Iron Butt challenge

Has anyone ever attempted the Iron Butt challenge

(http://www.ironbutt.com/about/default.cfm)

I am planning to attempt the SaddleSore one (1000 miles in 24hrs or less) this summer. Any good advices from people who have been there is more than welcome.

Some people call me crazy, some call me stupid. Regardless when I have that nice certificate on my wall nobody will be able to argue that I am not a dedicated rider.

If the saying is true: "Pain is just a sign you're still alive" I expect to feel really alive at the end of this challenge.

 

I've done the SS1K a few times... have paperwork to fill out but I'll get it done eventually.

A few bits of advice.

If this is your first time approaching 1000 miles, then plan on taking big roads with low traffic volumes. You can do a SS1K on back roads but it is considerably harder.

Don't OD on coffee or other stay awake drugs unless it is the normal day for you. Otherwise you'll ride a high for a few hours and then crash.

Eat small amounts frequently, and stay hydrated. I will eat a granola bar or two each gas stop - and grab sandwiches when I feel like it.

Never sit still - once a body part gets sore it will be sore for the rest of the ride. With a soft saddle like the maxim's that's often the back of the thigh. Highway pegs, passenger pegs, hanging down off the pegs - leaned forward, leaned backwards... anything to shift your body. It may look like a weird dance, but it'll help.

Let someone know your route.

Practice. You can't get on and ride 1000 miles unless you've ridden a few hundred miles easily before.

Plan a route that has help. A nice easy route might be to ride 250 miles north, get a gas receipt, ride 500 miles south (passing home), and then 250 miles home. This way you're never more than 250 miles from home and can easily bail out if you get tired or you have mechanical problems.

If you are tired stop. If you are cold - get warm. Once you get too tired or too cold you will not realize the dangers and start to ride unsafely. That may not mean speeding, but that your decision making is poor and your responses slow.

Don't speed. People often thing speeding will help. It won't. Ride a good steady speed with the flow of traffic. If you're spending your day passing people, worrying about police, getting ticket(s), mechanically abusing your bike - come night you'll be tired and so will the bike. This is a ride that will take 16-24 hours. Count on it - and set into a good rhythm. I like to average 60mph gas stops included. To do this only stop when the tank is empty, and only stop for 10 minutes... less if you can.

Anything else? Do all the bike maintenance you can before hand. Check the oil levels at the gas stations. Don't leave home on a bike you're not sure about.

Above all else, have fun and be safe.

Woot.

 

I had been considering it when I had my VMax since I had forward controls on it etc.... but with the new ridid, highly doubtfull.

 

1. Get a hemoroid cushion
2. Get a Vest from ICON called military spec. 55 dollars
3. get a clock for the handle bars.
4. Proper Gear for weather , Brain bucket , gloves extra plugs tool kit
5. check bike out top off all fluids.check brakes, lights
6. Cell phone for emergencies
7. extra cash .


now plan it right you have 24 hours to do 1K
@ 55mph you can do it in 18.18 hours leaving about 6 hours for refueling eating and the mother nature stuff. save time eating and refueling at the same time. you should be able to get by with a 30 min or 45 min stop at every fillup and still have about 1 hour before your time is up

Refueling : plan to stop every 2 - 3 hours depending on the size of the tank and the milage you get per gallon.

My tank is about 3.7 gallons @ 45- 50 miles per gallon about 177 miles per tank @ 59 miles per hour for 3 hours .

also keep in mind to vary the speed / rpms its not good to keep a sustained speed for very long.

thats alot of planning

 

and truckers are the ones getting log book violations.....HA!

 

I did it last summer,


Well, technically did the ride, within the time but the really tricky part isnt doing it. Get your paperwork 150% correct. Myself i couldnt submit the ride because one receipt was wrong and didnt match the milleage of my actual planned route. Bottom line is i couldnt send it in.

Take major highways if you can, dont go for the nice scenic routes. I know this summer when i go for it again, i will take the major highways.

I have a maxim X and for the ride i brought a 2 gallon Jerrycan with me, Frankly that was overkill. Even tho the X doesnt have a huge tank, i never was even close to running out of fuel.

Also when you plan your route, if you do stick with secondary and scenic routes, think again!

What google map shows as a nice road, may in fact be a gravel road! Trust me on that, you dont want to be half way thru your rally only to find that you're gona have to replan everything! Hence why i said, stick to main highways.

Like someone said, dont speed, tho i have to say that i was following the traffic on some roads and well....the traffic WAS speeding. IN hindshight, speeding on a cruiser without windshield and riding for 15 hours or more in strong winds isnt easy. It gets demanding on the stamina. I guess what i am trying to say is slower might be better in the long run.

Let folks know your route and do carry a cell! Also it is a good idea to get a roadside assistance membership in case of breakdown in the middle of nowhere. Afterall, our bikes arent new and even new bikes DO break down.

lastly, enjoy the ride and good luck and keep us posted about your run!


Good luck!

 

Good luck on your trip, I took a 60+ mile trip few weeks ago, ( about 3 hours round trip ) and it was 40 degrees outside... yeah wasn't fun. didn't speed but does take it's toll on stamina. Then again, haven't ridden this bike much, just got it ( came from a '02 CBR 954 prior ) missed my fairings LOL.. I /salute you on your adventure, and be careful.


GOOD LUCK!

 

I too am very interested in the Iron Butt 1000. The advice given by woot seems very wise. The only part I worry about personally is getting saddle sore. I have ridden a 500 mile ride on numerous occaisions and after about 350 miles my keester is killing me. The moving around advice is very wise but at the end of the rides the only comfortable position is standing up! I have a friend who got one of those beaded automotive seat cover thingys and cut it down/re-laced it to fit his bike. The only worries with the beads is that he says your "seat temperature" drops significantly. Not good in cold weather but a great thing when it's warm out! I think I'll give it a try during the 500 mi. Ride in May. If it works I should be good to go. Let us know how it goes.

 

I thought the iron butt was for sadist with hardtail bikes?

 

then you haven't done your research. I plan on doing it this summer. Haven't planned my route yet though.

 

Once you've done it you'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner... while doing it you may wonder why you're doing it.

I now feel comfortable doing SS1K's and will book end trips with them.

Saddle time will toughen the butt up - alternatively - buy a scuzzy seat on ebay and doctor it up. Cut the foam into a plowman shape to fit your butt. The add a layer of harder foam on top. Cover it with anything you can find... and voila cheapo seat. Leave the oem seat alone as there is not point wrecking a good one.

 

Thanks guys for all the insight. I must admit my worst fear is not so much my butt. I've already got some integral natural cushioning on there ;-)

My worst fear is how the bike will take the abuse. It is a 1985 with 63K kms on it. It runs great but 1000 miles is quite the ride. I would hate to wreck my ride trying to make the challenge. You all know how difficult it is to convince our wife to let us spend money on a new bike, especially if you wrecked it somewhat volontarily (that's what my wife will say for sure)

Hey what can I say, I just love my bike.

 

As long as you don't keep the rpm's ridiculously high and check your oil levels, it's probably better than cold starting it for 10 minute rides for the rest of its life.

 

If you have never ridden long distances (excess of 300 miles+ at one time) then you need to try it before a 1000 mile ride. No matter how cushioned your seat of understanding is I will guarantee you will be hurting after a few hundred miles. The only way to know for sure is to give it a try.


Bon chance mon ami!