Cranfills Gap

[RobTx]

Saw a post on the newsgroup tx.motorcycles about an impromptu ride last Saturday meeting at the Cracker Barrel just a couple of miles from my house.  Decided I'd go and asked my wife if she wants to come along.  She say "Sure!".  We get up early Saturday morning and head to Cracker Barrel for the 8:30 start.  Three people are there already and two more pulled up a few minutes later.  All together seven bikes, this ought to be fun, not too big, not too small.  Along with my Vision and Erin's (my wife) XS650 Heritage Special, there were an R6, Aprilia Falco (sweeeeeet), a VTX1800 (can you say TORQUE?), a Vulcan 800, and a Shadow 1100, so I had the smallest bike there.  We headed South on 157 from Arlington to Mansfield through Venus to Mayperl.  Nice roads, but nothing special.  We kept a good pace through here, 70 or so.  Turned on to 916 through Grandview to Rio Vista.  Nice road with a few tight curves and some sweepers.  The sport bike guys were stretching there legs a little through this section (the guy on the Falco hit 135 through this section following a couple of Porsches).  Turned South on 174 to Morgan then 927 West to Walnut Springs, turned on Highway 6 to Hico for lunch.  I have to go to work, so I'm thinking about bailing here and heading back home, we'd already done over 100 miles and I didn't want to be late.  They told me that the road into Cranvills Gap is the whole reason for the trip and I'd be a fool to miss it.  So, they talked me into it.  We headed to Iredell and turned South on 1238.  What a road!  No intersections, only a couple of driveways and virtually no traffic.  The road consisted of long sweepers that just begged to be ridden fast.  The sportbike guys were taking these at 90-100 mph but I was more comfortable at 60.  About 20 miles of this, then it's turn around and go back!  It's even more fun the second time!.  I took the curves a little faster as my confidence grew, but I was dismayed to see my wife in the rear view every time I came out of a bend.  Dang! When did she become a speed demon?  She had a blast.  We pretty much retraced the route home, with everyone except us stopping at Hooter's for a beer.  I had to be at work in 30 minutes, and I wasn't even home yet.  We boogied on to the house, I threw on some clean clothes and headed to work.  All in all a great day, 270 miles of mostly twisting two lane black top.  The Vision ran great, but I'm getting lousy mileage (see my other post).  Vibration wasn't an issue, I find the engine really smooth at the speeds I ride (never over 85 this trip).  I don't see how my wife rides that 650 vertical twin at those speeds though, it vibrates like crazy!  

[Rick G]

Maybe thats why she was so eager to go on the ride.!! LOL just kidding!

[Lucky]

Dirty old minds think alike, but I wasn't going to say anything... :D

[RobTx]

Well, the thought crossed my mind too, but I wasn't going to say anything.  :)

[Walt_M.]

I've ridden a couple of standard TX650s and can't speak for the Heritige Special but, aside from the vinyl covered rocks they have for seats, the worst vibration was through the pegs and bars. I can't speak for the non 'Y' chromosome set but it was not a pleasant experience. I owned an RD400 the second time I rode a TX650 and almost had to fight the TX650 owner to get it back!

[Rick G]

for me they shake every where   great engine  but a little too much of the britsh heritage  was designed in!