Newbie

#1
Hello all . I'm new to this and will be retiring soon. I'd like to do a few of the rides while I have extra time now. I have a 2002 BMW R1150 GS. Any tips on bike prep or body prep would be greatly appreciated.

Lane Liber
 

CB650F

Premier Member
#2
Since you are new, I assume you are interested in starting out with a SS1000. 1,000 miles in 24 hours is easier than you think. You've got time for a nice sit down lunch mid way through the ride. You only need to average a hair over 40 mph throughout the day to make it. Stick to interstates on a day with nice weather and you almost can't fail the timer. Honestly, you don't need to worry about the time; it's easy. The hard part is the 1,000 miles. That takes its toll on you.

A chilly 15 mile ride to your buddy's house for a burger is nothing. A chilly 1,000 mile ride can be torture. 60 degrees in the afternoon with the sun on your back makes for a wonderful ride. 55 degrees a couple of hours after sunset when you are 14 hours into a ride can be down right miserable. I wasn't really dressed warmly enough for my first IBA ride. I should have had an extra layer with me. Learn from my mistake. It's better to be a little over dressed than under dressed. You can always take off a layer and shove it in your bag if you are warm. You are planning on having your saddlebags with you, right? Or at least a tailbag/tank bag?

I know it's a bit taboo, but let's talk about your bum for a minute. It's going to be sore. So will your thighs. While you are riding, stretch your legs and hips often. Move around on the seat before you get sore. The more active you are on the bike, the longer you'll be comfortable. Once you are sore, it's too late. I don't know what kind of physical shape you are in, but if you've got what it takes to stand up on the pegs while you are riding, do it for a minute or two every hour. It can make a huge difference in how sore you get. It helps with blood flow and gets your muscles involved. You might look like a goofball to surrounding traffic, but they aren't doing an IBA ride. It doesn't matter what they think. The more you move around, the less sore you'll be when you are finished.

Drink plenty of fluids. Dehydration can slow your reaction time, make you feel bad, and cloud your thinking. That's a recipe for a sudden, unexpected end to your ride if you know I'm saying. It's way better to make a couple of extra bathroom stops than to risk a crash. Consider bringing a camel back with you. I've got a 3 liter one. It's nice always having a drink with you.

Don't pass up a good opportunity to refuel. If you stop for food or bathroom break, get fuel before you get back on the road. I bet you can see a gas station from wherever you stopped. Heck, if you're like me, you probably stopped at a gas station. It's better to get fuel while you are already stopped than to make a second stop 15 miles down the road when your low fuel light comes on.

For your first ride, do an "out and back" type ride. Find a place 520ish miles from your house and go there for lunch. Be sure to get a receipt when you are there though, you'll need it. That way, the last half of the ride is just you going home. That's a much better feeling than going to some random hotel only to get back on the bike to go home the next day. It gives you an incentive to stick with it. I say 520ish miles from your house because you want a few extra miles. Planning out exactly 1,000 miles can get you in trouble if the verification team can only verify 998 due to them using a different mapping program or whatever. It would really stink to miss the certification over 2 miles. If you do 1040 miles and they can only verify 1020 for whatever reason, you're still fine. An extra 3 or 4% on the mileage won't be noticeable during the ride. Oh and don't trust your bike's odometer; it's wrong. My bike's odometer/speedometer is about 4% optimistic. It thinks I went a bit farther than I actually went. I bet yours thinks like mine.

And most importantly, don't be scared to call it quits if you need to. There will be other days to ride so don't push yourself too hard and get into trouble. If you need to, get a hotel room for the night and try again later. I was planning on doing a ride for the Spring Equinox. I had the bike all packed up, a route planned, all my gear on and I even went down to the gas station to start with a full tank of fuel. I don't know what it was, but something just felt wrong. So I turned around, went back home, took my gear off, and unpacked everything. Obviously, I didn't get a Spring Equinox ride in this year, but there is always next year. There is no shame in stopping a ride early.
 

EricV

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#3
Welcome to the forum. Have a read of the Archives of Wisdom here: https://ironbutt.org/25tips.html

Read thru the info for the Saddle Sore 1000 ride and ask questions if you have them: https://www.ironbutt.com/themerides/ssseries/index.html

Some of the important things to understand are that your dated electronic receipts are the official start and end times for your ride, not the signatures of witnesses. And that there is an electronic method that does not require witnesses to verify your odo. The Alternate method with paper witness forms is pretty strait forward too. You don't need a witness to verify your odo at the exact moment of your start. But you do need one within a reasonable time and distance. If you're starting at the gas station near your house at 2 am, you can have someone, (like a spouse or neighbor), witness your odo the night before. And the same goes for the morning after if you finish late at night.

If you're going to use the electronic method, practice with some receipts and your bike before the attempt so you can figure out a good method to hold the receipt and get a legible picture with your odo and the receipt. Don't forget that conditions will not be ideal at the gas station. Full sunlight or darkness can make taking the pictures more challenging.

