A lot of time has passed since writing up my last IBR prelude post, as I wasn’t sure when or if I was going to post these updates at all prior to the rally itself. So some catch-up is in order.

This year’s Iron Butt Rally will be starting and ending in Greenville, South Carolina. The first and second checkpoints will both be in Kennewick, Washington. That means we will be crossing the entire country within the first couple days of the rally, while bagging as many bonus locations as we can without being late or running ourselves too ragged to perform well in the later legs. Charlotte will be flying down to greet me at the finish in Greenville, so that will be something to look forward to while out on the road.

There is a private online forum for IBR riders that has proven both useful and entertaining over the past several months. I’ve gotten some great ideas and advice from my fellow participants and am as eager as ever to meet them  all.

Here are some of the upgrades and preparation I’ve completed thus far with the IBR in mind.

1. First and foremost, to help prepare my body is ready for this endurance challenge, I changed my eating habits starting last November, mostly eliminating processed carbs and sugar from my diet, along with regular light exercise. This helped me drop off some weight and has made a huge difference in my energy levels and physical stamina.
2. After much hemming and hawing about aux tanks, I installed the BAM Sandstorm cylinder tank last year with so much success, that I decided to replace it with another slightly larger and re-designed version from the same company. The Boyd’s tank, beautiful as it is, sits idle for now. I like keeping my OEM topbox in place and the keg tank is very easy to install and uninstall over the pillion seat area.
3. After some initial wiring issues, the Valentine One radar detector and bluetooth app are a great success. I have now routed most of the V1 wiring and connections all the way to the rear of the bike where the fuse block is situated. I found a great ABS plastic box (Polycase model LP-61PXXT) to fit the V1 for all-weather use, and have wired in a kill switch for locales that restrict detectors like VA and Canada. Overall, the V1 setup is now much more waterproof and reliable – hearing the alerts is a huge improvement over trying to notice the flashing lights as I used to do.
4. Over the winter, I sent my rear shock off to RaceTech in California to be rebuilt with upgraded spring and valves. Much better ride on rough roads and in the corners now.
5. I decided on the AudioVox CCS-100 cruise control kit due to price point and successfully installed it this March. This was an intimidating project but well-documented on the ST forums. I took my time and it went well.
6. I’ve upgraded my LED head lamps to the Evitek F2 models, which almost exactly replicate standard DOT approved lighting patterns with the proper cutoff on low beam. Other drivers and riders in front of me will appreciate it!
7. Had the front wheel bearings replaced by my local shop, after discovering I’d mistakenly installed the left wheel spacer in reverse last year (before Butt Lite!). I was never quite confident in the job I did installing the bearings when rebuilding the bike’s front end, so I now know what freshly installed bearings should feel like.
8. Purchased and mounted a new Garmin inReach Mini satellite tracking device (sat tracking is an IBR requirement and cell phones don’t cut it).
9. Flushed and filled the coolant, including removing and (trying to) clean the radiator.
10. Replaced spark plugs, brake pads, and brake fluid.
11. New tires, including a brand new discontinued Goodyear Tripletred car tire which I was able to still find and purchase last year for this rally, are ready to install after the Mason-Dixon 2020 rally.
12. Finally ditched the RAM Intelliskin GDS cell phone mount and purchased a proper phone case and Perfect Squeeze mount. I’ll be testing out wireless charging over the coming weeks to ensure it is a reliable way to keep the cell phone charged up with all the various apps running.

As time gets shorter, it is time to finish up with all the big upgrades and start fine-tuning my processes. the MD2020 will be a good shakedown run, after which I will have just a few short weeks to get mentally prepared and make last minute changes. I have a 3-ring binder full of the information emailed to us by the Rallymaster and have been organizing and adding to my rally prep checklists to make them more organized and useful. The excitement is building – this may actually happen!