Cold weather 500 mile trip

Just drove my 2010 VFR from Austin to Arkansas to meet family for CHRISTmas. Temps were generally in 30s - low 40s. The VFR performed flawlessly. As for rider comfort - all good thanks to a recently purchased Powerlet heated jacket/glove liners. Only saw three fellow cyclists the whole trip!

 

Glad you able to put some happy miles on the Viffer :thumb: Heated gears is a must where you at :wink:

 

Which way did you travel ? Over to Bastrop then the back way to Texarkana or super slab it up 35 to 30?
I've ridden 6 times from San Antonio to the Ozarks on my (now sold) 1998 Kawasaki C10 the back way up through Bastrop, Franklin, Tyler, etc and haven't had a chance to go on my 2010 VFR12 I bought last May. I'm dying to make the trip as the VFR12 is an amazing high speed mileage inhalation device and I REALLY love the Ozarks. I'm a little intimidated about going in the winter though. You sir have testiculos de steel. Kudos to you.
Do love my Gerbings jacket liner though for cold air travel. Heated gear is one of the best investments a rider can make in gear.

 

Not to high jack your thread, but a VFR ride in the Ozarks (say Eureka Springs or Mountain View, etc) this Spring would be very tasty.
My last 3 trips were with the R-1 in the back of my pickup to the Ozarks then ride my brains out for a few days then home again.
Haven't ridden up there on a bike since 2006.
Ozarks, yummmmm.
Can you say hundreds of miles of smooth roller coaster roads ?

 

The cold can be beaten with the right gear. I've done a few of those myself and fully intend on doing more. Just ordered and received a new dual controller for my Gerbings jacket and pant liners a couple weeks ago so I am ready to rock and ride soon again.

 

Amen, brother.
I have a .500 record for dry roads in the Ozarks.
Wouldn't want to chance ice as I have to block my work schedule way in advance and picking a dry weekend 3 months in advance can be challenging.
The VFR12 actually has a fairly decent air management/protection setup for the pilot, so that helps in the cold.
Running along at the sweet (and its ALL sweet spot on the VFR) spot on a nice long trip on secondary roads headed for twisty nirvana.....

There must be something wrong with me.

 

I hear you regarding the icy roads. The reason I took the VFR vs the cager was the dry forecast. However, the further north I got my alertness meter was pegged high on some curves in the shade and of which moisture was present. Apparently many spots in AR still have ice thawing out.
Good to hear re the 12 VFR. All I know is that - like you said - it is pretty much all sweet on 10 VFR with DCT.
Funnest part of the trip was driving along at a good clip with a BMW 750iL. The thing that amazes me about this VFR vs my 800cc VFR is how the machine just seems to have unlimited power and is so smooth even at 3 digits.
And . . To top it off I averaged 40mpg with at least 80lbs of gear.

 

Gary - I started a bit further north than you and I had a need for speed as I had to be in Fort Smith at a certain time. Result - I took superslab for majority of trip. I-35 to Dallas, get on 75 N then 69 and took alt route from there the rest of way.

 

I drew a straight line from San Antonio to Texarkana and take all the roads on that line - get to go through Franklin, Big Sandy, Linden, Tyler .... Far more interesting than the slab if you have the time. Then north to Mena then wherever. Or up 30 to Hot Springs then up 7 or up to 16 to Mtn View.
Jeez I really love the Ozarks.
Light LEO, smooth blacktop, Ark DOT likes curves up in them thar hills.

 

Damn that's brave, well done man. Sounds like you had a good trip

 

You must be young.? I was young once. I use to ride in the cold also. I'm old now.

I'll be going by/thru? Ozarks in a month and a half. Thru Memphis to Fort Smith and beyond. Or will I miss them traveling on rt40? Sounds like a good area to go on another trip to.

 

Late to the party on this thread, but good to see another fellow Austinite and VFR12 brother.
Don't think I've seen another VFR12 in Austin since I've had mine!

Love that trip, I wander through there every year enroute to the MotoGP race in Indy for my Summer Mancation.
Props on doing it in such cold weather! VFR is a great bike for such a trip, I'd concur

 

Yes the proper gear does make a great difference. I wish I would have rode in 30 degree weather. Remember that cold blast at the begining of march??? Yep this retard here did 25-27 degree ride from Louisiana back to Htown. In my defense I did check the weather for that weekend and the return on monday. The temp was supposed to be good till Tuesday then the front was supposed to come in. Well unfortunately the weather didnt get that report and the temp bottomed out that monday...Heres the proof...





Yes thats ice on my helmet and jacket. Fortunately it only "rained" the last 10 min of the ride. I was fortunate to have the Firstgear heated jacket and gloves. I put hand warmers in my alpinestars boots so I was good in the that respect. I was warm the whole ride except the legs but that didnt bother me....untill I got home and un-plugged. The cold from my legs came up to my core and I got cold real quick.

Hopefully I wont be going to work anytime soon. I have plans to meet/stay with friends in Austin to go the the Moto-GP in April. Maybe Ill see you on the roads there.