There's nothing like an Iron Butt attempt, chasing your odometer down endless miles of interminable Interstate, to drive a man back to the mountains. That was the case for John Metzger, who loved the idea of endurance rallies but blanched at boring scenery and dull roads. Inspired by the famed Italian Centopassi (100 passes) enduro, Metzger and friends instead organized the Boulder, Colorado-based Cinquantapassi (50 passes) ride, featured in our November 2006 issue. Now they are expanding on that idea with the newly formed Motomarathon Association, which will host its inaugural event June 12-15 on Colorado's Front Range.
"The Motomarathon concept is simple," Metzger says. "Ride as many twisties as possible along the most scenic routes all day long for four days." Riders will cover 400-500 miles each day and compete for awards based on points collected for reaching various landmarks along the way. Routes will remain secret until the evening before each day's ride, and the competition will reward planning and preparation rather than overall pace. "Riders have 24 hours to finish," Metzger says, "so there's plenty of time to complete the routes within posted speed limits."
The event will be sponsored by Ducati North America, who will be on-hand to offer Multistrada, Hypermotard and Monster demos. Metzger hopes to expand the concept nationwide next: "We envision a series of organized Motomarathons around the country, giving riders the chance to chase points by participating in as many events as they can." You can find registration information for this first event at www.motomarathon.com.