S10s in the Iron Butt Rally!

EricV

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There are several S10s riding in the IBR this year. One, unfortunately, is not, currently at a dealership with metal in the oil after a no start issue, originally thought to be a TPS. Unknown what actual failure is. Rider was offered other bikes, but opted to drop out, not being comfortable riding someone else's bike in the show.
 

Sierra1

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o_O Once again I was ass-summing. I would have thought that the Tenere was well represented each year. (and you ever see mine there; too much of a sissy....me, not the bike)
 
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ballisticexchris

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Riding Iron Butt on S10 sounds like cheating :)
I have to agree. On a Super Tenere it would be a cinch!! It has no need for an aux tank, and it's very comfortable. IBA rules used to be very strict. Sadly those days are gone. In fact the IBR rally rules have changed considerably to make it much easier where almost anyone can do it that knows how to ride. IMHO the scooter guys are the real hard core entrants.

To really test your IB skills do it on a plated dirt bike like mine. Or a small scooter.....
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ballisticexchris

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And that aux tank would fail inspection so your out before you even got started !
Well it passed inspection and I got my Iron Butt plaque. My aux tank meets all the requirements in Appendix A per IBA rules. And no you don't need an aux tank on a Super Tenere. In fact it is discouraged by the IBA. It's a choice for guys who would rather not stop and fuel as often (to get more rest). Yes it was brutal. And I have no desire to do it 10 days in a row.

And in all seriousness, my hat is off to anyone who can complete 1000 miles in under 24 hrs let alone 10,000 miles in 11 days. On any bike that's an accomplishment!! I wish you all the best of luck and a safe 11 days of saddle tortureo_O
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Cycledude

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Thanks for posting the links !
For some reason I had thought it was going to happen in July not June.
For me it’s very interesting to watch this event, I have actually attended a few of the starts and finishes.
Unfortunately one of the Tenere’s had the all to common no start issue right in the motel parking lot.
 

EricV

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Remember folks, there is a big difference between IBA certified rides and the Iron Butt Rally. The cert rides allow as much fuel as you want, you just have to get a receipt every 350 miles or less. The IBR allows a max of 11.5 gallons and tech inspection is no joke. I was doing tech on Sat for riders. Nearly everyone was fine. A couple of non-approved stickers that had to be removed. However, I did fail a fuel cell because the mount was very flexible and there were real concerns that it would break off in an accident, or that the mounts would fail before the end of the rally. The cell was cantilevered out the back and only had two vertical mounting points to the bike. The addition of two more metal braces to the rear of the cell platform made it much stronger and less prone to levering back and forth, which would likely have fatigued the original mounts to failure.

Rally rules change every year. Typically being updated to reflect new technology like TPMS and other bits. We have a few bikes running FLIR systems this year. I think there was only one in the previous years. Having finished the IBR in 2013, I will tell you that no IBR is easy. It's not about riding the miles as much as figuring out the routing and challenges with scoring to get a high enough score to be a finisher. Just riding the miles from checkpoint to checkpoint on time won't get you finisher status.

One of the coolest bikes in the parking lot this year is an '83 Honda GL650 with major updates and custom farkles. Adapted car alternator, large spin on oil filter instead of the tiny cartridge style it came with, custom full skid plate to protect it all, all LED lighting from the headlight to the aux light. I think the guy has more wattage available than most cars, (cop car alternator?), but it's all done so well that the bike looks like it came from Honda that way in 2018 aside from the '80's styling cues.

Fuel cells are about being able to stop for fuel when you want to, not when you have to. And simply put, you already have a lot of bonus stops, any stop you can eliminate saves time over the rally. Not being stuck in Eastern Oregon or NJ needing gas where there is no 24 hour fuel and no self serve in the middle of the night is also a perk. Most of the bikes here are running 8-11.5 gallons. But there are still riders with 5 gallon tanks too. A 77 year old rider is on an old shovelhead with just the stock tank, for example.

One BMW GS rider lost the final drive on the way to the rally. Overnight shipping of a new one from WA to CO where he was prepared to install it himself in the dealer parking lot. Instead they gave him a sweetheart rate and did it for great labor price, so he let them do it. That FD did have 200k miles on it though, so you can't really say much about that failure. Hopefully the new one will go the distance too.

At this point one Goldwing is down and the rider on a borrowed bike, one Super Ten down and the rider out. It's only going to get worse from here on out.
 
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MCGMB

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By my count according to the day one report, there are four S10s entered.

Anyone know them? Are they board members here?
 

EricV

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Everyone here is checked off and has done everything they can do. Rider's odo's have been recorded and bikes are in impound now. At 9:45 riders are expected to be at their bikes and ready to go. Start is 10 am when the riders will be directed to start leaving the parking lot one by one in quick procession. Police will block the two signal light intersections for them getting to the freeway on ramps, after that, they are on their own.

S-10 riders are Bucky Dent, Chris Purney, Kevin and Lynda Weller, (two up with one of Jaxon's SuperTankers), Cliff Wall, (riding a borrowed S10 from Bill Thweat) & Dan Simmons, (DNS bike broken).

