Edit: Looks like Iggy did a good job with the Reader's Digest version whilst I was writing my novel.
What was it Iggy said? Oh yeah, Eighty Days, (*****). Of all the people here, you two boys should be doing this ASAP. Losing sleep to change a tire at a checkpoint during the IBR is lame if you don't need to do it. And no one should DNF for a tire issue, that would be down right sad.
Hence my decision to go with the Metzler ME880. It may be a wooden POS, but AT LEAST ITS ROUND!!!!
And will get me through the whole rally.
I know both Iggy and Scooter have extra wheels. Simpler to swap, but it still takes time. Their time.
They know where to store the wheels for the change? Or is it okay for someone else to move the wheels to a location so it will be available for the rider to change it out?
Just asking?
I would think that you would be required to haul the wheel(s) around with you during the event or you would end up with a compromised rig, wouldn't you?
I am trying to find a set of tires that will get me through the entire rally this time. Last time I shipped my extra wheels (with tires already mounted and balanced), and my dear good friend Smitty changed them at the half way point while I slept. (He did this for many peeps). But this time around, money is tight and I am trying to save wherever I can. Shipping two mounted wheel/tire combos is $$$$.
So, to save money, and also to save much needed rest time (due to rule changes - I 'have to be there' when maintenance is performed) I am going with a tire combo I am fairly certain will get me through the entire rally - the ME880 rear, and a Pilot Road II front. If I change my mind, there is a forum member and damn good dude who lives very close to the 2nd checkpoint in southern Kali. I can either ship a rear wheel/tire to him for swap out, or do a tire change there during the rally. Don't really want to do either. More than likely, I will be there doing an oil change however. As I still don't get warm fuzzies from putting 10-13k on oil.
Not looking forward to the ME880 from what I hear about it's wet weather traction and cornering prowess, but youse got to do what youse got to do.
Oh, and while there is a lot of straight interstate and two-lane highway traveling during the IBR, there are plenty of twisties to tear up also. Last time around for me included Yosemite, the roads to Mono Hot Springs and Sequoia National Park, the Lick Observatory, and Independence pass among others.
