IBA frustration!!!

[Cunados]

... I know a lot of money the IBA brings in goes to protecting the brand.

I recently visited the homepage for the IBA and found it interesting they have trademarked no less than 125 phrases.

I wish good luck to the thread starter and hopes he'll post when his quest to resolve this is finally finished.

MTGMTT

 

[SteveST1300]

They also added some new vertifications which is also slowing them down. I submitted one in Nov and am still waiting but Mike e-mailed me and I will just wait patiently there really is no rush.

 

[cdogbt1sw03033]

well? have you any updates?
i know from more than 15 years of participation/support with the IBA/IBR, if your check hasn't been cashed, then they ( the volunteers) have not even reviewed your paperwork.
and your follow ups reports tells me the documentation has been misplaced or never received.
i would send another email to Ira Agin asking about any status updates. Ira is normally the main contact that responds to all inquiries

best,
Dave "cdog" Riley
IBA #9417

 

[TinyL]

I too have never quite grasped what the attraction is ... I can only speculate.

MTGMTT

For me it was when I met Curt Gran for the first time at MLR! After I got back I did some checking into the IBR and IBA. I knew I could never do what he could, but just putting in saddle time like that involved with even the SS1000 put a smile on my face! I feel it is worth the cost and a little bit of paperwork to support a great sport! I was dealing with a broken leg last year and missed the MLR1K...but in 2 days I am going to cure that itch!

I have my 3 rides framed on the wall by my desk and most people cannot comprehend how you can ride that far. Makes good conversation pieces while working with customers!

Hang in there with the wait...my first ride took only 3 weeks to get back, 2nd ride about a month...but the 2012 Memorial took about 3 months or so...

 

[nhdiesel]

For me it was when I met Curt Gran for the first time at MLR! After I got back I did some checking into the IBR and IBA. I knew I could never do what he could, but just putting in saddle time like that involved with even the SS1000 put a smile on my face! I feel it is worth the cost and a little bit of paperwork to support a great sport! I was dealing with a broken leg last year and missed the MLR1K...but in 2 days I am going to cure that itch!

I have my 3 rides framed on the wall by my desk and most people cannot comprehend how you can ride that far. Makes good conversation pieces while working with customers!

Hang in there with the wait...my first ride took only 3 weeks to get back, 2nd ride about a month...but the 2012 Memorial took about 3 months or so...

Mine started out because I wanted to travel but had very little time. I've ridden just about everything within what most people would consider a day's ride from home, so I wanted to go further, and attend events I really wouldn't normally have time for. Even before I knew about the IBR I did over 900 miles straight on my ST1100 going to Louisville to meet a friend and ride to a Jeep event with him. That was after just purchasing the bike, and I hadn't ridden in several years prior. The hard riding started out of a necessity, but has become an adventure and a challenge. If I didn't ride like that, I wouldn't have been able to go to Texas on my way to Moonshine last year, and visit two of my best friends for the first time since they moved away (one in NC and one in Dallas). I only had a week off, and my trip ended up being over 6k miles. Without Iron Butt types rides I wouldn't have been able to attend Curt's funeral, which was over 1300 miles away. I only missed one day of work, left Thursday right from work, and arrived in time for dinner Friday. I left after the funeral Saturday, and was home in time for a late lunch Sunday.

 

[Highrider]

I prefer to take pictures during my trips for the record and remind me later of the great time I had. I don't need to pay money to anyone and go through the hassles for someone else to verify or document I rode 1000+ miles in a day or 5000 miles in a week. I don't see the benefit to myself for the way I ride and where I go, it just doesn't seem worth the extra frustration. Just my .02

 

[Slasher]

I think its a matter of "to each their own". Neither camp is more right than the other. If you want to join, great, if not... great! As long as your knees are in the breeze and your enjoying the ride then whether or not your a member of the IBA is really unimportant. I am a member, I enjoy doing the challenging rides the IBA offers. This doesn't mean all my riding is "on the clock". I do a couple certified rides a year and sniff the flowers the rest of the time.

 

[skipcurt]

well? have you any updates?
i know from more than 15 years of participation/support with the IBA/IBR, if your check hasn't been cashed, then they ( the volunteers) have not even reviewed your paperwork.
and your follow ups reports tells me the documentation has been misplaced or never received.
i would send another email to Ira Agin asking about any status updates. Ira is normally the main contact that responds to all inquiries

best,
Dave "cdog" Riley
IBA #9417

Dave, my last communication was with Ira on 3/25 telling him that another 2wks had passed since the email from Mike. Ira had thought it had been handled but of course, it was not. He said he was going to ask Mike to handle it. My experience tells me that Mike will not handle it.

Skip

 

[two_wheeled]

Is the Iron Butt magazine worth subscribing to?
http://www.ironbutt.com/ibmagazine/index.cfm

 

[Outbackwack]

It's a good read and I subscribe to it, but it's a bit on the expensive side IMHO. I hope to be a "member" someday...

Is the Iron Butt magazine worth subscribing to?
http://www.ironbutt.com/ibmagazine/index.cfm

 

[Slasher]

Is the Iron Butt magazine worth subscribing to?
http://www.ironbutt.com/ibmagazine/index.cfm

If your interested in riding at all (and I assume you are) you would love the IBA magazine. It's full of info that any serious rider would enjoy, not just LD types. The most recent issue has a great article on motorcycle mounted FLIR systems! (Forward Looking Infrared)
The IBA donates quite a few issues every month to cycle shops, you might check your local shops to see if they have a copy of one. Then you can see for yourself.

