Motorcycle Grand Tour of Texas - 2023 Edition - Tour stops report -

[Tomchri]

Yes it can be done. My Greenie was realy making me nuts, dont know how many times I tuned her, everything super, just 2800-3100rpm.  So lucky to met a gent with a Quota who has the knowledge to enter the brain and use tunerpro. TPS is VERY important, and added a little fuel in that area. Probably not 100%, but she runs so good, NO stumbling at all, for sure I have tried everything to have her sneeze, ZERO. BIG smile in the helmet all day, and even when parked looking at her at night to.  All of my V11 runs GREAT now. It's hope out there 

Cheers Tom.

[PJPR01]

Well, unfortunately was unable to pick up some of the planned stops on the way to Cedar Vale this year...I chose not to go based on the terrible weather forecasted up and back and no real desire to camp in the rain either, glad I stayed behind but sorry to miss the rally in Cedar Vale, always one of my favorites.  But I did manage to pick up 4 more stops this week...Cuero, Edna, Blessing and Galveston...Hopefully in the next couple of weeks I can get Jefferson, Gladewater and Terrell and complete the 25 stops.  

I had considered also heading to Big Bend and doing a nice big loop back, but weather forecast (as it is actually now as well) put a damper on those plans...so will do that at a future date...although it's going to get hotter and hotter the longer I wait.

Out and about on the Griso for these stops...really enjoying it...next runs hopefully on the Scura.

 

[p6x]

1 hour ago, PJPR01 said:

weather forecast (as it is actually now as well) put a damper on those plans...so will do that at a future date...although it's going to get hotter and hotter the longer I wait.

Out and about on the Griso for these stops...really enjoying it...next runs hopefully on the Scura.

 

Riding in the wet decreases the visibility a lot, and on top of it, we also become a lot less visible too.

If I get caught in a shower, I usually ride behind a truck because they usually are better seen than we are.

[p6x]

Updated the repository for the 5 stops made last Friday, May 26th;

I have also created a topic with pictures of the Moto Guzzi Daytona RS which is hosted at the Texas Motorcycle Museum in Johnston City.

[PJPR01]

You’re famous P6X!

Made it to the cover of the GToT!

 

 

[p6x]

46 minutes ago, PJPR01 said:

You’re famous P6X!

Made it to the cover of the GToT!

 

 

How's that?

https://gtot.unt.edu/

[PJPR01]

[p6x]

11 hours ago, PJPR01 said:

This is not the picture I get when I go to the website, but the Guzzi V11 totally deserve the fame.

I also liked that picture because of the dark cast skies. I managed to get through the rain though!

Thanks for the share!

[p6x]

I updated the reporting for my last outing done Saturday 22/23 July 2023, under a hard weather....

I have now done 40 stops out of the 50;

I am wondering if I should do the 10 remaining in one go, or split them into two.

If I cover the last 10 stops in one trip, it is 1731 miles.

If I split them, it becomes 2648 miles. 

Covering 1731 miles in three days should be possible. But not with these current temperatures. Also, it means that I would have completed the tour in July, and maybe I should leave some stops for later...

 

[Tomchri]

23 hours ago, p6x said:

I updated the reporting for my last outing done Saturday 22/23 July 2023, under a hard weather....

I have now done 40 stops out of the 50;

I am wondering if I should do the 10 remaining in one go, or split them into two.

If I cover the last 10 stops in one trip, it is 1731 miles.

If I split them, it becomes 2648 miles. 

Covering 1731 miles in three days should be possible. But not with these current temperatures. Also, it means that I would have completed the tour in July, and maybe I should leave some stops for later...

 

Well done in those temps. Barcelona 02,  43c, coming from up north well dressed, TERRIBLE. When over 37c it gets warmer the faster you go. Remember the rear brake plastic container melted, no leak though.  Just a 6600km trip right.  
Cheers Tom.

 

[p6x]

14 hours ago, Tomchri said:

Well done in those temps. Barcelona 02,  43c, coming from up north well dressed, TERRIBLE. When over 37c it gets warmer the faster you go. Remember the rear brake plastic container melted, no leak though.  Just a 6600km trip right.  
Cheers Tom.

 

The humidity is the real hurdle. I have been exposed to high temperatures before, in drier climates. This past Texas weather tops it all. I was in N'djamena Chad and temperatures close to the 50 degC were completely bearable compared to this.

Everything seems to be excessive. When it rains here, it is torrential. It is not even a matter of rain clothes or good tires. Visibility is impaired by the water curtaining your visor. You need to stop.

We are back down in the 90's, so I am planning a little outing today to order Motul oil for the V11. I have covered circa 6000 (10k km) miles already since March.

 

[PJPR01]

Well I managed to get in 10 more stops this weekend…and now headed to Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas for some riding in the twisties and a rally…up to 30 stops now…will see if time permits to get any more this year.  Big Bend is more tempting than Amarillo… so maybe will get another 5-8 stops.  Has been a glorious weekend to ride so far!! 

[p6x]

9 hours ago, PJPR01 said:

Well I managed to get in 10 more stops this weekend…and now headed to Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas for some riding in the twisties and a rally…up to 30 stops now…will see if time permits to get any more this year.  Big Bend is more tempting than Amarillo… so maybe will get another 5-8 stops.  Has been a glorious weekend to ride so far!! 

No rain?

I had planned to conclude the tour this week-end, but did not. I have to do the two route 66 stops and will make my way down to Marfa where I am planning to shoot the Guzzi under the starry skies, possibly the Milky Way. However, past week-end with rain precluded it.

In the last "Ride Texas" magazine, they actually propose some rides in Arkansas; looks pretty!

[p6x]

I did the last 10 stops to complete this year's Grand Tour last week-end, 22/23/24 September 2023.

I have updated the report consecutively with maps, roadmap, fuel management and photos, if you are interested.

I am extremely happy to have not suffered one single problem with the V11 this year; it is the first time since I got the bike in April 2021.

 

[docc]

10 minutes ago, p6x said:

I did the last 10 stops to complete this year's Grand Tour last week-end, 22/23/24 September 2023.

I have updated the report consecutively with maps, roadmap, fuel management and photos, if you are interested.

I am extremely happy to have not suffered one single problem with the V11 this year; it is the first time since I got the bike in April 2021.

 

They do send you a medal or a trophy? A "sticker", at least? Welldone, there, @p6x!

Re:

"In Pecos, I lost idle briefly. I think it had to do with the extremely high temperature +100 degF, combined with multiple engine starts in a short span of time (I was relocating the bike). Apart from that, the Le Mans was perfect. "

   > The V11 ECU operates a fuel rich mapping at each start-up for some 4,000 revolutions of the engine, regardless of ambient and engine temperatures. This is particularly compromising in such high ambient temperatures when the engine is already at operating temperature. A nuisance, but something to be expected.

"In Pecos, there was a ribbon of plastic flying that got caught on my left turn indicator, and overheating on my exhaust pipe. It melted on the pipe and left a black streak which is very hard to get rid off. "

   > Try buffing the stainless steel exhaust with some steel wool, perhaps 00 or finer to remove the melted plastic.

 

Again, welldone!   And thanks for sharing venture!