Why Iron Butts?

[Sherman]

Gentle Persons,

OK, I love to ride. But I do not understand making an endurance event out of it. I do not like riding in the rain, snow or very cold weather. So could any of you please explain what there is to love about these Iron Butt events? Maybe seeing the scenery, but with little time to stop that seems frustrating.

Flame and explain please.

Bruce

 

[Ignacio]

It's the toughest thing in the world to explain to somebody that doesn't get it. Here's my stab though:

1) Because not all people are like you. A few folks want to challenge themselves to completing a task that is difficult....to set a goal and to achieve it through adversity.

2) To plan a ride....and then ride that plan is rewarding like a pilot that has a good flight or a scuba diver that is able to predict and control things in a foreign environment.

3) Camaraderie. Talking with folks who have gone through the same adversity share a bond. Some of the nicest, most interesting, and varied folks I've met have been riding LD. They tend to have a wider view of life.

If that doesn't work, the final one: The same reason people want to climb Mt. Everest. Because it's there.

 

[donaldb]

My guess is it's the challenge and the fact that you can say you won such exclusive event (and maybe the tag bracket has a little something to do with it--ya think?). I posted on another thread in this forum earlier today about talking one on one w/Shane Smith, Iron Butt Champ. I talked w/him last Saturday 04/01/06 at a BMW rally. I hope to have another opportunity as there is a lot of things I would like to know, but I don't want to bore him as I am sure he gets tired of the same questions over and over. He's a great guy and I enjoyed the few minutes we had together. We talked about the FJR and it's long distance abilities w/respect to the Iron Butt. He rides a ST1300 but he also really likes the FJR. He admitts the fjr is just as capable as the ST, ultimately it's up to the mental state of the operator.

 

[Shane]

Good question, but very tough to answer it any better than Ignacio has.

It's kind of like when my wife runs three times a week, rain, snow, or fair weather; I'll never get it.

Yet we remain married going on 16 years now............ :cownoy:

If you try it, you'll know wether or not you'd do it again, kind of like vegetables. Should you never wish to subject yourself, that's cool too.

Camaraderie, challenge, goal setting, personal satisfaction. Not fulfilling for every personality type, for sure, but extremely meaningful to some.

Your average speed may vary,

Shane

 

[Bounce]

This question comes up in various forums all the time. Why do some people like to ride fast? Why do some people like to ride cruisers? Why do some people like to stop every 100 miles? Why do some people spend 45 minutes at every gas stop?

People are people who each ride for their own reasons. Some find hanging out at some place as a waste of good riding time. I personally get frustrated stopping at a hotel at 5pm for the day when there's good riding until midnight on a normal day. During a typical day I spend, at most 5 to 8 hours sleeping. That's 16 hours each day doing something. When on the road I figure it might as well be spent riding instead of looking at a 4 hotel room walls.

Then there are the rides that are about long distances; where 16 hours is a short day.

If the wheels ain't turning, you ain't riding.

 

[Randy]

Just like I tell my wife, friends, family, co-workers, etc....

I can explain it, but, I can't make you understand.

 

[sparky3008]

Gentle Persons,OK, I love to ride. But I do not understand making an endurance event out of it. I do not like riding in the rain, snow or very cold weather. So could any of you please explain what there is to love about these Iron Butt events? Maybe seeing the scenery, but with little time to stop that seems frustrating.

Flame and explain please.

Bruce

I don't do Iron Butt rides but I do many other things that people ask, why?

Ever watch boxing and some of them are actually from wealthy families and don't have to do it?

Ever watch Long Distance runners?

Ever watch the new UFC tv series?

You get the point. This is something that not everyone can do.

I have a passion for dirt bike riding and just recently got back into it.

This weekend one of my riding partners got flown out by hellicopter.

There is never a time I ride dirt that I don't come back sore for days and tired.

Many people ask why do you do it if it is so dangerous or difficult, all I can say is I love it.

Many athletic events that require endurance are as much mental as physical. When your body says stop your mind has to tell it to keep going. At this point it is when you really find what you are made of. It is easy to stop as soon as you get tired...

 

[turbodave_98]

Coming from a CHALLENGE DRIVEN person, the answer is BECAUSE ITS A CHALLENGE!!! :bleh:

 

[dcarver]

Here is the totally sick part of this.. I too posted a 'why' question months back. Got the same typical responses from the already afflicted.;

What a bunch of dumb sh#5ts I thought at the time.

Now I find myself wondering. Do I have the mettle? Am I steel or butter? Something in-between?

Watch out, you'll be next.. Seems that just asking the question means you have itch.

scratch.. scratch...

 

[rickcorwn]

There's more than just the challenge of a LD ride or a rally. I'm attracted to the skill set set it gives me to get somewhere when I need to to so in a short amount of time. A couple of years ago some friends on the west coast planned a ride on the Pacific Coast Hwy. I only had a week off of work to get there and back from my home near Mpls. and the ride itself was 5 days. I was able to get there in time for Sunday dinner and enjoy 5 days of great ridding and still get home early enough to get a good nights sleep before work Monday AM. The lessons I've learned form LD ridding have allowed me to go places and do things that before I thought were, well too far.

 

[kaitsdad]

The MAIN reason I'm getting my first bike in 30 years (yes, FJR it is) ,

Is to do Iron Butt rides.

