Ironbutt Bunburner Gold-1500 miles in under 24hrs

[stose85]

Is this a race?  Pitting for position?

I could see someone racing up to the pump credit card in hand, stop, swipe, open gas tank, fill up, and burn out of there. 3 minutes flat   that would give me some extra time on the road. I will be completing the Saddle sore 1000, as it is a requirement before you try the 1500 in under 24 hours.

That bike is not going to be super comfortable for interstate travel, and with the 1000 you can take better roads.  Still long hours in the saddle but you're shifting your weight around more and using the bike for what it was made...

That is exactly why I'm trying to do everything I can to make it more comfortable. I've lowered the back end down, adjusted the suspension, and I'm looking into adding gel, or memory foam to the seat. Any ideas on seat modifications would help.

[ice-cycle]

As a proud wimp I don't see that doing 1,500 miles in a day is at all sensible.  

A 1,000 mile day might make some sense under a limited set of circumstances.  

It doesn't make sense to be hurtling down a highway at an average of 60 mph, much less 69 (70) mph, as your speed will need to be considerably in excess of these averages, when you are tired, exhausted, and road weary.  

I think our first obligation as motorcyclists is safety to ourselves and others.  Now I also appreciate that some people are better able to endure discomfort, fatigue, inattention, but eventually it catches up to all of us.

Sorry if I seem like a cold shower, but is riding when you are exhausted worth the risk?

[MK96xj]

That is exactly why I'm trying to do everything I can to make it more comfortable. I've lowered the back end down, adjusted the suspension, and I'm looking into adding gel, or memory foam to the seat. Any ideas on seat modifications would help.

With regards to seat foam, you can experiment with some remnants. Check your local fabric shop for extras. I picked up some scrap pieces from $1 and cut out a 1 inch pad for mine. Keep in mind though that this will raise your seat and may negate any lowering changes you made via links.

The ZZR is actually a comfortable bike especially IMHO for use shorter riders. You will find creative positions though. I found a tank bag large/square enough to rest my chest on it helped and allows me to duck behind the screen and or lay an arm across.

[county]

As a proud wimp I don't see that doing 1,500 miles in a day is at all sensible.  

A 1,000 mile day might make some sense under a limited set of circumstances.  

It doesn't make sense to be hurtling down a highway at an average of 60 mph, much less 69 (70) mph, as your speed will need to be considerably in excess of these averages, when you are tired, exhausted, and road weary.  

I think our first obligation as motorcyclists is safety to ourselves and others.  Now I also appreciate that some people are better able to endure discomfort, fatigue, inattention, but eventually it catches up to all of us.

Sorry if I seem like a cold shower, but is riding when you are exhausted worth the risk?

Why are you posting in this thread?

[DNA]

You should become seriously aware of your biorhythms.

I cannot function well between 1:00 and 3:00 AM.

I must take a rest stops then.

Every 24+ hour rally I've been in I have somehow managed to not rest then, regardless of my plan, done something stupid, and lost major points because of it that poor decision - made when I was tired.

You are not doing a rally, but the propensity to do something stupid or unsafe will be the same, so learn when it is time to stop for 30 in and power nap, when you must sleep 2 hours, or when a 4 hour stop is needed.

For me often it is not related to miles or hours, but to time of day.

I get a little tired/sleepy around 6:00 and really tired adn sleepy around 1:00AM.

Both of these are my personnel planned rest periods.  Other than then - only under 5 min hot stops so I can take the rest when I need it.

[coho]

I've ridden three SaddleSore 1Ks and one SS 2K (Ellensburg, WA to Indianapolis for the '05 USGP).  As long as it's not the first ride after a layoff it's not super demanding physically unless you have a preexisting condition, but it can be mentally draining if you aren't good at being by yourself for long periods of time.  +1 on the mp3, it takes a goodly chunk of the suck out of the necessary superslab portions.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.  Not just during, but for a couple days before and after (really, you should be drinking water all day every day, but...).  If you don't have to pee, drink something.  If you feel thirsty, you're already a quart low.

Plan your gas stops ahead, with alternates and a margin for error - Google street view is your friend, GPS (or your own memory if you're someplace you've been before) can send you to the nearest gas station but it can't guarantee that the gas station it's sending you to will be open or even still there  .  Three minute hot stops where the sidestand never touches down feel cool, like you're Ron Ayers or Gary Egan but won't really make the difference in making the miles on time, what they do is allow longer stops every couple of hundred miles.  Take fifteen or twenty minutes and do some stretching, take an Advil, walk around, eat a power bar, pee, drink some water.

Don't watch the clock.  Fretting is exhausting.

[Orson]

I don't recommend it.

It gets hard to find a hotel room after 9:00 P.M.  

[bassjones]

That is exactly why I'm trying to do everything I can to make it more comfortable. I've lowered the back end down, adjusted the suspension, and I'm looking into adding gel, or memory foam to the seat. Any ideas on seat modifications would help.

Sargent seat combined with an airhawk = much love.  Get a set of Gen Mar risers or even better Heli Bars, or better yet, Convertibars too.

[SteveJones]

1500 in 24 has to be almost all interstate

Respectfully disagree:  http://www.ironbutt.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=721

Iron butt rides need not be slabomatic.

For more evidence click on the "king of the ferries" link below.

BTW, with practice fueling stops can easily average 5 minutes or better, presuming you don't need bio-activity at each stop.  Depending on conditions that might not be a valid presumption.  If I don't need to get off the bike, and hit no glitches with the pump, I can refill my ST and be gone with about 2 1/2 minutes stop time.

