Ironbutt

[Patrick]

Anyone here following the Ironbutt 2011. These folks are amazing in how they can grind out 1100 to 1200 mile days consecutively for the 11 day rally. It's going on right now.

http://www.ironbuttrally.com/IBR/2011.cfm

[nvoelsch]

Not until now... that "basic" route looks like a long, freeway laden one!

[Patrick]

Not until now... that "basic" route looks like a long, freeway laden one!

It is a lot more complicated than that. Ken Meese picked up Hyder AK before heading East to Buffalo NY. To be considered a finisher each rider has to verify that they entered all 48 states. State capitols are bonus points. The four corners of the U.S. are bonus points.
Podium finishers will likely bag Alaska, the 4 corners and the lower 48 in 11 days while picking up bonus points along the way. Meese has already ridden several 1500mile days back to back on the first leg. Not your average rally.

[MTS620]

It is a lot more complicated than that. Ken Meese picked up Hyder AK before heading East to Buffalo NY. To be considered a finisher each rider has to verify that they entered all 48 states. State capitols are bonus points. The four corners of the U.S. are bonus points.
Podium finishers will likely bag Alaska, the 4 corners and the lower 48 in 11 days while picking up bonus points along the way. Meese has already ridden several 1500mile days back to back on the first leg. Not your average rally.

Not your average rally to be sure, but the only way to get a 1500 mile day is to slab most of it. Not my favorite kind of riding.:yes:

[Xusia]

Not my favorite kind of riding.:yes:
+1

As for the 1500 mile days, I'm not sure how one could do that. Assuming a paltry 4 hours of rest (and I wouldn't want to do that), and a total of 2 hours for bathroom breaks, food, gas, etc., the average speed for the remaining 18 hours exceeds 83. And that's the AVERAGE, which doesn't account for traffic or other slow downs. Maintaining that average probably means steady sprints of 90 mph or more. Does he take a passenger and sleep on the bike?!?

[MTS620]

what I'd love to see is an IOM style TT road race.... It would never happen here though. Or, maybe a rally that used exlusively secondary and tertiary roads. :-) My longest riding day was only ~500 miles, but it was all twisty two lane roads.

I really need to get back to work now..... I'm bored today.

[Patrick]

+1

As for the 1500 mile days, I'm not sure how one could do that. Assuming a paltry 4 hours of rest (and I wouldn't want to do that), and a total of 2 hours for bathroom breaks, food, gas, etc., the average speed for the remaining 18 hours exceeds 83. And that's the AVERAGE, which doesn't account for traffic or other slow downs. Maintaining that average probably means steady sprints of 90 mph or more. Does he take a passenger and sleep on the bike?!?

I've been following the Ironbutt since it started in 1984. Top riders in this biannual event train almost every day in the precise management of space and time. To compete in a rally like this one must be able to ride back to back 1000 mile days with ease, as bonus routing requires a lot of brain drain.

Podium finishers often ride nonstop for days and can go huge distances due to auxiliary gas tanks and on bike hydration systems. Contrary to popular belief, much of the Ironbutt plays out on secondary roads as that is where the bonus points are sometimes located. Amazingly, endurance riding has an incredible safety record. By the way 1500 mile day is called a bun burner. Back to back bun burners are what the leader Ken Meese is accomplishing on this rally...but he has the proven ability to go several days on short naps.

[Xusia]

Thanks, that's definitely interesting. I personally don't see the fun in it, but it is interesting nonetheless!

[Patrick]

Thanks, that's definitely interesting. I personally don't see the fun in it, but it is interesting nonetheless!

Here is the Ironbutt's first week on Spotwalla.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2QLVQzbO_o&feature=player_embedded#at=129

[Patrick]

Thanks, that's definitely interesting. I personally don't see the fun in it, but it is interesting nonetheless!
Endurance riding has never been classified as fun ever since its inception in the 1980's. It is about the riders ability to manage time, space, resources, and personal fitness over an extended period of time on a motorcycle. With practice these professional endurance riders train to log 1100 to 1500 mile days consistently. Then they go on to possibly compete in the IRONBUTT the endurance rally of all rallys.