Attention Serious Scooterists

I'm cross posting this inaugural announcement of the Iron Butt Association's Scooter Insanity ride. My friend Jerome posted this on the BUSA forum, so I'm passing along this challenge here.

http://www.ironbutt.com/scooter1000/
If you can do this ride on a scooter anywhere in the world, between and including the dates May 2nd and May 5th, 2014, you will get the special membership certificate shown, instead of the basic SS1000 version. If you do the SS1000 on a scooter less than 300cc, you get the "gold" version. There are IBA members who have done the SS1000 on scooters, and probably lots more crazy enough to try.

Epic riding feats have been done on scooters, but they tended to be one-time "see if it can be done" feats. I came along and did multiple IBA rides like several in-state SS1000's, a Bun Burner Gold (1500 miles <24 hours), SS3000, and several multi-day endurance rallies including the IB5000, on scooters. My protege "Hammy" has picked up the torch and carried it well. He will likely ride a scooter in the 2015 Iron Butt Rally (~11,000 miles in 11 days).

I have been unsuccessful, so far, in the Philadelphia area in finding a capable scooter <300cc for doing the "gold" version. I may be forced to just do the standard ride on my Majesty or SW.

I hope as many scooter riders as possible participate, as I have told the IBA powers that on the average scooter riders are more hard-core than the rider's of standard MCs.

Thanks for the bandwidth,
Jerome

I might add here that it is necessary to go to the IBA site to see the specific and necessary method of documenting your ride.

Tim

Is John Grinsel signed up yet?
Iron Butt would be an appropriate description of his omission of certain undergarment riding apparel.  

No interest----Iron Butt already done Helix, not me,

i was hoping to do an Iron Butt this year, but it would have to be in the late summer/fall due to other commitments. Too bad i could not get my sh*t together in time for this.

I've just had a look on the IBA and IBA UK websites, I'm quite amused to read Ed Otto completed the Iron Butt on a 'tiny' Honda CN250 Helix. The IBA obviously aren't aware the Helix was the largest capacity scooter in production at the time. Even the certificate you get for completing the 1000 miles on a sub 300cc scooter will refer to it as being a tiny scooter.

These self-styled 'World's Toughest Motorcycle Riders’ really do need educating about the capabilities of modern maxi scooters. I don't think I'd waste 1000 miles worth of fuel at current UK prices and a night in a warm bed droning round the UK trying to complete it on a busy Bank Holiday (Public Holiday) weekend in May just for a certificate and a few stickers.

I've gone to rallies in Sweden and Hungary in the past and got the special T shirts, I've worn them proudly at the time but a few years later they're just polishing rags.

So I'm obviously not a serious scooterist.

Meldrew wrote:

I've just had a look on the IBA and IBA UK websites, I'm quite amused to read Ed Otto completed the Iron Butt on a 'tiny' Honda CN250 Helix. The IBA obviously aren't aware the Helix was the largest capacity scooter in production at the time. Even the certificate you get for completing the 1000 miles on a sub 300cc scooter will refer to it as being a tiny scooter.

I met Ed at the Iron Butt's San Diego checkpoint. The Helix was heavily laden with an aux gas tank, spare tires and other necessities.  Ed was quite confident in the Helix.

ScooterBJ wrote:

i was hoping to do an Iron Butt this year, but it would have to be in the late summer/fall due to other commitments. Too bad i could not get my sh*t together in time for this.

BJ, Sorry, but that information was just released the other day. Otherwise I would have given you a heads up. Are you sure you can't get your SW buttoned up by that weekend?...It's only 1000 miles from Boulder to Chicago, while the route I'm hoping to complete will be, 36 hours, 1500+ miles to Iowa then loop back to Chicago

And Meldrew, I think that you are as serious a scooterist as they come. You just aren't amenable to endurance rallying. And obviously too the rally organizers weren't cognizant of the UK's Bank Holiday that weekend when they put this together.

Tim

BTW: Ed Otto is one of the organizers for this event.

This is the infamous Iron Butt Helix, taken at the San Diego checkpoint.  Ed's on the right in the black shirt.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/63621255@N05/

I am going to post this, but I won't debate it or anything...... just putting a heads up out there for those who are interested in doing an iron butt.

Do your research on the term:  Racing.  

Many states have adopted rules about racing on public highways.... as defined as:

Oregon state law:  811.125
Speed racing on highway

(1) A person commits the offense of speed racing on a highway if, on a highway in this state, the person drives a vehicle or participates in any manner in any of the following in which a vehicle is involved:

(a) A speed competition or contest.

(b) An acceleration contest.

(c) A test of physical endurance.

(d) An exhibition of speed or acceleration.