The idea of your paper trail of dated business receipts is to make it as easy as possible for the IBA verification teams to see the route you took and that it wasn't possible to cut a corner. If you choose to do an out and back ride, clearly the turn around point needs to be documented, so pick a spot with an easy to get receipt for the time of day you expect to be there. Gas receipts are easy, usually, but it can be any electronic receipt with the required info on it. An ATM is a good secondary, just check your balance and get a receipt. Buy something if need be for a receipt. Even just a candy bar works if they give you an electronic receipt.

Depending on how far you've previously ridden in a day, consider going on progressively longer rides before jumping in and attempting a SS1K ride. This helps you learn if something starts to bother you with longer time in the saddle. A little thing on a 500 mile ride becomes a big thing on a 1000 mile ride.

It's very helpful to be able to drink water while riding. Many small sips is much better at keeping you hydrated than larger drinks at few stops. This can be as simple as a Camelbak style bladder, either worn or stuffed in a tank bag or just strapped to the seat behind you. Or you can make up a hydration jug for low cost with a 1/2 gal jug, a pot or pan from the thrift store that it fits into nicely, some tubing from Home Depot or the hardware store, (freezer line or food grade flexible 5/16 tubing works well), some bolts and removing the rubber cover off your passenger footpeg, then attach the pot or pan there. I've used plastic dog dishes even. A bungie cord or strap to hold the jug in place and a key retractor or card retractor leash to keep the drinking end where you can reach it and a bite valve and you're good. To avoid warm water in the tube, it's common practice to blow the water back into the jug after taking a drink. Others get all high speed and use insulated covers for the tube. :)

Eating. EAT real food, don't just spend the day eating power bars or something similar. You have plenty of time for a nice lunch. In rally mode I will hit an Arbys or McDs and get 4-5 small sandwiches to put in my tank bag. I like the Arbys roast beef plain, because there is no sauce to make a mess. McDs cheeseburgers taste the same fresh or 14 hours later. But rally mode means eating while riding, which takes some practice. For a SS1K there is plenty of time to grab something at gas stations when you're stopped already, just don't waste a lot of time lingering.

Nothing wrong with a few snacks on the road. Something sweet and something with protein is usually good. Keeps you from peaks and valleys.

Remember, it's much, much easier to save time by managing your stopped time than it is to make up time by going faster. No need to speed during a SS1K ride, just go the same speed you're comfortable at on any ride. The trick is to stay focused on the ride and not spend a lot of time stopped.

Doing the shorter rides will help you prepare for longer ones. Keep track of what bothers you and work on sorting those things out when you get home. Eventually the bike is comfortable to the point were you decide when you want to stop riding, not because something hurts or bothers you.

And if you're not enjoying the ride, stop. There is always another day.
 
Last edited:
#4
Since you are new, I assume you are interested in starting out with a SS1000. 1,000 miles in 24 hours is easier than you think. You've got time for a nice sit down lunch mid way through the ride. You only need to average a hair over 40 mph throughout the day to make it. Stick to interstates on a day with nice weather and you almost can't fail the timer. Honestly, you don't need to worry about the time; it's easy. The hard part is the 1,000 miles. That takes its toll on you.

A chilly 15 mile ride to your buddy's house for a burger is nothing. A chilly 1,000 mile ride can be torture. 60 degrees in the afternoon with the sun on your back makes for a wonderful ride. 55 degrees a couple of hours after sunset when you are 14 hours into a ride can be down right miserable. I wasn't really dressed warmly enough for my first IBA ride. I should have had an extra layer with me. Learn from my mistake. It's better to be a little over dressed than under dressed. You can always take off a layer and shove it in your bag if you are warm. You are planning on having your saddlebags with you, right? Or at least a tailbag/tank bag?

I know it's a bit taboo, but let's talk about your bum for a minute. It's going to be sore. So will your thighs. While you are riding, stretch your legs and hips often. Move around on the seat before you get sore. The more active you are on the bike, the longer you'll be comfortable. Once you are sore, it's too late. I don't know what kind of physical shape you are in, but if you've got what it takes to stand up on the pegs while you are riding, do it for a minute or two every hour. It can make a huge difference in how sore you get. It helps with blood flow and gets your muscles involved. You might look like a goofball to surrounding traffic, but they aren't doing an IBA ride. It doesn't matter what they think. The more you move around, the less sore you'll be when you are finished.

Drink plenty of fluids. Dehydration can slow your reaction time, make you feel bad, and cloud your thinking. That's a recipe for a sudden, unexpected end to your ride if you know I'm saying. It's way better to make a couple of extra bathroom stops than to risk a crash. Consider bringing a camel back with you. I've got a 3 liter one. It's nice always having a drink with you.

Don't pass up a good opportunity to refuel. If you stop for food or bathroom break, get fuel before you get back on the road. I bet you can see a gas station from wherever you stopped. Heck, if you're like me, you probably stopped at a gas station. It's better to get fuel while you are already stopped than to make a second stop 15 miles down the road when your low fuel light comes on.

