While there is no replacement for experience (Unless you’re a guy named Josh Mountain) what counts the most is recent experience of which I had little. This bit me at the first checkpoint. In 2007 the defining issue of the rally was the use of outside assistance. Needless to say this topic is good for a book of its own but part of how I was going to do the rally was to service my bike on my own, using outside help for the staging of materials only.
Most modern bikes should be able to do the entire rally with no major service, not even an oil change. The only variable are tires or chains. Some riders opt for rock hard tires hoping they can go the distance, others hope for a kind dealer along the way and others such as myself make arrangements to change tires at or near the checkpoints. Because of Max BMW Motorcycles excellent support and the fact my wife also rides a GS I had the opportunity to change to a fresh rear tire at each checkpoint and change the front tire at the second. My anticipated mileage combined with heat meant that I couldn’t guarantee my favorite or similar rear tire would last from the start to the second checkpoint (California). My anticipated high mileage for the first two legs was in the 7,500 range, I ended up riding 6,678. As I had an abundance of rims I enjoyed excellent rubber for the entire ride.
The checkpoint instructions as I understood them were simple. Stop the clock before the penalty starts. Within one hour of stopping the clock present yourself at scoring, ready to be scored. This made me think I had one hour from stopping the clock to being ready to be scored. As it was going to be dark I wanted to get my tire swapped first, then stop / start the clock. This was an error as you only had to check in with scoring, then you could leave, i.e. you didn’t have to be ready when you checked in a scoring. This coupled with three scoring volunteers who were unable to attend in the 11th hour meant I didn’t get scored until the 12th, or 00:15 hrs. I shook it off, went to my room and got 4.5 hrs of sleep instead of 7 or 8. Oh bother.