FJRForum Official 2015 Iron Butt Rally Tracking/Analysis thread

[RenoJohn]

My personal favorite picture of the IBR. Maybe it's because Erik and I texted daily during the event and tickled with his stellar 4th place rookie finish...maybe it's the look on his face with his son.

I'm with ya Iggster, priceless. Cheers to Dana's man on a GREAT ibr, what a spectacular performance.Also, Tobie sure did a nice job capturing some real moments and sharing with those of us in the bleachers.

 

[marcusorelius]

Here's an account from Chris (sportster rider) Comly of what happened to him on his way TO the rally. Simply amazing he was a finisher!

Ok, short version as I am sitting at a bar in Madrid NM ( as in Wild Hogs Madrid)

On the way out I
Took my eyes off the interstate to see if there was anyplace at the upcoming exit where I could use a bathroom. When I looked back at the road the truck in the right lane was suddenly right in front of me and I hit the brakes hard and locked up the front wheel. Not sure how how fast I was going when I hit the pavement but it was fast. The left sleve of new Klim riding jacket was shredded and the right elbow has a huge hole in it. I stood up and walked off the road once I stopped rolling with a badly sprained right wrist and elbow and skinned knees.

 

[Brian R]

I've been lurking but not commenting but thought I might chime in on the phone-in controversy.

1. I've been on both ends of this system as user and operator and it has been reliable - much more so than my cell phone itself.

2. Rule No. 1 in rallying is "No Whining". There is a reason for that, because rallying is like life and not everything is always "fair". Fair is always a function of perception and the best you can ask for is consistency in rulings (just like balls and strikes in baseball - or my new favorite, offsides in soccer). In cases of a judgement call the rallymaster (and staff) ALWAYS have the final determination and final word. You understand that, you accept that when you sign up. If you don't, then you should not sign up.

3. If you were to go through the finishers and query each you will find many stories of points being denied, mistakes being made, judgement calls going against and in favor of a rider - each one possibly causing a difference in final standings. It has happened to me many times and I have had to make those calls many times - not always popular. It IS rallying and this time it affected the top two positions - there may have been other issues that we do not know about that may have also affected final standings of these same two riders. These guys know this, my guess you will probably never hear a "whine" from JM about this.

4. Rallyists realize (maybe after some introspection) that this is just a game, a very fun entertaining game to participate in - in the scheme of life that pic of EL and son is WAY more relevant and important to life overall.

5. For years the rally used fuel logs. It was a great way to lose points by not recording things correctly - even though you had the receipts etc. These things have little to do with riding but much to do with rider attention to detail and those have finally gone the way of the dinosaur. My guess is the call-in bonus (which is really used to get information on the riders) will probably go the same way.....

6. You think that was bad or "unprofessional" I was involved in a rally where we decided ties by a game of Rochambeau - and we had to break a tie with it! It is just the way things are done - and a reminder that what we are doing is highly irreverent (some would say a big waste of gas) and the most important thing is to come back home.

Yes, some things riders are asked to do make little sense, some seem completely unnecessary but it is all part of the ground rules for each different rally (up to and including the IBR) and it is part of the game to complete these tasks. There are differences in scorers (one might give credit while another might not), there is the human element and the technological element (is it fair that some ride a rock solid FJR and another rides a scooter) and all an organizer can do is try to keep the playing field level.

Brian R.

IBA # (one less than GoFar's)

 

[SBennett]

<snip> I don't recall what message I got during the 2013 IBR Call In's but the ability to listen and confirm your message would work.
Donald A Jones

<snip>

If I remember correctly, we were asked to state our name, rider number, current location, previous bonus location, and where we were headed for our next bonus. Plus, if we questioned the message we left, we were highly encouraged to call back.

 

[Twigg]

4. Rallyists realize (maybe after some introspection) that this is just a game, a very fun entertaining game to participate in - in the scheme of life that pic of EL and son is WAY more relevant and important to life overall.

Brian R.

IBA # (one less than GoFar's)

This ^^^^ All of it but particularly #4

The dividing line between achieving your ambitions, and feeling like a failure depends entirely on the way you approach and view life.

