Howard Steiger

[pkpk]

Only a few old-timers will know that name.  Howard and his wife Sharon were Minnesota HSTA Directors in the early and mid 90's.  Howard is the one who pestered me at a few moto-gatherings to sign up for the HSTA.  The internet had not yet hit the mainstream so Howard and Sharon had to recruit with brute effort, putting mailings on Hondas parked at gatherings.  Sharon and Howard both rode ST1100s with license plates, HIS ST and HER ST.  Howard worked at 3M, but rode all over the region on the weekends.  When he retired, they moved to Nevada and Howard really started cranking up the miles.

According to the mileage tracker (http://www.st-owners.com/index.php?page=Mileage) on the ST-Owners forum, Howard just cracked 100,000 miles for the YEAR.  You read that correct, Howard put 6 digits on the ODO in one calendar year.  Those of you who attend national MSTA events, might have met Howard.  I know he tries to show up at Twistar when he can.  He has no shortage of tales about having to help dealers move bikes around.    I'd only dream of being able to put even half those miles on a year. 

[Busa dave]

I know Howard and Sharon. Back in 1987 when I joined the Christian Motorcyclists Association Howard was the coordinator for the state of MN. Howard was back here in August of 2009 when I took this picture up at our state rally in Alexandria.  And YES, he could drive. I remember once he hit a deer and had to duct tape the front end of his whole bike to get back  

[carlson_mn]

DAMN

[tk]

I remember him. Amazing that he cracked 100k in one year. Even given
the all year riding season in NV that is quite an achievement. Best I have
ever done is 30k in one year.

[Greg]

He has a lot of free time and apparently very few other interests  (not a judgement call on my end, just facts).
If he rode 5 days a week, 50 weeks a year ... he would have to average 400 miles every single day he rode.

Iron butt indeed .......

[Deplorable, thank you!]

 I rode just over 60,000 miles one year and thought all I did was ride the motorcycle, from April to September. But I sure did enjoy the trips and experiences.

100,000 miles is an unreal number and quite the accomplishment. Perhaps when I retire I will have that kind of time.

[4kless]

It's the beard.

My max is 42k in 1983...but I lived in CA and had no other wheels. 100k is indeed mind-boggling.

[carlson_mn]

Well, you were on pace to more than exceed 100k in 12 months!  But to think everyday you don't ride you have to ride 600 miles the next day to make up for it kind of boggles the mind.

[Deplorable, thank you!]

 I think I only had about a dozen days where I rode 600 miles or more--most of the days it was sub 400 miles. Then there were the 2-5 day "breaks" at racetracks or Daytona or......in between each of those long rides. (They all originated from MN, but I went through --I think--40 states in just that one year and there were times I wasn't home for several weeks at a time)

There have been 5 years I have ridden 50,000 or more miles.( and they all felt like all I did was ride all summer) Ironically enough, all 10 years that I was not really in the motorcycle industry, well those are my highest mileage years (just over 520,000 in those 10 years)--I was super busy at work from Oct-Feb, which worked out perfect for lots of riding from mid Feb to late Sept.
 I guess I should change professions and get back to something that isn't taking away from my riding time??
 I enjoy working on bikes, but it definitely has downsides...

Now I get out and ride some 20,000-22,000 miles in a year and people (customers mostly) think I am neglecting them. Family thinks I have my "priorities" wrong....and I get the "WOW" look from people who ask me about a ride I do and it is a 450 mile day....(Many of the customers I have, I ride more miles in one weekend than what they ride all season--I find that tragically sad)

I still can't imagine doing 100,000+, that is allot of seat time and allot of expense. Good for Mr Howard Steiger for having that luxury. Keep up the good work.

[pkpk]

A few things for clarity.  Howard rides a decked out Gold Wing and a three wheeler.  Both are a business arrangement of sorts for dealer/company who he moves bikes around locations and some appearances at events.  In essence, his employ has him conveniently piling on miles (or at least this was how he explained it to me a few years ago.  Howard is the friendliest guy you'll ever meet.  His size is intimidating until he starts his grinning.   A classic example of how karma/religion is kind to people who deserve it.

[Busa dave]

Back when Howard was putting on all those miles. He did service work for 3M I think and when he had to go to Colorado or California for a service job he would take the bike and hold the throttle to the stop... and fly very low

[pkpk]

After Howard retired from 3M, he worked for Bosch as a service tech.  He would constantly be on the road with the bike and they would tell him where to go next.  If he couldn't make the destination in a reasonable amount of time, he would park the bike and take a plane to where they needed him.  So I guess he could collect mileage pay for the bike.

[Busa dave]

yea, that sounds right     I don't remember details very good any more 

tanks pk

[Hope2Ride]

It's the quality that matters, not the quantity

[tk]

It's the quality that matters, not the quantity

Agreed, but quality is subjective and hard to get agreement on. Total miles riding
in a season can be measured objectively.