[CLAY]

I don't get that sucky feeling on a bike.  I've ridden Memphis to Phoenix for Thanksgiving w/family several times and I love blasting along the interstate.

IMO the only "training" you need is several 600 + mile days.  And a water bottle and some fruit for your tank bag.  All the gas stops have coffee.....

And you will be riding E to W so you gain sunlight.

(And you must have the will to do it)

+1.  Talke some snacks you like.  It's about time management and the head game.  I too also take advil before I start, and stay on top of it.  I plan to do a BBG1500 this year as well- I have done several SS1000's.

[Flashmo]

A good pair of padded bicycle shorts goes a long way toward comfort and preventing the dreaded Monkey Butt.

Of course a hefty dosing of Anti-Monkey Butt Powder should go without saying.

[SteveJones]

A good pair of padded bicycle shorts goes a long way toward comfort and preventing the dreaded Monkey Butt.

Of course a hefty dosing of Anti-Monkey Butt Powder should go without saying.

Padded shorts and powder are an upgrade to standard civilian draws and may give you a couple hundred more miles of comfort, but for REAL long miles and big-dog rides like a BBG or longer, it would be better to upgrade to LD Comfort shorts.  Especially in sweaty weather.  See http://ldcomfort.com/store.  You don't use powder with them.

[cognosticator]

A couple of years ago a buddy of mine did the BBG, he was 68 years old, has emphasyma and has to ride with oxygen bottles.  He averaged 72 mph for the 1500 miles, got up the next day and finished a 50 CC to San Diego.  He said the BBG was the hardest thing he has ever done and would never even consider it again.  I still don't know how he managed it, but he did.

As for me, plenty of 1000 mile days, but that is as much hardcore I want to do.  No desire for any other LD ride.

[CLAY]

As a proud wimp I don't see that doing 1,500 miles in a day is at all sensible.  

A 1,000 mile day might make some sense under a limited set of circumstances.  

It doesn't make sense to be hurtling down a highway at an average of 60 mph, much less 69 (70) mph, as your speed will need to be considerably in excess of these averages, when you are tired, exhausted, and road weary.  

I think our first obligation as motorcyclists is safety to ourselves and others.  Now I also appreciate that some people are better able to endure discomfort, fatigue, inattention, but eventually it catches up to all of us.

Sorry if I seem like a cold shower, but is riding when you are exhausted worth the risk?

   Some might wonder if living in Canada is at all sensible.  

[kendenton]

Split gas stops and food stops rather than combining them.  You don't use much more time and you get 2 riding breaks out of it.  Rather than stoppng 10 minutes for filling up and a quick eat/drink, stop 5 minutes for each an hour apart.

[2wTraveler]

BBG was by far the hardest ride  I have done to date...I have NO desire to complete another one...at least for now.

[Andrew]

Is this a race?  Pitting for position?  Sure not EVERY stop will be 15 min, some might be longer, some shorter.  I've found that it's nice to get off the bike every 200 miles or so and WALK around for awhile.  Keeps the muscles loose and the mind clear.  Makes it a LITTLE more enjoyable IMO.

Why yes it is a race,  if you plan on completing 1500 miles in 24 hours,  A race against the clock

[plumber]

I wish I had more time for riding. I did a SS1000 a few years ago on interstate in about 17 hours. It was about 1100 miles. Another 400 miles would have been sketchy. The best part of the ride was coming back over the Sierras on 80. The RT railed through the turns and the excitement was a nice change from the interstate straightline drone. I haven't been to a rally yet but I could see how it would help the miles fly by.

[Bounce]

The rules used to be that you couldn't do an "extreme ride" for a cert without first doing a basic ride. The BBG is an extreme. The SS1K and BB are basic rides. Get your feet wet learn any lessons you didn't know about time management and staying alert. Then tackle the BBG. IMHO it's the smart path to take.

(a few SS1k's, a few BBG's, a SS2K, several undocumented BB's that just happened on the way to something else, and the 2003 Big Ride.)

BTW: it's NOT a race and some people have had their certs pulled when they started raving about absurd antics done during their ride in public forums. one guy wrote an article about wasting time gambling in vegas then hyper speeding with wheelies up on ramps and other douche baggery. the iba saw the article and yanked his cert. a SS1k only requires an average speed of 42 mph.

As for doing it without the paperwork, that actually makes it easier. Try it sometime WITH the paperwork even if you don't turn it in. It adds a level of complexity when needing to documenting each step and doing so accurately at 3am.

1500 in 24 has to be almost all interstate

nope. you just have to plan it in a non-sucky state. when we did Mass Gold it was less than a quarter interstate and was 1600+ miles in 24 hours.

[Tony T]

The rules used to be that you couldn't do an "extreme ride" for a cert without first doing a basic ride. The BBG is an extreme. The SS1K and BB are basic rides. Get your feet wet learn any lessons you didn't know about time management and staying alert. Then tackle the BBG. IMHO it's the smart path to take.

The rules haven't changed.  

BBG Rules

WARNING: Before you can apply for Bun Burner Gold certification (1,500+ miles in 24 hours), you must have at least completed one of the following; a SaddleSore 1000, a Bun Burner 1500 (1,500 miles in 36 hours), a SaddleSore 2000 (or other similiar IBA ride), the Alberta 2000, Minnesota 1000, TimberButt, Tarbutt Rally, Utah 1088, any Cognoscente Group event, any MERA event, or the Iron Butt Rally. IMPORTANT NOTE: Other 24 and 36 hour rallies qualify. Their omission here is not intentional, it is just not possible to list all qualifying rallies. If you are unsure if a rally you finished is acceptable, please contact info@ironbutt.com.