Shameless bragging rights

[canuck750]

I finished my 1st Iron Butt 1000 mile in under 24 hours, 1048 miles in 20 hours, rode a KLR 650 from northern California coast to Phoenix Arizona.

One more item off the bucket list.

[kirkemon]

 
Any secrets or advice?
Monkey Butte? Gator Aide? Red Bull?

[Mike Harper]

I rode my new 2008 KLR from Portland Oregon to Greenwood, Mo in 2 long days. The mileage chart shows it as 1800 miles.  Gotta be farther than that
It was a new bike with the original 2X4 on edge seat.  I still walk funny from that 2 days of horror. Not recommended for a fun trip.

[ITSec]

Congrats!

Now. you'll have to consider using that bike for the ultimate circumnavigation of North America - a couple of friends of mine did it a few years back on KLRs.

[Demar]

Congrats

[rocker59]

SS1000 on a KLR!   

[canuck750]

Congrats!

Now. you'll have to consider using that bike for the ultimate circumnavigation of North America - a couple of friends of mine did it a few years back on KLRs.

Its my plan to take the KLR down to Panama in 2016. The KLR took me past the Arctic Circle on the Dempster highway this summer and now its taken me down the Oregon coast and to Phoenix. These are great inexpensive bikes that just keep going and going. The new (2015) factory seat is pretty good but bar backs and highway pegs are a must for long days, and double shot espresso every two hours!

[Arizona Wayne]

What chain lube do you use?

[HDGoose]

Nice...now do it avoiding interstate roads.

[Arizona Wayne]

I rode my new 2008 KLR from Portland Oregon to Greenwood, Mo in 2 long days. The mileage chart shows it as 1800 miles.  Gotta be farther than that
It was a new bike with the original 2X4 on edge seat.  I still walk funny from that 2 days of horror. Not recommended for a fun trip.

Reminds me of when I used to ride my R5 long distance and had to ride side saddle.   

[T-3Dave]

Congratulations, Jim.  Quite the accomplishment on a big single.  I did my first  SS100 back in 2011 on my DR650.  A BB1500 is in the works for my next one.  Wanted to ride it this Fall but recent shoulder surgery has put that on the back burner for now.

[alanp]

Congratulations, Jim.  Quite the accomplishment on a big single.  I did my first  SS100 back in 2011 on my DR650.  A BB1500 is in the works for my next one.  Wanted to ride it this Fall but recent shoulder surgery has put that on the back burner for now.

Congrats. Definitely extra credit for completing this on a KLR! 

I also did my first SS1000 on a Suzuki DL650, which is a great bike for the task, at least the way I did it - a Colorado Classic 1000.  The route varies every year but generally includes virtually no interstate and LOTS of twistys and mountain passes.  Highly recommended for the dedicated LD riders out there, and suitable if not preferable on a smaller bike. 

[nick949]

Congratulations Jim . 

Were you getting a bit loopy during the last couple of hours?  I certainly was when I did it on my Eldo (although not an official Iron Butt - and not really intentional) It got a bit scary!

Nick

[atavar]

Congrats! 
Did your get the license plate frame?  the pins look really nice if you cut off the pins and glue them to the bike with silicone (removable) too!
Isn't it a strangely satisfying feeling to be able to say you did it?

[atavar]

secret advice is no caffeine at all until the last couple of hours.  if you start it too early the crash when it wears off will kill you.  Another favorite trick of mine is really strong hard candies.  it is amazing what a burst of flavor in your mouth will do to perk your alertness.  i like a mix of mints, sour fruits and horehound in my pocket.  popping a wrapped peppermint in your mouth and unwrapping it with your teeth and tongue is a good diversional exercise too. 

Any secrets or advice?
Monkey Butte? Gator Aide? Red Bull?

[Perazzimx14]

Its my plan to take the KLR down to Panama in 2016. The KLR took me past the Arctic Circle on the Dempster highway this summer and now its taken me down the Oregon coast and to Phoenix. These are great inexpensive bikes that just keep going and going. The new (2015) factory seat is pretty good but bar backs and highway pegs are a must for long days, and double shot espresso every two hours!

If you like the KLR you should give a DR650 a whirl. 40lbs lighter and simple as a Guzzi to work on. No valve shims and no coolant to leak.

Good on you on the IB. I think I'm gonna go for it next summer just to say I done it.

[rodekyll]

 

My trick is 15-min power naps on roadside picnic tables.  Don't try it without an alarm clock.   

If you cut off the shoulder patch just right it doesn't look silly at all.