For your first ride, do an "out and back" type ride. Find a place 520ish miles from your house and go there for lunch. Be sure to get a receipt when you are there though, you'll need it. That way, the last half of the ride is just you going home. That's a much better feeling than going to some random hotel only to get back on the bike to go home the next day. It gives you an incentive to stick with it. I say 520ish miles from your house because you want a few extra miles. Planning out exactly 1,000 miles can get you in trouble if the verification team can only verify 998 due to them using a different mapping program or whatever. It would really stink to miss the certification over 2 miles. If you do 1040 miles and they can only verify 1020 for whatever reason, you're still fine. An extra 3 or 4% on the mileage won't be noticeable during the ride. Oh and don't trust your bike's odometer; it's wrong. My bike's odometer/speedometer is about 4% optimistic. It thinks I went a bit farther than I actually went. I bet yours thinks like mine.

And most importantly, don't be scared to call it quits if you need to. There will be other days to ride so don't push yourself too hard and get into trouble. If you need to, get a hotel room for the night and try again later. I was planning on doing a ride for the Spring Equinox. I had the bike all packed up, a route planned, all my gear on and I even went down to the gas station to start with a full tank of fuel. I don't know what it was, but something just felt wrong. So I turned around, went back home, took my gear off, and unpacked everything. Obviously, I didn't get a Spring Equinox ride in this year, but there is always next year. There is no shame in stopping a ride early.
Thank you for the valuable info !It's greatly appreciated !
 
#5
Welcome to the forum. Have a read of the Archives of Wisdom here: https://ironbutt.org/25tips.html

Read thru the info for the Saddle Sore 1000 ride and ask questions if you have them: https://www.ironbutt.com/themerides/ssseries/index.html

Some of the important things to understand are that your dated electronic receipts are the official start and end times for your ride, not the signatures of witnesses. And that there is an electronic method that does not require witnesses to verify your odo. The Alternate method with paper witness forms is pretty strait forward too. You don't need a witness to verify your odo at the exact moment of your start. But you do need one within a reasonable time and distance. If you're starting at the gas station near your house at 2 am, you can have someone, (like a spouse or neighbor), witness your odo the night before. And the same goes for the morning after if you finish late at night.

If you're going to use the electronic method, practice with some receipts and your bike before the attempt so you can figure out a good method to hold the receipt and get a legible picture with your odo and the receipt. Don't forget that conditions will not be ideal at the gas station. Full sunlight or darkness can make taking the pictures more challenging.

The idea of your paper trail of dated business receipts is to make it as easy as possible for the IBA verification teams to see the route you took and that it wasn't possible to cut a corner. If you choose to do an out and back ride, clearly the turn around point needs to be documented, so pick a spot with an easy to get receipt for the time of day you expect to be there. Gas receipts are easy, usually, but it can be any electronic receipt with the required info on it. An ATM is a good secondary, just check your balance and get a receipt. Buy something if need be for a receipt. Even just a candy bar works if they give you an electronic receipt.

Depending on how far you've previously ridden in a day, consider going on progressively longer rides before jumping in and attempting a SS1K ride. This helps you learn if something starts to bother you with longer time in the saddle. A little thing on a 500 mile ride becomes a big thing on a 1000 mile ride.

It's very helpful to be able to drink water while riding. Many small sips is much better and keeping you hydrated than larger drinks at few stops. This can be as simple as a Camelbak style bladder, either worn or stuffed in a tank bag or just strapped to the seat behind you. Or you can make up a hydration jug for low cost with a 1/2 gal jug, a pot or pan from the thrift store that it fits into nicely, some tubing from Home Depot or the hardware store, (freezer line or food grade flexible 5/16 tubing works well), some bolts and removing the rubber cover off your passenger footpeg, then attach the pot or pan there. I've used plastic dog dishes even. A bungie cord or strap to hold the jug in place and a key retractor or card retractor leash to keep the drinking end where you can reach it and a bite valve and you're good. To avoid warm water in the tube, it's common practice to blow the water back into the jug after taking a drink. Others get all high speed and use insulated covers for the tube. :)

Eating. EAT real food, don't just spend the day eating power bars or something similar. You have plenty of time for a nice lunch. In rally mode I will hit an Arbys or McDs and get 4-5 small sandwiches to put in my tank bag. I like the Arbys roast beef plain, because there is no sauce to make a mess. McDs cheeseburgers taste the same fresh or 14 hours later. But rally mode means eating while riding, which takes some practice. For a SS1K there is plenty of time to grab something at gas stations when you're stopped already, just don't waste a lot of time lingering.

Nothing wrong with a few snacks on the road. Something sweet and something with protein is usually good. Keeps you from peaks and valleys.

Remember, it's much, much easier to save time by managing your stopped time than it is to make up time by going faster. No need to speed during a SS1K ride, just go the same speed you're comfortable at on any ride. The trick is to stay focused on the ride and not spend a lot of time stopped.

Doing the shorter rides will help you prepare for longer ones. Keep track of what bothers you and work on sorting those things out when you get home. Eventually the bike is comfortable to the point were you decide when you want to stop riding, not because something hurts or bothers you.

And if you're not enjoying the ride, stop. There is always another day.
Thanks you for the info ! I really appreciate it !