Who says you need a sports car or a motorcycle to run the Dragon?

[Tobashadow]

[quote name="Sam1" post="1135781" timestamp="1396992036"]sure it sucks, but it made me grow up real quick and appreciate things I never did before. The guy on that second bike didn't make it through though, he was only wearing a brain bucket when he hit the ditch and passed the next day in critical care next to my room. Also shows you that proper gear WILL save your life, 60+ feet down a cliff and I'm still breathing... other dude hit a small ditch at 15-20mph and lost his life.[/quote] That truly sucks, what happened? As in did you or him slide and catch the other or too far out of lane? And not to dig further but what was the after affect to you? While we were there someone on a bike didn't make the curve after passing a truck, I didn't stick around to see the aftermath since there was too many onlookers already and they was getting proper care at that point. I stayed with the flow of traffic and made sure to use every pull off I could for bikes especially. The wife's ain't stock by far, she wanted a four door with cargo capacity but drives like a car and sporty but she's also short lol so a truck was out. So a bit of fab work later it's stiffer lower and custom turbo v6 powered. So honestly no one waited on me but I made sure not to be in the way either, I dove off at even the slightest exhaust noise behind me before they was even in sight. We was in the area and the wife had never been on it.

[Murgatroy]

I have been hosting a meet up there for over ten years, one of the first things I tell people is not to let it outdrive you. It is easy to get behind someone and think you have to keep up. That is a quick way off the mountain.

[tnguy]

Another thing there, it's good courtesy to let people pass if they are going faster than you on that road (and there are a great many opportunities to pull over) but this also has the benefit that the person who prefers to take their time will not feel pressured by people crowding them from behind.

 

Likewise, if someone is really slow-poking it, it's sometimes worth pulling off just to let them get down the road a while. Though sometimes you'll find yourself catching them up distressingly quickly.

Edited April 9, 2014 by tnguy

[teecro]

(and the traffic didn't help)

 

That one sentence is what has kept me from the Dragon on numerous trips to NC.... I've no desire to wait in line with my ticket at an amusement park or hassle with traffic that for the most part can't drive worth a crap on good roads much less a road that demands skill behind the wheel... Enjoy the Skyway, tooled away on the BRP and many other roads... One day I'll go do the Dragon but it's not on the bucket list...

[teecro]

I have been hosting a meet up there for over ten years, one of the first things I tell people is not to let it outdrive you. It is easy to get behind someone and think you have to keep up. That is a quick way off the mountain.

 

In the bike world we say "Ride Your Own Ride" last rally I went to I saw it happen to gent on a near to new ZG1400 Concours he tried keeping with the group that knew the road and their bikes; broken shoulder and broken bike...

[teecro]

Another thing there, it's good courtesy to let people pass if they are going faster than you on that road (and there are a great many opportunities to pull over) but this also has the benefit that the person who prefers to take their time will not feel pressured by people crowding them from behind.

 

Likewise, if someone is really slow-poking it, it's sometimes worth pulling off just to let them get down the road a while. Though sometimes you'll find yourself catching them up distressingly quickly.

 

That would be me your passing as when we go on vacation I'm the driver so I've got to watch the road and it makes it hard to look at the sights; so I'm always watching the mirror and pulling over to let folks pass. I want to see the sights while I drive so I drive a little slow...

[tnguy]

That one sentence is what has kept me from the Dragon on numerous trips to NC.... I've no desire to wait in line with my ticket at an amusement park or hassle with traffic that for the most part can't drive worth a crap on good roads much less a road that demands skill behind the wheel... Enjoy the Skyway, tooled away on the BRP and many other roads... One day I'll go do the Dragon but it's not on the bucket list...

 

There is a lot of time when it is actually pretty clear. Saturday during the day is usually not much fun but visit another day of the week or very early in the morning (or late at night) and it can be almost empty. 

 

The road itself is not much of a sightseeing road. Until you get to the overlook, it's trees one side and rocks the other.

Edited April 9, 2014 by tnguy

[Sam1]

Sam, were you the guy that hit the rock wall on the right northbound just before mile marker 4? I remember that crash.

That was the guy that died, he wrecked the exact time I did but about 1 mile closer to the store than where I went over. It's the second bike on the back of the wrecker.

@Toba, they were separate accidents, just at the same time. Mine was because I changed tire types and was running the old air pressures in the new ones when the Dunlop front needed 3 pounds less. Going around a bend, too much front brake and it washed out at about 15mph. Kicked off the bike like you do on the track and there just happpened to be a huge cliff there instead of a ditch... Worst and best luck of my life, no guardrails and no oncoming traffic and a paramedic seen the wreck and he was able to save me from bleeding out.

Aftereffect... LOL, $700k worth of medical procedures, 27 major fractures, it was so bad my femur was completely severed in multiple places, hip disintegrated and they had to let it grow back for 3years before they could do a replacement.... Which I go in for the first of two surgeries for next Friday. Edited April 9, 2014 by Sam1

[Mdunntn]

Dont mind us, we're just neons.



Sent from my SCH-R530U using Tapatalk 2

[Spiffy]

I got lost coming back into TN after going over the mountain in Tellico. The new gal I was seeing was helping me find my way back and we came down the Dragon.  I think I wore out a brake pads on my brand new SUV lol.

[peejman]

I got lost coming back into TN after going over the mountain in Tellico. The new gal I was seeing was helping me find my way back and we came down the Dragon. I think I wore out a brake pads on my brand new SUV lol.

Shouldn't need to use the brakes much at all. Shift to a lower gear and maintain a steady pace.

The majority of vehicles will generate at least 0.7g cornering force. The majority of drivers chicken out at about 0.4g.

[whitewolf001]

Met this guy about 5 years ago. 

The original Dragon Slayer and founder of the Deals Gap Riding Society, Doug Snavely on his Cyborg, picture taken at the Overlook October 2000.

http://tailofthedragon.com/dragon_history_story.html

 

I talked to him in front of the tree of shame, at the time his bike was primered gray but it was the same one in the picture. He apparently can do the whole run under 12 minutes on his Cyborg which is a modified 79 Goldwing.

[wareagle]

I run the dragon a couple of times per month, but I prefer many other roads.

Below is a pic of my mazdaspeed. It's the low grey one with huge intercooler. ;)

[Currently]

Got some great advice from a local the first year I rode there, ride one end to the other without using your brakes.

That is a lot more difficult than it seems.

"Slow is smooth ... smooth is fast ..."

Spent many a day there ... made the decision to sell the SV this year and take a maybe permanent break from riding.

[tnguy]

Shouldn't need to use the brakes much at all. Shift to a lower gear and maintain a steady pace.

The majority of vehicles will generate at least 0.7g cornering force. The majority of drivers chicken out at about 0.4g.

 

I figure if my tires are speaking to me, I'm probably about right (in a car). On a bike, it's all about finding the zone.