What makes a good distance rider?
- Good distance riders are those who can pace themselves and make a realistic assessment of their endurance capacity and ability to meet the event's timeframes.
- They need to be confident riding through the night.
- They need to be confident riding in any sort of weather conditions.
- They need to have a comfortable and appropriately equipped motorcycle. If you have questions about this, please let us know well prior to the event, in case our Scrutineers do not approve your machine.
- They should enjoy riding with and be respectful of other riders and road users. While solo riders can participate, the organisers recommend buddying up with other riders with abilities and strategies similar to yours.
- Our events are not races. Completion is the most important thing and the Organisers' objective is to see all starters safely complete the event.
What a 1,600km North Island event looks like
Riders who are considering doing a 1,600km-in-24-hour event for the first time may be wondering what that distance looks like in terms of a route around the North Island. Our route will always be on sealed roads (apart from occasional patches of road works) and regularly go past 24-hour service stations.
We've attached some route maps from past North Island events to give examples of what's possible.
We've attached some route maps from past North Island events to give examples of what's possible.
Event preparation tips
- Understand the fuel range of your machine. The ride route will go past 24-hour fuel outlets at reasonable intervals.
- Make sure your bike has been recently serviced and has tyres that should pass a WOF test AFTER the event is completed.
- Understand your personal range. How big is your bladder? When stopping for fuel you should have a toilet stop, take on liquids and have a snack. 24 hours is a long time.
- Eat a good meal before starting.
- Practice riding at night on back roads. This will ensure that your headlights are adequate and that you are comfortable riding on roads with no street lighting, limited other vehicles, poor road markings, possible wandering stock and night-time critters.
- We ride in all weathers, so you'll need to be prepared with a good set of wet weather gear and a place to stow those on your bike when you're not wearing them.
- Keep cash and EFTPOS cards somewhere handy to save fumbling around at service stations
The American Iron Butt Association organises a number of distance rides, including the Iron Butt 11,000 miles in 11 days event, held every second year across North American roads.
The Association has an "Archive of Wisdom" (AOW) that it has published in its web site with a range of tips and tricks for preparing to participate in a distance ride event. It's a fun read!
The Association has an "Archive of Wisdom" (AOW) that it has published in its web site with a range of tips and tricks for preparing to participate in a distance ride event. It's a fun read!
