Profile
Roger Allen
My
first recollection of a Motorcycle was seeing a Harley Davidson at the age of 9; I was in love and knew one day I would own
one.
Several opportunities
passed and were missed, and I settled for other machines but my love was for Harleys, but I couldn’t get one while
I was in the Army; never home to ride it, didn’t have the money when I left so couldn’t then either. Eventually
it all fell into place and I picked up my first ever Heritage Softail Classic, man I loved it and how it felt to ride. I was
hooked on motorcycling and Harley Davidson’s. Eventually I upgraded to the Ultra Classic.
I
first heard about the Iron Butt Association of America quite a few years ago after attending a HOG (Harley Owners Group) Rally
in Aviemore. I decided to pop up to John O’Groats and head on down to Lands End a total of 874 miles in less than 24
hours.
After I got
back home to Southampton
a friend suggested that I should try the IBA. I trawled their site and loved what I saw, even though at that time they didn’t
recognise the End to End ride. I knew that as much as I enjoyed the Harley scene, I needed more
For me, it
was always about the ride and actually being on the Harley riding it. HOG had been good to me; I had done loads of rallies, ride outs and parades including being only one of 6 Harley riders
who provided an escort for 50 British bikes on the Queens Golden Jubilee parade down the Mall in front of the Roya Family.
I will always be indebted to ‘Snob’ of the Angels who organised it, for the invitation, it was one hell of a day.
I have always
ridden all year round, some winter days are as good as any summer day and I clocked my 100,000 HOG miles in a little over
3 years, but I needed more and the Iron Butt was the challenge I needed.
My first SaddleSore
was done to raise money for Dreamflight, the organisation which sends terminally ill kids to America. I raised over £2,500
and the one thing I learned, amongst many other riding issues, was that I was on my own. My mates just thought I was mad.
I had learnt
from my life that I need to be challenged, both mentally and physically and after a bit of a past problem, running up and
down mountains couldn’t be done no more so this was it. Perfect.
Lots of rides
followed but I wondered if the BunBurner GOLD could ever be done in the UK.
I couldn’t find any record of any rider competing it before here at that time. I decided to have a crack at it on 27th August 2005, Bank Holiday weekend was chosen to give me a day off
after
Meticulous
planning followed and I did it. I was ecstatic although it was the hardest thing I had ever done on a motorcycle (to date)
The BB Gold number plate back is my favourite biker possession.
Long discussions
followed with Mike Kneebone, I knew we had the capabilities to run a damn good Iron Butt Association here in the UK,
it just needed pulling together.
The discussions
also centred on two UK rides, the End to End and the End-to-End
GOLD - new rides that the IBA were willing to authorise, if they could be done.
I decided
to have a crack at it and decided the GOLD was the one to go for. I already knew I could do the basic in less than 24 hours.
Again, planning
was extensive and on 10th June 2006, I completed the first End-to-End GOLD and reported back to Mike.
A trip to
Norway to do the excellant Iron Butt Camel Rally followed,
sadly with a major accident on the way home from which the injuries sustained are being resolved as each day
passes.
The good news
was this gave me the chance to concentrate on setting up a web site for Iron Butt UK
riders with the IBA's full support. Out of every negative comes a positive.
It was after
that that the Iron Butt UK web site was launched, and since
then it has taken off like a rocket
I think that
the main aims should be:
-
The passage
of information to Iron Butt UK members;
-
A
provision for new potential members to learn about the Iron Butt Association and Iron Butt activities here in the UK;
-
A focal
point for all Iron Butt UK members;
-
A place
to recognise UK achievements;
-
To liase
between the IBA of America and the IBA UK;
-
To provide
links to other useful Long Distance web sites, clubs and associations;
-
To
provide a platform for ideas and suggestions for new rides in and around the UK;
-
For
members to give support, advice and guidance to other members or those who might be planning to do a ride in the future. Potential
members in particular;
-
For
members to provide witnesses and emergency help if required for others doing Iron Butt rides;
-
To
promote the sport of safe Long Distance Riding.
Anything else
we need it for, above all, its there for the anyone in the UK
who has either completed or is thinking of completing an Iron Butt ride.
I have no
doubt that the UK has a wealth of Iron Butt expertise out
there and it would be great if we could tap into it
I have been
privileged to meet with some great people. The Ride to Eat in March 2007 was excellent and the fact that thanks
to Chris McGaffin, Iron Butt Rally veteran's help, we are now at the stage of running the first UK Iron Butt Rally in
2008, after only a year or so is amazing and promises to be outstanding fun.
Sounds damn
good to me.
Roger Allen, March 2008.
