Modern Vespa

I'm looking at doing my 3rd Ironbutt on Saturday May 10th and you are welcome to join me.

So far I have two routes in mind

1 J5 M20 Maidstone to Lands End, Bristol, Cardiff, Birmingham, Leeds , Cambridge and home to Maidstone.

or

2 J5 M20 to Dartford, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Birmingham, Bristol and home again.

Both routes are just over 1000 miles

The ride will start around 4am and finish around 12.30 am and spare tanks are recommended.

There is a nice hotel/restaurant close to the start point and at least x 2 24 hour petrol stations nearby.

The stupidity starts here so whose with me ?

Bill X

Me

8)

Just me and Bill then?

I'd much rather the more hardcore element commit early than the aspirational cancel at the last minute.
Nothing wrong with ambition but I'd suggest anyone who want's to join us and hasn't done it before should try a 500 mile ride first then do another one.

Bill xxx

Would be IN if i were there and not here..

That sort of craziness appeals to me...

Are you motorway driving all the way ?..

Good luck will be following you here..

The Lands End rout has about 40 mins in total of minor "A" roads but the rest of it is all highway.

It really is the only way to get the miles in in the allocated time.

Bill X

Motorway

Motorway, but I am fond of Lands End.

I'm also fond of the England,Scottishland and Wales concept.

Bill X

+1 agree

Isn't there a new bridge from Bristol into Gwent that could bring in the wales bit..

Maybe if your leaving that early.. the M3/A303 via stonehenge would be quicker and shorter in distance down to Exeter.. ??..

The 303 is the route I would take if we thought that Lands End would be a good idea.
Leaving around 4am we should get there around 12-1300 if it was our first stop.

Bill X

I like the idea but i'm fickle and weak and lazy and non committal and.....

Join us

Go on you know you'll regret it.

Wha ha ha ha

Bill x

Thinking about it .... It's just i'm going 16 till 19 too Germany on the Vespa ...2 weekends away they don't like here at home. hmmmmmmmmm
About 450km to Maidstone Tunnel EUR 78 have too stay at least 2 nights more is bether because my first time UK, and all Highway is not the way too go so have to stay 3 nights a EUR alot ... Hmmm


Hmmmmm hmmmm

Thinking it over ...

Jeez, that's like riding from Birmingham to Ullapool, stop for a pee, then get on and ride back

Last time i did that journey, i was in a car, we stopped half way, had a week up there, stopped half way on the way back, and i was still f****d when i got back

I can't really explain why I get such a thrill from riding these distances.
I guess it's just a sense of achievement when it's all done.
The hardest part is going over the 500 mile mark when you're already feeling a bit peaky then you realise there's another 500 miles coming when you're going to feel worse.

I love it.

Bill X

Billy No-Mates <snigger>

Dundee from Maidstone is 503 miles exactly.

It won't be a very stimulating ride but it should be an easy one.

Just sayin.

Bill XXX

I'm still in

It's gonna be fun

I have to admit I'm having a few problems deciding on a decent route as each one has its positives and negatives.

Maidstone to Lands End,Cardiff and Leeds looks good on the map as it's divided into thirds There's no repetition but the Lands End road is a 40 minute slow slog. Great for a photo opportunity though.

M/stone to Dundee is short, easy but isn't very dynamic.

M/Stone to Glasgow, Cardiff and home has the England, Scotland and Wales combo and it sounds good if your'e attracting sponsorship.

Also I'd like to meet Didge again and Bitza for the first time which means we could be Leeds and Devon bound.

Bill X

date looks good, need to look at other logistics, hope I can sort it out as I'd like to join in.

Why wait til may.. Do it now.. More fun..plus fuel price going up a couple of times before may... Come on !!

.....and no caravans....

Canadian Ironbutt is reserved for 2015.

Birreh !

room booked so I'm officially in

Well done that man.

Birreh !

It's looking like Dundee and back.

It's simple and the "shortest" of the 3 final choices.

Sadly it's not a loop which in my opinion make the best rides but I'm sure it's going to work just fine.

Bill xxx

So, what is the route blow by blow?
Are you going straight up and down the A1?

For now the route is Maidstone, Cambridge, Peterborough, Doncaster, Darlington,
Penrith, Carlisle, Lockerbie, Glasgow, Dunblane, Perth, Dundee and a fair amount of the A1M will be used.

Bill xxx

We may swing by the Forth Bridge if the mood takes us.

glad the route is sorted

have you considered trying for one of these on the US run?

http://www.kymco.com/product/overview.asp?MotorCTID=24C6D819-8905-49F1-9D13-F106787D55CD

everythngs bigger in America

Thanks all the same but I've got a nice GTS with a tour tank on it for that one.

It's pretty huge isn't it ?

Yes the route is pretty much sorted but I'm open to variations.

Bill xxx

Got a nice suck it and see ride from Maidstone, Ealing and Trowbridge to Lands End and back on March 29th if anyone's interested.

Bill xxx

....... Or torture?

Join us

I think that these 500 - 650 mile rides are an excellent idea to see if it's for you rather than jump in at the deep end on the day.

We may have an Ice Cream in Cornwall.

Bill xxx

Hot meal first THEN ice cream

Could a small frame do the ironbutt without having a complete meltdown?

I wouldn't stick my neck out and say no but will put it this way -

The 2 previous rides were completed around the 20 - 21 hour mark and were run on scooters 250 to 300cc's and they were running around the 70 -75 mph mark for most of the ride.
The time includes stops for 10 minutes each time we gassed up and a 45 minute break for hot food at the furthest point.
Hell, I'd give it a go on a modern GTS 125 but could you actually do it within the time ? I'm honestly not sure.

Bill xxx