The Iron Butt Rally, run every two years by the Iron Butt Association, is regarded as the ‘world’s toughest motorcycle Rally’, the Olympics of long-distance motorcycle-riding. Riders are given a long list of bonus locations; points are awarded for each bonus location ‘captured’, with higher points for more difficult / distant locations; and riders must make it back to St Louis within a strict time-frame, each covering in excess of 11,000 miles in 11 days. Selected from thousands of applicants from all over the world, Richard Keegan was one of 97 starters on 20 August 2007. This is his story.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Richard Keegan is a member of the Gold Wing Owner’s Club of Ireland and the Iron Butt Association. He started riding in 1976 on a Honda 50 Cub. He discovered long-distance riding in 1977, riding his Honda 50 to Belfort, France for a summer job, and on to Switzerland and Austria, for a spin. Richard likes to ride motorcycles …