Iron Butt Saddlesore on my Ninjette

[Gregg_VA]

Folks:

Some may be interested in the attached ride report from last Saturday. I apologise for the rather pedestrian nature of the report but it was intended for many other people (friends/family) that aren't motorcycle riders. I tried to keep in generic and not too technical (except for the end).

Hope you enjoy. It was fun to do it. I look forward to longer rides on my Ninjette.

Oh, I noticed that the report doesn't mention the year - it is a 2011, purchased last December.

R,
Gregg A. Lenentine
Virginia Beach, VA
IBA 37350

[csmith12]

Welcome and nice ride!

Bummer about the board in the road. Hope all is well with the foot.

[Gregg_VA]

Foot is fine. Took the shifter off last night, put it in a vice and then used a pipe over the foot peg to bend it back into shape. It isn't exactly straight but it didn't break and it will work just fine.

[cuong-nutz]

Glad the foot is fine. Doing the 1000 doesn't seem all that difficult most ive done in one instance was roughly 600 miles. Only issue I had was stock windscreen allowing my chest and helmet to be covered in a nice layer of dirt and bug guts which was not so bad. The real issue was my exhaust drone kind of fatigued me even with headphones. maybe one day I'll do a nice ride in Texas. Wish we had more physical terrain changes.

[setasai]

Originally Posted by cuong-nutz

The real issue was my exhaust drone kind of fatigued me even with headphones. maybe one day I'll do a nice ride in Texas. Wish we had more physical terrain changes.

What kind of headphones? Some isolate better than others. You might be still playing music too loud or getting too much wind noise.

I found that on long rides, alternating between music and just 32db earplugs helps with the fatigue. Sometimes music for so many hours can be tiring too so a break from it is necessary.

[n4mwd]

I'm planning a long ride (600 miles) with a friend. I was wondering if you did anything to the seat to make it more comfortable?

My trip is actually a camping trip and I plan to split it over 2-3 days. Then we have another 600 miles to return. But not in 24 hours.

My seat gets kind of hard after 30 minutes so I don't think it would be possible for me to do a ride like yours.

[cuong-nutz]

Originally Posted by setasai

What kind of headphones? Some isolate better than others. You might be still playing music too loud or getting too much wind noise.

I found that on long rides, alternating between music and just 32db earplugs helps with the fatigue. Sometimes music for so many hours can be tiring too so a break from it is necessary.

I use the JVC marshmellows. I now that my Scorpion doesn't wind and exhaust drone well. I saw that Cycle Gear has the wind skirt for $8 which should help seal the helmet real good. I may just have to invest in a set of earplugs. On one trip, I played music nonstop and that did wear me out some like you said.

[cuong-nutz]

Originally Posted by n4mwd

I'm planning a long ride (600 miles) with a friend. I was wondering if you did anything to the seat to make it more comfortable?

My trip is actually a camping trip and I plan to split it over 2-3 days. Then we have another 600 miles to return. But not in 24 hours.

My seat gets kind of hard after 30 minutes so I don't think it would be possible for me to do a ride like yours.

When my girlfriend still had her pregen, I would ride it. the banana seat on that thing is so plush compared to the new gen. It felt like I was sitting on one of those memory foam pillows. The new gen's seat has not given me any problems. Perhaps because I've sat on worse throughout my military career and gotten use to having worse.

[Gregg_VA]

Originally Posted by n4mwd

I'm planning a long ride (600 miles) with a friend. I was wondering if you did anything to the seat to make it more comfortable?

The only mod I made to the seat was to get rid of the stock one and go with a Corbin. It is wider and has more thickness. It actually wasn't bad and stayed comfortable through most of the ride. I did notice that my butt was starting to hurt with around 2 hours to go but that could have been also due to the cold. When I got off at the end of the ride, and even the next day, the only part that was even mildly sore were my wrists. I didn't even take Motrin the next day.

[n4mwd]

This morning I put THIS STUFF under my seat.



The pregen seat has holes in the plastic support that let heat in to the foam which feels like razor blades between your legs. I put that stuff on there to see if it helps. So far, it seems to help.

I noticed when I rode around Lake Okeechobee last spring that my butt hurt less at the end of the day when it was cooler outside. The theory is that the foil insulation will make it stay cooler for the ride.

[bud_44]

At my age I'm not sure I'll ever do a 1000 miles in 24 hours but I think about now and then. I know the Ninja 250 can do it. Not sure about me. You sure did good. Ride safe my friend.

[ForceofWill]

Originally Posted by bud_44

At my age I'm not sure I'll ever do a 1000 miles in 24 hours but I think about now and then. I know the Ninja 250 can do it. Not sure about me. You sure did good. Ride safe my friend.