(e) The making of a speed record.

(f) A race. For purposes of this paragraph, racing is the use of one or more vehicles in an attempt to outgain, outdistance or prevent another vehicle from passing, to arrive at a given destination ahead of another vehicle or vehicles or to test the physical stamina or endurance of drivers over long distance driving routes.

(2) The offense described in this section, speed racing on a highway, is a Class A traffic violation and is applicable on any premises open to the public. [1983 c.338 §568; 1985 c.16 §287]

NOW..... here is one more item to consider:

Geico Motorcycle Insurance Exception Page on your policy.... check it.  Mine said that the rider must limit the daily miles to be 500 miles or less in any one 24 hour period, if more than, your policy is voided by this exception.  

Do your own research on your own policy and your own state law rules.  I know that Washington State has a very similar law that Oregon has.  

No judgements,  I don't have a dog in this fight because I don't see any value in sitting on a motorcycle for 1000 miles in one day.... don't see any reason why I would ever consider doing it after doing my own personal research on it.

I am not saying don't debate this. I just felt it necessary to post as I am a serious motorcyclist and scooter rider and felt an obligation to post it so that others become aware of these issues.

NOTE:  Calling your insurance agent and having him tell you "Don't worry about that exception.... is wrong advice.  When the accident adjustor notices that you have IB 1000 paper work in your possession or spewn around the accident site, they will report it.  Cuz your agent told you not worry about it, does not change the exception policy.  Your signature is on the document.  

Be careful how you compete with other riders on any grounds.  So you are at a Goldwing Gathering and they are doing the "see who can ride the slowest" and you fall over with your $25,000 motorcycle and break your ankle.  That is competition riding.  Not covered.... perhaps.  Just be careful about this is all I am saying.

Good points all Larry!!! Thankfully I am too old to want to ride much more than 300-350 miles in a day. To me scootering or cycling is FUN. To ride 1000 miles for a certificate is WORK and I don't do that anymore... LOL I do have a friend that has done this 3 times (IBA) on a Burgman 400. My butt hurts just thinking about it...   

GHM-PM wrote:

Good points all Larry!!!  Thankfully I am too old to want to ride much more than 300-350 miles in a day.  To me scootering or cycling is FUN.  To ride 1000 miles for a certificate is WORK and I don't do that anymore...   LOL  I do have a friend that has done this 3 times (IBA) on a Burgman 400.  My butt hurts just thinking about it...     

Thank you.

I am with you on the work thing. This information shouldn't take away from his accomplishments, but perhaps he might benefit by it.  

Glacier National Park is 550 miles from my house.  I will ride there and have enough time to setup camp and make some dinner and have a good campfire.  I will stay there 4 or 5 days and then break camp and ride home in one day or sometimes I will go the North Cascades National Park route and spend the night at Early Winters Campground and ride the other 250 miles home the next day.  

I really enjoy the ride, but I have to have a destination and it doesn't make since to start out for home from home 1,000 miles later and $75 in fuel.  I have done other foolish things but that is a different thread and a different forum!

Certainly considerations that can be easily overlooked. I never really thought of Iron Butt as a competitive thing, but obviously insurance companies think differently. I do not have the posterior padding to be comfortable for very long distances and my longest days have been in the 600 mile range. I figure being uncomfortable for half of a 1000 mile ride should help keep me awake......

I checked with my insurance agent who is also a scooter rider and member of our local Minn-Max Group - he told me that state law trumps policy restrictions and in MN by law there are no daily mileage limitations. In addition, MN has a restriction for racing in the law but the "Iron Butt" is not considered a race under MN law. All this of course would apply to a motorcycle policy sold in MN.

As mentioned above, each state can be different and it pays to know the law in your coverage state.

Rick V

I thought about this again---not for me----I was at end in I think Utah? when Ed Otto rode in----cannot remember what I rode there--HELIX/K-75 BMW or Kawasaki voyager ( my only barge other than Harleys)

To do 1000 miles in 24 hours you need to average 42 mph. I find in my daily riding either for transport or pleasure, point to point in riding day I will end up averaging 42 mph or about 70kph for the day----eating/peeing/maybe a rest/looking at machine/older a nap in the grass----then throw in weather/temp changes/ traffic and hurrying/machine problems.

Did set out once to do 1000 miles in 24 on my own---at 986 miles started to see things that were not there----shut down as I had nothing to prove. Alive is better.

Endless 100mph hard to do in US....and not fun with all of the idiots on the road. Germany---can be done....if you use same stretch of road over and over---HEILBRONN-WURZBURG---- and turn around...but is this fun? Audi tests cars there.

