Heading toward Texas, let's ride Ark/Mo first.

[Redfish Hunter]

Trying to plan based on any Gulf Coast weather forecast is going to be difficult. When any of our television weather guessers profess to know what the weather is going to do I start laughing. I would believe them more if they tried to tell me they understood what a woman was thinking.

Be sure and tell Big John that his bike is not nearly as nice as the one Redfish rides.

 

[RJAMT]

Be sure and tell Big John that his bike is not nearly as nice as the one Redfish rides.

Liar! May you be cursed by the old gods and the new!

( Game of Thrones reference for the clueless....and easily offended)

 

[Cav47]

RJAMT and I are meeting up on Friday around noon. Seeking out a place around Bull Shoals for the first night. Weather is predicted in the lower 60s and overnight lows in the lower 40s. We are headed south on Saturday toward Ouachita national forest. Prob west of Hot springs some where. 2 nights camping before John has to head home. I am gonna stay another day and ride another day or two in Arkansas or Oklahoma. I head south from there to North Texas/Sherman area. Hooking up with some family for a few days before heading south towards the Gulf.

Less than a week away and I am already packing the bike up. All my clothes for the trip are in the Yamaha bag, ready to go into the left side case. The tent, and other pertinent gear has been laid out, checked and double checked, placed in a dry bag and put in the right side case. I love this part of the trip planning. The next part, not so much.

Here is where the problems begin. These are certainly 1st world problems

1. Do I put the smaller OEM windshield back on? (The barn door-VStream I currently have on there is great for weather protection, but I have two complaints about it #1 it's huge and can obstruct my vision some in the twisties. The line of the top hits my eye level no matter what I have tried. #2. It provides some weird buffeting sometimes and crosswind issues.).

2. Do I take the top case? (I can get everything packed in the side cases and a dry bag on the back seat/tail rack. But this leaves me with no extra room for anything. As in no beverages and snack room. Plus, some of the gear I am bringing is tucked away and not the most easily accessible if I need it in a quick pinch. Like rain gear and regular footwear. The box is big and does not improve the aerodynamics or aesthetics of my girl. By not taking it, I will not be able to bring anything home that I pick up along the way. Conversely, the more weight up top like that will make it less fun on the bends and kinks of Arkansas and other places.)

3. Do I take my mesh jacket---see above problem it's gonna be chilly at first but will likely be in the lower 80s along the gulf. I have not ridden much in my 3/4 jacket in warmer weather. If I do. It take the top box, there is no way to take the mesh jacket. Additionally by not taking the top box, I am relegated to wearing most of the cold weather

clothes that I will begin the trip in.

Thanks in advance for the suggestions.

Maybe get a chance to see some of the other area riders like Petey and Rushes. I think they are local-ish, but then again local is a broad term for our cycles.

 

[hppants]

1. Weather: welcome to my world. On your trip, you will likely see a range of temperatures between 30 and 85. It's hard to plan for all of that, but you can. Here's what I would bring:

- Mesh Jacket and windproof liner.

- electric jacket liner

- Mesh pants with windproof liner OR textile pants OR a set of overpants.

- Two (2) good pairs of long handles including the tops.

- Two pairs of riding gloves, 1 for hot weather, and the other for cold or rainy weather.

- Two (2) pairs of zip-off pants. Nice and thin for use as an under layer, and zips off to shorts if you need.

2. Top Box: Bring it. Period. You ride a sport touring motorcycle. That top box is the most handy piece of luggage you have.

3. Windscreen: If you can stand the hot weather screen in the lower temperatures, which are least likely in the first place, and even so, will most likely not exist for long periods of time, that is what I would do. The Barn Door down here in the mid 80s ain't gonna be fun.

4. Arkansas - after your cross I-40 heading south (Russelville or Clarksville), ride 309 up and down Mt. Magazine. Then circle back to Mt. Nebo and if time permits, stay a night in Petit Jean State park. The campground there is choice, and the flow off the waterfall trail has got to be HUGE now. Take an hour or two and make the walk. From there head toward the Queen Wilimena State Park on the Talemena Scenic Highway in the Ouachita mountains. Hwy 27 would be a good choice. IMO, you can skip Hot Springs unless you are dead set on taking a bath. From Talemena, the ride toward Sherman is not really that bad but be advised - the flooding in East Texas now is serious. Keep abreast of this situation to avoid some re-routing inconveniences.

The Cajuns will be waiting for you down here. Bring your appetite!!!

 

[gixxerjasen]

2. Top Box: Bring it. Period. You ride a sport touring motorcycle. That top box is the most handy piece of luggage you have.

No one touring on a motorcycle ever says "Wow, look at all this extra storage space I'm not using!"

 

[Cav47]

2. Top Box: Bring it. Period. You ride a sport touring motorcycle. That top box is the most handy piece of luggage you have.

No one touring on a motorcycle ever says "Wow, look at all this extra storage space I'm not using!"

BOTH of you are right........given the weather extremes and other possibilities, but it seems so much less like a SuperSport tourer with that moster box up there.

I will be bringing it. Might have to put an inflatable row boat in there. Maybe I can get a quick tutorial from TopSpeed on water crossings.

 

[gixxerjasen]

Never cared that it was back there...and that was with shite suspension.

And as you can see, it still wasn't enough, still needed that dry bag.

Being able to do this at your hotel....priceless.

Take the bag, you won't regret it.

 

[Cav47]

Good pics

I will be taking the box. Since we will be camping at least 6 days it makes a bunch of Function over Form sense.

The camp pad that I have is too big to fit into the top box, so I put it into a dry bag behind me. That helps fill in the void behind me and the top box that sometimes causes a weird buffeting situation.

