Curious about LD

Yamaha FJR Motorcycle Forum

Help Support Yamaha FJR Motorcycle Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Hollywoodgt

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 21, 2013
Messages
144
Reaction score
2
Location
New Lenox
Being a newbie and especially in LD/IBA it appears that all rides are pretty much planned. I was wondering u ever head out on a long weekend and only plan what direction your going in, when you'll leave and when you'll be back?

Also is it mostly a planned trip based on IBA guidelines?

Thanks in advance

 
Depends. If I'm trying to accomplish some specific ride or goal I'm planning ahead, but not doing IBA documentation. (e.g. I visited all 39 county seats in my state once). Other times I'm not planning I'm usually just commuting to or from a rally. (next week off to Ely for the Poison Rally). Other times its some other rally I might get 1000 plus, but not do a certificate (e.g. Big Money Rally I got a signed napkin for my ride). And even other times you can get IBA certification without even trying (a 10/10 during the IBR if you clear 11,000 miles).

 
You just got an answer from one of the most qualified guys to give it ... but I'll throw in my 2c anyway :)

Long Distance riding is simply a matter of throwing your leg over, and riding a long way. Doesn't have to be any more complicated than that. My first "LD" ride was in 1977. I rode a 1958 BSA Bantam D7 four hundred and forty miles in one day. I was seventeen, and knew no better :D

But you mentioned the IBA too. To join that organisation you need to complete a qualifying ride. Simplest would be a documented 1000 miles in under 24 hours (SS1000). Sending in the documentation, and check, will get you an IBA number, although not one quite as low as Ignacio's :)

The IBA will certify many different rides, the shortest being the SS1000. They also hold the bi-annual Iron Butt Rally.

Many other organisations and individuals also sponsor Rallies and other events. It's quite a community, but as you already identified, it's not the only way to ride long distances.

Beware ... it's addictive!

 
What they said. If I'm riding in a rally or attempting to acquire a certificate from the IBA then I have a detailed plan. If I'm just heading out on a ride that happens to be considered LD (whatever those parameters are) then not so much. I'm just going for a ride.

 
To and from Mass Gold I did a couple of undocumented Bun Burners. I didn't even notice until looking at my receipts. You get to the point where you ride a certain pace, collect receipts, and make notes of time/date/mileage on them so that when you are doing something like a rally, you're practiced up.

 
I have an IBA number but do not participate in IBA rides specifically because I do not like to plan my rides and save the evidence. I have ridden many 1000 mile days and enjoyed them all just because I wasn't ready to stop for the day, but you'll have to take my word for it.
yes.gif


I always ride to a planned destination but do not plan the stops in between or where I may stop overnight along the way. Sometimes the destination is something that is on a particular date, so I need to get there at that date, but other times it is simply a place that I want to see or a road I want to ride and if there is anything interesting in between then I'll see that too.

All you need is a good reliable motorcycle, some time, and a little money.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
My first one (no paper work ) I did by accident. I was heading home didn't know how far I would make it....I was coming back from the east coast of Canada. I crossed into Ontario and said to myself "well I'm in Ontario how much farther could it be?" Well it was another 8 hours.

After a couple of those...oops. I decide to get on a documented ride and get the number, sticker and paper. I got it now so what.

I do find it a little funny when I pull in to a rest stop or gas station about 4pm and run into another biker and we get to start talking about where they are stopping for the night and I tell them I'm headed home. They ask where's that and it stops the conversation right there. They think I'm nuts

 
I do find it a little funny when I pull in to a rest stop or gas station about 4pm and run into another biker and we get to start talking about where they are stopping for the night and I tell them I'm headed home. They ask where's that and it stops the conversation right there. They think I'm nuts
I think your nuts too.

The problem with setting out to ride an IBA sanctioned ride is it changes your view of riding, and thus, your planning of future trips. Nearly everywhere becomes a day ride. Worse, if you plan a multi day trip across the country. Next thing you know, your planning to cross the entire continent in 2 days. Ya, you can, but should you? You miss so much.