On the final day of the 2015 Iron Butt Rally, that little boy was the winner ... he got his Daddy back!

 

[RFlagg42]

I am glad to see that everyone enjoyed following along with the madness. Everyone was lucky to have the IBR vets in the room adding some context to what you are following. Some of what they were surmising was even true

This was my second IBR, the first one being in 2013, ridden on a BMW R1200GS Adventure.

My initial thoughts on the rally:

- The theme added to an incredible IBR experience. I can't count the number of amazing roads I found myself on as I approached a national park/monument/battlefield/etc... My Leg 1 ride was more scenic than some vacation rides that I have purposely planned. Now, I will admit I felt some initial trepidation once I realized what the format would be since the legs were not going to be discrete events. Things you did on the earlier legs would affect your actions on later legs--and most importantly we had incomplete information since point changes to the bonuses on later legs would determine if you pursued the right strategy early on.

- I would like to offer my congratulations to RiderX, DaJuice, and Lipps. All three had a world class performances on Leg 3.

- Al Holtsberry is the man. Amazing that a 79 year old rode that rally like a champ. I saw him several times in high temperatures during Leg 1 and he was just trucking along with a great attitude. I always smiled when I saw that stock, red FJR while I was on the road.

- I admire the long ride that the four bikes made the last night from Little Big Horn in Montana. I think many LDRiders can make that ride under ideal conditions, but the last night of the IBR is not ideal conditions. If you get too tired to remain on the road, you must pull off and take a break, and all four of them risked not finishing the rally in order to get those last points. It gave Jon and Ande a podium finish and the distinction of being the highest placing two-up couple in IBR history.

- This was my first rally on the FJR; I hadn't even had time to run a 24-36 hour rally on it prior to the IBR. My first impressions of the FJR is that it will take any abuse you can give it and keep on ticking. I prefer the ergonomics of my old GS, but I enjoy the performance, quickness, and speed of the FJR. I also wanted super-reliable and I have no complaints.

- Madco throttle lock is a perfect design and by far the best throttle lock I have ever used.

- Tires:
- I used a car tire on the rear and only had about 7,000 miles experience using it prior to the start. My thoughts was that (1) I was fairly certain that I could not make it through the rally on a single rear tire, (2) at the end of the day, there are many interstate miles during the typical IBR, and (3) I never want to risk an unplanned tire change on the IBR so that left me with no choice of doing a planned wheel change or using a car tire. I can say with certainty that using a car tire on an event like the IBR (11 intensive days of riding), is absolutely more tiring than using a motorcycle tire. I had to use much more pressure on the handlebars throughout, regardless of what type of road I was on. I felt it in the palms of my hands, in my triceps, and in my traps. It also just isn't as fun as riding on a motorcycle tire. I can't really say what I would do next time until next time happens, but as of right now, I would probably have a wheel ready and do a rear wheel swap at one of the checkpoints. Having said all that, I did enjoy the confidence that the car tire gave me during some torrential downpours.
- Front tire was a PR4 GT. It is severaly cupped after the rally. The last 24 hours it felt like I was on a washboard surface any time I had the bike leaned over. I have heard from some that the car tire increases the cupping effect on a front tire, but I don't know whether that is true. Visually, there still seems like there is plenty of tread (maybe I'll take a pic and attach to this post). I am pretty sure that Erik Lipps felt that as the rally wore on, that wouldn't be able to get through the rally on a single front PR4 GT and arranged for a tire change at Checkpoint 2.

- As Erik Lipps and I descended from the Colorado Monument near Grand Junction, CO, Crew Dawg Dave came tearing up in a SUV, screeched to a stop, ran out of the vehicle with a camera, and started waving us through yelling "Go, go, go....". After all that, apparently he still didn't get a good pic, but it was a little funny once I realized what was happening.

- Really impressed by the forum members in Albuquerque that helped folks out like Josh, and those members from anywhere else in the country that I have not heard about--I'm sure you're out there. Really selfless actions that makes a huge difference to a fellow rider in the middle of a very demanding event. I don't know all their names but HotRodZilla and NMRoadRunner stand out.

