Pics from my trip to Black Hills

[carlson_mn]

Just sharing a few, was out there with a co-worker and another local rider. Got beat to hell on the way home taking the 'scenic route' instead of I-90 and battling a headwind. Otherwise it was awesome out there, my third time out there on the bike.

Badland detour on way out

Bike on Needle's

One of the several sections of single lane road carving through Iron Mtn Road, hit it on Friday and we had it all to ourselves, was like a theme park ride

My buddies VFR1200 and my FJR

View from on top of the black hills at Mount Harney

Wouldn't mind getting out there again! Stick to I90 from MN!

 

[101stpathfinder]

Very nice Matt

Get there fast and enjoy the area!

 

[Fontanaman]

Nice pictures and thanks for sharing. Someday I want to head out that way and these photos provide inspiration!

 

[Bugnatr]

Very nice! Is the wind always blowing in central SD?

 

[101stpathfinder]

Very nice! Is the wind always blowing in central SD?

Oh yes - Did you think water carved out the land features?

 

[ahchiu]

Great RR and pictures, I would like to get out there someday.

 

[carlson_mn]

Thanks guys, yes the wind beat us up on the way back! That's how it is traveling in the midwest though.

So many great roads out there, I rode all of them each day basically. It's not a huge area geographically but the scenery so great, the wildlife plentiful, and the roads are fricken immaculate, clean, grippy, and there is every type of road there. High speed sweepers on vanocker canyon road going into Sturgis is 20 miles of compounding sweepers, and you get to pick your flavor going up into the mountains or down into sturgis. Spearfish canyon is a 15 mile slice of motorcycle nirvana, and then there's less known highway 87 extending from the mountains all the way to Hot Springs - that road is awesome and was pretty much empty except for buffallo, pronghorn and Burros.

 

[dcarver]

Nice pix, got anymore?

 

[Mihalis fjr]

Great pictures!

Thanks!

 

[Bungie]

I'll be back in that area the first weekend of July - it's our meet up point for invading Alaska.

 

[carlson_mn]

Nice pix, got anymore?

Haha ... here ya go!

 

[Top_Speed1]

Beautiful part of the Country, thanks for sharing your ride

 

[wheatonFJR]

Nice pix, got anymore?

Haha ... here ya go!

Bust is usually posting up the other view of the donkeys for some reason.

Thanks for sharing your RR...familiar with the area. Love riding through there on the way out to parts west...

 

[TripperMike]

Looked like a great trip Matt, thanks for sharing it.

Every summer I tell myself I'll be getting out there. Still haven't. But this year I'll be heading out there. At least that's what I keep telling myself.

 

[airboss]

If you see roads sighs like this, then you know you found a good place to ride.

 

[bobg3723]

NIce pics Matt. I'm taking the wife out there end of July on her first road trip. You wouldn't happen to have a snapshot of the road map marking the roads you explored in and around the Black Hills?

 

[SwollenRaccoon]

Beautiful, Matt. I've been wanting to make that trip for 25 years. This fall, we're going to ride the Rockies in Colorado (never been there, either), so maybe Black Hills next year.

How does the VFR compare to the FJR out in the real world? Highway, twisties, roll-on, etc....

 

[carlson_mn]

NIce pics Matt. I'm taking the wife out there end of July on her first road trip. You wouldn't happen to have a snapshot of the road map marking the roads you explored in and around the Black Hills?

Hey, definitely enjoy your trip! Google Black hills road map and that will have all the good roads, but make sure you include 87 all the way south to wind cave national park, 16 through custer state park, as well as 87 and 16A up north through the park where they split the Needles. Up north the Vanocker Canyon rd is the best sweeper road you will ever be on, it goes down the mountain and ends in Sturgis. Then cut over and do Spearfish Canyon Rd, also don't forget Nemo Road it is often overlooked but quiet and lots of great curves. Many good roads but those are the main ones to ride everyday you can!

Beautiful, Matt. I've been wanting to make that trip for 25 years. This fall, we're going to ride the Rockies in Colorado (never been there, either), so maybe Black Hills next year.
How does the VFR compare to the FJR out in the real world? Highway, twisties, roll-on, etc....

Dude it's awesome in the Black Hills I like it as much or better than Arkansas. I have ridden his VFR many times in fact I'm going to change his rear tire tonight. It is a great bike and would be on my short list if I could not own the FJR. From a roll the FJR beats it for a while but it will surpass you on the top end. We did a 40mph 2nd gear and I was ahead until about 90. In the twisties I prefer the FJR it is more flickable but on the sweepers where the FJR shines the VFR is also an IDEAL bike if you like that stuff. It's not an interstate bike as much as the FJR is but it's not terrible either. Love the engine of the FJR but the VFR has that V4 kick you feel through your pants and the top end screams pretty good, he dyno'd 150hp at the rear wheel, my FJR was 129 on the same dyno. Downsides on the VFR is the factory side bags do not fit a helmet, the stock seat is terrible on the highway. Driven with a sane right hand it actually got decent mpg contrary to the reviews I read, I think we averaged close to 40mpg with it which was not far off the FJR, I averaged about 42 usually. In stock form Honda engineered in tq management into 1-2 gears, but he installed a wire harness that cancels that out and the bike is a lot more fun then, doesn't have nearly the flat spot it had in those gears before.

 

[rogdeb]

Nice shots Carlson

.. beautiful area - just back from there ourselves.