Case in point. I love riding in SE Ohio. From my home in Northern Ontario, it's about 700 miles. Not a problem. Leave in the AM, arrive just after dusk. Except, sometimes I bring friends down who have NO IDEA how far 500+ miles really is. So we end up stopping every 45 minutes towards the end. You can just see the look in their eyes thinking it's just fucked up. Or, riding with some of the local guys on a day ride. They want off the their bikes in 30 minutes. I'm not even getting settled in until I've ridden about 3 hours.

So ya, do an IBA ride if it tickles your fancy, but just be aware it will change your riding forever.

 
The problem with setting out to ride an IBA sanctioned ride is it changes your view of riding, and thus, your planning of future trips. Nearly everywhere becomes a day ride. Worse, if you plan a multi day trip across the country. Next thing you know, your planning to cross the entire continent in 2 days. Ya, you can, but should you? You miss so much.
So ya, do an IBA ride if it tickles your fancy, but just be aware it will change your riding forever.
See this is where folk set their sights way too low.

If you are planning to "cross the country", then of itself that is a noble ambition .... but San Diego to Jacksonville?

If you are going to take that much trouble, then cross the country properly, please .... Key West to Prudoe Bay :D

It's very difficult to understand or explain why people do things like this. It's pointless, wastes planetary resources, it is difficult and, some would argue, dangerous too. The preparation turns a great looking motorcycle into something Mad Max would be proud of. Some riders take a $25000 motorcycle and add many thousands of dollars of unnecessary extras, then they ride it until it breaks.

If you ride across the country in two days, one perfectly valid view is that you miss so much. On the other hand, had you spent that two days west of the Sierra Nevadas, then you would have missed Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida ... well you get the drift.

If you ultimately decide to enter the Big Dance, then it's not just 11000 miles in 11 days .... it's 11000 dollars too! And of 100 who are waved away by Warchild, some will not reach the finish banquet, and only one will win. Most are not even trying to win.

Yet we went to the Moon, didn't we? We, as a species, did not do that simply to develop a coating for non-stick pans, or a pen that writes upside down. That might have been fun for the engineers, but I believe the guys sitting on top of two billion dollars worth of "lowest bids", did so simply because they could!

 
So ya, do an IBA ride if it tickles your fancy, but just be aware it will change your riding forever.
Maybe.

Keep in mind, this is posted in the Iron Butt area of the forum. The folks who hang out here have definitely had their riding changed by earning that IBA cert. I am not the same, in many many ways, including riding habits. Iron Butt changed me for sure.

The vast majority of people with IBA numbers do their Saddlesore 1000 and they're done. They did "an Iron Butt" and that's all they needed to do. Was their riding changed forever? Probably not. Hollywoodgt might be one of those people, and there's nothing wrong with that.

Back to the original question, I like planning rides and so usually I have a destination in mind. Most of the time I have a specific route. I don't bother with certificate documentation any more, so IBA guidelines aren't in the equation. And yeah, I like to plan long days. But that's just me, I'm pretty sure there are some hardcore IB types who are much less structured. They go where the handlebars take them. I don't think there's a rule of thumb.

 
Beware ... it's addictive!
I am in that camp that would totally agree with this. Once you've nailed down your first truly LD ride, you come to the realization that there really is no part of the country, hemisphere or continent that isn't beyond your reach on two wheels. I am not one of the hardcore LD types, but I'd like to think I've got a nice collection of memories of places I've been to draw from when I'm done riding.

I do find it a little funny when I pull in to a rest stop or gas station about 4pm and run into another biker and we get to start talking about where they are stopping for the night and I tell them I'm headed home. They ask where's that and it stops the conversation right there. They think I'm nuts
I dunno why, but I get such a kick out of folks' reactions to this as well. Folks at work think I'm nuts, but then again so does my wife.

I plan most of my rides, but not to the point that I'll know exactly where all my gas stops will be. I'll also leave myself some flexibility in the route.

Case in point, recently I rode out to NV to ride with some other like minded nut jobs and figured I'd do a BBG by riding through Denver. Well Denver had recently had quite the snowfall, so I just adjusted my route to take me over the top of CO thru Wyoming instead. Still got my BBG ride in and got there in plenty of time. Was a great ride ...... even though I had forgotten to close my trunk in NV and lost half my reciepts. So no BBG cert for me, no biggie. I still enjoyed the heck out of putting in a big ride. That to me is the true satisfaction, just knowing I can do it. So basically you can plan your rides to the point of being IBA certifiable, or just plan your ride to the point of knowing when you'll be leaving and when you'll return.

