bippo Posted August 17, 2014 Posted August 17, 2014 I've had this on my list of things to do for a while now. Why? I'm not sure really! After all, is sitting on a motorway for miles on end ever really fun? And is it an enjoyable way of buggering up a set of tyres? Well the negatives aside, it was still rattling around my brain. So on Friday night after work, I found it on my mind again and without hesitation I set about preparing... : The route? Down the M6 and M5 to Exeter, A30 to Penzance, A394/A39/A390/A38 to Exeter, A30/A303/M3/M25/M20 to Folkstone, A260/A2/M2/Dartford Crossing/M25 to M1, then finally M1/M62/M60/M67. That would bring me about 50 miles over 1000 which is what they recommend in the rules. : The weather? According to forecasts that was on my side too. Rain was expected, and it was going to be blustery, but nothing worse! : The bike? Yes, the Tiger would have been more appropriate, but I has what I has! So quick fluids/lights/tyres/chain check and trip reset was all I needed to do. : What else did I need? I took chain lube, bike manual, money, phone, copy of route, iPad, Iron Butt documentation, water, tissues, waterproofs, fruit all in a back pack. I also had earplugs and an iPod - the music really helped me pass the time. In order to complete the challenge, rules are simple - 1000 miles within 24 hours. You need to get start and finish witnesses and evidence your route in the form of petrol stops (receipts are key and must contain a set amount of information such as address, date and time). You also need to ensure you get a receipt at your furthest points, so for example I needed to evidence Penzance, otherwise who's to say I didn't just get to Exeter then swing straight back towards London. I had a simple plan in my head of taking photos of my trip computer at each stop to record the time and my odometer so I could write it up later with the receipts. Otherwise I'd be messing about scribbling things down at every stop. So I left at 12.15am on Saturday morning, here's an absolutely terrible photo of me: I was immediately hit with night road closures, putting me in a bad mood within the first 15 minutes, lol! In addition to that, it was a lot more blustery than I'd anticipated with me struggling to stay within my lane on exposed motorway sections at some points. This, in addition to wondering whether I'd made a mistake by doing this on the Street Triple had me contemplating turning around by the time I reached the M6. Well, I told myself to buck up and just get on with it. Luckily for me, the wind subsided as I got closer to Exeter, and before I knew it I was in Penzance with glorious clear skies at 6.30am. Perfect time for a quick bite and a stretch of the legs. At this point I was glad I'd persevered, although it was soul destroying seeing just 370 miles on the clock. The next leg of the trip (towards the M25) felt like a struggle at times. I should have known better, but a Saturday morning in Cornwall and Devon meant it was full of holiday makers crawling along the roads with their caravans. Traffic was heavy, time was ticking away and part of me wondered whether my route back to Exeter would have just been easier if I'd re-traced my steps along the A30. Eventually I made it to some services on the M3, phew! I checked the traffic for my next leg along the M25 and M20 to Folkstone and, as expected for late morning, the traffic was to be a bugger, so plenty of filtering was required. Once I'd made it onto the M20, I could feel my eyes rolling a little. The first (and only) point on my trip where I felt sleepy. I'd bought some Jelly Babies at a petrol stop before so I stopped at some services for a sugar injection and a wander. Here's just one of the many photos I took of my bike at petrol stations! Once I perked up, it was back in the bike and towards London on the M2. I was aiming for the M1. Once on the M1, I felt so relieved that I was on the home-straight, but on the flip side, this is a motorway I currently use to twice a week for my Glossop/London commute so I really find it a mental struggle now! It was also at this point on the trip where how I was feeling physically was setting in. My knees were hurting from the seating position of the bike and my neck and shoulders were hurting from motorway speeds with no fairing protection. Oh and just to add to the joy, the wind had picked up again... The closer I got to home, the harder I found it knowing that I needed to carry on towards Leeds and hop onto the M62 purely to clock up the necessary miles. Normally I'd leave the M1 just after Sheffield, so a tear was shed when I passed that junction!! Despite it being forecast, I'd been lucky my whole trip and escaped any rain. The worst weather I encountered was on the M62, which will come as no surprise to people who know the stretch between Leeds and Manchester. Poor visibility, strong winds and maniac drivers. Slow and steady wins the race though - I'd made it this far, so plodded along on the inside lane. Arrived home last night at 9.40pm, safe and sound! Some snaps of my trip computer show: My total mileage for the trip: And the total duration I was riding for, nearly 17 and a half hours: So how did the bike behave? I'd ran perfectly, as you'd expect for a bike I've only had since the end of June. Obviously this style of bike isn't designed for this type of riding, but it was more than willing. As a result, to highlight the obvious flaws such as fairing and vibration etc would be pointless. And how do I feel? A couple of weeks ago I upgraded the seat to a plusher version with 20mm of extra padding. A well worthwhile enhance to the bike! The original seat was fine, but I always suffered on the 200 mile jaunt I did twice a week. With this seat, my rear end (classy bird...) started to hurt around the 500 mile mark. But even when it did, it was no real bother and would feel fine the moment I stopped. I have woken up this morning to pulled muscles in my shoulders and neck from the battering I got sitting on a naked bike at speed. I've also pulled my thigh muscles as I was using them to squeeze the tank and keep some of the pressure off my arms. In addition to that, this bike has less leg real-estate than the Tiger. My fingers and wrists are a little stiff, but otherwise aren't hurting. I couldn't wait to take my helmet off, it had pushed my earrings into my skull...! Never caused a problem before, so it was just related to the length of time I had the lid on. Overall, I'm glad I've done it, something to cross off my list. Just need to submit my paperwork to Iron Butt UK and hope that I did everything necessary for me to pass! 6
AndrewElvisFan Posted August 17, 2014 Posted August 17, 2014 Well done!! Don't think I'd manage it on the SR!
