First Iron Butt. Gah...

[ClickClick5]

Saturday was a day of insanity.


I, my dad, his friend and a friend of mine covered 1088 miles. We started in Colorado at 5AM Saturday and went through Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and back into Colorado in just over 22 hours. 2.5 of those hours are where we filled up, ate, took a break, etc.

We had a strong head wind heading south the whole way, the wind pushing us to the right while heading west and then the last of the trip was amazing as the wind pushed us back home. The wind, I hate you so. The temp outside ranged from 42-70 for this trip.

I say this to confrim once more that the FZ6R did just fine on the trip. The engine stayed around 165 (Highest I saw was 180 in New Mexico) degrees and around 7k-8k RPM (80-90MPH), for roughly 20 hours.

Bloody good bike.
Here is a shot if the bikes used.

Ah, I also slept 13 hours Sunday.
Sadly, I kinda want to do another trip in the summer....when it is warmer.

My brain stopped working a few hours ago, so, I finish here. Sorry if the above paragraphs are oddly written.

~CC5

 

[Sparkxx1]

Nice! I need buddies to go long distance

 

[CDN6R]

Thanks for a great story. When your brain wakes up, perhaps yo can give us more detail and if possable more pics. This sounds like a blast!:thumbup:

 

[XTRAWLD]

Anything you'd consider changing on the bike now that you rode that much in one sitting? Is the seat still supportive and firm? If you hate the wind, have you considered changing up the windscreen to buffer it up and over you? Curious, since I'll be riding a huge trip in June. Wondering what your experience was like for your first iron butt.

 

[Hethrir]

Friends and I did something similar thursday and friday... was not fun. Where in CO did you start? were thinking of doing the million dollar highway this summer if you ever want to catch another FZ6R rider.

 

[Fenixgoon]

my butt was sore after ~3 hours! holy cow i wouldn't be able to sit that long! you have a steel butt sir, not just iron

 

[ClickClick5]

After 400 miles, I just gave up complaining in my head about the wind, the sore butt and the pain in my lower back. 600 miles in, I was set to finish the ride. Around 800 miles, I was numb to the pain. I would fill up, grab a snack, hop back on and take off for another 150 mile stretch.

Consider changing on the bike? I would change the seat to something with more padding. About an inch more padding would be perfect. I felt like I was wearing out my seat by the end of the trip! Just in my head though. So by far hands down, a softer (more padded) seat. Everything else was ok.

Good question about the directions! I forgot to add that last night...
Attached is a map of the trip. The stopping places were: Started in Aurora CO, Limon, Kit Carson, Lamar, Boise OK, Dumas TX, Amarillo, Tucumcari NM, Clines Corners, Las Vegas (New Mexico, not Nevada...calm down), Raton, Pueblo CO, back to Aurora. Highways were I-70, US 285, I-40, and I-25.

In terms of wackiness for the trip... My dad's VSTAR blew over when we parked at the New Mexico sign (yes, STRONG wind), my friend's bike ate through a quart and a half of oil, the Harley did fine and mine (the FZ6R) burned no oil (enough to show on the stick anyway) and no other problems!

I'll post some more pics of the trip tonight.

Note: I kinda want to do another trip through the Dakotas and Wyoming in late summer....

 

[ClickClick5]

Ok, photo time.

Just for fun, we decided to take the old Sony Mavica Floppy camera, so the pictures are not HD or anything near so.

Kit Carson: My Dad's friend on the right, me on the left.

Oaklahoma: From left to right, my Dad's friend, my friend, then me.

Texas: My friend, me, and my Dad's friend.

Dumas: Me and my Dad's friend checking out my friend's bike. I was showing him the LCD gauge replacement he did.

Friends: Here is a nice stop to relax for a bit. My friend and my Dad's buddy.

New Mexico: Here is my Dad. In the background, just right of him, you see me and my friend lifting his bike up. Here the wind was the worst.

Dad Friend: My Dad putting his phone in the saddle bag, his friend look on.

Pueblo: My buddy and I walking back to the bikes after resting in Pueblo at 2:10AM. Just 110 miles to go!


If you have the ability to free up two days (one to ride, the other to recover), I strongly say, do it. The trip is fun, you learn a lot about yourself in terms of dedication and you learn a lot about your bike....and the seat....and your butt.

Here for those who are curious or to lazy to google: IBA - World's Toughest Motorcycle Riders

Ride on!
~CC5

 

[XTRAWLD]

Consider changing on the bike? I would change the seat to something with more padding. About an inch more padding would be perfect. I felt like I was wearing out my seat by the end of the trip! Just in my head though. So by far hands down, a softer (more padded) seat. Everything else was ok.

We bought these before our trip to the Adirondacks when it was on sale. It's says "gel" but it's not really a solid gel, there are it's more waffle like. Turn the waffles DOWN so if it rains, you aren't sitting in a pool of water. Best $10 we've ever spent. IT WORKS MINT!

Gel Seat Cushion | Canadian Tire

I found a solid gel version at Costco for $16.99 but can't trim the gel to fit the seat.

 

[dart1963]

Thought I had replied to this already... but...

Very cool! I don't know I'd do the iron-butt ride or not... would have to have a great group of friends... and right now... I only know of one other person that might consider this with me....

as to seats... I hear gel gets hot.... maybe a good thing when it's cold, but could cause some unwanted issues in warmer weather... I went with the Airhawk (the original "rubber" one @ about $130) and it's great... should have bought it sooner.

Also... a camel back would be a life saver... I use mine on 8 hours rides and it helps a lot... a few drinks every half hour or so and it keeps you hydrated, without the "I have to pull over" feeling.

 

[pincushion79]

If you're planning on going thru the Dakotas, beware of the swarms of mosquitoes. I was there TDY last year (Grand Forks) and they would swarm around the rental car before I even put it into park!

 

[ClickClick5]

So just move faster than the mosquitoes? Did they swarm during the day or just at night?

Like the Texas summers? Or worse?

 

[pincushion79]

So just move faster than the mosquitoes? Did they swarm during the day or just at night?

Like the Texas summers? Or worse?

They swarm all hours of the day. I live in south Texas, and I have never seen them nearly as bad as in N. Dakota. The natives call them the state bird. Don't get me wrong though, the scenery is beautiful.

The front end of the car was covered in them after only a short 10-15 minute drive from the base to the hotel.

 

[ClickClick5]

They swarm all hours of the day. I live in south Texas, and I have never seen them nearly as bad as in N. Dakota. The natives call them the state bird. Don't get me wrong though, the scenery is beautiful.

The front end of the car was covered in them after only a short 10-15 minute drive from the base to the hotel.

Bloody great. Well, this should prove to be fun...for bike cleaning. I used to live in Pasadena (just east of Houston) and fondly remember the mosquitoes. In Colorado, not so many of them here. This past summer was lovely, they were all gone.

If anyone wants to join the trip (late July probably) let me know! If you live within the Colorado-Dakotas-Wyoming area. Details and the planed route will be decided much later though.

 

[pincushion79]

The folks on base say that they normally spray a few times a year from a C-130. However, the last couple years, it has snowed so late into the year for the spray to actually do anything. Snow melts, poison gets flushed away, lots of standing water, etc.

But hey, a bug is a bug if you're riding through then it shouldn't be a problem except for being a bit messy.