Drove the Tail of the Dragon

[2SScamaro2010]

When you go down the middle of the week that's when most of the enthusiast go and it's not bad, I only had problems with one person not moving over when I got behind him. Whenever some one came flying up on me I moved over the first chance I got.

[NotYetLegend]

Haha sorry to sound brash, I'm just releasing some frustration and making a few jokes. I have nothing against the people being there, its not like they were doing anything dangerous or illegal, just frustrating to be so outnumbered. I was there at about 9am on a Thursday before the 4th so it wasn't packed yet but everyone was starting to roll in.

My favorite part of the dragon was definitely the other roads around it. Went through the state park to get from the NC side of the dragon to Gatlinburg TN, roads all really amazing.

[Smoke 'em]

When we were driving the car home in April we stopped off there but never made it to the tail. We only got as far as Cade's Cove because some jack ass in a F-150 Supercrew came hauling ass around a real tight turn in the middle of the road. One of those, you can't see what is coming at you until it gets there, kind of turns. My wife was driving and we almost hit them. I would have been pissed to say the least. Needless to say it freaked my wife out so we just drove to the scenic loop, took some pics, and I drove back out because she refused to go anywhere else around there after that.

[13umble13ee]

Good to see they finally found a good use for the trashcans GM calls mufflers

[fz4k98]

Originally Posted by NotYetLegend

OK so long story short; amazing road ruined by Harley Davidson. But onto something interesting:

So I had just driven "the tail" (lame) and pulled over at an obvious stop on the NC side. I'm standing there taking a picture of this dragon made of auto parts and I notice some 5th Gen Camaro bits in there!



How many can you spot?

Wow: A motorcycle company can ruin a persons drive in a car through a mountain road? It may not be the motorcycle company but your perception of it. Kind of like hearing about over testosterone, sports car drivers posing as racers?

I have been riding all kinds of cycles for over 38 years. I currently ride a Harley but not to the bar, not in groups tying up traffic and not posing for pictures. I am just riding a Harley and sometimes when the timing is right I am scraping the floorboards staying with a sports car in the curvy back roads.

[Destructo09]

All i'm saying, is if you're on your cruiser, I better be hearing floor boards or mufflers scraping. Otherwise let me by while I blast past you on my FZ1

I came from a V star 1100 and my floor boards were plenty worn down. I moved to the FZ1 and man is it so much more fun. I can't figure out how Harley riders can stand their teeth being shook loose. My V star was fairly smooth for a V twin and I still traded it because it wasn't smooth enough.

I do prefer the more quiet back roads though so I can blast around the corners at more than double the posted limit, whether it be in the 'Maro or on the FZ1.

Also, car guys, for the consideration of us bike riders, please don't cross the double yellow!

[thkfast]

Originally Posted by NotYetLegend

Its Harley's fault for all this " lifestyle marketing" horseshit that they sell. People just want to "look" like a Harley rider or something... they have no interest in actually gaining cycle riding proficiency. Just find the gnarliest road they can, drive from one side to the other over and over buying stickers and t shirts, turn in early and tell their friends how bad ass their "lifestyle" is. The whole thing is gross to me.

Remove the Harley bar, the sticker shop and the bike motel and you would have one hell of a road.

^ Wow! Spot on. And, ever notice how every Harley-Davidson has a "SKULL" of some kind on it? What's with the skulls?

[NotYetLegend]

Originally Posted by Destructo09

Also, car guys, for the consideration of us bike riders, please don't cross the double yellow!

Agreed! I NEVER cross the double yellow, that's a hard rule that is never to be broken. Countless accidents (and in the case of motorcycles, likely deaths) could be avoided every year by simply never crossing the double yellow. I do most of my fast driving at the track, and do sometimes blast down a back road, but crossing lanes is too much danger to the public (everyone else) that I could never have "fun" while being that much of a burden.

[NotYetLegend]

Originally Posted by fz4k98

Wow: A motorcycle company can ruin a persons drive in a car through a mountain road? It may not be the motorcycle company but your perception of it. Kind of like hearing about over testosterone, sports car drivers posing as racers?

I have been riding all kinds of cycles for over 38 years. I currently ride a Harley but not to the bar, not in groups tying up traffic and not posing for pictures. I am just riding a Harley and sometimes when the timing is right I am scraping the floorboards staying with a sports car in the curvy back roads.

Yeah I don't really think you see my point on this one. You've been a rider for a long time and you say you are proficient enough to scrape the floor boards etc... So I wouldn't mind being behind a rider like yourself on any road (I enjoy the sound of a big v twin of course). My issue was with the riders in front me going, no joke, 18mph... The reason I blame Harley Davidson as a company is because these riders would likely have never purchased a motorcycle if it wasn't for the marketing machine that is Harley Davidson. They obviously have no interest in gaining even enough confidence on their bikes to go the posted speed limit, they just buy into the lifestyle aspect of it and consider riding their Harley a "vacation" or something like that. That's fine of course, just have the situational awareness to get out of the way of people who perhaps have places to be or interests other than watching four people (easily totaling over a half ton of body weight) "vacation" at 18mph.

Man, all this backlash for what I said and I never even dipped into my hatred for the now epidemic "trikes"... Stuck behind one of those too, I'll keep the rant to myself however to not offend any of the more sensitive leather-wearers.

[Quick]

18 mph and you couldn't pass them...turn in your man card today.

[Angrybird 12]

Originally Posted by Destructo09

Also, car guys, for the consideration of us bike riders, please don't cross the double yellow!

And that goes both ways, I can't tell you how many bikes I have seen crossing into the oncoming lane in curves, one almost hit my mirror leaned way over in my lane one time, I almost ran off the road swerving to miss him.

[tribaltalon]

I hate the typical harley rider with a passion. And i ride a harley. well sort of. a 2009 Night Rod Special. I rode sportbikes for 10+ years, and finally decided to mellow out just a little.. but riding in harley groups puttering around and watching a bunch of completely inadequate riders is both mind numbing and terrifying.

[b4z]

If I had a dollar for very time I have been on the dragon behind a slow motorcycle I'd be rich. I don't get why they don't pull over. And I'm in a GTO with coilovers, not the hottest combo on 4 wheels.

[b4z]

The curve where killboy sits is famous for crotch rockets straightlining and either going off the cliff or hitting oncoming cars. Interesting trivia: most fatalities are going North into Tennessee, not south towards deals gap.