SaddleSore Km Series

Bun Burner Km Series

Version 7.0

Date last revised: 2-SEPTEMBER-2023

© 2022, Iron Butt Association, Sheridan, Wyoming
Please respect our intellectual property rights.  Do not distribute this document or portions therein, without the written permission of the Iron Butt Association.

History - the IBA has been issuing 1,600 kilometer-1,000 mile day certifications since the 1980s. These are difficult certifications to earn, please study the documentation requirements carefully.

Step one - choose a SAFE route and use a mapping program (google maps preferred) to check your ride really is 1,600 real kilometers - don't come up short because you did not check!.

Step two - Collect, photograph and track FUEL receipts, START/END and each stop - photos of each receipt in front of your odometer - keep a log of each stop.

Step three - send it in! Where possible, please use electronic submission. Forms needed:Trip log and application forms (pdf)

If you have any questions about this ride, contact us at to [email protected].

SaddleSore History

Prior to 1993, the Iron Butt Association did not certify '1600km-in-1 day' rides. To that point we referred riders to other organizations. Unfortunately, that occasionally turned out to be a mistake. In some cases, organizations that claimed to have rides didn't, while others took riders' money and never delivered promised awards.

Although it was never the Iron Butt Association's intention to certify 1000-in-1 rides, the number of letters we received asking to do so had become staggering. With some serious pushing from our members, we agreed to certify a variety of long distance rides. At that same time, the IBA had been working closely with Les Martin at the California Motorcycle Touring Association (CMTA) for ride certifications taking place in California, Nevada and Oregon. As it turns out our decision to gear up for ride certifications came about the same time Les Martin had announced he was retiring (1993). With Les moving on to a (hopefully!) more relaxed lifestyle, we were sad to see the rich history of the SaddleSore and Bun Burner rides he had been working so hard on for so many years to be lost. It only took a few minutes of discussion with Les about our plans before he decided to donate both the SaddleSore and Bun Burner names to the Iron Butt Association. During the CMTA days, the SaddleSore was 1,000 miles in less than 24 hours certification and the Bun Burner was 1,500 miles in less than 36 hours. The IBA renamed the rides slightly, the SaddleSore became the SaddleSore 1000 (1,000 miles in less than 24 hours) and the Bun Burner became the Bun Burner 1500 (1,500 miles in less than 36 hours). At the same time, we created the Bun Burner GOLD (1,500 miles in less than 24 hours) as so many riders had "unofficially" been documented since the early 1980s.

With so many riders around the world asking to do Iron Butt rides, we felt it only fitting to create kilometer based rides!

SaddleSore 1600k - 1,610 kilometers (1,000 miles) in 24 hours
SaddleSore 2000k - 2,000 kilometers in 24 hours
Bun Burner 2500k - 2,500 kilometers in 36 hours

We hope that we can continue the quality and tradition of the ride to which Les Martin devoted so many years of his life.

With so many riders around the world asking to do Iron Butt rides, we felt it only fitting to create km based rides!

SaddleSore Guidelines

Every time I read these guidelines, they seem overly complex. However, they were developed by one of our members involved in record keeping for various sporting events. There is no doubt that the documentation requirements for these certifications are tough, but when you hang your certificate on the wall, you can rest easy knowing that we just don't hand these out to anyone. When the ride is over, you have survived not only a very tough ride, but you'll have the documentation to back up your claims. How many riders can say that?

When you read the following guidelines, keep in mind that our goal is to see a well documented ride. If you cannot follow the guidelines exactly, feel free to drop us a line with a proposal. We will be happy to review your plans and possibly accept changes to this format.

Michael Kneebone
President
Iron Butt Association

Iron Butt Association Guidelines for the SaddleSore 1600K or Bun Burner 2500K.

Following are the guidelines for earning an Iron Butt Association Pin and patch (crest) and a Certificate of Completion for a 1,610 kilometer ride in less than 24 hours (SaddleSore 1600K), 2,000 kilometers in less than 24 hours (SaddleSore 2000K), or 2,500 kilometers in less than 36 hours (Bun Burner 2500K)

Finnish language Guidelines are at: www.ibafinland.org

Many EU country Guidelines are at: https://www.ibabenelux.org/index.php/en/

IBA Mexico Guidelines are at: http://www.asphaltrats.net/

IBA India Guidelines email: [email protected]

IBA UK Guidelines are at: https://www.ironbutt.co.uk/

IBA Ireland Guidelines are at: https://www.ibaireland.org//

You may also complete the ride two-up (with one person doing the piloting, the other being a passenger the entire distance - you may not share piloting duties!). In these cases, the Iron Butt Association issues one certificate, with both rider and passenger on it, but we provide two copies of it; one for the rider and one for the passenger. There is NO additional charge for a passenger, however, if they would like a pin or plate frame, you will need to add that in on the fee schedule page.

