Saving Lives on an Iron Butt Ride

[gbelleville]

On Saturday 6/14/14 I did my first SS1000, which was an organized ride for charity. What I didn't know was that the riders would be from the local HOG chapters. So, there were 17 Harleys and me, for 1000 miles. There were a couple of novice riders in the group who didn't understand why bikes ride staggered...so at the first stop I worked my way to the very back of the line. Which meant there were at least 34 loud pipes in front of me. It was somewhat annoying, but I couldn't help wondering just how many lives were saved by all those loud pipes.

 

[Twigg]

You rode 1000 miles in a group? ... with novices?

You're a braver man than me

 

[frankenfeejeer]

Wow! I followed 1 Harley for 3 days and it was horrible. I can't even imagine how dreadful following 32 of them was...

Not sure if brave is the word, but I hope you at least had earplugs!!

 

[MCRIDER007]

How many Harleys completed the SS1000?

 

[majicmaker]

How many Harleys completed the SS1000?

Great Question!

 

[Spud]

Riding behind 17 Harleys for 1000 miles.....Dude you must be the most patient man on earth! I've yet to meet one I could follow more than a mile or two. Congrats on the ride though!

 

[FLFJRS]

Very dangerous at best, at worst, scary as hell. Novice riders doing a SS1000 is not my idea of a safe ride. Glad you made it out alive.

I just did my first SS1000 alone and would not have any other way. Nobody rides just like I ride, so it would always be a compromise.

 

[Bugnatr]

17 Harleys and me, for 1000 miles.

Uffda.

Congrats on the ride!!!!!

 

[PhilJet09]

Yikes

 

[erixun]

Congrats on the successful ride. This past weekend I rode behind some Harleys, a Triumph, a Vulcan Nomad, and a Victory with a Kawasaki thrown in for good luck. I new the guy in the lead, and so I was asked/chose to ride in the very back. He loves my auxillary lights and knew with just a quick glance in his mirrors that we were all still behind him because of them. But it was trying- the FJR does not like to be stifled, and with 'new' guys in the group that were new to group riding it was nerve racking to say the least, and we only went about 300 miles! I chose to do my SS1000 by myself for the reasons stated above. Ride safe- B

 

[wild1]

You guys sound like the beginners if you are scared to ride in bigger groups, no matter who they are.

 

[escapefjrtist]

Congrats on the SS1K and a huge gold star for riding with a group of HDs. I would have lasted less than 30 minutes in that situation...

You're much braver than I am!

--G

 

[Fontanaman]

Congrats on the SS1K and a huge gold star for riding with a group of HDs. I would have lasted less than 30 minutes 100 yards in that situation...
You're much braver than I am!

--G

I agree with -G but I had to fix it for him.

If loud pipes save lives, then noise is good, so how many of those had very large a Klaxon style ahooga horns installed?

This one for instance at 125db is likely more obnoxious than the exhaust and less prone to the Doppler affect. And it is chromed too.

 

[gregory]

WOW! Who did you piss off!?

Congrats on doing if for charity!

 

[Gmann]

Must be a great charity and cause to survive more than 2 miles with 17 Harleys in front of you.

 

[Brodie]

Choice of riding hardware aside, hats off to the group leader in successfully pulling this ride off. 18 riders with several novices, the group speed at the various stops must have trying.

Did everyone make it to the end?

How many hours for the course to be completed?

Is everybody still friends?

Glad you enjoyed it, after all these bikes, and the rides we participate are supposed to be fun.

Brodie

;-)

 

[SacramentoMike]

You guys sound like the beginners if you are scared to ride in bigger groups, no matter who they are.

I wish I knew what that means.

FWIW, I wouldn't ride anyplace in any 18-bike group, especially a saddlesore, especially with beginners trying to ride side by side, and especially in the middle of all that damn noise.

 

[Twigg]

You guys sound like the beginners if you are scared to ride in bigger groups, no matter who they are.

Yeah ... One of us does. I'm not sure it's who you think it is though

 

[Geezer]

Parades are meant to be passed, not followed.