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Bringing home my Thruxton

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d2mini

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May 29, 2006
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Location
Houston - Spring Branch/Memorial
I flew out to Little Rock this past Friday to pick up my new to me 2004 Triumph Thruxton. 2708 miles (before the trip) with some nice goodies.

550 mile over two days in much colder temps than I originally anticipated. The first day was ok until nightfall. As you can see, my jacket isn't all that warm and I just had a t-shirt over a long sleeved t-shirt. Started off in the low 60's. Once I lost the sun the temps really dropped and i was shivering while riding for about an hour, in the dark, in the middle of freakin nowhere! This was after I left Little Rock after noon-ish, went through Mena and took the scenic Talimena trail up through the mountains until it dumped me off on the other side onto 259 south... a logging road. Nice road but not so cool to be on at night and the sun had just gone down. Took about 50 miles or so before I hit Broken Bow which had a Microtel motel. I was never so happy to see a motel in my LIFE! Shivering and tired, I walked in, got a room, ran to McD's for some grub, went back to take a HOT shower and then went to bed. The next day I woke up and ran to the Walmart a couple blocks away and got a great PVC rain suit for 30 bucks! And a thermal top. Temps were 38 degrees when i left at 9:30 and only got up to around 50 all the way home. This day I did around 350 miles and felt ok when i arrived home. The pvc rocked. Overall I had a lot of fun. Would love to do the trip again in warmer temps.

So anyway, here's a few pics. It was a bit too cold to stop and take as many as I wanted to and I was losing sun on the really good pic taking part of the trip.

Here's me, proud new owner of a modded 2004 Thruxton with only 2708 miles on the odo, about to take off from the previous owners house in Little Rock. Got my new Cortech bags on, which are awesome btw. The tailbag never budged an inch and the tank bag was steady and gave me something to lean on. Good stuff. The tailbag has the Thrux cowl in it as well as my clothes, tools and other stuff. Speaking of which, i got a bicycle multi-tool with a serrated knife in it through the Houston airport... carry-on. Hmmm....
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Here I am on the beginning of the scenic trail heading out of Mena, AR.
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Just a couple quick shots in a small park on the trail. REAL QUICK, cause i new the sun was starting to set...
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I couldn't get over the views, and this was only part way up! We don't have this in TX and I forgot what the views were like in NY.
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About halfway through the scenic trail i crossed into OK. Last pic since after this i started to freeze my **** off!
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The next day was more typical texas roads i'm used to and i was trying to make up some time so I could get in before dark so no pics.

But anyway, overall great trip, love the bike... it will make a great bike for around town. And i got an awesome deal on it. Wouldn't mind doing this trip again on my Vstrom. :sun:
 
Nice score on the bike - she's a looker! Love the vertical twin Triumphs, both vintage and new. Despite the cold, it looks like you had a great get-aquainted ride.
 
Triumph and Strom combo. Glad to see somebody else with good taste.
06 - Wee
06 - Speedie
 
d2mini said:
with a serrated knife in it through the Houston airport... carry-on.
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Its the honest face. Gets em everytime. Welcome home, lets meet for some of these RAT rides.
 
Ya, the Houston RAT isn't too active. Haven't been out with them in about a year. Hopefully they'll be some rides coming up soon. I missed one recently because I was out in Austin. And i have yet to meet up with any twtex'rs. Looks like you guys have your own RAT pack. ;-)
 
I would sure enjoy a bike like that. Congratulations.
 
Sweet scoot and great pics. Definitely a great way to break in a new steed.
 
Thought you said one of the reasons to get this bike is all the mods you want have been done?

That didn't last long did it? :mrgreen:
 
whoa said:
Thought you said one of the reasons to get this bike is all the mods you want have been done?

That didn't last long did it? :mrgreen:
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Whoa whoa whoa, wait a minute..... I never said that. I said "all the mods he has done are the same mods I would have done if I bought it stock." I did not say he did ALL the mods I would have done. Big difference! :lol2:
 
Quick-Silver said:
Sweet lookimg ride. I'm a little jealous. What is the performance like comp'd to the V?
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Thanks. :)
It's definitely quicker than the Strom. Well... maybe it just sounds/feels that way. :trust: But no, it is a little quicker. But I have the Wee, not the V. I'm sure the V would walk all over the Thrux. But it wouldn't look as cool doing it. ;-)
 
Since your profile doesn't give a location and there is no hint of it in your avitar I supect your in the metromess or near Amirillo. It is also painfully obvious your not aware of the "mountians" that run through central Texas!:doh:

To get you started here is a shaded relief map with roads.

The El Camino de los Tejas which traverses 4 of the states geographic regions.

Google of Texas The dark area to the west of San Antonio is some real nice "mountians"

Going to have to ed-you-ma-kate this here Naw Yarker :lol2:

First stop is here so you can learn about meatpie and Vincents!:rider:
 
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DaveC said:
Since your profile doesn't give a location and there is no hint of it in your avitar I supect your in the metromess or near Amarillo
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From some of his other posts (and from the V-Strom forums), it appears he is in or around Houston (poor fella!) ;-)
 
A sad thing that Houston place, flat, striaght and nothing but preoccupied drivers that give attention to driving in an off hand way!
Couldn't do it, no sirree. I got to have the hills, rolling priaries and the mountians out here! I can ride a few minutes east and go county roads with less than a handful of car, full of twist, turns and 20 mile views.
 
DaveC said:
A sad thing that Houston place, flat, striaght and nothing but preoccupied drivers that give attention to driving in an off hand way!
Couldn't do it, no sirree. I got to have the hills, rolling priaries and the mountians out here! I can ride a few minutes east and go county roads with less than a handful of car, full of twist, turns and 20 mile views.
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Gee... i feel much better now. Thanks. :moon: :suicide: :mrgreen:
 
That yellow looks odd. I really think you need a yellow tank and cowl to clean that color scheme up.

I can be in Houston Saturday. :mrgreen:
 
DaveC said:
Tell us something about those covers!
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What do you want to know?

The upswept pipes are the Triumph branded "off-road" pipes. TORs.
They sound pretty decent. Especially with the open k&n pods where the airbox used to be. Not as loud as some but much better than stock. Quiet at cruising speed but loud when you twist the throttle.
 
I need to go get a test ride on one of those things. Is the riding position as extreme as it looks? Long reach to those low bars?
 
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