In the 20 years I lived in Germany---always same starting point, my favorite Rally was the Stella Alpina in Bardoneccia Italy used same route----6-700 miles my trip always took about the same time, MZ250, MZ300 sidecar outfit (Wildshrei engine conversion) Vespa P150E (US model) BMW R80RT or Honda XBR500S----so hurrying had no point.

Most comfortable for trip in one sitting---XBR500S with Pacifico Fairing/Bell Magnum helmet (real bell) once you got there Vespa best---to buy tee shirt/medal---you rode about 20km up the mountain---mud/snow/rocks/ruff---made real mess of machine, skill required----but once saw two Brits with a Goldwing sidecar outfit get to the top---with some plastic damage. This rally has no trailer bikers, other than a few who trailer their un-registered trials machines

SilverWing---fine for Iron Butt---wind management being the tiring factor-----as I am in in my 61st year of riding and over 1.5 million miles----no need for me----but I SEE OLD FARTS trying this as when they were young probably married and did not have freedom/ money to do this.

john grinsel wrote:

MZ250, MZ300 sidecar outfit (Wildshrei engine conversion)

That's interesting, I went to Dirk Wildschrei's  MZ workshop a couple times to buy stuff back in my MZ days over 25 years ago. It was in converted farm buildings in the tiny village of Brieden, a few miles up in the hills from Cochem on the Moselle.

He was a nice guy and a very talented mechanic, he later made a MZ ETZ 500 sidecar outfit powered by two MZ ETZ 250 singles converted in a two-stroke 500cc twin cylinder engine.

He also organised a MZ camping rally at Cochem in 1990 that I attended on my MZ ETZ 300 conversion that I'd toured in East Germany and Czechoslovakia a couple of years previously. The majority of riders there came from the old East Germany and they came on a variety of old MZ's and even older EMW sidecar outfits. The border had only been open a few months so West Germany must have been an experience for them after 30 plus years behind the Iron Curtain.

Dirk, his wife, and helpers also organised meals and a wine tasting for the rallyists and gave away a lot of prizes and free stuff because the Ossi's didn't have much in the way of Deutsch Marks to spend.

I can't remember why I was the only Brit there, I think I was mailed an invite because I was quite a frequent visitor to the Moselle area back then and had been to Wildschrei's workshop. I've probably got a more accurate account in a battered old notebook I kept of all my MZ tours.

Nothing to do with the current Iron Butt topic of course, but the name Wildshrei rung a bell as soon as I read it.  

I rode his 500 twin----ran nice, was solo then----I think left exhaust/muffler melted my rubber overboot------in the 80's the best MZ rally was in Lauffen, even some factory people came from DDR. I wanted to buy a fairing like their police bikes had=no deal.

Loved MZ's---$600 in the crate from Hein Gerike solo, $1000 sidecar outfit----The sidecar outfit required 15" rear rim, special tube and tire from 2CV, the 300cc conversion Wildshrei and also from him special Koni shock for sidecar wheel.

Friend and I decided to ride to Nice FR for lunch---2 day trip---he in sidecar, sucking on wine bottle---me driving----Wide open all day hurt nothing but gas mileage @25 mpg US gallon.
Lots of snow----friend had Barbour waxed cotton on, jacket and pants and lap blanket, I wore my Thermo-Boy (German) the absolute best winter suit ever...and waterproof, too! Trip a success....enclosed chain case wonderful....but Japanese chain....DDR chains would lose rollers. Rubber boots kept feet warm all day. MZ day are done---they were great bikes at good price. We used Quaker State outboard oil as it was cheap on base and worked in the MZ autolube system...japan made pump---side note: we stayed in small hotel near Nice....owner had been French GI in the '50's-----in Kaiserslautern---He asked about BBK Beer, BadBeer Kaiserslautern----real rot gut...of course we knew----kept your drinking down.

I went to the Lauffen rally a couple of times in the 80’s organised by the local MZ dealer, Herr Probst. The last one organised was in 1990 the weekend after Wildshrei's Moselle MZ Rally, it was better weather then and the venue had moved to Neckarsulm. I remember a middle aged American guy there asking me where I'd bought my 'Stitch, the nice new blue and grey Aerostich Roadcrafter two-piece suit I was wearing. I remember that mainly because he alone recognised what I was wearing, it possibly could have been you John!   

You can still buy Thermoboy one-piece winter suits from Polo in Germany for about €120.

Probably me----I have had Aerostich stuff since the beginning, Roadcrafter one and two piece, current Darien pants/jacket, second set----think the 1 piece the best for faired bike and bad weather.

I may not have worn mine to Lauffen as I just lived down the road in Sindelfingen (Stuttgart).

One of Probst sons had engineering degree but preferred working in shop.