Oh yeah, and meeting the other like minded LD nut jobs is the dessert. No one knows what you have to go through, or the satisfaction it brings, or even why you do it, than another LD rider.

 
If I'm aiming for a Cert., I plan the ride carefully: route, fuel stops, traffic patterns, weather conditions. The better I plan, the less there is to be concerned about and the more I enjoy the ride. "Plan your ride, ride your plan, and enjoy!"

If it's not a Cert. that I'm aiming for, I plan a framework with options built in. I'll have a rough idea of daily destinations and ETA - and fuel ranges, so I can take detours to see the sights. "If you're not sure where you're going, any road will take you there."

Enjoy!

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Wow thanks for the responses ......TripperMike, Bounce, Ignacie and can't remember his nick name but it's 101 from Fla I've heard a lot about some of you guys from some other Midwest Forum guys (more hurry up get there and 7 hrs of twisty riding guys). I admire your accomplishments and have enjoyed reading about your travels. Met another great rider and that was Hoagy and his friends.

Long story short is I have done a ride from Chicago to Fargo Nd in under 20 hrs numerous 500 - 600 mile runs. I've been a HD riding mostly and I'm not a big patch guy ..... So that doesn't matter at all. I find myself thinking of trip all the time... Lol maybe a bad sign. I'm not keen on the witness BS ...... My opinion is we're adults and if u have a spot and gas logs and maybe a finished witness would be easier, but it is what it is. I'm pretty sure this coming weekend will be the weekend I'll attempt at least a SS1000. Big thing is where to go. Around the Michigan s about 1020 to my door .....not sure that's it yet ......so searching now. It appears I'll be taking Thursday- Sunday so joy ride or IBA ride or maybe a combination of. First day rack up the miles then a couple days to meander back. The other option is a ride out to John Ryan's ride in Ohio is an option

Thanks a bunch guys appreciate your input. Plus maybe I can get a cool plate frame :)

 
Don't fret about a witness. I believe you only need one at the Start and Finish for an SS1000, and it can be a relative or friend. It doesn't have to be right at the point you start or finish either ... Just close by and in a reasonable time.

Finding two witnesses, in Friona, TX, close to midnight at the end of a BBG was fun :) Fortunately, a Texas State Trooper was filling his car at the gas station I ended my ride at. He was more than happy to break up a boring shift chatting a while and signing the form.

Police stations and Fire houses are good, as is any M/C Dealership. The requirements are meant to be strict ... It adds credibility to your Certificate.

 
If not lining up a known friend for witnessing, edit the wording of the form to something like "Verification Form" or "Mileage Documentation". I ran into some LEOs (and others) who see a "legal" meaning to the term "Witness" and balk at signing the form. Editing the title of the form and taking the time to talk to them about what you're asking goes a long way toward easing their concerns.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
One more piece of advice, it may seem common sense and should go without saying, but when you begin to feel exhausted to the point that you don't know if you'd be able to react properly if the need arises.......STOP and get rest. No cert is worth pushing it. I confess to doing it early on, pushing it until I saw purple dinosaurs or 6' tall padlocks in the middle of the road. At that point I knew I rode longer than I should have and pulled over soon after.

What a lot of LD folks will tell you, as many had advised me, when you notice that you find it difficult to maintain a steady speed....it's time. An hour or two of shut eye will do wonders and you'll still have plenty of time to finish a SS1K.

Live to ride another day.

