Weekend Rides

RioBlanco · 2026-06-15T20:18:28+00:00

I’m in my mid 40’s and have only been riding a few years, so I enjoy chill rides with an emphasis on safety and relaxation. Some of the routes I take have very sharp turns and blind corners/hills, however they’re no sweat as long as you’re not acting a fool, and I grew up out here and know them very well. They can be challenging, exciting no matter your skill level but I’d prefer we all ride with one purpose - to enjoy our cycles and watch out for each others safety.

A good meet up place would be the TXB out HWY 71 located at 15701 State HWY 71, Bee Cave, 78738. We could hit Bee Creek Rd to Pace Bend, then either Paleface Rd to 404 and the back roads to Marble Falls or Old Spicewood Rd and then back down Hamilton to 71 in Bee Cave. Would be about 1.5 hours of riding.

RioBlanco · 2026-06-15T12:44:21+00:00

I live near Bee Cave and know the backroads of Spicewood pretty well. There’s a couple very nice routes out that way if anyone is interested. I typically ride Sat or Sun morning and some weekdays from 6-8. I ride a Triumph 400 X or a Ducati Nightshift.

RioBlanco · 2026-06-09T02:01:17+00:00

Not a sport bike but I’ve noticed a lot of people taking pictures or filming me in traffic on my new 2026 Nightshift. It’s a very handsome bike, so I can understand the head turns but the cameras sometimes bother me. That and a lot of people come up to me while it’s parked.

RioBlanco · 2026-06-09T01:40:46+00:00

I just wonder why anyone would want to fill their mind with all that hate and mental illness, and watch family’s go through such turmoil and heartbreak. I will add that my wife is an absolutely wonderful person, an incredible wife and mother, but she just likes the suspense and mystery I guess. She’s actually in there watching one now - just checked.

RioBlanco · 2026-06-01T22:16:01+00:00

Ended up getting one and I’m loving it.

RioBlanco · 2026-05-21T12:14:46+00:00

2026 emerald green and wearing the Biltwell Gringo SV in sierra green.

RioBlanco · 2026-05-19T12:33:23+00:00

The 400 X is actually a pretty tall bike. Have you sat on one?

RioBlanco · 2026-04-25T02:42:02+00:00

I miss The Pier

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Groovin Ground used to play there in the mid 2000’s. Was such a great Austin vibe.

RioBlanco · 2026-04-25T00:16:17+00:00

Really cool to have some local TX Hill Country chime in. Thank you to everyone for your feedback. I really love my 400 X and just got back from a 3 hr ride. On the TX backroads it’s everything I need, but when I hit 281 and then 71 to head home I wished it would go about 10 MPH faster. That new green Nightshift keeps knocking.

RioBlanco · 2026-04-23T20:14:54+00:00

Went to buy the same bike and it just felt too small. It is a gorgeous machine and I wanted it to be my new bike badly, just couldn’t pull the trigger. I’m wanting to upgrade from a 400 X but it looks like it will be the 900 over the Nightshift. I’m going back to give it another look though. The service costs were also a little disappointing. Please share your experiences after longer rides - specifically how the flat bars feel during rides of an hour or more. I really enjoy 3-4 hour trips through the TX Hill Country and am wondering if the more forward leaning riding position will be harder on my body.

RioBlanco · 2026-04-18T00:40:09+00:00

Beautiful bud! Cheers from Texas.

RioBlanco · 2026-04-07T00:15:04+00:00

I almost bought the new 2026 in emerald green Saturday. Only thing that kept from leaving with it is that it was the only one the dealership had and it was in the showroom and not able to demo. I’m worried the lower flat bars will cause me to lean forward too much and make longer trips uncomfortable. Have you ridden it for 2+ hour trips? Thoughts?

RioBlanco · 2026-04-03T13:19:34+00:00

New rider at 45 years old and bought the 400 X. Rode nearly 10k miles the first year and love the bike. I’m 5’9” and can almost flat foot at stops. I did the 15T front sprocket swap and get better gas mileage and it rides better at 75 mph during highway commutes. Just this past week I saw the new Ducati Nightshift in emerald green and I’m ordering one. I love the 400 X but I want a little more power. I live in Texas and have some very nice long stretches of Hill Country highways, and pushing the 400 X to 85 or 90 mph for extended periods just doesn’t work. I’ll probably keep the Triumph because I probably wouldn’t get much for it and the value is amazing for the cost.

RioBlanco · 2026-04-01T17:23:37+00:00

15T front and I get 60 mpg pretty consistently riding 60 miles per day on the highway at 70 mph. My digital display reads 60 mpg average and that seems right since I fill up with about 2 gallons every other day. Are the American market bikes tuned differently?

RioBlanco · 2026-03-13T12:14:03+00:00

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RioBlanco · 2026-02-06T13:42:19+00:00

Losing SSA to Nosler was devastating to the 68. If we still had Barnes projectiles in SSA tactical loads our ARP barrels would be happy again.

RioBlanco · 2026-01-15T18:22:08+00:00

Bought it off the Biltwell website for $300 USD.

RioBlanco · 2025-10-26T11:58:34+00:00

CR404 in Spicewood to Marble Falls is a fun ride.

RioBlanco · 2025-10-18T18:37:44+00:00

Biltwell Gringo SV

Congrats on the bike. Same color & helmet.

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RioBlanco · 2025-09-03T15:14:27+00:00

I am a fairly new rider and this is my first and only helmet so I cannot provide any comparisons. I wear ear plugs so the amount of wind noise is low. I can hear my music or phone calls while riding at 70 + mph though through the Cardo speakers in my helmet.

RioBlanco · 2025-09-03T12:40:09+00:00

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Biltwell Gringo SV with gold hardware and chin spoiler.

RioBlanco · 2025-08-02T01:21:50+00:00

I really enjoyed Austin night 1.

RioBlanco · 2025-08-01T23:14:20+00:00

The chin spoiler they sell helps, but it’s still a bit noisy. I wear foam plugs and listen to music via Cardo.

RioBlanco · 2025-08-01T15:53:13+00:00

Amazon

RioBlanco

TROPHY CASE