Long Distance Riding
Encyclopedia
Long-distance riding is the pastime of riding motorcycle
s over long distances in defined times, with a popular target being to cover 1,000 miles in a day.
The basic goal of endurance/long distance riding is to explore time/distance/physical endurance while riding a motorcycle.
. Rallies take on a multitude of formats, differing in duration (anywhere from 8 hours to 11 days), style, types of roads ridden and so forth. Some rallies have been referred to as "advanced scavenger hunt
s" and require participants to successfully locate a list of specific locations (a series of "Little House on the Prairie" locations, for instance), perform specific tasks (take a Polaroid photograph of a giant baseball bat, write down time, date and mileage and so forth) and sundry other items during the duration of the rally.
Other endurance rides recognized by the Iron Butt Association are not competitions, but are documented rides (such as the Saddlesore 1000, the BunBurner 1500, the BunBurner Gold 1500, the 100 Coast-to-Coast-to-Coast insanity) that require the rider to meticulously record mileage, fuel taken on and other factors in order to successfully complete a documented ride.
It is not unknown for keen riders to ride from Chicago to St. Louis for dinner, and to then turn around and proceed home, while some will even ride from the East Coast all the way across the country for a ride-to-eat function. There are major annual Ride-to-Eat events (RTEs) in locations from Alaska to Florida.
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
s over long distances in defined times, with a popular target being to cover 1,000 miles in a day.
The basic goal of endurance/long distance riding is to explore time/distance/physical endurance while riding a motorcycle.
Rallies
Endurance riders sometimes engage in endurance events known as ralliesMotorcycle rally
A motorcycle rally is a gathering of motorcycle enthusiasts. Rallies can be large or small, and one-time or recurring. Some rallies are ride-in events, whereas some like the Iron Butt Rally involve days of riding and an actual gathering only at the end of the ride.-North America:Notable annual...
. Rallies take on a multitude of formats, differing in duration (anywhere from 8 hours to 11 days), style, types of roads ridden and so forth. Some rallies have been referred to as "advanced scavenger hunt
Scavenger hunt
A scavenger hunt is a game in which the organizers prepare a list defining specific items, using which the participants — individuals or teams — seek to gather all items on the list — usually without purchasing them — or perform tasks or take photographs of the items, as specified...
s" and require participants to successfully locate a list of specific locations (a series of "Little House on the Prairie" locations, for instance), perform specific tasks (take a Polaroid photograph of a giant baseball bat, write down time, date and mileage and so forth) and sundry other items during the duration of the rally.
Iron Butt Rally
The 'Olympics' of all endurance rallies is the Iron Butt Rally (also known as the IBR, the Big Show, or the Butt). This event takes place over eleven days, usually in late August, on odd numbered years, and is run by the Iron Butt Association. In the early years this was an obscure event with only a dozen or so riders. Over the past decade or so, as distance riding has gained in popularity, the event has become so crowded that the IBA has imposed a limit of 125 riders. Entry is via lottery and discretion of the rallymasters. The basic concept is a lap around the lower 48 United States, with possible diversions into Canada and Alaska. There are interim checkpoints, at which the rider must appear within a brief time window or forfeit any bonus points acquired on that leg. The Iron Butt Rally, like all endurance rallies, is not a race. There is no advantage to arriving early at a checkpoint. The goal is to earn the most points, which are not directly related to number of miles traveled. The winning rider may not be the one with the most miles ridden.Other endurance rides recognized by the Iron Butt Association are not competitions, but are documented rides (such as the Saddlesore 1000, the BunBurner 1500, the BunBurner Gold 1500, the 100 Coast-to-Coast-to-Coast insanity) that require the rider to meticulously record mileage, fuel taken on and other factors in order to successfully complete a documented ride.
