Wish for Daylight-Only Ride

L

Lawguy

Member
I wish the Iron Butt Association would certify one or more shorter rides that could be completed during daylight hours only.

Maybe with a rule that says they have to be completed during daylight hours,
as determined by the published sunrise and sunset times of the starting and ending points, and maybe allowing 30 minutes of twilight -- dawn and dusk --where the sky is bright enough to see around you, but the sun is not technically above the horizon line.

I know many bikers that will not ride at night. I ride at night all the time, but I recognize that it is inherently less safe than daytime because of poor visibility of the road and possibly because of deer and other animals walking around the roads at night.

I think that danger overcomes the corresponding benefit of having fewer other vehicles sharing the road late at night .

The requirement could still involve several hundred miles of riding and that the average speed still be something like 43 MPH.
 
To crunch some numbers,

I looked at Kansas City which is near the geographical center of the United States. Counting the twilight hours along with the official daytime hours where the sun is astronomically above the horizon, we've got totals 10.5 hours of daytime riding available in the darkest times of the winter, and 16.5 hours in early summer.

www.timeanddate.com

Sunrise and sunset times in Kansas City, August 2025

Calculations of sunrise and sunset in Kansas City – Missouri – USA for August 2025. Generic astronomy calculator to calculate times for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, moonset for many cities, with daylight saving time and time zones taken in account.
www.timeanddate.com www.timeanddate.com


So, if the IBA mandated such a daylight ride had to have a minimum length of 500 miles this would be doable all year round (although during December and January you would have to average better than 47 miles an hour to complete it in the timeframe). In the middle of summer people could do 700 miles during the daytime at an average of 43 MPH.

Setting a 600 mile minimum for such a ride would leave most of the year available to do such a ride without changing the minimum average speed requirements.
 
What about our European IBA riders?
Well, I crunched the numbers for Berlin, Germany --they've got nine hours of light in late December and 18 hours of light in the early summer.

So this gives them enough time to do a 500 to 700 mile endurance ride during the daylight hours.
 
Places near the equator have less or even no variation between the hours of daylight regardless of the time of the year.

EXAMPLE: in Nairobi, Kenya just a little bit south of the equator, they've consistently got 13 hours of light all 365 days.

www.timeanddate.com

Sunrise and sunset times in Nairobi

Calculations of sunrise and sunset in Nairobi – Kenya for August 2025. Generic astronomy calculator to calculate times for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, moonset for many cities, with daylight saving time and time zones taken in account.
www.timeanddate.com www.timeanddate.com
 
But, I suppose we would need some kind of rule so that people who live in extreme northern or southern hemispheres don't take unfair advantage of the 24 hours of daylight/twilight that they get each summer!

Fairbanks, Alaska for example doesn't get a true nighttime darkness at any time from early April to early September!

PERHAPS a rule for "getting certified" on one of these daylight rides is that your average speed must be faster than 44 mph.

So, people in Anchorage, or Moscow, or down in Santiago, Cape Town, or near Melbourne will need to complete their 600 mile ride within 13.5 hours, even if they've got much more daylight available than that during their early Summer season.
 
A thought: US federal laws regulate how many hours a commercial truck driver can drive in a day before they must rest (and they can only do such a trip after they've had a sufficient rest, too.)
This federal limit is 11 hours of actual driving time.

So...if an 18 wheel tractor-trailer could average 60 miles an hour on a cross-country trip (and that is very optimistic for most roads across most of the country)
that's a hard limit of 660 miles.
That's all the law allows before they must park & sleep.

If the IBA had a qualifying ride that had a 600 mile length, I think that would be long enough for "bragging rights" but also short enough that people could complete it without being dangerously sleep deprived.
 
Tens of thousands of people have qualified by using a tried-and-true measurement methodology based on a ride length (back in the 1980's and earlier, when this organization was founded) that many deemed improbable, if not impossible.