I don't know if this body of mine will tolerate it - but damnit, I'm gonna try.

I need the CHALLENGE.

 

[Toecutter]

Maybe the "What's up wit that?" guy will do a segment on LD riders. Anybody here wanna step up and get interviewed? 15 minutes of fame awaits...

 

[TestPilot]

Here is the totally sick part of this.. I too posted a 'why' question months back. Got the same typical responses from the already afflicted.;
What a bunch of dumb sh#5ts I thought at the time.

Now I find myself wondering.  Do I have the mettle? 

And the answer is??? Curious minds want to know!

 

[beeroux]

Ignacio summed it beautifully.

For me, getting into LD really added an extraordinary tool to my arsenal.

The ability to be in San Francisco at 8PM, being 500 miles from home, and not wanting to stay in the city. I just bailed for home and it was a pleasant ride home.

No biggie.

Thats just one thing learning to LD Ride can bring to any rider. The determination and ability to grind out the miles when beer is right around the corner.<G>

Truly, your mileage may vary.

GZ

 

[dcarver]

Here is the totally sick part of this.. I too posted a 'why' question months back. Got the same typical responses from the already afflicted.;
What a bunch of dumb sh#5ts I thought at the time.

Now I find myself wondering.  Do I have the mettle? 

And the answer is??? Curious minds want to know! 

Hey now.. I'm in training.. last night I stayed awake until 20:05!

 

[boogahboogah]

I did an SS1k just to get the license plate holder. Yes, I admit it, a pretty shallow reason...

After doing the second SS1k, I find myself getting really excited about long 10-14-16 day trips, like the one to Reno, Yellowstone & other places as the urge strikes this July. LD riding just seems to match up with touring real well, and after doing 1K miles in a day, those 400-500-600 mile days don't seem like the agony they used to be.

I guess it helped me get to a place where I could just enjoy the ride more, mind over matter maybe ??

Glad I went the distance, surprised I enjoyed it as much as I did, and looking forward to more riding !

 

[Toecutter]

So could any of you please explain what there is to love about these Iron Butt events?

If enough sickos get together and commune, it feels normal. Justified mental illness!

Also, when one owns the arguably best LD bike on the planet, using it for that seems obligatory.

The determination and ability to grind out the miles when beer is right around the corner.<G>

Or hot & ready drunk chicks, eh George? Oh, maybe that's homosexuality instead. Never mind.

 

[FlyingLow]

Ignacio summed it beautifully.
For me, getting into LD really added an extraordinary tool to my arsenal.

The ability to be in San Francisco at 8PM, being 500 miles from home, and not wanting to stay in the city. I just bailed for home and it was a pleasant ride home.

No biggie.

Thats just one thing learning to LD Ride can bring to any rider. The determination and ability to grind out the miles when beer is right around the corner.<G>

Truly, your mileage may vary.

GZ

This sums it up nicely. I myself am not IBA material but it makes sense as far as mental conditioning regarding distance. I used to think going from Orange County to St. George, Utah was a hike, but on 2 different Sturgis rides we passed through for lunch break and kept right on going.

Hey, George, we met a while back. Mikey brought you over. I have the low mileage '05 .

 

[Cal24Master]

This is something that provokes thought all the time. I looked at Rick Morrison at the start of the Iron Butt last year and said "For way less money we could have gone a cruise and spent the next 11 days drinking Mai Tai's and laying in the sun." He laughed, and agreed.

For most people, riding their first 1,000 mile day is a life changing experiance. Because most people who ride, and everyone who doesn't, thinks riding a motorcycle 1,000 miles in 24 hours is impossible, when you do it, you look at other things in life that seem impossible differently.

The first 1,000 mile day I did was in 1980. It was in Minnesota. I rode a 1977 Yamaha 750 triple, and rode with a guy on a 1958 Pan Head Harley. We left at 3:00AM, Had Breakfast with my Grandparents in South Dakota, and were back in Minneapolis at 11:00 PM drinking beer in a bar laughing about how it really wasn't nearly as hard as we thought it would be.

Riding the FJR 1,000 miles in 16 hours seems like joke now. I mean, I can do that with 2 gas stops! I really don't even think about till I get over 1,200 or 1,300 miles on.

Rally riding is a unique experiance. What I love about it is that you get sent to places that you would never think about going to if you weren't sent there to get points. Ever been to the Umpqua light house at night? If you haven't, go there some time and see what I mean. Ever been to the Grand Coulee Dam in Washington? How about Tacoma Narrows Bridge, you know, Galloping Gerty, the famous one that collapsed? Ever heard of the Astoria Column? Ever been there? Well this was one day for me on the Iron Butt this year.

People look at things differently. I have limited time to ride with work, family and the other things in life that eat up your riding time. I like to ride as far and see as many things as I can while I do it. You say your frustrated by not being able stop and hang around some where. I'm frustrated stopping some where because I know I'm wasting time doing something that keeps me from riding.

I was amazed at the WFO in Moscow when I talked to guys who were taking two days to go home from Moscow to the Bay Area. They said they were going to stop for the night in Bend Oregon. Mike and I rode through Bend at about 2:00PM and I thought, "My God, what the hell are these guys going to do in Bend for 18 hours? I was home in my own bed at 10:00PM.