There are five steps to earning a SaddleSore or Bun Burner 1500 certification; 1. Choose a safe route, 2. collect and track receipts, and 3. copy and submit your documentation. Since safety is our primary concern, no pre-registration of your ride is needed. Our goal is to give you added flexibility to decide on any given day whether the combination of weather, your motorcycle and most importantly, your attitude, is ready for a big ride.

STEP ONE, Choose a SAFE route

Your ride needs to be completely documented (steps outlined below) and cover a minimum distance of 1,610 km in less than 24 hours (SaddleSore 1600K), or 2,500 km in less than 36 hours (Bun Burner). In order to keep these rides from becoming races, mileages in excess of 2,500 km  in less than 24 hours will not be published.

Please keep in mind, 24 hours is wall clock time, not riding time. So if you start your ride at 5:00 pm on June 1st, you must finish it before 5 pm on June 2nd.

The SaddleSore and Bun Burner do NOT require you to speed. The majority of riders will cover their 1,610 km in about 18 to 20 hours (including all stops). For every hour you are on a major highway riding, you put approximately 20 minutes of "off" time in your time bank that can be used for resting. Use that time wisely as it does not come off the 24 hour clock!

Although this is not much of an issue in the USA and Canada, please note: We do not certify rides where the maximum speed limit is too low to support the average speed necessary to complete the ride within the time limit.

A safe ride should be your primary goal. If this is your first attempt at a 1,610 km day, we highly recommend that you study the Iron Butt Association's 25 long distance riding tips located at: 25 Tips. Additionally, U.S. riders will find that the Interstate Highway system offers the safest and quickest way to cover the miles. With efficient time management, many riders leave early in the morning and are home in time for a late dinner. Other riders will split the SaddleSore and Bun Burner rides in two parts, riding through the day and stopping for a motel room and continuing the ride after a long rest stop (obviously, with 36 hours available, the Bun Burner offers a little more motel time).

IMPORTANT NOTE: Unless your speedometer has been calibrated, do NOT depend on your own odometer readings for official mileage! Most Japanese motorcycles register at least four percent more miles than actually traveled. Over the course of a 24 hour period, this error can be quite severe - as much as 40 miles. IN ALL CASES, mileage will be verified with either Microsoft Streets and Trips, Google Maps,  or in some cases, paper maps or other sources as required.

We recommend you put your route in to Google Maps, it works in most parts of the world and allows you to easily change your route by dragging it on alternate roads. Additionally, it allows you to save your route and send it to us (Click the Menu icon  ≡  (upper left corner); Click the Chain Link icon "Share or embed map"; Check the box "Short URL"; copy the resulting link & paste it where desired.)

From a documentation standpoint, the best route is one where you take a straight line ride from point to point (for example, start in Chicago, Illinois and finish in Denver, Colorado). However, we realize that many riders cannot afford to devote this kind of time to their ride. With that in mind, you may choose any route you wish using the following guidelines:

If you choose a circular route, you will need to obtain a dated receipt at each "corner" to show that you did not take a short-cut. For example, if you choose to ride the circular route of Chicago, Illinois to St. Louis, Missouri to Kansas City, Kansas to Des Moines, Iowa and back to Chicago, we would expect to receive receipts from each of those cities (in addition to the guidelines that follow).

If you choose a route where you ride 800 km and then turn around and come back, you must get a dated receipt at the turn around point. For example, if you were to start in Denver, Colorado and ride to Omaha, Nebraska and back to Denver, we would expect a detailed receipt from Omaha (in addition to the guidelines that follow).

We strongly discourage, and in some cases may reject, routes that are repetitive in nature. For example, we would not accept a claim that you rode five round-trips between Daytona Beach, Florida and Jacksonville, a distance of only 155 km.

No preregistration is needed for the SaddleSore or Bun Burner rides. We feel this removes the pressure to complete the ride should you become tired or otherwise feel unsafe. While group SaddleSore rides bring with them the safety of group travel, they can also increase your risk by encouraging you to press on when you might otherwise stop. Group rides can also encourage aggressive riding. Be sure riding styles of others in your group match your style. When planning a ride, keep in mind that group rides are only as fast as the slowest person in the group. This can extend your riding day many hours pushing you toward fatigue.