With the motorcycles available today, it's no longer improbable for most modern motorcycles (within the past 20 years...) to survive.

It's not like you couldn't stop, get a few hours of sleep, then saddle up to complete a thousand plus miles within a 24 hour period. More than a few have done it that unconventional way, as well.

EDIT: The history lesson about this organization was written years ago: https://www.ironbutt.com/ibmagazine/IronButt_0901_12-17_History.pdf
 
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Years ago, the IBA had a 500-mile/12 hour ride, but it was only for practice and did not confer IBA membership. I don't believe the Iron Butt Association would contemplate a ride granting IBA membership for anything less than the basic 1,000 miles in 24 hours or less.

Yes, there are lots of folks who don't ride after dark for a variety of reasons. Similarly, there are folks who consider the additional danger of riding in the rain, very hot weather, snow, or crossing borders outweighs accomplishing a particular certificate ride. Nothing wrong with that.

But let's face it. This is a long-distance riding organization and claims to be "The World's Toughest Riders.". A ride less than 1,000 miles in 24 hours and daylight-only to boot does not lend itself to that concept.

There are lots of other motorcycling organizations who support nice 500-mile rides under sunny, clear conditions. We ask a bit more. :-)

Ira Agins
Iron Butt Association
 
Ira said:
Years ago, the IBA had a 500-mile/12 hour ride, but it was only for practice and did not confer IBA membership. I don't believe the Iron Butt Association would contemplate a ride granting IBA membership for anything less than the basic 1,000 miles in 24 hours or less.
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Thanks for the reminder of this. I seemed to recall on the old IBA forum some spirited discussion about the rationale for this specific ride, which was quickly and thoroughly beat up as a "So what?" type of ride.

It also seemed (again, this was a long time ago) that this was where it was encouraged for prospective members would go and ride a 500 or 600 mile journey on their own and keep track of their time. A bit of wisdom about fatigue occuring during the second half of the ride would be passed along, and the prospective member would be 'ready'.

This was also where unofficial organizations like the Motorcycle Tourer's Forum (http://www.mctourer.com/) would help by supplying dedicated, predetermined routes, along with ride coordinators, to assist in ensuring success.

RIP, Dorsey
 
There are lots of other motorcycling organizations who support nice 500-mile rides under sunny, clear conditions. We ask a bit more.
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This. The less than 1k day ride niche is filled.

Long Distance Riders. offers a 500 mile/12 hour ride.

SCMA also offers several rides in a different venue. Not all are CA oriented.

Or if you need a more expensive hobby, SEDRA might be just the ticket.
 
Lawguy said:
If the IBA had a qualifying ride that had a 600 mile length, I think that would be long enough for "bragging rights" but also short enough that people could complete it without being dangerously sleep deprived.
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Not among this crowd. That’s a half day ride here, or less. Even for a relatively inexperienced rider, 600 miles is a 12 hour day with photo stops, a nice lunch and getting in before dark so you can shower and walk to the restaurant for dinner.

If you’re dangerously sleep deprived on a SS1K ride, you’re doing it wrong! The point is managing yourself so you do this sport safely. That means learning how to manage your body and understanding that when you need sleep, you need sleep! Most people do SS1K rides in 16-18 hours. That’s getting up a little before dawn and being done by nightfall in the Summer. Or getting up a little early and riding the last bit in familiar territory at night depending on your plan.

Understand that you’re not going to change anything here. The cert rides are a way for people to challenge themselves. If someone doesn’t want to ride at night, that’s fine, this isn’t their cup of tea. Lots of other things to do out there in the world.
 
In thinking about the daylight-only issue, I can actually think of at least a couple of IBA certificate rides that can be completed without riding after dark. Ironically, they are among the longest rides we offer, at least time-wise. One is the Ultimate Coast to Coast ride, in which you need to ride from Key West to Deadhorse, Alaska (or vice versa) within a 30-day window. Google Maps pegs the distance at just under 5,500 miles. So one could complete it by averaging less than 200 miles per day.