- Thanks to Jason Jonas for Spotwalla. Great site. Part of a recent upgrade to the site, I uploaded my intended track to my page for Leg 1 and everyone who was following my page couldn't stop raving about it. As predicted, I was unwilling to invest the extra time to upload my track for Legs 2 and 3.

That's about it for now.

Thanks to 101st Pathfinder for taking my pic at Old Faithful....

 

[STL FJR]

Eric, thanks for taking the time to post about your experience. Many of us on this board live vicariously through you and the other riders we may know, understanding that what you do is something most of us could never accomplish.

We all spend 11 days watching, rooting, cheering, whatever, for literally EVERY rider, because we all can sit here and imagine ourselves sitting in your seat, wondering what we would do. This armchair thing is fun, and I know that each rider in the IBR views it as fun as well. Yes, as a rider, it is very real and very challenging, but in the end ... It is a Rally. A game, contest, whatever you want to call it. Brian R said it very well above, "in the scheme of life that pic of EL and son is WAY more relevant and important to life overall." But yes, for those of us that love this sport, watching on-line is cool ... way cool!!!

A big thank you to Warchild, Iggy and and the other owners of this site for allowing us all the opportunity to see what it would be like for us to attempt this. It is truly GREAT entertainment for 2 weeks. My wife threatened to divorce me because I couldn't put my phone down watching!!! (And she once actually suggested that I should attempt it. If only she knew what that meant!)

Ride on and ride safe!

P.S. I went for a measly 150 mile ride today in the 96 degree heat here in the Midwest, and I'm presently nursing a powerful headache due to dehydration. A personal testament to the fact that ... you guys are pros, and I am just an amateur!

 

[Uncle Hud]

SBennett posted: If I remember correctly, we were asked to state our name, rider number, current location, previous bonus location, and where we were headed for our next bonus. Plus, if we questioned the message we left, we were highly encouraged to call back.

I was touting the benefit of automated, custom messages replacing the telephone call-in a few pages back, but I also realize one of the purposes of having the rider leave a voice message: staff has an opportunity to assess the rider's mental and emotional condition. Any non-verbal communication would not contain those clues.

With a little thought, someone should be able to develop a closer-to-foolproof system ....

 

[Niehart]

Here is Eric's bike with the enlarged stock tank.

 

[karstenp]

Some more photos courtesy of Tobie Stevens. Thx for the great IBR coverage my friend!
Just a good shot of peeps and a trusty FJR. Twiggs note about 14 FJRs started and 15 finished speaks volumes about our trust model.

Tobie e-mailed me, "I think you started a hammered dog **** helmet removal competition . You are still the winner. :} Tobie". This is a close runner up.

quote]

That was me Matt...and I am happy to let you keep the reigning title.

 

[eflyguy]

I wondered why when I met him at Kennesaw he was riding in a suit with holes in it!

Here's an account from Chris (sportster rider) Comley of what happened to him on his way TO the rally. Simply amazing he was a finisher!
Ok, short version as I am sitting at a bar in Madrid NM ( as in Wild Hogs Madrid)

On the way out I
Took my eyes off the interstate to see if there was anyplace at the upcoming exit where I could use a bathroom. When I looked back at the road the truck in the right lane was suddenly right in front of me and I hit the brakes hard and locked up the front wheel. Not sure how how fast I was going when I hit the pavement but it was fast. The left sleve of new Klim riding jacket was shredded and the right elbow has a huge hole in it. I stood up and walked off the road once I stopped rolling with a badly sprained right wrist and elbow and skinned knees.

 

[user 213]

Nice pic at old faithful EB. In regards to the extra effort of the CT, you bet. Over time it's less noticeable and different tires have different feel.

Cupping of the front tire is by and large a function of braking into corners. Low pressure can aggravate it, and absolutely running a worn front tire with the rear CT makes the front wear/turn in effort much more noticeable.

Congrats on a great ride. You rode an awesome rally and what a fun one to do as well.

 

[Go Far]

Rule No. 1 in rallying is "No Whining".
Brian R.

IBA # (one less than GoFar's)

Hah! 266...265

potato potatoe

Thinking back to the Run what you Brung rally....

