Hondo, Tx
Hondo, Tx
07-10-2007, 01:47 PM
#2
Junior Member
Squid
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Vancouver, WA
Posts: 10
Lots of great roads in that area. Go due north to Bandera then take highway 16 to Kerrville. When you get to the really nasty decreasing radius curve, look for the broken pieces of Windjammer fairing and instruments that I left from my GS850 twenty years ago. From Kerrville go east or northeast. It will be hot as Hades, so bring lots of water.
07-11-2007, 12:00 PM
#4
Moderator
MotoGP
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: South Texas
Posts: 2,553
Locate Hondo Texas on google maps.
Take 462 north out of Hondo to 470/Tarpley. Go right towards Bandera. Turn left at 16 and follow it to Medina/337.
Take 337 west to Leakey (top 3 road in the state). It's too soon but get gas ($$) and check out the bikes in Leakey at the motorcycle hangout (old lumber warehouse). Head north on 83 out of Leakey for about a mile (you'll pass my Dad's house) and take a dogleg left onto 336: my favorite and just made for the superhawk but watch out for the cattle guards IN the turns!. It dead ends into 41. Turn left and cruise for about 10 straight miles to 335.
Turn left onto 335 and go back south down to Barksdale (spot in the road w/no gas). Turn right onto 55 and go back north towards Rocksprings for big time high speed sweepers. The road plays out before rocksprings and the roads north of there aren't good so I usually just turnaround when it straightens out and goes back to a 2 lane road and do the sweepers again (downhill this time) and take 55 back to Campwood.
Turn left on to 337 and head back to Leakey where you should probably get gas (cha' ching $$) again. Take 337 back to Vanderpool.
Turn Left on 187 and continue for a couple of miles. Stop at the Texas Motorcycle Museum on the left (big white metal building and should have a ton of bikes in the parking lot). Eat lunch there and the $5 admission fee is waived. WARNING: you will spend way too much time here. Bring camera.
Continue on 187 north to 39 and turn right towards Kerrville. You are back in civilization now with much more traffic/driveways, etc. Unfortunately, I know of now way to avoid K'ville as you want to connect to 16 on the other side of town but it's getting really big and lots of traffic.
As said before, watch out for the ultra tight switchbacks on 16 at the beginning. It's worse coming from the other direction when they are at the end and catch more folks off guard. Take 16 back south to Medina and then choose between the only two routes back to Hondo: 470/462 (rural with curves) or 173 (hwy with straights). Get gas in Medina or Bandera (more choices).
This will be a good days ride hitting about 7 of the best roads in the state.
If it's been raining, the low water crossing (tons of 'em) could be too deep/swift. As said, it will be hot so drink plenty of water. I use a camelback.
Take 462 north out of Hondo to 470/Tarpley. Go right towards Bandera. Turn left at 16 and follow it to Medina/337.
Take 337 west to Leakey (top 3 road in the state). It's too soon but get gas ($$) and check out the bikes in Leakey at the motorcycle hangout (old lumber warehouse). Head north on 83 out of Leakey for about a mile (you'll pass my Dad's house) and take a dogleg left onto 336: my favorite and just made for the superhawk but watch out for the cattle guards IN the turns!. It dead ends into 41. Turn left and cruise for about 10 straight miles to 335.
Turn left onto 335 and go back south down to Barksdale (spot in the road w/no gas). Turn right onto 55 and go back north towards Rocksprings for big time high speed sweepers. The road plays out before rocksprings and the roads north of there aren't good so I usually just turnaround when it straightens out and goes back to a 2 lane road and do the sweepers again (downhill this time) and take 55 back to Campwood.
Turn left on to 337 and head back to Leakey where you should probably get gas (cha' ching $$) again. Take 337 back to Vanderpool.
Turn Left on 187 and continue for a couple of miles. Stop at the Texas Motorcycle Museum on the left (big white metal building and should have a ton of bikes in the parking lot). Eat lunch there and the $5 admission fee is waived. WARNING: you will spend way too much time here. Bring camera.
Continue on 187 north to 39 and turn right towards Kerrville. You are back in civilization now with much more traffic/driveways, etc. Unfortunately, I know of now way to avoid K'ville as you want to connect to 16 on the other side of town but it's getting really big and lots of traffic.
As said before, watch out for the ultra tight switchbacks on 16 at the beginning. It's worse coming from the other direction when they are at the end and catch more folks off guard. Take 16 back south to Medina and then choose between the only two routes back to Hondo: 470/462 (rural with curves) or 173 (hwy with straights). Get gas in Medina or Bandera (more choices).
This will be a good days ride hitting about 7 of the best roads in the state.
If it's been raining, the low water crossing (tons of 'em) could be too deep/swift. As said, it will be hot so drink plenty of water. I use a camelback.
07-19-2007, 02:59 AM
#7
Member
Squid
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Fort Worth Tx
Posts: 49
It sucked... I could not take the Shawk because I had to haul a load of stuff for the wife. The roads were pretty good down there though. We did lots of scouting for the next time...what's up with the Hardley riders all doing 50mph in a 70mph zone all the time? The roads were good enough for my pickup to do 75 with a load but every time I came up to a gaggle of them, they were poking!
