Gonna get an Iron Butt.

[YoungPUP]

Have decided to go for my Iron Butt this summer. Have been reading up on the site for the Iron Butt association, and understand most of the instructions, does anybody have any tips or suggestions? Am Also looking at building a copy of an aux tank that I talked to someone here about ( sorry forgot who, and already deleted the pm). Has anyone done this and gotten the tank checked/ approved by the IBA?  Thanks for all the info.

[Stormrider65]

Pup check with Rainmaker here in Texas.  He is the man to talk to.

Walt

[Hollyday]

5_19 built one.. not sure how much he looks on the general board.. but you could inquire on the Texas board.

[MarkT]

You don't need high range for Iron Butt rides.  The key to burning a lot of miles at once, is to plan to stop before your body needs it.  I stop every 110 miles, get whatever I might need like a piss break, maybe gas, and walk around as much as possible during the 10 minute break.  Separate any food breaks from gas breaks, the more stops you have the easier it is to ride far.  Drink only water or fruit juices, avoid caffeine drinks or high sugar drinks, they both make you have to piss.  Avoid high protein foods, salads etc won't make you sleepy like protein will. Plan the trip to leave at dusk and do your night driving while you're fresh, after you first had a good long nap that day.  Best to not have to deal with night animals on the road while sleepy. Use the interstates to maximize driving speed with minimal lane incursions, both animals and cross traffic. I find road tunes helpful to keep your mind going, even the radio is useful.  GPS, for sure, I use a Zumo 550.  Be sure to follow their rules on the witnessed departure and arrival affidavits, and collect all the gas receipts and toll receipts.  One or two missing aren't a deal breaker.  Don't speed, at least not much, IBA has a policy of denying IBA certification of rides that have obvious law breaking.  An electronic cruise control is really nice for saving your wrist esp if you have carpal tunnel, but not mandatory.  I do my Iron Butts on my 1800 Wing. Good luck.  

Oh Yeah, forgot.  Be sure you have a good seat solution first.  That's probably obvious.  I did a 4,000 mile Canada ride 18 months ago and found out a slight seat problem became a monster.  My butt was bruised for over a month after that trip.  Hurt every time I sat on anything, and again when I got up.

MarkT, IBA# 13201

[YoungPUP]

I think 5_19 was the one with the aux tank.  Shiny looking, mounts where the pass. seat goes. As for using the interstates for quick mileage, I live 5 min from I80/94 so a shot 500 west and back shouldn't be too hard.

[alph]

last summer NITRO and i did 1000 miles in one day.  we left at about 6:30 (planned on making it 6) and got to Maggie Valley NC at around 11:45, to midnight.  we both were a bit sore, butt, we made it!!  we had about 200 miles of good hard rain thankfully it was in the middle of summer and it served as a nice "cooling" relief.  never got ahold of the "iron-butt" commitee, but both know we did do it. 

[Serk]

On the Iron Butt - Plan your route, and enjoy it... It's not about speed, it's about keeping your butt in the saddle...
If possible make it for something fun (How far are you from Inzane? HotGlue's BBQ? Something fun to go to that's around 1,000 miles away).

I enjoyed the heck outta mine, wanted to keep going but the spousal unit/CPA cut off the frivolous gas fund... (I did mine as a big circle around west Texas)

[Willow]

Mark's advice is spot on, especially the part about departing at a time that will keep you away from riding tired in the dark.  Most of us get that backwards leaving early in the morning.

Don't worry about the extended fuel range.  You don't need it.

With a digital camera I take shots of the odometer and GPS at stops to help my memory just in case.

Willow, IBA #20826, Burn Burner Gold

[ptgb]

I have done right around 7 of them (see sig pic), including a 1500 (in 24) and a 2000 (in 48). Plan on a few more this year. I find them cathartic and a great use of my time. Really "clears out the baffles" if you know what I mean.

The advice so far has been spot on. For a 1000 mi in 24 hours, don't over think it. An experienced iron-butter can do one in about 15-16 hours easy. The first one will take near 20 or so, depending on weather. Keep moving, pace yourself. I really never had a problem with having to stop much and walk around etc. Usually on a gas stop at about 150 miles (if you have an I/S - for a Standard every 130 miles), eat a granola bar and have a bit of Gatorade. Pee if you have to. Do the next 150 miles repeat.

I have always found that leaving in the early morning hours work for me. I usually leave out right around midnight or 1:00 am that way you get the lion share of it done before noon and end it before it gets dark.