BBQ here BBQ there. I was denied! Even got most miles!

That was a damn good rally.

Set parameters, even playing field, fair scoring.

 

[jwhite518]

As usual, Brian R nails it with common sense. No whining, you pays your money and you takes your chances. Anybody yelling ******** from the sideline is not getting it.

The rule in rallying is, If you can't find the bonus, prove you were nearby, and we'll sort it out at scoring. If everyone else couldn't find it either, you probably have a case. But if one other rider manages to find the bonus, you're outta luck. In this case, everybody else found the bonus and Josh didn't. He's not whining about it and neither should the spectators.

Jerry

 

[Brian R]

Rule No. 1 in rallying is "No Whining".
Brian R.

IBA # (one less than GoFar's)

Hah! 266...265

potato potatoe

Thinking back to the Run what you Brung rally....

BBQ here BBQ there. I was denied! Even got most miles!

That was a damn good rally.

Set parameters, even playing field, fair scoring.

Gee whiz - wanted to poke some fun for placing one position higher than you in our first IBR finish and you remind me of the "Run what Ya Brung" rally, which was actually even more apropos to the situation.

5 day rally and the difference between me and GoFar was a bonus to get receipt for BBQ in Memphis. I could not easily find a BBQ and was quickly running out of town then just before crossing the river I spotted a Mickey D's. I stopped and got some McNuggets...with BBQ sauce..... THAT was accepted as suitable Memphis BBQ since it said what type of sauce I wanted on the receipt and the addy was in Memphis. Could have gone either way, I got first and GoFar (who rode about 150 miles more than I did) got second. Those are funny memories! (and THAT folks is what I think rallying is really all about)

I have been very fortunate to make some awful good friends, and create some terrific memories rallying. Now I think I should dust off that "Run What Ya Brung" plaque!

 

[discochris]

As usual, Brian R nails it with common sense. No whining, you pays your money and you takes your chances. Anybody yelling ******** from the sideline is not getting it.
The rule in rallying is, If you can't find the bonus, prove you were nearby, and we'll sort it out at scoring. If everyone else couldn't find it either, you probably have a case. But if one other rider manages to find the bonus, you're outta luck. In this case, everybody else found the bonus and Josh didn't. He's not whining about it and neither should the spectators.

Jerry

Well stated. One of the more amusing memories of a rally was in a Minnesota 1000 where you had to get a photo of the sign marking Malcolm X's birthplace. A bunch of us were all wandering around this street in a run down section of Omaha in our riding gear and couldn't find it. I'm sure we looked like space aliens to the locals. We all agreed to take a picture of the intersection sign to show we were there. We all got the points, as someone later talked to a kid hanging around who said "we stole the sign because we were tired of people coming and taking pictures of it."

 

[RideToEat]

OLYMPIC CALIBER NAVEL GAZING:

Using the point system from MotoGP for the top 15 positions: (25-1, top weighted)

The BMW is clearly the most popular mount, both among the big dogs and the field.

And, percentage and points wise, it dominated the top 15.

But in terms of points effectiveness, per rider the Yamaha crushes the field. In fact the BMW is even edged out by the Honda.

Of course this is all nonsense given the vast universe of variables - the largest of which is the human factor, but interesting nonetheless.

 

[puppychow]

How many BMWs failed vs. how many Yamahas failed?

 

[Twigg]

.... and 17 Yamahas finished, not 16

I guess I'm less concerned with who finished on what, than I am in which brands failed, and why.

That takes the rider out of the equation and lets folk choose based upon reliability.

 

[SBennett]

4. Rallyists realize (maybe after some introspection) that this is just a game, a very fun entertaining game to participate in - in the scheme of life that pic of EL and son is WAY more relevant and important to life overall.

Brian R.

IBA # (one less than GoFar's)

This ^^^^ All of it but particularly #4

The dividing line between achieving your ambitions, and feeling like a failure depends entirely on the way you approach and view life.

On the final day of the 2015 Iron Butt Rally, that little boy was the winner ... he got his Daddy back!

At the closing banquet, all Riders were accounted for and safe... So, just like that little boy who got his Daddy back, everyone is a winner of this event and in life.

#478