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SaddleSore and Bun Burner History
Prior to 1993, the Iron Butt Association did not certify 1000-in-1 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 1,000-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 this 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 BunBurner rides he had been working so hard
on for so many years to be lost. It only took a few minutes of discussion of our plans with Les before he decided to donate
both the SaddleSore and BunBurner names to the Iron Butt Association. During the CMTA days, the SaddleSore was 1,000 miles
in 24 hours day certification and the BunBurner was 1,500 miles in 36 hours. The IBA renamed the rides slightly, the SaddleSore
became the SaddleSore 1000 (1,000 miles in 24 hours) and the BunBurner became the BunBurner 1500 (1,500 miles in 36 hours).
At the same time, we created the BunBurner GOLD (1,500 miles in 24 hours) as so many riders had "unofficially" been documented
since the early 1980s.
We hope that we can continue the quality and tradition of the ride to which Les Martin devoted so many years of his
life. If you meet Les, please remember to give him your thanks!
Riders that successfully have a BunBurner GOLD ride certified receive a certificate,
a BunBurner 1500 GOLD pin and a plastic license plate back "IBA BUN BURNER GOLD 1500+ MILES IN 24 HOURS."
Every time I read these rules, 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 rides 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 rules, keep in mind that our goal is to see a well documented ride. If you cannot follow
the rules 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.
Roger D Allen
President
Iron Butt UK & Europe
Iron Butt Association Guidelines for the Bun-Burner Gold
Last Revision: 17th March 2009 - always check
that these are the current rules before starting your ride! Note: The Iron Butt Association web page will always have
the most current rules for this ride.
Following are the Guidelines for earning an Iron Butt Association Bun Burner GOLD pin and License Plate Back and a
Certificate of Completion for a 1,500 miles in 24 hours Bun-Burner GOLD.
WARNING: Before you can apply for Bun Burner Gold certification (1,500+ miles in 24 hours), you must have at least
completed one of the following; a SaddleSore 1000, a Bun Burner 1500 (1,500 miles in 36 hours), a SaddleSore 2000 (or other
similar IBA ride), The Brit Butt Rally, The Brit Butt Light Rally, The Norn Rally
or the Iron Butt Rally. IMPORTANT NOTE: Other 24 and 36 hour rallies qualify. Their omission here
is not intentional; it is just not possible to list all qualifying rallies. If you are unsure if a rally you finished is acceptable,
please contact roger@ironbuttuk.org or pete@ironbuttuk.org
It is possible to complete the ride two-up. In these cases, the Iron Butt Association issues three certificates; one
for the rider, one for the passenger and one combined rider and passenger certificate. 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.
There are five steps to earning a Bun Burner GOLD award; 1. Choose a route, 2. Get start witnesses, 3. Collect and
track receipts, 4. Get end witnesses and 5. 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, are ready for a big ride.
STEP ONE, Choose a route
Your ride needs to be completely documented (steps outlined below) and cover a minimum distance of 1,500 miles in 24
hours or less. In order to keep these rides from becoming a race, mileages in excess of 1,800 miles in less than 24 hours
will be published as 1,800+ on the Iron Butt Association web site.
WARNING: Unless your speedometer has been calibrated, do NOT depend on your own odometer readings for official mileage!
Most Japanese motorcycles register five to ten percent more miles than actually travelled. 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 Auto route (a computer
atlas), Map source, Google Earth or an Automobile Association atlas.
From a documentation standpoint, the best route is one where you take a turnaround point (for example, start in London, and finish back in London after a way
point stop). 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 London,
Newcastle, Glasgow,
Cardiff, London,
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 500 miles 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 Dover and ride
to John O’Groats and back to Dover, we would expect a detailed receipt from JOG (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 around the M25 9 times, a distance of only 117 miles a time.
If this is your first attempt at a 1,500 mile day, we highly recommend that you study the Iron Butt Association's 25
long distance riding tips located at: 25 Tips..
