DB1k 08 - aka Dusty Butt 08

[Balrog]

I've been doing a bit of reading on the ADVrider site.

Found this article by Neduro who produced the excellent DVD
dual sport riding techniques http://www.dualsportriding.com/

He's preparing to do the Baja 1000 ( which is a small event trying to copy the challenge of the dusty butt )
This snippet is about his riding strategy. He's making the point about
how consistency in riding pace produces better results in the end than a
few hot sections.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showp...&postcount=152

Although the dusty butt isn't a race, it does share a similar challenge of getting through a lot of terrain in one hit.

Just thought it was a bit of interesting reading to get the juices flowing for Jan.

[NordieBoy]

The cool one on AdvRider is AirbornAndy who is doing the Baja on a DR650

[warewolf]

This snippet is about his riding strategy. He's making the point about how consistency in riding pace produces better results in the end than a few hot sections.

Good reading indeed. He's really saying don't drop time by over-cooking it somewhere. Greg Power offers the same advice for enduros: don't plunge into a tricky spot ill-prepared and get stuck, hang back and have a good look then do it right first go.

I would like to mention that the DB08 sounds a little like "every man for himself". It's not, hence the suggestion to at least pair up, but rather we aren't going to travel in the one big group like last time.

On the Rusty Nuts run the Grand Challenge, which actually has a 24 time limit (we don't) it is made very clear that anyone stopping to help a fellow rider will have stoppage time factored back in. Plenty of people stop to help, few have to claim the stoppage time.

All along I've said that stoppage time will hurt your Dusty Butt...

[Transalper]

Anyone planning to do this ride should make sure their bike is up to the job too.
For example on the Grand Challenge I believe they have a scrutinizing of all bikes before letting them ride which could well be more vigorous than a normal WOF. They want the bikes to have enough tyre life, brake pad material, wheel and steering bearings, and I guess chain and sprockets where applicable to be able to do the ride twice over.
I've just been reading a thread on a North Island 1000km ride where a rider had to burn time buying and fitting a new tyre mid ride and a second guy had to pull out and trailer to the end 730km in for the same reason. That will kill your chances of finishing the DB1000 if you can even source a suitable tyre mid ride, after Blenheim we don't exactly go through any towns with motorcycle shops in them.
Then on the Ulysses 1000km ride just been on Saturday one of the sports bikes in our group had a similar issue getting home with his steel belting showing itself as in the photo
The rest of the bike was great but in my opnion he seriously under estimated how much life was in the tyre before the start.

I would have thought it a silly thing to have to point out, but these two examples made me think it was worth brining up in hope that you take an extra look at your bikes to make sure they are up to the day.

[cooneyr]

........I would like to mention that the DB08 sounds a little like "every man for himself". It's not, hence the suggestion to at least pair up, but rather we aren't going to travel in the one big group like last time.

On the Rusty Nuts run the Grand Challenge, which actually has a 24 time limit (we don't) it is made very clear that anyone stopping to help a fellow rider will have stoppage time factored back in. Plenty of people stop to help, few have to claim the stoppage time.

All along I've said that stoppage time will hurt your Dusty Butt...

Thanks for reinforcing that WW. I didn't articulate that very well. No big group for "getting it done reasons" but cause of the remoteness and lack of support (or potentially long time to get help) you would be foolish to try the DB on your own. There is no cellphone coverage except at the town/fuel stops. Time wise you will have cellphone coverage for about 2 hours of the potential 18+ hours traveling.

An example of the time things take is when I had my crash back at easter 07. We were about 30kms from the Nelson end of the Rainbow i.e. about 120kms from Nelson and it took 3 hours between when I was found (found not crashed) and when the chopper arrived. With a bit of experience we could have got that down to just over two but that is still well outside the "golden hour". I was found within 10 mins so if you are by yourself it aint good!!!!!!

I also agree about the bike prep. I used up about 50% of the tread on a new rear tyre in 700kms on the last attempt.

