Iron Butt tips?
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Road Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 972
Likes: 23
From: NC
Iron Butt tips?
I've made up my mind to go for the 1000 mile Saddle Sore Iron Butt certification. Heading out at 4:00 am this Thursday morning and heading down I-95 to Daytona Beach, Florida, and then back. 1066 miles round trip there and back from my house. 2009 Street Bob with highway pegs and SE seat, passenger backrest. NO WINDSHIELD. Also has passenger pegs. Between my highway pegs, mid-control pegs, and passenger pegs I'll have 3 different positions for my feet. If I can average a speed of 66 mph then I'll get back home at 8:00 pm. Or... to put it another way... the speed limit is 70 mph most of the way down there. If I cruise along at 75 mph then 1066/75=14.2 hrs leaving me 1.8 hrs (108 minutes) for stopping for gas/food breaks to total up to a 16 hour trip time. I will need to stop 9 times. 108/9=12 minutes per stop. This sounds like it will be TOUGH but doable. Any of y'all who have done the 1000 miles in 24 hours thing before have any last minute advice? I'm planning to pack some gatorade, water, ibuprofen, snacks (beef jerkey mainly). Will check tire pressures and oil Wednesday night. I'll eat breakfast before heading out and will grab a cold sandwich from a couple of gas stations during scheduled gas stops for lunch and dinner. Going to wear a light denim jacket, thin leather gloves, open-faced helmet with the shield down. I wonder if I should try to rig up some sort of cup-holder. Oh, and I think I'll stop at REI and get one of their one-liter gas containers to carry a little extra gas with me just in case I get in a bad spot and run out of gas. Getting psyched for the trip... 
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,660
Likes: 713
From: DFW
Since it'll be hot, I'd recommend getting a Camelbak (or whatever your preferred brand/manufacturer is) hydration pack and get the larger one, 100 ounces. Much easier to drink this way and I'd also recommend wearing a helmet, since you have no windshield. If I was going to do this, I'd probably buy some of the runner's gel food so I could be quick when eating.
Sun block, perforated jacket to keep the sun off of you and the wind blowing. I've also dumped lots of water on my shirt and pants when it is hot to act as my A/C when riding.
Sun block, perforated jacket to keep the sun off of you and the wind blowing. I've also dumped lots of water on my shirt and pants when it is hot to act as my A/C when riding.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 20,616
Likes: 4,440
From: anacoco, la
good to have a plan, but ditch the schedule. you got 24 hrs to make 1000 miles. limiting yourself to 9 mins per stop is a bit harsh. remember, this is supposed to be fun... stop when you want, and definitely when you need to. this heat is gonna be the hardest part.
if you're just going for the mileage, how about leaving around 4 in the afternoon and running all night? temps will be cooler, there will be less traffic, on the interstate it isn't too bad.
if you're just going for the mileage, how about leaving around 4 in the afternoon and running all night? temps will be cooler, there will be less traffic, on the interstate it isn't too bad.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 23,053
Likes: 12,327
From: Arkansas
Sounds like good times there. Hope you have fun with it. I think the main thing you need to do is keep Hydrated. I've done a couple runs like that but when I was much, much, younger. No way I'd do it now. Hat's off to ya. No way I could handle that heat now either.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 23,053
Likes: 12,327
From: Arkansas
good to have a plan, but ditch the schedule. you got 24 hrs to make 1000 miles. limiting yourself to 9 mins per stop is a bit harsh. remember, this is supposed to be fun... stop when you want, and definitely when you need to. this heat is gonna be the hardest part.
if you're just going for the mileage, how about leaving around 4 in the afternoon and running all night? temps will be cooler, there will be less traffic, on the interstate it isn't too bad.
if you're just going for the mileage, how about leaving around 4 in the afternoon and running all night? temps will be cooler, there will be less traffic, on the interstate it isn't too bad.
Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 226
Likes: 8
From: Creola, AL.
Saddle Sore 1,000 is 1,000 miles in 24 hrs. Its very easy. Take your breaks during gas stops. Break the speed limit when you get out on the interstate. I did mine several years ago. Left Atlanta around 10 am. Straight west to Birmingham, then south to Mobile, then east to Winter Haven, FL. Got a hotel for 5-6 hours. Then north to Atlanta. Arrived 1 1/2 hours early. Document your start and finish and get dated and time stamped gas receipts for all gas stops. I did mine on a BMW but could do it on a RK just as easy. Your problem will be doing it without a windshield. You will feel like you've been whipped after 1,000 miles. If you can figure out how to get a windshield on your bike that's what I would do.
Good Luck!
Good Luck!
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Novice
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
From: Kansas City
I just took a long trip to Colorado, from Kansas City. I used a CamelBak water bottle, so I could stay hydrated. Also you have 24 hours to make the milage, break it into 2 pieces, run in the evening, till you need sleep. Knock down 4 hours of sleep, get back on the road.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,297
Likes: 3
From: Oklahoma City, OK
I’m guessing you’ve seen this page: http://www.ironbutt.com/ridecerts/getdocument.cfm?DocID=1
I’ve heard of doing an ‘Iron Butt’, but didn’t know there was someplace that actually certified it.
If it were me…..I would definitely plan on taking as much of the 24 hours as I needed to complete the trip. The most I’ve done on my Street Bob was 400 miles in six hours and I was hitting 80mph most of that trip with short stops. I really can’t imagine doing 600 more miles at that pace….not without being highly fatigued.
I know many others have done it though……good luck!
I’ve got a Mustang Vintage Solo ordered to help out my long distance ability, but I dunno about no Iron Butt. That’s some hard core riding on a Street Bob.
I’ve heard of doing an ‘Iron Butt’, but didn’t know there was someplace that actually certified it.
If it were me…..I would definitely plan on taking as much of the 24 hours as I needed to complete the trip. The most I’ve done on my Street Bob was 400 miles in six hours and I was hitting 80mph most of that trip with short stops. I really can’t imagine doing 600 more miles at that pace….not without being highly fatigued.
I know many others have done it though……good luck!
I’ve got a Mustang Vintage Solo ordered to help out my long distance ability, but I dunno about no Iron Butt. That’s some hard core riding on a Street Bob.
Thread Starter
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Road Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 972
Likes: 23
From: NC
Yeah, I think this is gonna be a TOUGH ride for me. I just did 381 miles yesterday (Sunday) in about 7 hours. I was NOT trying for mileage at all, was just riding some back roads with a couple of friends. But at the end of the ride I felt pretty beat up. My reason for wanting to try to do this in 16 hours or so is to be able to ride almost completely during daylight hours. I don't like the idea of riding during the time of night when I'm normally sleeping. I don't think my body would adjust that fast and I'd be too sleepy to ride. I do like the camel-back idea... I'm about to head to REI right now to get that 1 liter fuel cell and I'm gonna check out the camel-back stuff while I'm there. Maybe get one of their 100 oz bottles with the long straw and an extension straw too. I could strap the bottle to my passenger backrest so I wouldn't have any extra weight on my back and the extension on the straw would make it so I could drink water while riding. I'll try to stick to my schedule some but I realize things go wrong and all so I'm not gonna freak out if I stop for 20 minutes a couple of times or even an extra time or two. If I could make it back by 10pm then that would be ok. I really don't want to try breaking this up into two rides by stopping part of the way through, though. I'll be sure to post up with my results afterwards, even if I get 300 miles into the ride and decide it's best to turn around. Y'all wish me luck. 