Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 84Winter 2014 | IRON BUTT MAGAZINE  SAFETY FIRST Farkles should be selected and installed so that they do not interfere with the basic operation of the motorcycle. I have seen bikes with tank bags on them so large that they inhibit full movement of the handlebars. Some add-ons, however, can lead to even bigger problems. One rider attached a radar detector to the windscreen of his bike using a suction cup. I found out later that it fell in between the fairing and triple clamps while he was riding. He was fortunate he didn’t crash while looking for a place to pull over and fish it out. While performing Iron Butt Rally tech inspections over the last several years, I have seen floppy dashboards that would shake up and down on rough roads, mounting brackets that had cracks in them or missing bolts, and fuel cells that could sepa- rate from the bike during a minor tip over. Every farkle should be mounted so that it will not divert your attention from the task of safely riding the motorcycle, which is your first priority. MINIMIZING DISTRACTIONS Distractions are not something you want to deal with during an IBA challenge or in a rally. For example, if your GPS is mounted well below your line of sight, it will take longer to acquire the screen, which means your eyes will be off the road longer. Several years ago, a very experi- enced IBR rider crashed on the first morning of the rally because he was looking down and ran off the road. Obvi- ously, having something like that happen can ruin your day, your rally, or worse. Anything that needs to be regu- larly viewed while riding should be mounted just below the rider’s line of sight, so that the road ahead remains in your peripheral vision. The more farkles and accessories you have, the greater potential there is for distraction, especially if you are not completely familiar with them. Install only those acces- sories you need in order to keep you informed, moving, and safe.We don’t recommend adding farkles for the sake of adding farkles. It is a good practice to weigh the ben- efits of whatever cockpit accessory you are considering before you install it. Then become familiar with it before attempting a difficult certificate ride or rally so you don’t become overwhelmed or distracted from the primary task of riding the bike. COMFORT AND ERGONOMICS According to our records, the most common type of motor- cycle used for completing in a SaddleSore  is a cruiser. However, cruisers are under-represented for more demanding long-distance rides, in part because the forward controls and seating position put all the rider’s weight in one location, the butt. This is not to say long-distance riding can’t be done on a cruiser, as many riders have proven. But in general, LD riding favors a motorcycle that not only places the rider in an upright seating position, but also one with longer travel rear suspen- sion that helps prevent the spine from compressing on bumps or potholes, which can be wearing on longer rides. Farkles should be selected and installed so that they enhance your comfort. Comfort is directly related to safety. The most- purchased comfort-related item for LD rider is probably an aftermarket saddle. Some buy off-the-shelf aftermarket seats like Sargent or Corbin and are fine with them. Others decide to go with a custom built seat. Most aftermarket seats are some- what bucket shaped to distribute pressure, much like old metal tractor seats, and they are narrow at the front to make it easier to reach the ground at stops. Even with a custom seat, adding a beaded seat cover or sheepskin can extend your riding comfort on a long day. In fact, those can make some stock seats tolerable and can add even more comfort in extreme temperatures no matter what seat you have. I like beaded seat covers like those by BeadRider in the heat (to allow airflow) and in the rain (to prevent sitting in a puddle) and a sheepskin in the cold. Sometimes just chang- ing between the beads or sheepskin can shift a pressure point enough to allow another  miles of comfort. Actually getting the ergonomics correct for you and your bike is sometimes easier said than done, especially if you are shorter or taller than average.But it is important to get the seat- ing position right, or it may increase fatigue. I have seen riders try to save money by buying a used custom seat and found that they ended up with lower back pain because the tilt angle was designed for someone else. Even for riders with a proverbial “Iron Butt,” very few stock seats are comfortable enough for ,-mile days.They can start to feel like the saddle of a trials bike after a few hundred miles. It is imperative to have the cor- rect tilt angle and fore/aft hip placement designed in to the seat to avoid back pain. If the seat-to-peg distance is too short for your inseam, you will be prone to knee pain and cramps. If raising the seat is not an option, you can lower the pegs on most bikes to get a more relaxed knee angle. Note that using brackets to lower foot pegs will likely be at the expense of cor- nering clearance, so keep that in mind if you like riding in the twisties. »