Cheers R

[cooneyr]

See this thread. We can still do the DB but if you at all care about the country then do not get cross any of the creeks between Hanmer Springs and Island Saddle. There are bridge options for all of the creek crossings. Some of them are upstream of the fords by 100 metres or so. This is to try and prevent didymo from being taken over to the Wairau catchment.

Not good.

Cheers R

[cooneyr]

Did some route checking on Sat. Went Chch to Flora Saddle (Mt Arthur Car Park) and back. Only 950kms in 15ish hours (lots of seal though). I recon closer to 20 hours for the ride at a similar pace. Got a few revisions to the roll charts to sort out.

Lets hope the Sherry River Road is passable by January, cause there was no way round this pile up.

Cheers R

[mattsdakar]

Would that be young Carl in the background?

[cooneyr]

Would that be young Carl in the background?

Yep TA was the new roll chart test bunny. New layout for the roll charts this year. Kinda hard to test the roll charts when you know the route so well.

Cheers R

[Zukin]

Hi R

How are the plans coming along for this?
I need to book my leave in for it

Where is everyone else staying in Nelson?
Do we have a friendly pub/lodge where everyone is staying on Friday night, I doubt we will need Sat Night as we will (hopefully) still be riding

Cheers Scott

[Transalper]

By all means book your leave, surprised you haven't already.
Personally I'm staying with friends in Nelson.

[Zukin]

As for the route, is that staying the same? With just a few alterations to the Roll sheers?

Are you going to do Porika in the dark this time, comments in the last DB was that you may not?
I am just thinking of adding some extra lights

Cheers

[Transalper]

The route is the same, we are just tiding up some of the instructions to minimize people getting lost and cooneyr is doing the whole lot including tweaks with some route sheet/road book software instead of manually.
We have found that some actual real life signposted road names do not correspond with the names on the maps used to draw the original route sheets so we are trying to write the actual signposted names where we can, and some of the distances are further out than others.
We'd like to think we get over the Porika both directions before dark sets in but by Mt Arthur it'd be dark..
What ever happens you can expect to ride some of the route in the dark, you'd have to go at crazy speeds to get back to nelson in daylight. (in my opinion)

[Zukin]

The route is the same, we are just tiding up some of the instructions to minimize people getting lost and cooneyr is doing the whole lot including tweaks with some route sheet/road book software instead of manually.
We have found that some actual real life signposted road names do not correspond with the names on the maps used to draw the original route sheets so we are trying to write the actual signposted names where we can, and some of the distances are further out than others.
We'd like to think we get over the Porika both directions before dark sets in but by Mt Arthur it'd be dark..
What ever happens you can expect to ride some of the route in the dark, you'd have to go at crazy speeds to get back to nelson in daylight. (in my opinion)

Great

There is no way that I could even consider getting anywhere near the finish in daylight, I at least hope to complete it within the 24 hours

[cooneyr]

Sorry guys I've been otherwise occupied over the last couple of nights so haven't been on KB. Like TA said no change to route just improvements to the roll charts to make them more consistent with the real world rather than maps. Study the maps really well though, cause to make the roll charts "complete" would require probably twice as big a roll chart (wouldn't fit in the holder). You need to have an understanding of the intent of the route before hand and just use the roll charts for the major turns.

It is defiantly going to happen on the 5/1/08 so sort your leave etc etc if your keen. As for accommodation my inlaws are from NN so I be staying there. I think most of the rest of us know somebody to stay with up there as well. Cant help much on the pub/accom sorry.

We will defiantly get one way over the Porika in the light (assuming no punctures) but no so sure about the other direction. As for extra lights the Porika wont be that much of a problem as it is a relatively slow track (didn't do much above 50 last Sat). The high speed gravel roads are where extra light is good cause you cant see the corners very well i.e. no edge marker posts etc. If your going to do extra lights I'd go for long dist spots rather than floods.

I might go and check the Sherry River road is open i.e. no trees down etc before the day so if your down early enough i.e. 3rd or 4th, I'll take you round the bit that will almost certainly be done in the dark.

Cheers R