One last suggestion... instead of just driving 500 miles out and back on say I-80 into boring old Illinois and Iowa (forgive me Illini and Cornhuskers Hawkeyes)... think about maybe riding around Lake Michigan.. if you leave early enough in the AM, Chicago traffic is not an issue and then you have some nice scenery with sparse traffic up thorough Wisconsin and then around the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan. I did that one in September... was a really nice ride. Did it in about 16 hours.

I have the paperwork in electronic form (MS Word) that I have submitted to the IBA. I do maps, scans of receipts, etc. If you're interested in seeing how I did it and what I submitted, PM me your email address.

[Mongo]

I have done 1000 miles around Lake Michigan a couple of times leaving from Kankakee IL.

[WamegoRob]

boring old Illinois and Iowa (forgive me Illini and Cornhuskers)...

As long as we're discussing all these spot-on factualities I can't help myself...

Cornhuskers = Nebraska
Hawkeyes = Iowa

[DIGGER]

I think 5_19 was the one with the aux tank.  Shiny looking, mounts where the pass. seat goes. As for using the interstates for quick mileage, I live 5 min from I80/94 so a shot 500 west and back shouldn't be too hard.

The Saddle Sore 1000 is a long ride but very do-able.  Should take 17-18 hrs going the speed limit.  Trick is to stay moving.....but you got to stop and rest some too.  Try for daylight for most of your country riding.   I took energy bars and orange juice along, but stayed away from candy bars.....high sugar makes me sleepy.    I bought a back rest for my mustang seat that reeeeallly saved my back.   I also put a duffle bag full of soft towels and stuff strapped to my backrest and seat so I could lean back a little and kind of support my upper back.  Highway pegs help a lot too.   Anything you can do to  be able to change positions helps. Take plenty of warm clothes as you will lose some time stopping at Walmart.   Keep reciepts and if you do a turn around trip make sure you go to a reliable witness to sign your papers before you turn around, I went to a local police station.   They had signed other peoples papers before they said.    Good luck with your ride. 

[Jess Tolbirt]

i do 853 miles regularly from nashville, tn to lake jackson, tx. to see my kids..it takes me 14 hours so another 150 miles shouldnt be so bad,,,

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

I guess I don't get it     Scream 500 miles down the super slab then turn around and do 500 coming back home....Give me a nice 250 / 300 mile day in the beautiful mountains .

[ptgb]

boring old Illinois and Iowa (forgive me Illini and Cornhuskers)...

As long as we're discussing all these spot-on factualities I can't help myself...

Cornhuskers = Nebraska
Hawkeyes = Iowa

Ooooppppsss.... sorry about that (fixed above), no slight intended. I think we can all agree though that the I-80 corridor from just west of Cleveland, Ohio pretty much to Grand island, Nebraska is one giant cornfield... except for Gary, Indiana.

[Cattman]

All the advise is spot on. Hot Glues is a very doable ride for  you with some great Q as a reward at the end of the trip.    Leaving out from Valpo around 11:00 pm should get you to HotGlues by dark.  Avoid too much caffene as the jitters are just as bad as being sleepy. I've done 3 IB coming home from Hotglues to just south of Indy in 17-18 hours for a 1200+ mile trip.    Main place to watch is I- 40 from Memphis to Texarkana and 59 going south  to Houston. More road rats then you'll ever see in the midwest. 

[Disco]

We did ours a little differently by going kick stands up at 4:00am to arrive at the destination before dark.  We missed that by about 30 minutes but only rode in the dark for about 3 hours total (after starting the SS1000).   

We also combined snack/drink/pee stops with fuel stops.  The only non-fuel related stop we made was somewhere near Hebron, NE for "halfway there" pictures. 

I was on a trail mix / chex mix / gatorade / water diet and nursed, sip by sip, a couple of 5-hour energy drinks to maintain a plateau with no peaks or valleys.   

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,18947.40.html

[RainMaker]

Can't disagree with most of the advice given.  The cruise control or throttle lock is a great help.  

I took the advice of Daniel Meyer on this, as he takes off and rides forever pretty regularly.  He told me to stay hydrated and that every gas stop, you should need to "go".  If you don't "go" at each gas stop, then you aren't drinking enough.  I'd get a 16oz Gatorade at each stop and then for meals, would stop and take 30 minutes to unwind and relax before jumping back on the bike.  I stopped every 2 hours for gas and a 5-10 minute break.  

My ride was from Inzane (Bellaire, Michigan) back to Arlington, Texas last summer.  I took a route that was not as much interstate as state highways as it was more interesting.  Also, I took into account that the weather in Texas at that time was very, very hot.  Daytime temps of 105 and nighttime temps of 80-85 degrees.  So, I left early morning in Michigan so that I would be riding in the relatively cooler night times when I got closer to home.  If your ride is in the summer, take that into account as you plan your ride.

