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Re: NINJA TWOFITTY FOREVER!!!

Do a Saddle Sore 1000 (SS1000) first to get the feel for the documentation required by the IBA then go for a Bun Burner Gold 1500 (BBG1500) or a 50CC (coast to coast in under 50 hours) to build up endurance.

Once you can knock those down, shoot for any one of the endurance rallies around the country: Waltz Across Texas, Utah 1088, etc. These will get you familiar with planning routes during a timed rally to gain points as well as serve to introduce you to the Endurance riding family.

If your 500R is the bike for you it will be obvious during the SS1000 believe me. Endurance riding can be done on just about anything that is true however it takes a special kind of person to do it on an EX250 or a 500R for than matter.

Good luck and stop for a rest when you start hallucinating!

 

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Paul Taylor (winner '03 IBR) or Peter Hoogeveen not "real" riders because they rode a BMW1150GS (for the win) and a FJR1300 (fifth) this year? I don't think so.



During the 2001 IBR Hoogeveen rode his CBR1100XX 400 miles on dirt roads in Alaska to get the 500,000 bonus point for Prudoe Bay. That's about 300 miles north of the Arctic circle on the Arctic Ocean. The first bike to make it to the bonus location was an ST1100 ridden by Alan Barbic.



Alan finished 7th overall in the 2001 IBR and Hoogeveen finished 3rd.



Yes it is always impressive to see the hopeless class riders finish (2001 had Leonard Aron complete the Rally on a 1938 Indian Chief!) and it's even more impressive to have one finish near the top ten. But don't take anything

 

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Re: Iron Butt 2003: On an EX250? continued

... away from the other men and women who comete in this most incredible Rally event.

 

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"...I find it very comical that 'we' all get so caught up on what brand, or what style of bike one rides, that we tend to forget the other guy riding the bike 'we' don't like is at least RIDING."



Agreed.



I consider myself an accomplished endurance rider and I stay in total and complete awe of the folks who compete at this level no matter what they ride.



I have had hopes of competing in the IBR but the more LD rides I do; SS2000, BBG, 50CC, etc., the more I stay amazed at those who compete Rally after Rally. The riding is a small part of the IBR and the other smaller Endurance Rally events which preceed it. It's all the damn route planning and documentation that kills you.