The other that comes to mind is the National Parks Master Traveler ride, with a one-year time limit to visit at least 50 sites in at least 25 states. One could certainly complete either of those rides during daylight hours, no problem.

Ira Agins
Iron Butt Association
 
I have often said to new folks who join here that if you feel tired you stop for sleep..... if you have a "nod" you stop NOW for sleep....

You may not get the option of waking up form your second "nod"....... and the funeral can say that you passed away in your sleep.....

We promote SAFE LONG DISTANCE RIDING, plan the ride, ride the plan!

More than once I have knocked rides off for a number of reasons, but having rest stops, even if it's 20 minutes off the bike in the Iron Butt motel, can see you safely to the end of your ride.

Doing mental calculations on remaining distance and experiencing bad weather on one ride made it clear that I wasn't going to finish it, so re routed direct back to hotel and went to bed....

You might say my comments are harsh.... then you may not be understanding my point and possibly those of others.

WIN_20250824_16_14_32_Pro.jpgWIN_20250824_16_15_17_Pro.jpg
 
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Arguable, you can do a BB1500 without riding at night, at least most of the year. You have 36 hours. Ride 750 miles the first 14 hours, sleep 6 hours and ride the last 750 in the 16 hours remaining. Or some variation there of, depending on the time of year and available daylight hours.
 
Technically I guess you could ride almost any ride entirely in daylight.... but you will need to go to Norway/Finland/Sweden to do it...

I have to say that was quite a strange experience that confused the heck out of my body rythms!
 
Ira said:
Years ago, the IBA had a 500-mile/12 hour ride, but it was only for practice and did not confer IBA membership. I don't believe the Iron Butt Association would contemplate a ride granting IBA membership for anything less than the basic 1,000 miles in 24 hours or less.
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The annual British RBLR ride has a 500mile loop of northern England as a option instead of the full 1,000miles in 24hrs routes. I did this 500 miler as my first venture into long distant riding and thought it was so great I've been back every year since to do the 1,000 (as well as going on and arranging RTE). IF the only option had been 1,000 miles I probably wouldn't have gone on that first ride and UK scene would be one regular less. As a starter, to dip your toes in the water, it's a great idea and I've told many other bikers that if you want to have a go but 1,000 mile sound just too to daunting, have a look at the RBLR 500.

I wasn't expect to get membership number of IBA for doing 'just' 500 miles, but maybe we could create a category called an associate or similar. They don't get a membership number, neither does their name go on the Roll of Honour, and of course the usual verified ride rules will apply, but by completing an easier 'Daylight Metric 1K', getting a certificate and a bit of recognition might encourage them to greater things. I can't comment on what other countries local members are like, but like me, most of the UK's members I meet are on the wrong side of 60 and we need fresh blood.
 
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...and I wish the Blue Angels didn't require all that silly training and certification to fly their F-18s. :rolleyes:

I see four options for your daylight only wish:

1. Ride the rides available or create a new ride within the already established bounds of the organization and get it accepted by the organization.
2. Ride a BB15 where you stay off the road when it is dark.
3. Ride during the summer north or south of 45° latitude.
4. Start your own organization and cerify whatever the hell you want.

Alternate option: Take up knitting. Wear eye protection, however, because those needles can be darn dangerous.
 
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From the IBA (USA) website:

“Riders that successfully have a SaddleSore or Bun Burner ride certified receive a certificate, an Iron Butt Association pin and a plastic license plate back with our logo "Iron Butt Association - World's Toughest Riders."

Every time I read these guidelines, they seem overly complex. However, they were developed by one of our members involved in record keeping for various sporting events. There is no doubt that the documentation requirements for these certification are tough, but when you hang your certificate on the wall, you can rest easy knowing that we just don't hand these out to anyone. When the ride is over, you have survived not only a very tough ride, but you'll have the documentation to back up your claims. How many riders can say that?”
 
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