I'm here with mine too, but it's not parked with the riders in the impound area.
 

EricV

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If anyone has a good method for mounting Hwy pegs to a stock S10 w/o crash bars, please PM me about it. Cliff is tall and the borrowed bike has no skid plate or crash bars and could use some hwy pegs if we can think up a method and get them to him in Kennewick, WA for the checkpoint. A jerry rigged piece of thread all is currently all he has with some zip ties holding the ends. It's crude and likely won't hold up well over the next 11 days.
 

Checkswrecks

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EricV -
I wondered if you were working this one and how long till you posted.
:thumb

ballisticexchris -
Doing single thousand mile rides isn't hard if you're ready for them, and even the 1,500 in two days, especially on the Tenere. It's after that first day or two that it gets tough to keep that pace and you can get pretty goofy.
;)
 
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ballisticexchris

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EricV -
I wondered if you were working this one and how long till you posted.
:thumb

ballisticexchris -
Doing single thousand mile rides isn't hard if you're ready for them, and even the 1,500 in two days, especially on the Tenere. It's after that first day or two that it gets tough to keep that pace and you can get pretty goofy.
;)
I was ready for mine and it was still tough. I did a bunch of "unofficial" attempts on my Ninja and no luck. I have no desire to do the rally. I don't see the fun in torturing my body for 11 days. And make no mistake, that's what anyone is doing by entering one of these rally's. Of course at the end there will be a celebration and bragging rights knowing you are only one of the thousands of riders that completed this undertaking.

It was always my dream of doing 1000 miles in a day safely. Now that it's over with I'm happy to just relax and have enjoyable day rides that I can simply have fun.
 

rab474

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Remember folks, there is a big difference between IBA certified rides and the Iron Butt Rally. The cert rides allow as much fuel as you want, you just have to get a receipt every 350 miles or less. The IBR allows a max of 11.5 gallons and tech inspection is no joke. I was doing tech on Sat for riders. Nearly everyone was fine. A couple of non-approved stickers that had to be removed. However, I did fail a fuel cell because the mount was very flexible and there were real concerns that it would break off in an accident, or that the mounts would fail before the end of the rally. The cell was cantilevered out the back and only had two vertical mounting points to the bike. The addition of two more metal braces to the rear of the cell platform made it much stronger and less prone to levering back and forth, which would likely have fatigued the original mounts to failure.

Rally rules change every year. Typically being updated to reflect new technology like TPMS and other bits. We have a few bikes running FLIR systems this year. I think there was only one in the previous years. Having finished the IBR in 2013, I will tell you that no IBR is easy. It's not about riding the miles as much as figuring out the routing and challenges with scoring to get a high enough score to be a finisher. Just riding the miles from checkpoint to checkpoint on time won't get you finisher status.

One of the coolest bikes in the parking lot this year is an '81 Honda GL650 with major updates and custom farkles. Adapted car alternator, large spin on oil filter instead of the tiny cartridge style it came with, custom full skid plate to protect it all, all LED lighting from the headlight to the aux light. I think the guy has more wattage available than most cars, (cop car alternator?), but it's all done so well that the bike looks like it came from Honda that way in 2018 aside from the '80's styling cues.

Fuel cells are about being able to stop for fuel when you want to, not when you have to. And simply put, you already have a lot of bonus stops, any stop you can eliminate saves time over the rally. Not being stuck in Eastern Oregon or NJ needing gas where there is no 24 hour fuel and no self serve in the middle of the night is also a perk. Most of the bikes here are running 8-11.5 gallons. But there are still riders with 5 gallon tanks too. A 77 year old rider is on an old shovelhead with just the stock tank, for example.

One BMW GS rider lost the final drive on the way to the rally. Overnight shipping of a new one from WA to CO where he was prepared to install it himself in the dealer parking lot. Instead they gave him a sweetheart rate and did it for great labor price, so he let them do it. That FD did have 200k miles on it though, so you can't really say much about that failure. Hopefully the new one will go the distance too.

At this point one Goldwing is down and the rider on a borrowed bike, one Super Ten down and the rider out. It's only going to get worse from here on out.
Was there Sat as well looking at all the various setup’s and to wish 4 riders I know good luck. A black Tenere was parked next to one buddies 2011Road Glide, Rob Carlo. His bike is stock with over 200k on it, he did get a new motor a few months ago under the extended warranty. Saw the FLIR setups as well. The Tenere had an sticker on the dash that said “Don’t die stupid”, thought that was good advice.
 

CatBehemoth

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I don't get it. Yes, it might be a tough endurance test, but in the end it does not make one a better rider, just the one who tolerates suffering better. It could've been lashing for 11 days.
Back in a days, it probably meant more, with old machines and roads, but now it's like comparing Lindbergh and B747 captain.
Not saying it's wrong, I myself like to endure through something pointless sometimes, but wasting 11 days on it - not my cup o'tea, I have my job for it.
Best of luck to riders, though.
 

dmulk

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Too bad about Dan Simmond's DNS. Was looking forward to seeing how he did. He's been practicing quite a bit over the last year or so with his down under trip, etc.

<D>
 
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