Anyone here ever do any Iron Butt rides on a scooter? (See
http://www.ironbutt.com/)
I'm thinking of doing a SaddleSore 1000 (1000 miles in 24 hours) on my Bet & Win 150. Since 150cc is inadequate (not to mention dangerous and probably illegal) for interstate highways, I'd be limited to state and US highways, and even then I'd likely have to make room to let people pass (which shouldn't be a problem way the heck out there in the middle of nowhere). I live in Tucson, and would be starting and ending the ride there.
Here's my
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The routing through (or near) Chandler is the only hard-and-fast part of it, as my fiancée lives there and she'd want to look at me being crazy.
Any thoughts? Any better routes? If there's any scenic roads and sights, that'd be fantastic. Ideally, I'd like to take a route that does not double-back on itself, as that is more difficult to document that I actually traveled that distance to the Iron Butt people.
Any input or suggestions for long-distance driving? I've got a friend with a motorcycle who might be interested in coming along, and another friend or two would be driving the chase car (with tools, extra fuel, supplies, etc. if need be). As I and a few friends love long-distance driving, we're going to scout out the route with my car to ensure that all the roads would be compatible (both pavement surface, slope, traffic, and speed limit) with such an endeavor.
Other than the obvious things, like extra fuel, water, snacks, a flat tire kit, air pump, extra coolant and oil (both engine and gear oil), and other such things, what do people recommend? Any spare parts I should bring? Any way to make the stock seat a bit more comfortable for a long ride? I was thinking of putting a soft, plush towel or something on top of the seat to cushion things a bit and tucking it into the underseat-storage bin so it won't fall off if I shift around. Any good means of keeping one's limbs stretched out while on the road? Is there any sort of mechanism one could have to hold the throttle in position for a short time in case I wanted to stretch my right arm? For such a long ride, comfort and safety are key and I welcome any suggestions.
The scooter only has about 2800km on the clock, so it's nowhere near due for a drive belt (though I checked my recently and it -- and the CVT -- are fine), though I might get a spare one just in case. I do most of my own maintenance, and everything I've checked seems well within spec. Brakes have tons of pad material left and the hydraulic system is great. Cooling hasn't been a problem, and I put fresh coolant in recently. No leaks anywhere. The wheel bearings seem fine: the wheels spin freely without any scary sounds. Recently changed the oil to a high-quality synthetic, same thing with the gear oil. I'd probably be operating the scooter at 80-100% throttle for probably 20-22 hours; what sort of wear would this put on everything?
I've
(a ~40 mile ride up a windy mountain road) and beyond several times, most of the way at 100% throttle, and other than running a tad warm (just a hair above the middle of the gauge and still well within normal operating temperature limits, which is not bad when it's moving a 200lb person at 40mph up mountain roads) it handled just fine. Obviously, a trip to Summerhaven is nowhere near as grueling as a 1,000 mile journey, but I figured I'd throw that out there.
To completed the journey in time, I'd need to maintain a total average of >42mph (that's for the maximum time of 24 hours). To do it in 20 hours, I'd need to maintain at least 50mph average, which seems quite reasonable, as I've had the scooter cruise at 60mph for extended periods, and slightly faster if there's a slight downhill grade. If I keep a steady pace and keep stops as brief as possible, I think I should be able to handle it with some practice. My friends in the chase car would also assist as a "pit crew", checking things like oil, fuel, coolant, tire pressure, etc. if I had to use the restroom or get food, so as to keep stopped time to a minimum.
Any recommendations, suggestions, or comments (including calling me crazy!) are welcome and appreciated.
Naturally, the entire journey will be amply photographed, with a lot of video being recorded as well.
Cheers!
-Pete