Keep all the receipts and keep the log updated as you go.  The instructions are pretty easy to follow from the IBA.

Good luck but most importantly, be safe!

And here's TJ's, aka 5_19, bike with that extra tank





RainMaker

[mrider]

all words of wisdom for sure i've done the 1000 not hard at all just remember to tack a few miles on the end of it because every OD is different per the IB asso, me and 2 brothers are getting ready to do the 1500 in 24 and the 2000 in 48 at the same time blasting from Houston to Tuson and back, just keep moving that way you can build enough time to take   when it is refuel the body time, good luck. 

[DIGGER]

I guess I don't get it     Scream 500 miles down the super slab then turn around and do 500 coming back home....Give me a nice 250 / 300 mile day in the beautiful mountains .

Nothing wrong with a nice 250/300 mile day.....if that's what tickles your fancy.   I've always liked a challange.   I've always liked motorcycles.  So what better way to enjoy myself than to take on a challange AND ride my motorcycle.    I've done the SS 1000 and the BB Gold 1500.   Any Iron Butt ride is a challange to your abilities.  Yeah, I got tired on both of them.....especially the BBG.....but when it was over and I got a good nights rest I felt ALIVE....and PROUD of myself....besides that you get a little Iron Butt sticker and a License plate holder for your trouble......hahahaha

[Doc809]

Did 1085 miles in 19 hours on a sanctioned IB SS1000.  Was tired when it was over but so jacked up I couldn't sleep for hours.  Left at 5am.  Got back to the start at midnight.  The advice is right.  The trick is to just keep moving.  Take breaks when you need to refocus your thoughts, empty a bladder, and fill a tank.  Stay well hydrated and most importantly have fun!!

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

I guess I don't get it     Scream 500 miles down the super slab then turn around and do 500 coming back home....Give me a nice 250 / 300 mile day in the beautiful mountains .

Nothing wrong with a nice 250/300 mile day.....if that's what tickles your fancy.   I've always liked a challange.   I've always liked motorcycles.  So what better way to enjoy myself than to take on a challange AND ride my motorcycle.    I've done the SS 1000 and the BB Gold 1500.   Any Iron Butt ride is a challange to your abilities.  Yeah, I got tired on both of them.....especially the BBG.....but when it was over and I got a good nights rest I felt ALIVE....and PROUD of myself....besides that you get a little Iron Butt sticker and a License plate holder for your trouble......hahahaha

To each his own    If my bikes never touched the blue road again that would be fine with me.

[RainMaker]

I guess I don't get it     Scream 500 miles down the super slab then turn around and do 500 coming back home....Give me a nice 250 / 300 mile day in the beautiful mountains .

Nothing wrong with a nice 250/300 mile day.....if that's what tickles your fancy.   I've always liked a challange.   I've always liked motorcycles.  So what better way to enjoy myself than to take on a challange AND ride my motorcycle.    I've done the SS 1000 and the BB Gold 1500.   Any Iron Butt ride is a challange to your abilities.  Yeah, I got tired on both of them.....especially the BBG.....but when it was over and I got a good nights rest I felt ALIVE....and PROUD of myself....besides that you get a little Iron Butt sticker and a License plate holder for your trouble......hahahaha

To each his own    If my bikes never touched the blue road again that would be fine with me.

In my case, it was a one way trip to do the iron butt, not a ride just for that purpose.  I mostly wanted to get back home asap and the iron butt was a byproduct.  Just had to document it. 

For me, to get to the finest motorcycle roads in America, I have to ride 700-800 miles to Tennessee and the Smokey Mountains or 1024 miles for the Britman ride in North Carolina.

So, the long distance super slab run is followed by a superior 200-300 mile run on roads with twisties and scenery that takes my breath away. 

But I agree with you on the idea of picking a point 500 miles away and just doing a ride out and back.  That doesn't appeal to me, either.

RainMaker

[YoungPUP]

Wasnt planning on a pointless 500 out and back, was thinking of finding something of interest out at 500 mi and going to see it and come back. Need to check and see how far the dragon is from my place. Maybe make it 1011 miles.....

[fudgie]

Dragons not that far from ya. I met up with Smokin Joe in his town for a transaction and headed home. I left that morning and would have been home the same day if it wasnt for rain and sleet. So I grabbed a room 1 1/2 hrs form home to warm up. Instead drank myself silly at the bar. Shocker.

I say go west. Alot less big cities to worry about. Hop on US 20 in Iowa and you will never stop till you get to the other side. Far less LEO's out west, except for Ill.

Mt Rushmore is 1000 miles from your house. 

[RainMaker]

Looks like the GOTF would definitely qualify - it's about 1000 miles for you and there would be over 100 witnesses to sign your end point!