 
One more piece of advice, it may seem common sense and should go without saying, but when you begin to feel exhausted to the point that you don't know if you'd be able to react properly if the need arises.......STOP and get rest. No cert is worth pushing it. I confess to doing it early on, pushing it until I saw purple dinosaurs or 6' tall padlocks in the middle of the road. At that point I knew I rode longer than I should have and pulled over soon after.
Live to ride another day.
The following is an extract from one of my Ride Reports. I think it demonstrates the importance of the point made above, quite well. You can read the full report here:

https://lifebehindbars.bracken.name/html/big_tex_2012.html

It is vital that you never let your plan take over from your common-sense, and decision making. Your rally plan is a target to aim for, and must never be allowed to rule your judgement. If any newer riders are reading this, I cannot stress the point enough and right now I was at decision time. The next bonus, and the final one of the day was at the McDonald Observatory. Unfortunately, they tend to put these things at the top of mountains. While I felt reasonable confident that the road up would be manageable, I was rather less confident of my ability to go up safely. I was tired and I knew it. Riding to my planned rest stop maybe another 130 miles was one thing. Detouring up a mountain at midnight was quite another and I make the only safe decision I can. I cut the bonus and the 3000 points that go with it.

Even then I hit a wall. No, not literally, the figurative "wall" that is a combination of poor sleep the night before, nine hundred miles riding, the darkness and the stress of El Paso and the lost gas cap. I called Jodie when I filled up with gas and we talked briefly about the 97 miles left to the rest stop. I was confident that I would be okay and indeed I was, but not without a lesson that I will share with you all.

When I am tired and riding, I do not generally suffer from my eyes closing. What does happen is that I lose focus, literally lose focus, my eyes go blurry and I have to force my concentration back to the task. That is a clear and unambiguous sign that I need to get off the road, and get off the bike and I NEVER ignore it. Neither should you. There comes a point, and we each are different, where we recognise those signs. It is not clever or brave, or admirable to ignore the signs. It is stupid, dangerous and has no place in LD Riding.

I felt that happen about thirty miles into the last leg. I needed a safe place to stop and there wasn't one. That road is wild and desolate. There are no houses, no towns, no gas stations just a ribbon of tarmac with nowhere to stop. If I stopped in the road I would be in danger from the next tired idiot driving up behind me. Somehow I had to stay alert until I could safely stop. I yelled at myself, I ate candy, turned up the music and had as much air flowing as I could manage. I was prepared to continue only as long as it was safer to ride than stop.

Eventually I hit a small town called Marathon, TX. This was about twenty miles passed my "signs to stop", and about forty miles from my planned stop. I pulled over in a parking area, got off the bike and lay down on the sidewalk. This might sound a bit extreme but it didn't seem at all odd at the time. I was in a safe place and could use a short "power nap". I got one and in about twenty minutes was feeling pretty darned good. There was nowhere to take my official rest break so I hopped back on the bike and completed forty uneventful miles to Sanderson, TX.

 
I am one of the guys who did the paperwork for the SS1000 certification to get the license plate frame ;-)

Since then I have done a couple 1000-mile days but I can't profess to enjoy them. I prefer to ride during daylight, and enjoy the places I'm riding through. Twisty roads are more enjoyable than slabbing and covering distance. More certifications don't appeal to me. Here in the midwest I like to put in long days to get OUT of the midwest, to where there is some topography. Those are usually 700-mile stress-free days. I can stop for a good meal, wait out storms etc. without feeling stressed about time. I can set up my tent with enough daylight left to cook dinner.

Back to the original question ... planning or no planning? For me, I do both. I'll make pretty detailed plans to get out of the midwest; but once I get to Montana or Kentucky or Arkansas I start to wing it. For example, the last two trips out west, we were planning on going from MN to Hyder, AK, then south to California and then home. We had pretty specific plans up to Missoula; then looked at the week-long rain in BC, went back to Helena for a couple days to hang with friends, angled south through Lolo, then Oregon instead. Spent a few days on the OR coast. THen a couple in NorCal. Then a day in SFO. ON a whim we decided to hit up Las Vegas. But after LV it was balls to the wall with two days to get home (but my dad's chain gave up in Colorado; so he and my brother stayed two extra days there waiting for repairs while I flogged it on home).

You don't have to do all planning, or no planning. Combine it where it makes sense to do so.

Another friend of mine spent three months going from MN to NM to San Diego to Washington. Spent lots of time with friends, didn't have much of a plan. Then he crashed and drove a u-haul home ;-(

LD riding will definitely change the way you look at routes. You'll look at a leg that's 700 miles and say "pffft I can do that". But consider who (if anyone) you may be riding with ....

 
Top