rode to Belize, Guatamala, and Cancun and back in a week- just me and my brother. Many many more similar trips. To each his own, and whatever floats your boat. However, the credibility comes from the person, not the group/validation thing in my eyes. However, the IB does raise an eyebrow or two...

 

[805gregg]

You want to ride 1000 miles just do it you don't need any certificate from a bunch of old guy's to prove you did it, hell ride 1,200 miles, who cares.

 

[Token]

Back in Sept 2005 I took off on a trip from Memphis on the bike.. Rode across AR, TX, NM, AZ, UT, CO and back across Kansas, OK and AR once again..

Total was a bit over 4000 miles in 9 days.. The first 8 days I covered the bulk of that.. The last day I left a friend's house in Longmont, CO at 8am.. 22 and a half hours later I was pulling into my garage in Memphis, 1211 miles away.

I didn't start out that morning intending to do the rest of the trip. I actually intended to stop in Wichita, KS and see some other friends. I hit Wichita about 3 in the afternoon and figure what the heck, let's go on to OKC.. At OKC, it was just getting dark, I wasn't tired, so I figured I'd stop in Ft Smith, AR.. Ft, Smith.. Still wide awake and enjoying the ride.. It finally hit me just west of Forest City, AR I prolly needed to stop.. I pulled into a rest area and figured I'd stretch out on the sidewalk next to the bike for a few hours.. Pulled over, laid down beside the bike and was wide awake.. Got up 10 minutes later and rode on home. Didn't keep any records, nor any gas receipts to turn in. It's all just in my memory and a few pictures now..

At that point in my life I'd been riding motorcycles as a regular form of transportation (not just recreation) for going on 25 years.. 25,000 miles a year on a bike was a regular occurance. Since that day in 2005, I haven't put 500 miles on a bike. Something on that ride changed me.. There weren't any close calls the entire trip, nothing much different than many other rides. But it happened. Apparantly I got the last of my miles out on two wheels. Just don't have the desire to ride that I used to have.

 

[ravenranger]

I may have an oppertunity to ride with a friend for 1000miles in 24 hours. I know very little about what makes an 'official' Iron Butt ride. I have heard that an official looks at your odometer, you keep signed gas receipts and another official reads the odometer at the end. It sounds interesting to me, kinda a 'badge of honor' thing. Don't know where we will go yet, don't know when, I just know that I think I want to go.

REX

Just a piece of advice regarding doing a 1000 mile day with someone else. Be sure y'all communicate BEFORE hand. It's a good idea for you both to plan the ride together. Having similar riding styles and similar gas ranges is also helpful. It's very helpful to plan, in advance, each stop and know which gas station you're planning to stop at. I've also found it helpful, when riding with others who've not done one, to have several "bail-out" points - 1/4 way, 1/2 way, 3/4 way. Know, in advance, any special needs each of you may have (some folks have small bladders, others need to eat every two hours, some need to stop and smoke, etc.). Be efficient at your stops because that's what eats away at your time - go ahead and start getting into a gas stop routine where you write down your mileage, write down your gas, and then check and stow your receipt. Doing a thousand mile day is actually more of a mental exercise than a physical one - do a ride that appeals to you and know your stops - if you're not enjoying the ride, stop - if you discover your riding partner annoys you, communicate, and/or separate, and/or stop.

As for documentation. Your start time is your first gas receipt when you fill up before leaving. Your end time is your last gas receipt when you fill up at the end. You'll need to ask someone to witness your departure and arrival (this can be a friend, neighbor, gas station attendant, etc. if you're only doing an SS1K).

I'm a long ride addict (as a personal goal this past year, did 2 a month) and a few things I've learned:

- use a tank bag with easy to manipulate snacks inside so you can snack as you ride

- use a camelback (I put mine in my tank bag) so you can hydrate as you ride

- when I'm feeling fatigued, that's a sure sign that I'm actually dehydrated and haven't been sipping from my camelback often enough

- gum is a good thing

- use ear plugs (cutting out wind noise dramatically reduces fatigue)

- get in the habit of moving about a bit as you ride and adjust your position BEFORE you start feeling achy (I tend to do a series of stretches throughout a long ride to avoid being too long in one position)

- if anything is a distraction or not right, pull over and fix it immediately, it's not worth riding a couple hundred miles with something that's an annoyance

- carry an MSR fuel bottle with fuel in it (if you encounter strong headwinds or get bad gas, you may find you'll need it)

- split day rides work surprisingly well (leave at 4pm then ride 'til midnight and stop for a rest then, get on the road at 7am and ride 'til 3pm)

- check in with folks at your stops so people know how you're doing and where you are (sending a quick text is fairly easy and takes less time than calling, plus, getting 'congrats' texts each time you stop is an added morale boost)

- if it's not fun, stop

 

[Tbird]

I did a Saddlesore 1000/24hr ride a few years back. I'm wanting to do the Border-to-Border Insanity now. That's Mexico to Canada in a day!