Other rallies
There are plenty of other rallies, shorter and easier to get into, available to the competitive and fun-seeking LD rider. Some popular 24-hr rallies are the Utah 1088, Minuteman 1000, Land of Enchantment 1000, Mason Dixon 20-20, Not Superman Rally, Texas Two Step, Cal 24, Minnesota 1000, and many others. For those looking for an IBR-like event, there are multi-day rallies such as the Butt Lite, Northwest Passage, and newcomers Spank and Ten 'N Ten. These rallies are all put on by rallymasters and volunteers who devote countless unpaid hours to their events. The riders themselves are competing for nothing more than bragging rights and the personal challenge. These rallies are also viewed as training grounds for the 11 day Iron Butt Rally.Ride-to-Eat
It is not unknown for keen riders to ride from Chicago to St. Louis for dinner, and to then turn around and proceed home, while some will even ride from the East Coast all the way across the country for a ride-to-eat function. There are major annual Ride-to-Eat events (RTEs) in locations from Alaska to Florida.
Notable long-distance riders
- Dave Barr, a Vietnam veteranVietnam veteranVietnam veteran is a phrase used to describe someone who served in the armed forces of participating countries during the Vietnam War.The term has been used to describe veterans who were in the armed forces of South Vietnam, the United States armed forces, and countries allied to them, whether or...
who became the first double-amputeeAmputationAmputation is the removal of a body extremity by trauma, prolonged constriction, or surgery. As a surgical measure, it is used to control pain or a disease process in the affected limb, such as malignancy or gangrene. In some cases, it is carried out on individuals as a preventative surgery for...
to circumnavigateCircumnavigationCircumnavigation – literally, "navigation of a circumference" – refers to travelling all the way around an island, a continent, or the entire planet Earth.- Global circumnavigation :...
the world on a motorcycle. - Nick SandersNick SandersNick Sanders is a British bicyclist, motorcyclist and author noted for his long-distance riding. On 9 June 1997, Sanders completed a world record circumnavigation of the world in a record riding time of 31 days 20 hours....
, who broke the Guinness World RecordGuinness World RecordsGuinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
for fastest circumnavigation of the world by motorcycle in 1997. - Kevin and Julia Sanders, who broke Nick Sanders' record in 2002 and also broke the record for the Pan American Highway in 2003.
- Simon and Monika NewboundSimon and Monika NewboundSimon and Monika Newbound are long distance motorcyclists from the United Kingdom.In May 2002, husband and wife Simon and Monika Newbound departed from Dublin, Ireland with the goal of riding two BMW motorcycles continuously until they had exceeded the existing Guinness World Record of .On 25...
, who hold the world record for motorcycle endurance. - Ewan McGregorEwan McGregorEwan Gordon McGregor is a Scottish actor. He has had success in mainstream, indie, and art house films. McGregor is perhaps best known for his roles as heroin addict Mark Renton in the drama Trainspotting , young Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequel trilogy , and poet Christian in the...
and Charley BoormanCharley BoormanCharley Boorman is an English TV adventurer, travel writer and actor. He is well known for his association with motorcycles and enthusiasm for biking.-Education:...
, whose long distance riding has been featured in the books and TV series Long Way RoundLong Way RoundLong Way Round is a documentary television series, DVD set and book documenting the journey of Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman from London to New York on motorcycles...
and Long Way DownLong Way Down"Long Way Down" is a single by the Goo Goo Dolls from their breakthrough album, 1995's A Boy Named Goo. This song is often overshadowed by the low-key ballad "Name", which launched the band to household names...
. - Neil PeartNeil PeartNeil Ellwood Peart , OC, is a Canadian musician and author. He is the drummer for the rock band Rush.Peart grew up in Port Dalhousie, Ontario . During adolescence, he floated from regional band to regional band in pursuit of a career as a full-time drummer...
, drummer with rock band RushRush (band)Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
, who undertook a long distance ride after the death of his wife and daughter—a ride that was later documented in the book Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road. - Ted SimonTed SimonTed Simon is a British journalist born in Germany in 1931, noted for circumnavigating the world twice by motorcycle. He was raised in London by a German mother and a Romanian father....
, whose 64000 miles (102,997.8 km) ride through 45 countries was documented in his books Jupiter's TravelsJupiter's TravelsJupiter's Travels is a book by Ted Simon which narrates his four-year journey through 126,000 km across 45 countries on a Triumph Tiger 100 500 cc motorcycle from 1973 to 1977. His book was first published in English in 1979....
and Riding High.
External links
- Bracebridge Native takes Motorcycle Ride to the ‘End of the World’ by Karen Longwell, July 8, 2009