1000M day - Has to be on the highways?

[ctbandit]

just wondering, but it seems to me like there's no way to complete a 1k day without doing it on the highway. Am I correct in my assumption? Are there folks here that have done it sans highway, or do like half on half off or something? J/W

[JimWilliamson]

Isn't the Baja and the Dakar done sans roads? How many miles a day do they accomplish?

[kendenton]

I think a lot of folks mix up some off-highway no-traffic 2-lane to their SS1k attempt.  Good for relieving some of the boredom.

[zer0netgain]

It doesn't have to be all highway, but it'll need to be major roads where you'll get enough speed that you can get 1,000 miles in within 24 hours.

The more twisty the road, the lower the average speed tends to be.

[ctbandit]

It doesn't have to be all highway, but it'll need to be major roads where you'll get enough speed that you can get 1,000 miles in within 24 hours.

The more twisty the road, the lower the average speed tends to be.

Since you need to average 41.6mph if you rode the full 24 hr  I think it would be tough to do much besides highway considering stops for fuel/restroom/ eating

[1moreroad]

Since you need to average 41.6mph if you rode the full 24 hr  I think it would be tough to do much besides highway considering stops for fuel/restroom/ eating

Er, no.  We rode through 4 national parks on our SS1k.  We would have done 5, but monsoons closed the route to Joshua Tree.  We ate a normal lunch, and we had a significiant mechanical problem that BMW-K MacGuyvered his way out of.  And I hit reserve and dropped to 55 mph twice.  Still done in 22 hours.

There's highways like I-5 and then there are highways like the General's Highway through Sequoia National Park.

Pick an off-peak season.  Get away from cities.  Get through potentially crowded areas very early or very late.  Brief breaks for photos can re-energize you a little bit.

If you average 55 mph for 50 minutes and stop completely for 10 minutes, you would average 45.8 mph.  You can ride at 55 mph for 46 minutes of every hour and still average 42.17 mph.  

In other words, you can ride at 55 mph (speed limit for many two lane roads away from cities) and stop almost 1/2 hour every 2 hours and still hit 1000 miles.

[dark_isz]

Yellow Wolf once (unofficially) Ironbutted the Dragon on his Goldwing...100+ back to back runs on one of the twistiest roads in America, in under 24 hours.  

linky

[ctbandit]

Er, no.  We rode through 4 national parks on our SS1k.  We would have done 5, but monsoons closed the route to Joshua Tree.  We ate a normal lunch, and we had a significiant mechanical problem that BMW-K MacGuyvered his way out of.  And I hit reserve and dropped to 55 mph twice.  Still done in 22 hours.

There's highways like I-5 and then there are highways like the General's Highway through Sequoia National Park.

Pick an off-peak season.  Get away from cities.  Get through potentially crowded areas very early or very late.  Brief breaks for photos can re-energize you a little bit.

If you average 55 mph for 50 minutes and stop completely for 10 minutes, you would average 45.8 mph.  You can ride at 55 mph for 46 minutes of every hour and still average 42.17 mph.  

In other words, you can ride at 55 mph (speed limit for many two lane roads away from cities) and stop almost 1/2 hour every 2 hours and still hit 1000 miles.

I believe you, I guess that's a lot more possible out west, as around here you'd really be banking on the amount of traffic out during the run.


Around here many of the two lane roads are 40mph limited and there's traffic abplenty.

[FZ1 Matt]

Some friends of mine have done 1000 miles, 24 hrs on dirt/gravel only. It's called the dusty butt

http://mapmaker.smugmug.com/gallery/5181459_oX9As/1

They're crazy I tell ya.

[jwhite518]

I can't say about the roads in New England. In CA it's quite possible to do a SS1K without touching a mile of interstate and still finish in 18 hrs or less.

[squeezer]

I mean, do the math.  If you spend two hours off the bike -- eating, potty, gas, calling your office for messages etc. -- which is a lot for Iron Butt ride, you still only need to average 46mph to do 1k.  That's easy enough except on the twistiest roads.  The trick to all these rides isn't going gas as much as staying on the bike.

At the North American FJR meet earlier this year, they organized a group SS1K.  Lots of riders, many doing their first SS1K, completed the course.  I think only 1 -- maybe 2 -- who tried didn't make it.  The bulk of the ride was on 2 lane roads through the Rockies.

[Motocentaur]

The Minute Man 1000 route, which goes through all six New England states, looks like a large portion isn't freeway.

[zer0netgain]

A lot of secondary roads tolerate speed limits upwards to 50 mph with no sweat.  You could pop along at 65-70 with no problems if there are no regular patrols.

It does help to know your route for such issues.

[jwhite518]

The Minute Man 1000 route, which goes through all six New England states, looks like a large portion isn't freeway.

Great idea. Google that site and they've posted the SS1K route. If you don't like that particular route I bet you could email the rallymaster and ask for past years' routes. He's happy to help out folks just starting down the Iron Butt rabbit hole.

[ctbandit]

Great idea. Google that site and they've posted the SS1K route. If you don't like that particular route I bet you could email the rallymaster and ask for past years' routes. He's happy to help out folks just starting down the Iron Butt rabbit hole.

Sounds good. I feel like it's something I want to do someday, but I don't feel a pressing need to do it though.

[UFO]

Define "off highway."

Off interstates?
Off 4 lane paved roads?
Off 2 lane paved roads?
Dirt roads only?
Gravel roads only?
...?


 

[DogBoy]

Its been 20 years since I lived in New England. I drove a delivery truck and regularly covered eastern MA, RI and southern NH. It would be real hard to make time on secondary or state highways with a new town every five miles or less. Totally different from the west or Midwest.

[ctbandit]

Define "off highway."

Off interstates?
Off 4 lane paved roads?
Off 2 lane paved roads?
Dirt roads only?
Gravel roads only?
...?


 

Well as most people have figured out, around here a "highway" generally means more than 1 lane in one direction at 55-65mph speed limits. (usually have exits and on ramps and a lack of street lights)

Not sure if there's a route that could sustain 40+mph speeds on gravel roads. Dirt roads, that would be cool, but as this is STN not ADV I don't think there are many people thinking about doing 1000Miles on dirt in a day.

[Bounce]

Most people pick interstates for their first SS1K because they don't understand the mechanics of making it happen. Once they get one under their belt they tend to do it on more interesting roads (or move on to BB1500's, BBGs, SS2Ks or other solo rides).

[tjhess74]

its very possible.  two of my friends did a ss1000 on nothing but two laners from chas sc up through w.va and through va and nc back home.  took them roughly 20 hours because it rained for 16 of those hours.  

one of those same friends came with me on mine.  ours was slab though cause my purpose was to visit a friend i hadnt seen in awhile.  we spent 7 hours at his house and got back with two hours to spare...and no, we didnt haul ass-especially in the dark coming home.