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texanrt
New member
I noticed this is now password protected -- do you think IBA was concerned that "spotters" were keeping track of the competitor's locations?
testinglogin
Hogaan!
I still find "hopeless class" to be needlessly condescending and elitist.
I hope Joel does very well!
Watch the riders take off this morning here:
http://www.youtube.com/user/Fleeter05#play/uploads/1/1anzAHh8gTo
then click on the right side of the screen for part 2.
Voni
sMiling
http://www.youtube.com/user/Fleeter05#play/uploads/1/1anzAHh8gTo
then click on the right side of the screen for part 2.
Voni
sMiling
i just know they made it illegal to share that information.
Riders can still have the spot and share their personal password . . .
Voni
sMiling
The_Veg
D'OH!
I still find "hopeless class" to be needlessly condescending and elitist.
I hope Joel does very well!
I do too. Two years ago he did complete the miles, he just didn't have the points. To me, having the miles proves him and his machine quite capable and worthy. This year he's running more displacement and some other improvements as well, so I'm expecting greatness.
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Bill Burke
Guest
I still find "hopeless class" to be needlessly condescending and elitist.
I hope Joel does very well!
The term "hopeless class" is not in any way "needlessly condescending and elitist". It's the term employed for years by Higdon, the greatest of all IBR chroniclers... and by his current replacement Tom Austin. If you take the time to go back to Higdon's beautifully written Daily Reports from Rallies past, you'll note that the IBA and its riders have clearly adopted at least one Airhead Canon: They don't take themselves too seriously. It's all in jest Josh. Feel any better yet?
And, by the way, I'm one of Rappoport's biggest fans. I don't care if he DNF's again this year. Any man willing to take a 1976 machine into this tempest has my eternal admiration and respect. Cheers.
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BUBBAZANETTI
Guest
I still find "hopeless class" to be needlessly condescending and elitist.
I hope Joel does very well!
me too!
i've only ever competed in these sorts of things on somewhat hopeless bikes
personally, i don't se why an airhead, well maintained and ready to go, with a big faring, comfy seat, aux fuel and all the modern electronics with the right rider COULDN'T best a modern bike. they can both cruise at 75, right?
every year, i get less interested in mile chasing, but i still find this rally a ton of fun to follow, gonna miss bob higdon's reports though, he had a knack for reporting these events.
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Bill Burke
Guest
Right. If "hopeless" is defined as the inablility to best a modern bike, Rappoport and two Suzuki riders on their 70's vintage machines have probably already "bested" the BMW K1200 that suffered a clutch failure three hours into the rally. The "hopeless" aspect addresses the fact that an R60, even if modified to R75, doesn't have a prayer (of "winning") in an 11,000 mile endurance run against the finest sport touring machines built today....65% of which are not BMW's, according to the riders who had to make the choice this year.
testinglogin
Hogaan!
Why?
As Bubba said, it can go 75mph all day, an aux fuel tank could be added like many other people do to keep rolling for longer, and I know many Airheads that will run endlessly for days on end with nary a mechanical issues. What makes that bike "hopeless" compared to a brand new bike?
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BUBBAZANETTI
Guest
here's all i can think.
riding an airhead takes a bit more "out of you" than riding a more modern bike. even with a big fatigue reducing faring, and a comfy seat and the best suspension upgrades, i still think they probably "wear" on the rider a tad more. personally, little things (bike's idling high, what's that "surge", why's that wobble there, etc) grate on me mentally, there's a lot more of these in my airhead than in my oilhead.
that is ALL i can really think of, i'd like to see Mr. Nye or another rider with big distance competitions under their belt reply.
first mechanical problems of the Iron Butt Rally
I saw a report a few minutes ago of the first problems reported. two Honda St1100's and a Honda Goldwing had dead batteries from leaving electrical gadgets turned on overnight. one BMW 1200 LT has a clutch slipping and is going to Atlanta to try and get it fixed in time to make the first check point...
I saw a report a few minutes ago of the first problems reported. two Honda St1100's and a Honda Goldwing had dead batteries from leaving electrical gadgets turned on overnight. one BMW 1200 LT has a clutch slipping and is going to Atlanta to try and get it fixed in time to make the first check point...
testinglogin
Hogaan!
That's possible - I'd also like to hear the opinion of someone who has ridden in these events.
I guess the Airhead thing might depend on what you are used to. I've ridden several oilhead/hexhead bikes, but I've never owned one. To me, there isn't anything mechanically worrying about how, say, my GSPD runs and rides. For someone like you, switching between the two may indeed be an issue. A better seat would be nice, but I've knocked out plenty of long days in a row with an airhawk on both my R80 and GSPD.
I just wonder how people would respond if they labeled any newer shaft-drive BMW as being in the "hopeless class".
I don't know about you all, but I am so disappointed the SPOT pages are password protected this year. I do not have the privilege of personally knowing any of the participants, other than through various forum postings and vicariously through the legend that follows each of them. But have really enjoyed following their progress during the rally via the trackers.
I wish the competitors good luck on their rides.
I wish the competitors good luck on their rides.
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CraftyRider
Guest
Hey Josh,
Judging from the Greer, SC bonus location that most riders went to from the start, if as many BMW riders suffer breakdowns as in 2007, you may just get your wish...
The rally theme is "Crime Scene" and each crime has a category. The bonus category for Greer was described as "Failure to keep making one of the more reliable Iron Butt motorcycles ever built."
I love the way Kneebone, Landry and other IBR staff are ssoooo un-PC in an age of too much PC...
Cheers!
texanrt
New member
FJR forum cheers on their own
http://www.fjrforum.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=121167&hl
The FJR forum has been following the rally -- they've been getting a few laughs about the BMW pilot carrying a spare FD.
http://www.fjrforum.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=121167&hl
The FJR forum has been following the rally -- they've been getting a few laughs about the BMW pilot carrying a spare FD.
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Bill Burke
Guest
I only have a Saddlesore 1000 under my belt on my 34 year old airhead, so I don't meet your desired qualifications to comment but I'd like to anyway. Here goes: Aside from the comfort/fatigue differences, there's the fundamental difference in power. Over 11000 miles and 11 huge riding days, that difference means everything. Every stop, every go, every pass, every turn is made with a huge torque advantage. In 11000 miles, it adds up to victory in an endurance rally. I'll be the most delighted guy on the planet if one of the Hopeless Class riders defies the laws of physics and finishes at the top, but, like the lottery, the odds are not good. What I'm really rooting for is for Joel and the rotary Suzuki guys from the 70's to finish. That alone constitutes "Victory" in my book.
IBA #31918
Edit: Just read that one of the Suzie rotarys broke down in West Palm Beach. Bad news for the Hopeless Class.
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