You're in a great place to get it done as easy as it can be done. I started mine from El Paso, TX and did a large 1171 mi loop. I stayed on the interstate the entire way (it was my first attempt and I did it alone, and didn't know what to expect) to help keep the pace up. My bike is a 2007 Yamaha FJR1300, a sport tourer. It has a pretty long range and I have it configured for long-duration comfort.

You do not need "officials"...just witnesses at start and finish that will vouch for your time. You do need your gas stop receipts. MAKE SURE THE CORRECT DATE/TIME ARE ON THE RECEIPT!!! I had a map on my tank bag which had my gas stops already noted. And picked the quickest on/off fuel I could find. I used the fuel stop to change layers/snack/pee/exercise for alertness. Stops were no longer than 10 min.

For the journey...I suggest padded bicycle shorts...under full gear. LAYERS are important. You'll probably be both cold and warm during the trip. To stay alert and safe...good music or a audio book. Water at hand so you don't dehydrate and get sleepy. High energy snacks in a tank bag.

It was WAY easier than I expected. I did 1171 mi in just under 18 hrs. Staying on the freeway I was able to keep a 65 mph pace. I stopped 7 times for gas...could have done it in 5 stops. For this ride you have way more time than you think you have. I could have made each stop 30+ min and still made the finish. I wish that I could have stayed on the bike and done the 1500/24 ride...but as stated before that can not be your first IB certification.

My route: El Paso-Tucson-Phoenix-Flagstaff-Grants-Albuquerque-El Paso.

Best part: My IRON BUTT license plate frame. "Toughest Riders in the World"

The reason why I did it: THE CHALLENGE...nothing more, nothing less. I'm sure people can understand THAT.

 

[805gregg]

Best part: My IRON BUTT license plate frame. "Toughest Riders in the World"

You can get your own license plate frame made, I've got a couple of ideas for you.

 

[Token]

Just a piece of advice regarding doing a 1000 mile day with someone else. Be sure y'all communicate BEFORE hand. It's a good idea for you both to plan the ride together. Having similar riding styles and similar gas ranges is also helpful.

EXCELLENT Advice.. On my trip, I started out with some folks I didn't know well, but they all thought they were hard riding Harley guys..

By the start of the second day we decided we'd be better off parting ways.. They were pissed at the distance I'd pushed on the first day (maybe 400 miles) and I was pissed that they were still in bed at 10am and I was showered, shaved, packed, loaded, fed and ready to roll by 8:30 (which I thought was a late start to the day)..

Another tip.. Pick decent riding weather.. Don't do it when it's near freezing or 100+ degrees.. Don't try it in the rain..

Best place in the world to do it if you're lookig to make time and miles.. I-40 from Gallup, NM to Little Rock, AR. Limited Metro areas to get caught in.. Could cut the metro areas down even more by doing OKC to Alburquerque and back.. Down side to I-40 is if there is a traffic stopping wreck, you're screwed..

 

[24HOURSOFNEVADA]

I've done 1200 miles in 19 hours solo, stopping twice for a quick sit down meal. The other stops were just fuel stops. When I got to my destination I didn't want to look at my bike for two days. My bike was not set up for touring (No windshield, wide bars, crappy suspension) but more of a bar hopper. Since then, I have ridden many miles on BMW 1150 RT's.

The bike you choose makes a big difference in the success of the ride.

 

[Martinjmpr]

I've been wanting to do a SS1000 for years but never been able to pull it off.

For one thing, the retro-style bikes I've had aren't all that well suited to long rides. When I went to Taos for the Triumphs in Taos rally in September, my route home took me through the 4 corners, Monument Vally, Moki Dugway and over Wolf Creek Pass back to Denver. The last day was 530 miles and it was accompanied by excruciating pain in my neck/upper back. I've since added a spacer to raise my handlebars and a slightly lower seat, but I haven't done enough long distance rides to know if that will make a difference.

My longest one-day ride was also my very first long distance ride: Denver to Tulsa, OK (about 750 miles) in one day on a beat up, poorly maintained 74 Honda CB750. I took the trip in October of 1984, which is really late to be starting a motorcycle trip from Colorado!

No cell phones back in those days, no credit cards (I carried cash), no proper riding gear other than a helmet, on a bike that I had never changed the oil on or even knew how to do that. My "luggage" was a cheap nylon bag bungeed to the back seat and my navigation system consisted of a couple of free tourist maps. I actually had to delay my trip by a day because we got an early snowstorm that dumped a couple inches of snow onto the roads.

I ran into heavy rain in Arkansas that shorted out my electrical system and I had to have it repaired at a small bike shop in Jay, OK.

I cut it so close on money that when I left Tulsa to return to Denver I only had enough money for gas. My "meals" for that ride consisted of a cup of coffee in Hutchinson, KS, and a candy bar and soda in Burlington, CO. I arrived home with $1 in my pocket. :Wow1:

In my defense, I was 22 and didn't know any better!