Motorcycling comes with risk and riding a 1,610 km or more increases your risk substantially. It is imperative you understand the risk you are taking and minimize the possibility of an accident by practicing safe motorcycle habits. No one, not even the most experienced long distance rider, can safely fight off fatigue. If you are tired, the only option is to stop and rest. Ignoring the symptoms of fatigue can be fatal. The SaddleSore and Bun Burner rides enjoy a fantastic safety record but to continue this record requires you to do your part. If you are tired, having a bad day, or facing other hurdles that are impacting your riding skills, please stop and rest so that you may enjoy motorcycling another day!

Please remember that the Iron Butt Association is dedicated to the sport of safe, long-distance motorcycle riding. It does not condone nor will it tolerate unsafe activities such as excessive speed (in many states, riding more than 20 miles per hour above the speed limit will also get you charged with reckless driving. Reckless driving is a serious charge in any jurisdiction. In many cases your motorcycle can be impounded and you will be required to return to court for a personal appearance at a hearing, irrespective of the distance you have to travel to appear or the hardship that it might entail. Few experiences in motorcycling are more memorable than an appearance in traffic court, particularly if your license hangs on the outcome), reckless motorcycle operation, riding while fatigued or otherwise impaired, the use of stimulants to maintain alertness, or any other activity that results in riders exceeding their personal limits. Any rider found to have engaged in these or other unsafe activities, as determined in the sole discretion of the IBA, will have the certification application refused. If the certification is already issued and we find out about these infractions after the fact, the certification will be revoked (if you read Motorcyclist Magazine, you may have seen them burning an IBA certification when we revoked the certification of a noted staffer's ride). For these purposes, the IBA will consider as an admission of violating this policy any public statements made by the participant that describe participation in unsafe activities during a ride subject to certification.

STEP TWO: Collect, photograph and track FUEL receipts - THIS STEP IS CRITICAL!

Your ride starts from the location of your first computer generated receipt (preferably fuel):

* * * THE COMPUTER TIME STAMP on your FIRST/START receipt WILL BE YOUR OFFICIAL STARTING LOCATION AND TIME * * *

at the end of your ride, 

* * * THE COMPUTER TIME STAMP on the FINAL receipt WILL BE YOUR OFFICIAL ENDING LOCATION AND TIME * * *

You MUST have a receipt at every major CORNER/TURNING POINT of your ride to show you did not take a short cut.

And finally, don't forget, we need ALL your FUEL receipts!

RECEIPT TIPS:

Here is an example of a 'good' receipt:

This low-resolution photo shows a good way to show your receipts.  Of course, the photo you turn in will be higher resolution so the verification team can clearly read location, date and time.  Most phones are capable of taking this kind of photo.  For more examples, please visit here.

You might want to start practicing now before your ride. On a good day, under cover at gas pumps, it is easy-peasy. On a wet, windy day at non-covered pumps, not so much. Or you might hate it - in which case, you may use this ALTERNATE WITNESS METHOD to document your ride. But compared to hitting up a hotel clerk at 3 am (who many times has moved on and probably can't respond to our letters anyway), the photo in front of your odometer method should prove to be superior.

Before the start, you will want to try gas stations to find one that has a receipt with a good location, time and date on it to document the start of your ride.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Date and time is most important for your start and end receipts. They are much less critical on the other ride receipts. We know there are mistakes on many station clocks - spend your time concentrating on the start and end receipts.

Fill up your gas tank and obtain a computer printed gas receipt with a legible date and time stamp. NOTE: Many gas stations in both the United States and in Europe are printing an "invoice number" which is actually the time of the transaction for example, you might see Inv# 113557 which means 11:35:57 am. You may also elect to use a bank ATM receipt with a time and date stamp for your start time but please leave with your tank full.

LOG YOUR FUEL AND OTHER LONG STOPS!

Your fuel (and stop) log helps us figure out how your ride progressed - it is a summary of what happened during the ride.

The following log entries are mandatory:

A log entry must be made at each gas stop (sample attached). A log entry includes the following information; DATE, TIME, TIME ZONE, LOCATION (i.e. Moline, IL) and ODOMETER reading. A receipt must accompany each log entry (please note, that the receipts from these gas stops, where possible should include a date stamp - we do NOT care about time stamps on these receipts, do not waste time worrying about time stamps, the only time stamps that are critical are the start and finish receipts!).

In order for the verification team to account for your time, a log entry must be made at each stop longer than 30 minutes (for example you decide to stop at a roadside rest stop for a nap or get a motel room during the ride). Each entry for extended stops must include the approximate length of the stop or the start time and ending time. Meals that take longer than 30 minutes are considered rest stops - where possible please try and obtain a restaurant receipt. Obviously, many types of stops, for example a stop in a rest area, will not generate any kind of receipt - this is acceptable, but please account for the time in your log.

