2017 Iron Butt Rally USA
- Thread starter FazerPhil
- Start date
I expect your wondering what happened.
July 4th 930 am. I hit a baseball sized rock on the road north of Eureka. I saw it late but couldn't miss it. The front rim cracked around a spoke and was dented. The rear has a dent on the same side.
No phone signal so a young couple in large pick up gave me a lift into town where there was WiFi in the local store.
There was WiFi but the Pakistani man didn't know code. He said the boss was coming so I waited. Before that worked out the young couple returned with a trailer and we loaded the bike up and took it about 50 miles away to a recovery company. He tried to use his AAA membership but didn't have the right cover so I paid $300 and they took it to a shop in Eureka which of course was closed on Independance day.
Next day bike shop tried to find rims without success so ordered new ones from the nearest triumph dealer in Eureka. One week delivery. I almost bought a $5000 Kawasaki when the mechanic said we could do a deal on his BMWR1100r .
I gave time $3000 and agreed to give it back a week later for $2500. I'm using his insurance he kept the title.
At that point I hoped to grab a couple of bonuses and make the finish ...just. Unfortuanately the bonus was a long detour to avoid dirt then I took a wrong road to southern Idaho during the night and had to stop to rest. I hit the hotel after the banquet started but then I didn't want to sit through that again anyway after 2015. I showered and checked in then chatted to others in the bar after.
I arrived back in Eureka wednesday and the Tiger will be ready later today Friday .
Postponed my flight for a week which had an extra fee but changing airways bill for the bike was FOC.
I'm flying out next thursday arrive heathrow Friday. The wheels were not cheap and I had to buy another months bike insurance.
Lessons learnt. BMW 1760 mile range is not good. No sat nav is not good. Its hard the read notes written on a piece of tape on the tank in the dead of night. No cruise control.....
Now I remember why we farkle bikes.
Lastly no matter what we do.. shit sometimes happens. It only takes one minor error in 11 days to DNF.
Will I do a 5th IBR? Time will tell but I doubt it.
On the way west I stopped at Big Sky Sky resort with Keith and his wife( Who I met in Fowlers Motorcycles a few weeks ago. We went out to dinner with Iron Butt Rally Vets Bob and Sylvia Torter
New road into northern california over the mountains and through the giant redwoods
July 4th 930 am. I hit a baseball sized rock on the road north of Eureka. I saw it late but couldn't miss it. The front rim cracked around a spoke and was dented. The rear has a dent on the same side.
No phone signal so a young couple in large pick up gave me a lift into town where there was WiFi in the local store.
There was WiFi but the Pakistani man didn't know code. He said the boss was coming so I waited. Before that worked out the young couple returned with a trailer and we loaded the bike up and took it about 50 miles away to a recovery company. He tried to use his AAA membership but didn't have the right cover so I paid $300 and they took it to a shop in Eureka which of course was closed on Independance day.
Next day bike shop tried to find rims without success so ordered new ones from the nearest triumph dealer in Eureka. One week delivery. I almost bought a $5000 Kawasaki when the mechanic said we could do a deal on his BMWR1100r .
I gave time $3000 and agreed to give it back a week later for $2500. I'm using his insurance he kept the title.
At that point I hoped to grab a couple of bonuses and make the finish ...just. Unfortuanately the bonus was a long detour to avoid dirt then I took a wrong road to southern Idaho during the night and had to stop to rest. I hit the hotel after the banquet started but then I didn't want to sit through that again anyway after 2015. I showered and checked in then chatted to others in the bar after.
I arrived back in Eureka wednesday and the Tiger will be ready later today Friday .
Postponed my flight for a week which had an extra fee but changing airways bill for the bike was FOC.
I'm flying out next thursday arrive heathrow Friday. The wheels were not cheap and I had to buy another months bike insurance.
Lessons learnt. BMW 1760 mile range is not good. No sat nav is not good. Its hard the read notes written on a piece of tape on the tank in the dead of night. No cruise control.....
Now I remember why we farkle bikes.
Lastly no matter what we do.. shit sometimes happens. It only takes one minor error in 11 days to DNF.
Will I do a 5th IBR? Time will tell but I doubt it.
On the way west I stopped at Big Sky Sky resort with Keith and his wife( Who I met in Fowlers Motorcycles a few weeks ago. We went out to dinner with Iron Butt Rally Vets Bob and Sylvia Torter
New road into northern california over the mountains and through the giant redwoods
bike and I home in Bristol.
Back to work and reality tomorrow,
Been sleeping a lot since I got back.
https://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=147cd59294bd7e8541&hoursPast=0&showAll=yes
Back to work and reality tomorrow,
Been sleeping a lot since I got back.
https://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=147cd59294bd7e8541&hoursPast=0&showAll=yes