You might be inspired by the op then, he's not exactly a 20 yr old newb :P

[bud_44]

Most I've done in one day is just under 550 miles; next day we did 500 miles. Ride safe.

[Gregg_VA]

Originally Posted by bud_44

At my age I'm not sure I'll ever do a 1000 miles in 24 hours but I think about now and then. I know the Ninja 250 can do it. Not sure about me. You sure did good. Ride safe my friend.

Well I have a few years on 44, but riding is relative. I know many older then me that have no problems putting in long riding days. I look forward to having more time to do much longer, multi-day SaddleSore days. I have a route in mind that would be six days and over 6,000 miles and would incorporate a few IBA certs. In fairness though, the Ninjette would really need an auxialry fuel tank just to extend the range. I would love to try a BunBurner Gold (1,500 miles in 24 hours) but it would be tough to do with the stock tank.

Gregg

[Gregg_VA]

Originally Posted by ForceofWill

You might be inspired by the op then, he's not exactly a 20 yr old newb :P

Ha, 20 year old days are long behind me....

[Gregg_VA]

Originally Posted by trixter

Never did 1000 in a day, yet. Most I have done is 440 with 290 of that being after I broke my ankle. Maybe someday I will do 1000 in a day.

Bret, I hope you have the opportunity soon to do a SaddleSore. You will either be a "one and done" or you will get the bug and want to do more. I am in the latter category.

[Goom]

I read a story about a guy doing a coast-to-coast IBA ride on the Ninjette. It was a pre-gen, but it was pretty much one of the major deciding factors when I decided to buy my bike. I figured if it could handle that, it must be an alright bike. I'm dying to do some IBA rides myself.

[Gregg_VA]

Originally Posted by Goom

I read a story about a guy doing a coast-to-coast IBA ride on the Ninjette. It was a pre-gen, but it was pretty much one of the major deciding factors when I decided to buy my bike. I figured if it could handle that, it must be an alright bike. I'm dying to do some IBA rides myself.

We probably read the same story. The guy in question (HS Teacher in California I believe) is a member of the other Ninja 250 forum. If indeed we are talking about the same person, he did the IBA 50CC (West to East), then went to mile marker 0 in Key West and did the IronButt Ultimate Coast to Coast ending at Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. From there he rode home to Cali. Major accomplishment for sure.

Last year there were two guys from Ontario, Canada - one on a vintage BMW and the other on the Canadian version of the Honda CBR 125 one lung. They did the UCC Gold (Key West to Purdhoe to Key West) in under 30 days. That little CBR was flat worn out at the end of the ride. I met the guy riding that bike in Jacksonville last month at the annual IBA Pizza Party. Interesting guy on an interesting motorcycle. What amazed me was that the rear tire on the CBR 125 is the same size as the front on a Ninjette.

Gregg

[bud_44]

Tom, I've looked for the op but can't find him. Can you give me more of his name or handle? Thanks. Ride safe.

[CZroe]

Left the coast of San Diego, CA on my 250 just before nightfall on September 15th, 2011 and arrived at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta airport well before nightfall on September 17th, 2011. That was less than 45 hours for 2,150 miles, which easily qualifies as "Iron Butt," but I was just in a hurry to be there when my dog arrived at the terminal.

[Gregg_VA]

Originally Posted by CZroe

Left the coast of San Diego, CA on my 250 just before nightfall on September 15th, 2011 and arrived at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta airport well before nightfall on September 17th, 2011. That was less than 45 hours for 2,150 miles, which easily qualifies as "Iron Butt," but I was just in a hurry to be there when my dog arrived at the terminal.

Sure would if properly documented. That is a SaddleSore 2000 or sometimes referred to as a back-to-back SaddleSore. It would fall short of a CC50 since you didn't actually touch the Atlantic Ocean but I suspect you know that. Still, quite an accomplishment. Congrats.

[CZroe]

Originally Posted by Gregg_VA

Sure would if properly documented. That is a SaddleSore 2000 or sometimes referred to as a back-to-back SaddleSore. It would fall short of a CC50 since you didn't actually touch the Atlantic Ocean but I suspect you know that. Still, quite an accomplishment. Congrats.

Remind me never to put my life in danger over a dog though. I needed sleep so badly I had to babble to myself to stop swerving all over the road!

[Gregg_VA]

Originally Posted by CZroe

Remind me never to put my life in danger over a dog though. I needed sleep so badly I had to babble to myself to stop swerving all over the road!

I have been there. Many conversations out loud with myself to help maintain focus. I like doing basic math skills stuff in my head concerning miles travelled, miles to travel, MPG, etc. Just working those figures around in my head seems to help some too but when the aliens in the pink bunny suits come to visit you, it is time to get off and get some sleep.