WARNING: If your motorcycle is equipped with a large fuel-tank, please note that you must stop at least once every 350 miles for gas (this is purely for documentation for your ride). Although we know it is possible to ride greater distances non-stop, we will not accept a claim of this type.

At the end of your ride, before the 24 hour (or 36 hour for the Bun Burner) time period is up, obtain a computer printed gas receipt with a legible location, date and time stamp.

* * * THE COMPUTER TIME STAMP WILL BE YOUR OFFICIAL ENDING TIME * * *

STEP THREE: Prepare, Copy and Submit your documentation.

Find a map (an old, or photocopied one is acceptable) and circle the cities you stopped in (don't forget the start and ending points) for gas/food/etc (a Xerox of a map is acceptable). This map is to assist the person verifying the routes and is meant to give a good overall picture of your ride. You do not actually have to find the small towns you stopped in, just circle the approximate area. The best map is one that shows your route on one or two pages. Please do not send in multi-page route sheets from mapping programs or an Auto club they are too hard for the verification team to get a good overview of your ride.

If you use a sattelite tracking system, please feel free to include that map also.

COPY your receipts and number the copies to correspond to your log.

COPY your log.

* * * Retain your original documentation - only send copies! * * *

If needed, write a short note about any problems with your ride, for example, "The receipt from Valentine, Nebraska does not have the correct date. I had the attendant write the correct date. The station's number is 555 555-1234."

We strongly caution that out on the road it may not be possible to follow these guidelines to the letter. If that happens, please explain any problem you encountered and we will do our best to work out a solution. For example, 24 hours and 35 minutes into his ride, one rider could not find a gas station, eventually he found an ATM and got a receipt. While he was over the 24 hour time period, he had also ridden 1,081 miles, obviously he had ridden over 1,000 miles in 24 hours (no one can ride 81 miles in 35 minutes). In a case like this, we roll the map and clock back to the 24 hour point.

COMPLETE the attached form. Basically, this is information where to send the certification package, what name and motorcycle you want on the certificate and the basic route you would like the certification to note.

CALCULATE the fee. We offer several options. You can get only the certificate for $45; or for a better value, you can order the 'full package' including the certificate, a ride PATCH, and an IBA plate back for $54 (a $6 savings)

You will need these forms to complete this application process:

Trip log and application forms (pdf)

FINALLY, decide on electronic submission or snail mail:

Have a scanner or good camera? Try the ELECTRONIC APPLICATION process  Visit:  IBA Electronic Electronic Application Guidelines.

via snail mail send it to:

Iron Butt Association, P.O. Box PO Box 4550, LISLE, ILLINOIS USA USA. Please make your check payable in US funds to the "Iron Butt Association". Please note that we do not make any money on this ride, this is our approximate cost of administrating the SaddleSore and Bun Burner program. NOTE: If you are located outside the United States or Canada and obtaining a check in US Funds is difficult please send e-mail to [email protected] for possible alternate payment methods.

Please try and avoid Federal Express, UPS or Certified mail - although it may seem faster to use these services, we are at our full-time jobs during the day and sometimes it can take weeks to take time off from work to pick up your "speedy" package. If you are concerned we received your documents and live in the U.S., we recommend "Delivery Confirmation" (a 55 cent product offered by the Post Office that allows you to track a letter or package via an 800 number, e-mail or the internet).

When we get your ride documentation, one of several people will start the verification process. Due to the extensive work involved (keying data into mileage spreadsheets, map verifications, witness contacts where needed and custom certificate preparations) and the fact that approximately 60% of the labor involved with producing these awards are performed by volunteers, it will usually take a minimum of 2 to 3 months before your certificates will be ready for signature and mailed to you.  If you intend being an active Iron Butt rider, you should consider becoming a Premier Member now.   Premier members usually get their certificates in just a few weeks!

We realize this is a long time to wait for your certification. However, our certification process is very thorough. In fact, the entire certification process is what gives your certificate value. It would be very easy for the Iron Butt Association to simply take money and print up a generic "you rode a 1,000 mile day" certificate, however, the value of the entire certification program is in the fact that not just anyone can get an Iron Butt Association ride certification. The downside is this process takes time... We can only offer that when you receive your certification you know that not only you earned it, and so did any other rider that you meet with the same certification.

Before we can issue your certification, you may be asked to clarify certain aspects of your ride and/or documentation by either e-mail, phone or letter. Additionally, certain aspects of your ride are subject to audit by yet another set of IBA volunteers charged with insuring only people that rode the miles get the award. Should your package get tagged for that audit, it too may delay the final determination of your claim for the award.

If you have any questions about this ride, contact us at to [email protected].

Ride Packages: 

The Full Monty (FULL Package is the same minus the ride pin)