[Green1000S]

Congrats!
I've done 910 miles unofficially with the Quota (on knobbies), so next spring I'm encouraged to follow your advice!

[Lannis]

Congrats. Definitely extra credit for completing this on a KLR! 

I also did my first SS1000 on a Suzuki DL650, which is a great bike for the task, at least the way I did it - a Colorado Classic 1000.  The route varies every year but generally includes virtually no interstate and LOTS of twistys and mountain passes.  Highly recommended for the dedicated LD riders out there, and suitable if not preferable on a smaller bike.

Shouldn't be too much surprise that an IB event was completed on a KLR.    We're told over and over again that the events and time/distance goals are achievable without exceeding any speed limits.    Anything 250cc and over should be able to do that, as far as MOTORCYCLE capability goes.

Now doing it on that SEAT, oh no ....!

Lannis

[LowRyter]

dang.  I couldn't do it on two Gold Wings and an Electra Glide.

KLR?  wow

congrats

[canuck750]

Nice...now do it avoiding interstate roads.

just real cheap generic stuff I get from a local auto supply store, seems to work good enough, (cheap Guzzi content)

[canuck750]

If you like the KLR you should give a DR650 a whirl. 40lbs lighter and simple as a Guzzi to work on. No valve shims and no coolant to leak.

Good on you on the IB. I think I'm gonna go for it next summer just to say I done it.

I have heard so many great things about the DR650 but I kinda got a KLR thing going as I found two good used ones for my adult sons to ride and my riding partner has one so I am stuck with what I got.

My ride started at 6:00 am leaving Garberville California on the twisty roads through the Redwoods in the dark, thank goodness I fitted a pair of killer lights, then down to continued down the 101 to Hopland and took the best 20 miles of twisty up and down road I have ever been on riding the 175 to Lakeport (in twenty years of riding down here that is the damn best stretch of asphalt I have ever found) picked up the 29 and then the 20 to Williams where I jumped on the I - 5. At a gas stop in Lost Hills a local steered me on a 'short cut' to get me to the 395 but his directions turned out to be screwed and I just drove around Bakersfield and ended up on the 99 and back on the I-5, Then the 210 and I-10 to Phoenix. With a comfortable top speed of around 75 mph there is no speeding on a KLR and in reality the Interstate is too fast for a KLR, much prefer to not ride the Interstates and I very rarely do, the long run on the I-5 and I-10 was the most time I have ever spent on the super slab in my life. At 1:50 p m I got to my destination.

As others have said no caffeine until the last 200 miles, and a couple Advil along the way for sore muscles, when I stepped off the bike the ground was moving and I thought my bikes was rolling away. Other than that I felt good.
My buddy witnessed the start and the security guard at the golf course here in Fountain Hills witnessed my arrival, interesting explaining to a security guard at 2:00 in  the morning why you want him to record my arrival, get his name etc for a whatcha call it?? Iron Butt what?? and why would I want to do that??

[rodekyll]

I went from Chico through Yuba City on a fully-loaded Convert, and then the reverse of your route to the beach highway/Ft Bragg.  Some of the best twisties in the entire coast range are right there.  I think I was in the Jackson St Forest somewhere when I had to pull over to catch my breath.  It was just too much -- very steep and very switchbacked with the banks the wrong way and no shoulders, with oncoming uphill traffic trying to pass RVs for 20 miles or so while the folks familiar with the route ran me over from behind.    

[atavar]

I find I do better if I start the ride mid day, so at the end of the ride the sun comes up and helps out my energy levels.

[cruzziguzzi]

Very cool.

Not something I could ever do. My wife says I have the forward motion discipline of a crow.

If it's bright, shiny or spinning, I'm off the route to check it out.

Fella's mending a fence?... let's jaw.

Got a roadside stand selling... well, most anything? I'm your buyer.

Took me 3-4 days once to get from the Mexican border to Flagstaff 'cause I was determined to get there without touching asphalt if possible.

I was in a hurry once, didn't work out too well as I recall.


Todd.

[smdl]

Congratulations, Jim!



Shaun

[rboe]

Well done. I just now received a custom seat for my XR650L. Had it widened in the back for road tripping. Not considering the IB, but she will toot down the freeway just fine. A steering damper would be nice though.

With all the fun I've had with the XR, I should have done the DR. Looked at the KLR, too heavy. They are all too heavy, but the XR is the lightest of the lot.

If I can keep her running nicely (dang carb'd bikes  :the wife: ) I hope to do some road tripping on her.

[nunzio]

Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


It takes a tough guy to ride all those miles !!!!!!!


If they ever lower it to say.....50 miles.... I'm in