BMR 2018 is cranking up!

The Big Money Rally is getting ready for its annual January 1 start. It runs until May 26, 2018, the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. This rally puts you on roads you would have never considered riding, into an interactive group of riders from across the country, and it's just plain fun.

This year, many BMR bonus locations will be borrowed from this past Iron Butt Rally (thanks to Jim Owen) and Mr Owen has supplied a new theme. The tagline for 2018 is "Go Long!"

For those of you who know about the BMR, the 2018 homepage is here or here: https://bigmoneyrally.com/2018/ Entry fee is about $70, which works out to $14 per month, which is cheaper than cable TV or a dinner date with your girlfriend.

For those of you who don't know about it, here are the Cliff Notes:

1. Ride your motorcycle to the bonus location,
2. Use the BMR app to take a photo showing the bonus object, your placard, and part of your motorcycle,
3. Make a strong effort to fill the frame with the bonus object, then
4. Email the photo from the bonus location -- with the correct Bonus Code in the subject line -- to BMR Scoring Central.

It really is that easy. For examples of my 2017 run, click here.

Questions? Post 'em or PM me.

No more typing from the back of a truck. Going to try this BMR. I ride almost daily, but my number of mere pleasure rides has been way down this year. Last year I was just that busy. This year, not so much of an excuse.

Special explanation just for you, buddy: Ride around, take pictures and email them, get points, become a finisher! Yippee!

Can this be done in the winter by us Northerners? I'm in Michigan. I plan on trying to ride as much as possible on days that don't have snow or ice covering the pavement.

Thanks

-Eric

I'm in!

EricW88 posted: Can this be done in the winter by us Northerners? I'm in Michigan. I plan on trying to ride as much as possible on days that don't have snow or ice covering the pavement.
Thanks

-Eric

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Of course it can! But, (spoken with the same enthusiasm) you probably won't get much riding done in January and February. The BMR ends on Saturday of the Memorial Day weekend, so northern riders really get busy starting in March, and pull one or two big rides to reach finisher status by the end of May.

Typically, it takes 144 points to reach finisher status. You can do that in two weekend trips if you plan carefully, hit big-point bonuses, and ride 8-10 hours per day.

By that I mean, finish a two-day ride that collects fifteen 2-point bonuses, ten 3-point ones, and ten 1-pointers. You'll earn 70 points, and -- BAM! -- you're halfway to finisher in one weekend. Last year, I rode from SC to WV and back with two other guys; we bagged 90-something points that one weekend. (That's the key to this Rally: planning a route to get maximum points in minimum miles.)

There are also daily bonuses (match the words) where you can easily pick up 25 or 30 points in 5 months. Make sure to collect the really high-value bonuses (7 points or more!) that are only available on one day -- or perhaps only during one hour. And, RenoJohn usually adds a new theme in March, specifically to help out you guys living in America's tundra.

More questions? Anybody? Post 'em up. My photos from last year: https://archive.bigmoneyrally.com/2017/?author=11&paged=10

Oh yeah: I'M IN.

I'm in for the 6th year in a row. Best thing to happen to motorcycling that occurs between Jan and May in the history of motorcycling....

You headed my way this year, Skippy? I can ride to DC, we ride South together, you head north afterward. We each scoop 60 points or more?

Let’s look for that high-point weekend and make a plan. We can talk Griff into it, too.

I'm registered as well... hoping to make finisher at least in 2018... last year I got sidetracked by life stuff... lol

Uncle Hud said:

You headed my way this year, Skippy? I can ride to DC, we ride South together, you head north afterward. We each scoop 60 points or more? Let’s look for that high-point weekend and make a plan. We can talk Griff into it, too.

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I suspect that it is not very hard to talk Griff into a high scoring weekend ride....

Tyler said:

I'm registered as well... hoping to make finisher at least in 2018... last year I got sidetracked by life stuff...

lol

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Well Tyler, if that is your real name, quit dilly dallying all over the US like you just did and save your energy for BMR Paul P.

owsley said:

Tyler said:

I'm registered as well... hoping to make finisher at least in 2018... last year I got sidetracked by life stuff...

lol

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Well Tyler, if that is your real name, quit dilly dallying all over the US like you just did and save your energy for BMR

Paul P.

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Maybe that was just practice for more dilly dallying for the BMR!

I BMR'd it in 2015 and had a good time with it. Saw many places that i never would have otherwise. In fact it became such a thing that it ended up consuming pretty much all of my available weekends, all of it coming at the expense of time with my wife and track days (I'll let you all figure out for yourself which was the bigger problem - )

I'd probably do it again but I have poor self control and can't get myself into another compulsive behavior exercise. But highly recommended for everyone else!

+1

Hmmmm.

There are a couple of themes this year with really big point values, and first claimant for each bonus gets 10% extra. Might be pretty easy to nail 60-80 points before consuming all nearby bonus locations. Am I missing something? (Like you guys would tell me ....)

Very cool that last year's Iron Butt Rally bonus locations are included in this year's BMR. I waited for three hours at that stupid Big Fish statue one day, but the IBR rider decided to go elsewhere. (That would be IB119.)

Dear Big Dog Griff: Please leave a few Georgia locations for me to claim the 10% 'boomer sooner' extra bonus points. Thanks!

You guys just wait until I retire !!!

JSNS

Uncle Hud, I have some newbie questions.

I've never participated in a rally but I have always wanted to. Is the BMR appropriate for a beginner rally participant (but long time rider)?

I checked the BMR site and FB page but couldn't figure out if the BMR covers a particular region, or if it's all over the map. Would I have to travel back and forth across the country to complete it? I need to know what I'm committing to.

Is there a limit on the # of riders that can participate?

Thanks.

Steve in Phx said:

Uncle Hud, I have some newbie questions.I've never participated in a rally but I have always wanted to. Is the BMR appropriate for a beginner rally participant (but long time rider)?

I checked the BMR site and FB page but couldn't figure out if the BMR covers a particular region, or if it's all over the map. Would I have to travel back and forth across the country to complete it? I need to know what I'm committing to.

Is there a limit on the # of riders that can participate?

Thanks.

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It's perfect for a beginning rally participant... gets your feet wet, get some experience on the rally thing, you can do as much or as little as you want... finishers only need 144 points which is extremely easy to do in five months... the BMR covers the entire US with its bonuses but you pick and choose which ones you want... they can be close to you or good reasons to travel somewhere you've always wanted to go... you choose the bonuses you want to get... no limit to riders that I'm aware of. Hope that helps... Hud is probably getting his beauty rest at the moment... he needs it.

EDIT: If you do register, let us know... lots of good information to share for new participants! B)

Uncle Hud said:

Dear Big Dog Griff: Please leave a few Georgia locations for me to claim the 10% 'boomer sooner' extra bonus points. Thanks!

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