 

[nhdiesel]

There is always good stuff in the magazines about farkles, safe riding techniques, efficient uses of rest time, how to handle yourself in the unfortunate case of an accident, etc.

The way I see it- Yes, the magazine is expensive. But around 90+% of each issue is of direct interest to me, as a long distance rider. Compare that to most motorcycle magazines, where I might find one or two articles in each issue that I really enjoy, while skipping over the stuff I have little interest in (which pipes sound best on a particular sportbike, which tank bag matches the rider's stylish riding jacket...that kind of thing). I find Iron Butt magazine much cheaper per enjoyable article than almost any other magazine. But that will depend on what interests you.

 

[ScubaDave]

Sorry to hear your cert is taking so long. I know it is not normal, in fact I just received one I turned in just 3 weeks ago for a 50CC. Another friend just got his for a SS1K as well, in 4 weeks. I would say keep after it.

So I'm gonna vent a bit...
Last June I accomplished a Saddlesore 1000 on a trip to upstate NY. Yay for me right. So I submit my paperwork on July 5th, 2012 with the knowledge that it'll take about 2 months to process. Flash forward to the end of October and still nothing. I shoot off an email explaining my story and I do get a same day response asking me to fill out some paperwork that I filled out originally. I go and scan all of my original documents and 2 days later I'm responding back. Now flash forward 2-1/2 more months to the middle of January 2013, still nothing. I shoot off another email explaining the circumstance and again I get a same day response this time apologizing for the delay and he will have someone look into it. Another 2 weeks go by with guess what, no response. I fire off another email asking if he's heard anything yet. Same day response stating the guy (Mike Kneebone), I'll start using names now, would get back with me directly if I had to re-re-submit. I ask for Mike's direct email/phone to try and eliminate the middle man. The answer was that Mike doesn't reply to his email due to the extremely large volume he receives. ARE YOU FOR REAL?

OK, let's jump ahead another 2 months. I still have not heard or received anything. Here I go again sending off another email to Ira Agins, the main contact that I've been emailing back and forth. I politely tell him that I'm bothered by the whole process and the organization. I mean really, should it take 9 months? The answer is no. I ask him to just return my check and that I hope it doesn't show up 9 months later. Guess what? I get another same day response that says he's sorry they haven't met my expectations or theirs and to have Mike promptly address the problem or provide a refund. I then get another same day response from Mike, the guy that doesn't respond to his emails. He's asking me if I'm Curtis somebody somebody and to get the trip receipts from Larry & Lucas and to send them to him. I'M NOT HIM!!! I DON'T KNOW WHO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!!! Please, for the love of God, let it end. I politely respond telling him I'm not that guy and who/where I am and I did my trip solo and have already sent in my receipts....twice. That was 3 days ago and I've about had it.

I sure hope all the ST Iron Butt completers have not had to go through this ridiculous process. Here's what I think will be the end result...some day. After all this, I'll either get my check back in the mail, or I should start getting emails saying that I'm short a receipt or it's blurry or I missed it by 1 mile. If anyone knows these cats at IBA, can you please help a brother out?

 

[Slasher]

I hate to be the devils advocate but is there a chance the ride didn't pass the verification process?

 

[nhdiesel]

If that was the case he would have received a refund. One way or another he should have heard back.

Sent from my XT881 using Tapatalk 2

 

[skipcurt]

Re: UPDATE: IBA frustration!!!

Howdy all! Well, after 27 emails in 7 months which was 10 months after I submitted my paperwork I finally have an IBA certificate in hand (as well as all the loot they send with it). Yippee freakin' hooray!
Mr. Kneebone actually said on May 4th that they would do it free of charge since the 6+ month old check I sent them was invalid after so long without being cashed. The funny thing is in the packet, there was a letter in it that said for me to send a check for $52.75 because my check was too old to deposit. Yeah right, I'll get right on that. I sent $45 and now they want $7.75 more. Is that to pay for my frustration? Nope, just a sew on patch that I didn't order anyway.
Anyhow, just thought I'd let you all know. Thanks for the support! Not sure I'll deal with them again.

Skip

 

[sherob]

You'll know all of the IBA rides you'll do after that one... trust me.

 

[cdogbt1sw03033]

Re: UPDATE: IBA frustration!!!

Congrats on receiving your Long Awaited CERT. i can not say as to "WHY" it took so long butt i invite you to start looking into the "other side" of LD/Endurance Riding. i.e. LD Rallying! it a completely Different Challenge. if interested send me a note and ill direct you to some links for upcoming rallys in your general region

 

[idjit9]

So I'm gonna vent a bit...
Yay for me right. can you please help a brother out?

no i can't, i did mine as a pre set promotional run through bmw/ducati in june of 2012, mike was there with all the iron butt hype etc. i've done long distance on my own but decided it would be nice to have something hanging on the wall of shame besides a pink floyd poster from back in the day. long story short... paid the fee thought it would be nice to have an extra plate to frame as well so i ordered that when i registered. did the run on my vfr with my friend and had a great time. had my reciepts checked on our return, got my certificate, plate and a free bmw/ducati tshirt. no extra plate. waited, nothing in the mail, called, emailed... blah blah blah so a year later still nothing.
if you want the certificate and plate do a pre set promotional run but dont buy anything off their website.

 

[superdiver]

I have heard about frustrations such as yours on other forums, sorry to hear, but glad you got your due stuff...

I was tempted and even encouraged by other riders to jump thru all the hoops and hurdles to get a certification during my last long ride. I chose not to worry about it after reading similar stories to yours. I did a couple 1000+ days and am not at all disappointed that I didnt do the paper work. i am secure in the knowledge that i did it and i did it under the terms and conditions that were important to me...