Also note that it is possible to ride over 1,000 miles in less than 24 hours and submit this ride as a SaddleSore 1000
(in other words, these rules can also be used for the SaddleSore 1000 or if you find your motorcycle or the weather is not
cooperating and you miss the 24 hour 1,500 mile window, you may use this documentation to earn a SaddleSore 1000 award).
Finally, before the start, you will want to try gas stations to find one that has a receipt with a good time and date
on it for the start time.
STEP TWO: Get start witnesses
In order to document your ride, the Iron Butt Association requires that obtain TWO eyewitnesses to document
the start of your ride. Witnesses for the Bun Burner GOLD may be a friend (but not one on the ride with you), spouse or even
gas station attendant willing to answer a letter from the IBA about your start or end time. If a passenger is on the ride
with you, please ask your witnesses to sign the form for them also.
Make sure that you inform potential witnesses that the Iron Butt Association may be auditing certain aspects of your
ride and may be sending them a letter with a copy of the page they signed asking them to verify the information provided.
Receipts are your primary concern, however, a good witness has "saved" many rides, so try to pick the best witness possible
to see you start or end your ride. Keep in mind that a witness who doesn't bother to respond to an audit letter or phone call
is as good as having no witness at all!
If a witness someone you know, a short thank you note after you complete your ride is always appreciated. Besides,
many of them will be waiting to hear how you did.
Try to remember that you are a salesperson each time you approach someone to sign your witness form. If someone doesn't
want to provide their home address - suggest they give a business address. According to experienced riders, taking a few minutes
to explain your ride to potential witnesses will get them involved. Most people will actually feel honoured to sign your witness
form. However, attitude plays a key role, if someone refuses to sign your book, don't argue, move on to the next person.
Many IBA members also volunteer to be witness; you might want to check http://www.saddlesore.com/witness/witness.htm to see if there are any close to your start or end points.
STEP THREE: Collect and track receipts
Fill up your fuel tank and obtain a computer printed
Fuel receipt with a legible date and time stamp (bank ATM receipts with time/date are also
acceptable).
* * * THE COMPUTER TIME STAMP WILL BE YOUR OFFICIAL STARTING TIME * * *
The following log entries and completed witness forms are mandatory:
Log entries must be made at each gas stop (sample attached). A log entry includes the following information; DATE,
TIME, LOCATION (i.e. London) and ODOMETER reading. A
receipt must accompany each log book entry (please note, that the receipts from these gas stops, where possible should include
a date stamp).
In order for the verification team to account for your time (important for the verification work they do), log entries
must be made at each stop longer than 20 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 20 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 trip log.
If your route includes any toll roads or bridges, where possible try and obtain a receipt. Please NOTE: We realize
many toll ways have you riding a few miles and then stopping at a toll gate so please do not waste time trying to pick up
these kind of receipts or making log entries. Just grab either the first or last receipt and log it along with your other
gas or misc. receipts.
WARNING: If your motorcycle is equipped with a large fuel-tank, please note that you must stop at least once every
350 miles for fuel (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 time period is up, obtain a computer printed fuel receipt with a legible
date and time stamp.
* * * THE RECIEPT WILL BE YOUR OFFICIAL ENDING TIME
* * *
STEP FOUR: Get TWO end witnesses:
After you get the gas receipt, find at least two eyewitnesses to document your ending time. Like the start, Bun Burner
GOLD witnesses may be a friend (but not one on the ride with you), spouse or even fuel station attendants willing to answer
a letter from the IBA about your start or end time. However, you may want to use the same rules that apply to more extreme
Iron Butt Association rides as outlined above.
STEP FIVE: 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 fuel/food/etc (a copy of a map is acceptable). This map to assist the person verifying the routes.
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.
COPY your receipts and number the copies to correspond to your trip log.
COPY your witness forms and 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 Clacketts Lane does not have the correct date. I had the attendant write the correct
date. The stations number is 0207 123 1234
COMPLETE the attached form. Basically, this is information where to send the awards, what name and motorcycle you want
on the certificate and the basic route you would like the award to note.