 

[gixxerjasen]

Goodness, you are camping and considering NOT taking the top box. You sir must be one heck of a minimalist. My pic above was hoteling all the way.

 

[Cav47]

Goodness, you are camping and considering NOT taking the top box. You sir must be one heck of a minimalist. My pic above was hoteling all the way.

Left case includes Heated Gear on the outside. IN the bag has clothes for 4 days (Plan on washing one day somewhere), toiletries and a few misc items.

Right Case can be tent, tarps, camping supplies and tools. I am a minimalist camper for sure.

Larger Tank bag has Rain Gear, med kit, gloves, towels, straps, some tools, protective items, extra shield, air pump, pretty much anything needed quickly.

Behind me on the seat/rack is the big dry bag that has the rest of the camping items. Including Grill grate, camp pad, sleeping bag and a few misc sundries for the campfire beverages. I am a simple camper. Fire, food, drink, and I am good.

Granted, it will be tight, but I have see the light and will be taking the box because I want some extra room for gear or comfort items. Plus, if I hit a casino on the way, I will need the room to bring home all the cash I won.

In the past, I have taken way too many clothes and other crap I did not wind up using. Or I tried to pack for 8 days when 2 hours in a laundry mat halves my clothes. 70% of the time, I am in riding clothes.

 

[hppants]

Man, I'm starting to get a little pumped up about this!!!

Don't look now, but PMS is starting to go away, my friends!!!!

 

[Abercrombie FJR]

Man, I'm starting to get a little pumped up about this!!!
Don't look now, but PMS is starting to go away, my friends!!!!

Damn it Pants!

I'm from North Dakota and your going to whine about PMS? It seems like I have been reading about you and Redfish riding all fricken winter!

 

[Redfish Hunter]

With regard to the top box, Dad and I both hated to ruin the "look" of our Sport Tourers with a top box. We resisted for years. "Might as well buy a Damned Gold Wing" was Dad's constant reply to any suggestion of a top box. His next statement was always, "But a top box is handy as a back pocket..."

Now that he has the Givi V46, he has NEVER taken it off. Not once. I use mine a lot too. In fact it is on the bike right now.

It is also a fact that what you carry will automatically expand to fill every available inch of luggage space.

The jacket thing is a personal preference. When I am expecting a broad range of temperatures I always go to my 3/4 length "all purpose" jacket. My Tourmaster Transition 3 is not perfect but it has been with me through a lot of extremes.

I learned long ago to carry a very small bottle of laundry detergent and lots of quarter to operate the machines at the hotel. In your case, lots of campgrounds also have a laundry room.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

Man, I'm starting to get a little pumped up about this!!!

Don't look now, but PMS is starting to go away, my friends!!!!

Damn it Pants!

I'm from North Dakota and your going to whine about PMS? It seems like I have been reading about you and Redfish riding all fricken winter!

Sorry, I DO ride all fricken winter. I rode the bike to a training class today. It was a chilly 72 degrees for my ride home too. Brrrr!

 

[Cav47]

Man, I'm starting to get a little pumped up about this!!!

Don't look now, but PMS is starting to go away, my friends!!!!

Damn it Pants! I'm from North Dakota and your going to whine about PMS? It seems like I have been reading about you and Redfish riding all fricken winter! :uhoh:

Sorry, I DO ride all fricken winter. I rode the bike to a training class today. It was a chilly 72 degrees for my ride home too. Brrrr!

Now that statement right there^^^^^^ is gonna make people hate you. They are jealous of the '15, envious of the opportunities you have to ride all the time, but HATE you for rubbing their noses in it! Hahahabbababa.

Bastards!!

 

[wheatonFJR]

Man, I'm starting to get a little pumped up about this!!!

Don't look now, but PMS is starting to go away, my friends!!!!

Damn it Pants! I'm from North Dakota and your going to whine about PMS? It seems like I have been reading about you and Redfish riding all fricken winter! :uhoh:

Sorry, I DO ride all fricken winter. I rode the bike to a training class today. It was a chilly 72 degrees for my ride home too. Brrrr!

That's a good one!!!!

 

[gixxerjasen]

Man, I'm starting to get a little pumped up about this!!!

Don't look now, but PMS is starting to go away, my friends!!!!

Damn it Pants!

I'm from North Dakota and your going to whine about PMS? It seems like I have been reading about you and Redfish riding all fricken winter!

Sorry, I DO ride all fricken winter. I rode the bike to a training class today. It was a chilly 72 degrees for my ride home too. Brrrr!

Now that statement right there^^^^^^ is gonna make people hate you. They are jealous of the '15, envious of the opportunities you have to ride all the time, but HATE you for rubbing their noses in it! Hahahabbababa.

Bastards!!

Don't worry, soon enough it'll be hot and humid enough there that you can hardly breathe while riding and the sweat doesn't evaporate to provide cooling. Then all you folks up north will start posting pics of your rides in the mountains and complaining about the 80F heat and we'll be giving you the finger.

 

[gixxerjasen]

Now that he has the Givi V46, he has NEVER taken it off. Not once. I use mine a lot too. In fact it is on the bike right now.

True for me as well.

It is also a fact that what you carry will automatically expand to fill every available inch of luggage space.

Slight correction to this. What you carry will automatically expand to require 110% of your available luggage space. Doesn't matter what size box you bring, it's always just barely not enough.

 

[Cav47]

Jason,

Are you still going skiing with the fam for Spring Break? I thought I recall you saying this.

 

[gixxerjasen]

I'm back now. Had a great time watching kiddo learn to ski and he had a ball and is hooked. And now my schedule looks like this.

On call this weekend

Next weekend, kiddo's birthday then possibly flying to Florida as my last grandparent passed away.

Trying to just find time to get kiddo out to buy gear and then get him out on his motorcycle. Crazy schedules I tell ya.