bippo Posted August 17, 2014 Author Posted August 17, 2014 Ha ha! No, maybe not Andrew... But it would make for an interesting challenge! 1
Moderator DirtyDT Posted August 17, 2014 Moderator Posted August 17, 2014 Well done Bippo. I have seen this but haven't done it, yet! A great write up too.
bippo Posted August 17, 2014 Author Posted August 17, 2014 Cheers DDT! One thing I will say is that you'll be sick of the thought and sight of petrol stations after doing this...!
slice Posted August 17, 2014 Posted August 17, 2014 Nice write up Bippo and glad you got to cross something off of your bucket list, to many folks just think that's a good idea and never get any further with it, it's not called IRON BUTT for nothing is it?
Moderator DirtyDT Posted August 17, 2014 Moderator Posted August 17, 2014 Cheers DDT! One thing I will say is that you'll be sick of the thought and sight of petrol stations after doing this...! I rode back from Marseille to Essex just stopping for fuel (and the ferry). 99 miles to a tank of fuel on a GSXR at hyperspace speeds so stopping every hour (allegedly). I have felt the pain!!
bippo Posted August 17, 2014 Author Posted August 17, 2014 Thanks Slice!! DDT, I think you win the award there then, that's quite some distance on a tank range like that...! I just needed to keep stopping purely to evidence the route. If I'd just decided to complete this trip for fun, then wouldn't have needed to stop half as much as I did.
Moderator drewpy Posted August 17, 2014 Moderator Posted August 17, 2014 well done bipps, you now have an Iron Butt
Moderator DirtyDT Posted August 17, 2014 Moderator Posted August 17, 2014 .....DDT, I think you win the award there then.... Nope, yours is an achievement to be proud of, I was just saying that I could relate to the fuel stops. 1
jimmy Posted August 17, 2014 Posted August 17, 2014 Well Done Bipps, you'll be signing up for the US version next 1
dt502001 Posted August 17, 2014 Posted August 17, 2014 well done Bippo, for a relitivly new rider your becoming quite the seasond rider and to do it on that bike hats off to you lots of "riders " out there who barly manage that in a season.
Moderator Airhead Posted August 17, 2014 Moderator Posted August 17, 2014 Yeah 50 miles on the TTR is enough for me so I'm a soft arse eh lol Crikey bippo thats some endurance test lass I could never have found that fun but you've got some drive to want to put yourself through that, hey hows the butt doing? give us a ring if you need any help with it haha 4
blackhat250 Posted August 17, 2014 Posted August 17, 2014 top marks,,,, your keen, the thot has me feeling tired,,, especially in traffic infested roads,, I did 90mls yest in that wind . horendeous,, 1
bippo Posted August 17, 2014 Author Posted August 17, 2014 Thanks all! Funnily enough Airhead - my butt is completely fine... In fact I feel so confident that I woke up this morning saying I'd be able to do the 2000 miles in 48 hours challenge... Then I looked at the weather outside and thought better of it, ha ha! But seriously, aside from that, if it wasn't for the seat upgrade I genuinely would have struggled. By the time I did 200 miles in the old seat, I was ready to curl up and die. If I had my Tiger, it would have been much easier. Blackie - I've been very slowly learning how to deal with traffic and building up the throttle strength... I've been commuting into Central London (Fleet Street) and it has taught me so much. This is the sole reason I moved away from a Tiger; filtering capabilities. Did I enjoy it? No. Certainly not on this bike. But I enjoyed being out on my bike, and then I eventually (emphasis on that point..) enjoyed getting closer to completing the challenge. So I summary, it's something to cross off my list and for that I'm grateful! 2
obriens65 Posted August 17, 2014 Posted August 17, 2014 I've just got back from Galway, around 500 miles ish. I went Friday (we probably passed on the M6) and came back today. My backside is in tatters and I ache from my shoulders to my elbows. The thought of doing that distance in one day makes me want to curl up in a small corner. You are indeed the (wo) Man and have my deepest respect. 1
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