CALCULATE the fee. We offer several options. You can just get the paper certificate for the ride, or in combination
with Iron Butt Association pins and "World's Toughest Riders" plate backs.
FINALLY, send it to:
BUNBURNER GOLD Iron Butt Association, Garlands Farm,
West Challow, Wantage, Oxfordshire OX12 9PB . Please make your cheque payable to the "Iron
Butt UK". Please note that we do not make any money on this ride, this is our approximate cost of administrating the Bun-Burner
program.
Please try and avoid 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.
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 certificate preparations)
and the fact that approximately 60% of the labour involved with producing these awards are performed by volunteers, it will
usually take a minimum of five to six weeks before your certificates will be ready for signature and mailed to you.
Before we can issue your award, 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.
We strongly caution that all the rules you have just read are guidelines. Out on the road it may not be possible
to follow these rules 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, 23 hours and 35 minutes into this ride, one person could not find a fuel station with
a computer generated receipt (obviously, our favourite type), so he got a few locals to witness the time he arrived. His other
documents clearly supported his claim of riding the distance in the time-frame he claimed so we did not hesitate to process
his award.
If you have any questions about this ride, you may write to the Iron Butt UK at roger@ironbuttuk.org or pete@ironbuttuk.org
EYEWITNESS
FORM for START of RIDE
Bun Burner GOLD Witness Form
Date: ______________________ Local Time:______________
AM/PM
License Number: ____________ Odometer Reading: _______ Miles
Make & Model:
_____________________________________
This witness form
is for: _____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
(Riders Name and address)
The location of this
stop is: ________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
First Witness (Please Print) Second Witness (Please Print)
Witness Name: ________________________ ___________________________
Address: ________________________ ___________________________
________________________ ___________________________
________________________ ___________________________
Phone: ________________________
___________________________
(Note: Obtaining a
phone number where we can contact your eyewitnesses
will speed up the issuing of your award)
Signature: ________________________ ___________________________
EYEWITNESS FORM for END of RIDE
Bun Burner GOLD Witness Form
Date: ______________________ Local Time:______________
AM/PM
License Number: ____________ Odometer Reading: _______ Miles
Make & Model:
_________________________
This witness form
is for: _____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
(Riders Name and address)
The location of this
stop is: ________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
First Witness (Please Print) Second Witness (Please Print)
Witness Name: ________________________ ___________________________
Address: ________________________ ___________________________
________________________ ___________________________
________________________ ___________________________
Phone: ________________________ ___________________________
(Note: Obtaining a
phone number where we can contact your eyewitnesses
will speed up the issuing of your award)
Signature: ________________________ ___________________________
LOG
Bun-Burner GOLD: __________________________________________________
(Fill in Name and Address above)
DATE TIME LOCATION
ODOMETER READING
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
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Checklist of documents
needed for Iron Butt Association Bun Burner GOLD ride:
___ Copies of Witness
forms (starting and ending, others)
___ Copies of Receipts
(do not send originals!)
___ Map (may be photocopy)
showing route with towns stopped in circled
___ Explanation of
any problems encountered, for example, "In central
Glasgow, at my third fuel stop, I was unable to get a dated
Receipt. I asked the attendant to sign his name
on the back
but he refused to do so. The phone number of the station is
(0207) 555-1212 - he will verify that
I was there at 10 a.m.
on 4th August, 2008."
Also, please complete
the following information for your certificate
(it goes to the person
that does the certificate and not the verification
team):
APPLICATION FOR Bun
Burner GOLD (1,500+ miles in 24 hours)
Please note that we
will only issue a certification for the highest
ride level achieved. For example, everyone that has completed a
Bun Burner Gold, by
definition has completed the SaddleSore 1000
and we will not issue
a SaddleSore 1000 certificate for this same ride.
