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This kind of cold in Texas is so rare that they were not prepared for it and they had problems with all of their different kinds of generating plants. One nuclear unit shut down due to something freezing but it is back up. Many fossil fuel plants shut down but most are back on line. The majority of the wind generators are still off line. I think I heard on tv that due to the warmer weather in Texas, theirs does not have the capacity to deice the blades. I'll be interested to see the final report on what caused all the loss of power. Our modern civilization does not exist without electrical power. For the record, I spent my engineering career working on nuclear power plants and I think the country made a mistake not pursuing more nuke generators. No carbon dioxide coming from nukes. About 70% of France's elec power comes from nukes because they didn't want to spend their money buying coal and gas from other countries.

I have found a good, modern day touring jacket, like something our friend @VentureFar has written about for Ultimate, pretty much covers all the rain gear needs for those folks who require rain protection cause their region of riding does not offer warm summer rains that are actually a cooling off treat to the naked skin. I also like the multiple layering idea in prepping for cooler climates and always carried a few hooded sweatshirts in Tippy's clothing dept (trunk) roll up tightly and easily accessable. For sleeping quarters our 2 minute motel (tent) rolled up with 1" pad, sleeping bags laid out inside, and change of clothes for each (pillows) and then wrapped in a HF tarp to keep the rain out of our belongins worked awesome.. One really nice thing about tenting = NO TRAILER EVER, and ride till we were done (many +16 hour days of riding) and within a couple minutes we were sleeping,, behind a dumpster, under an abandoned gas station over hang, on the beaches of the Atlantic or Pacific coast, in a Cemetary, church parking lot, Walmart parking lot ect ect..

I know we’re laughing and joking about the weather, taking it in stride but I feel for those in Texas and areas that have no resources to deal with it. I told my wife this morning we come and go as we want, have power and water, along with backup generators and a freezer full of food. We’re on a well and have backup heat so we don’t depend on anybody else. Whenever we have an extended power outage the neighbors know there’ll be running water at the hydrant in my yard. In other words we don’t have the right to complain about it. We’re short handed at work right now so I’ve been pulling some 48 hour shifts and gone for long hours, knowing the wife has everything she needs while I’m gone means a lot.

When snow reaches all the way down in Alabama what do engineering students do? Fill the quad with 8’ snowmen.

I use Seafoam on anything that sits. I put 4 cans of it in the motorhome when I put it away for the Winter. I've an 87 Venture Standard that was last licensed in 2014, and I put a very heavy dose of Seafoam in it because I knew it wasn't likely to be used soon. I had pretty much dedicated myself to my 06 Venture, but still loved the 87 and couldn't let it go. I store these bikes in my pump shed, so they're out of the weather, and kept above freezing. Just for the heck of it, I tried to start the 87, and, believe it or not...she fired right up. As soon as I'm done bringing the old Nighthawk back, .... (and the snow melts enough to get the 87 the 300' to the work shed).....The 87 Venture is next on the list for a good going over. I think I'll try to put a few miles on her this year. Now lemme get that Nighthawk finished up.

Thinking the same thing.

When I moved to TX the guy buying our house in Northern OH wanted my grill. It was his sticking point. I took him into the garage and showed him my 36" 2 stage snow thrower. Said he could not have my grill. Look at that driveway (3 cars wide and ~50 long) do you want to shovel that or will the snow thrower do? needless to say I kept the grill LOL.

Certainly a lot of info! To add to my 1st post: Frog's Toggs. I got the heavier pants but the lightweight top. Came in handy when a cold front came through visiting @Flyinfool's house. Made for a much warmer run to the hotel an hour away! Simple pull over on top of jacket. Top also came in handy in Oklahoma when 2 storms merged into one in Oklahoma City. Rain! Also carried; stator and gasket set, fuel pump, fuel pump points, plugs, air compressor, tools, camping gear, clothes, cat litter pan liner to protect seat from rain and more! I was heavy with "stuff" for sure. New tires. Oil change. The normal stuff one does to prep the scoot was mandatory as well. Aside from a large, sharp thingie my rear tire decided to pick up outside of Chicago, I had no issues. BTW, watching @cowpuc put a plug on a tire in front of a Honda dealership was like watching a master at work! He wouldn't let me down there....mumbling something about me being a guest in his part of the world! Good people on this forum. So yes, if you decide to travel the roads....pick national 2 lanes...like 54, 70, 60 and enjoy the small towns and scenery. Also make sure you take along a list of VR members on the way you are traveling. You won't find a better bunch of guys and gals! Enjoy... Pics: Left saddlebag. Right saddlebag. Camping, clothes on pillion and light stuff on tour pack rack. Tour pack (note the toilet paper!) david

Menards sells 25' 2 inch plastic flexible drain pipe CHEAP!! Have used it for years as exhaust extension while working in our basement.. If you decide to go that route it is a really good idea to take some thin wall conduit and extend the ends of your pipes on the bike a couple feet to allow the exhaust to cool off before it gets to the plastic.

adding to all the great advice above, a couple of my MK1's developed gas guzzling tendencies that took them wellll below their customary +40 mpg and I was only able to get them back on course by dropping the carb slide main jet needles down. The last time I had to it it took almost 1mm of shim before my mpg's returned. I have a hunch that over time the emulsion tubes will wear/oblong enough to allow excess fuel into the carb circuitry.. Dropping those needles cured it..

Unc, Those Night Hawks were great little power houses! I had the Silver Hawk a while back. Not as cool looking but still a snappy little ride. BTW, My dislexia still makes me see Uncle Jedi when I see your tag! Now, back on topic; My '83 never got great MPG. I could coax 32 MPG if I road very carefully, but I averaged 29 MPG. She pulled like a V-Max and was happiest at 100 mph. I know the carbs and ignition were good as they were all new or rebuilt. My '86 averages around 38 MPG and my '06 got 39 and 42 MPG the two times I checked.

The carbs were dirty and had 1 diaphragm that was misaligned causing the machine to run very lean. that’s where the heat was coming from. thanks to all. Mike

Hey uncledj I would think that the safety cone would just be TARGET PRACTICE for most plowers! Also got dumped with around 10" to 12" of snow and freezing cold air. Had to go out after snow plow went by and dumped over a foot of hard snow at end of the12 neighbors I help out!

Reminds us of a ride back to Toronto from Florida many yrs ago in near-freezing temps.. We're in a Walmart for a 'coffee-break warm-up' somewhere in Tennessee, and spot a young Cdn. Kid riding a mid-sizer with zero protection. Ordinary jacket and Jeans! Temp barely above freezing, right? the Kid's trying to hang on to his Coffee with hands shaking so badly the drink was spraying everywhere. We asked, and he had only enough money for the Coffee. Didn't have much either, but tossed $20 to him, and said: "Go find a two-piece Hazmat Suit (or at least the Top), and put it on over everything dry you still have in the bag. It will keep you warm and dry enough to at least get to the Border. Sure hope he did; we weren't doing that well ourself! Rgds, WRIDR

When we take off for a ride for 4 days or more .. Make sure the bike is good to go and carry enough extra fuel for 50 miles .. Rain gear , all clothing is double packed in garbage bags . Make sure my CAA .. insurance with health coverage is up to date and they know where we are going GPS is handy while riding ,, but I still carry paper road maps I reserve and prepay for a motel room for at night ..( some people call me a sissy but at 74 years I don't care ) Ran into a hail storm in 2018 , 1 1/2 inch balls of ice , broken windshield , torn blue jeans , bruised on parts of the body We were 10 minutes from the nearest town or safety , kept on riding at a slow speed because there was no shelter anywhere else .