FEE SCHEDULE
Please use the following fee schedule to calculate the cost of awards:
Bun-Burner GOLD (complete package,
verification, pin, plate back and certificate)
(savings of $2.50) over individual pricing:
£35.00
Additional COPY of this certificate £4.00
Additional Bun Burner GOLD pin (if desired): £6.50
Bun Burner GOLD patch if desired: £6.00
Additional IBA Bun Burner GOLD 1500+ Miles in 24 Hours
plate back if desired: £5.00
Total Enclosed:
____________
OR
If you already have
or do not want pins or plate backs,
or want additional
items, please use this list
Bun-Burner GOLD (certificate
only):
£30.00
Additional COPY of
this certificate
£4.00
Bun Burner GOLD pin
(if desired): £6.50
Bun Burner GOLD patch
if desired: £6.00
Additional IBA Bun
Burner GOLD 1500+ Miles in 24 Hours
plate back if desired: £5.00
Total Enclosed:
____________
Address to mail certificates
to:
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Contact phone number(s),
best time to reach you:
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
If you have one, your
e-mail address: ___________________________
Have you ever completed
an Iron Butt Association ride before? ___
IBA number ______
Name you want on certificate:
___________________________________
(for example, Jonathan
J. Smith, SR or John Smith)
Your age (only used
for statistics): _________
Circle One (only used
for statistics): Male Female
Did you do this ride
with anyone else? Y/N If so, who:
______________________________________________________________
Date of start: ___________________ (for example, January 5, 2001)
Motorcycle make/model
ridden: _______________________________
Note: this is used
on your certificate. For example, do you want
us to list your Honda
Gold Wing as a Honda GL1500 or do you want
us to list it as a
Honda Gold Wing. You may also include a
model year if you
want, for example; 1993 Honda Gold Wing.
Method (and name of
program if you used a computer) used to calculate
Your mileage (mapping
program, paper map, hoped your odometer was ok?):
Method: _____________________
Miles/Kilometres Calculated: ___________
Miles Ridden according
to your odometer: _______________________
Note: These will probably
be changed by the verification team.
If you used a GPS
(Global Positioning Device) and noted your
mileage, please enter
that reading here: _______________________
Cities/towns your
route included:
NOTE: The following
is used only for the people that do the certificates to make them more understandable. Try and answer the following questions
to make your certificate reflect your ride.
Sample wording of
a Bun Burner GOLD Certificate (please keep this format in mind as you answer the following questions):
This is to Certify
that on 15th May, 2008, John J. Rider rode a BMW
K1200LT a total of 1,310 gruelling miles in less than twenty-four hours starting in London,
continuing onto Newcastle, Glasgow and Cardiff before
ending in London while participating in the Bunburner 1500
Gold.
Name of start city:
______________________________________
Note: for the **certificate**
you may substitute a large city nearby
if you want); for
example, if you start in Chadwell Heath Essex,
(a suburb of Romford),
it is acceptable to put Romford as the starting
point for the certificate
Name of end city ________________________
Note: Same rules apply
to these cities as noted above.
Your certificate will
highlight up to three cities as midpoints.
Please list up to
three cities that helps highlight your route for your certificate:
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Note: Some of these
cities may be listed on your certificate and the
same rules apply to
these cities as noted above.
Please note that this
is only an attempt to make your certificate more
readable - do not
stop 60 miles short of Cardiff and expect us
to create a certificate
that reads Cardiff.
This is to make the
certificates more
readable so that when you display them, your riding
friends will better
grasp the immense ride you took.
Finally, you must
certify that what you are telling us is accurate:
I (print name): _____________________________,
hereby certify that the
statements in this
application for certification are true to the best
of my knowledge and
belief.
Signed: _________________________ Date: ___________
Send the package,
along with a cheque to (PLEASE DO NOT
USE A STAPLE ON YOUR
CHEQUE) to:
Bun Burner GOLD
Iron Butt Association
Garlands Farm
West
Challow
Wantage
Oxfordshire
OX12 9PB
DO NOT send CASH! Please contact roger@ironbuttuk.org if you are from
outside of the UK and need alternate means of payment!
Finally, should you
decide to tackle the Bun-Burner GOLD, we wish you
the best of luck and
look forward to hearing about your ride!
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