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Tail of the Dragon

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jkelley82

jkelley82

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Apr 19, 2009
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Location
Rhonesboro, TX
First Name
Jeremy
Last Name
Kelley
Planning on making a 4 to 5 day trip out to the dragon. I'm not sure if I will ride a bike there or trailer multiple bikes, that depends on timing.
I have some questions for you guys that have gone there before.

1) is there a month that is better than others? Less crowded, better weather and so on.
2) are there any dirt roads that would make trailering out the Vstrom along with the Bandit or the other bike I have my sights on worth while?
3) are there any MUST SEE or MUST EAT at places that should be worked in as well?

I plan on making the following loop at least twice while there.
 

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The dragon is overrated in my opinion. Hit it on the weekdays is less crowded. Plenty of other good roads to ride in the area that aren’t well known like 129. Can’t comment on dirt in the area. NW Arkansas has a lot of nice asphalt and is much closer and yeah, lots of dirt roads too. But if you’ve never been to the dragon, you gotta get the shirt.
 
Tom said:
The dragon is overrated in my opinion. Hit it on the weekdays is less crowded. Plenty of other good roads to ride in the area that aren’t well known like 129. Can’t comment on dirt in the area. NW Arkansas has a lot of nice asphalt and is much closer and yeah, lots of dirt roads too. But if you’ve never been to the dragon, you gotta get the shirt.
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I think a big part of it is the hype built up by it. It is a ride I plan on taking someday, just not sure when.
Also, just looking on a map there seem to be dozens of other roads in the area that look just as fun, but do seem to have a lot more residences and interconnecting roads on them.

And I also have heard that mid week, regardless of time of year, is the time to go.
 
I lived in Knoxville back in 74-75 and rode a LOT while there. It wasn't called anything back then that I can remember, but the speed limit was 55mph the whole time. The only thing that made that road outstanding was the lack of side roads and driveways. There are dozens of equal or better roads in the immediate area.
 
Valker said:
I lived in Knoxville back in 74-75 and rode a LOT while there. It wasn't called anything back then that I can remember, but the speed limit was 55mph the whole time. The only thing that made that road outstanding was the lack of side roads and driveways. There are dozens of equal or better roads in the immediate area.
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You don't by chance remember any of those roads do you? This will be a long trip for 11 miles of hype, even though the entire mapped out route is something like 160m minus getting there and back
 
jkelley82 said:
Planning on making a 4 to 5 day trip out to the dragon. I'm not sure if I will ride a bike there or trailer multiple bikes, that depends on timing.
I have some questions for you guys that have gone there before.

1) is there a month that is better than others? Less crowded, better weather and so on.
2) are there any dirt roads that would make trailering out the Vstrom along with the Bandit or the other bike I have my sights on worth while?
3) are there any MUST SEE or MUST EAT at places that should be worked in as well?

I plan on making the following loop at least twice while there.
Click to expand...
1.) any time school is in session
2.) plenty, see "dirt dragon"
3.) plenty! Depends are where you are going to stay/stop at. Ask a local (off season might have the best places closed)

Tons of great roads out there, dirt and street.
 
I've been there 3 times, the most recent being a few weeks ago. There really is no other road quite like the dragon. The number of curves that are immediately back to back to back, the banked curves, the always pretty good pavement, and the total lack of any driveways are things that no other road has that I have found yet. I've ridden quite a few of the top roads that quite a few magazines and publications say are in the US and there is still nothing quite like the Dragon. And then the last thing on the Dragon is probably why quite a few folks throw out the over-hyped term all too often. With the dragon there is the spectacle of it. Go on a busy weekend day in mid-summer and it is a mix of burning man, MotoGP, and a seedy carnival that just setup in that strip center down the road. For some folks that is a huge turn off as they don't want anyone else around to discover their good road. I call it Terlingua'itis. :rofl:

Are there other good roads out there, heck yeah there are! In fact there are a bunch of them. You could spend 4-5 days riding different roads each day and still miss out on quite a few. When you are there, make sure to make some time to visit the Wheels Through Time museum and chat with the folks that run it. It is a truly one of a kind museum and even if you aren't an American motorcycle fan, it is really awesome what they are doing.

As for a time to go, I always was told that the weeks before Memorial Day and the weeks following Labor Day are the best times to go, so that is when I've always gone. You are there before the normal summer traffic, and you also have the best chances at good weather. Mid-week is always a good bet for riding the dragon. Save a weekend day for Wheels Through Time and I feel it would be time much better spent. I can't comment on the dirt out there as I've always gone that way for the good pavement.

For your route, it looks good but I wouldn't ride it more than once. There are a bunch of other roads to be ridden just a little bit to the east and to the south of that route that need to be explored. Make sure to include the portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway around Maggie Valley in that list. Sure the speed limit is 45mph, but you won't be going much faster than that anyway.

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If you dont have one yet.....I can send ya a Butler Southern Appalachia map.....or any of the 4 other eastern US mountain region maps. (I have all Butler maps at $11ea rite now)
The S App map has portions of AL GA TN NC & SC with the best roads highlighted in 3 diff colors depending on the level of best...bestest...or OH WOW. You wont believe the sheer number of highlighted roads! Theyre everywhere.

& I actually found..that after riding several of those roads with bac2bac twistiness...a little unwind time on the gentler Blue Ridge Pkwy curves was welcome.

Take the Strom.....either one. On most of the roads the Bandits speed wont matter.
I rode over on a mix of State & US hwys thru N LA ..MS..AL & GA. 1st nite in Meridian MS. Comin bac I rode TN... AR & E TX. Not a bad way ta go
 

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Jeremy. Don’t listen to the nay sayers … the Dragon is awesome but much more fun on a smaller bike. I did it 20 years ago on my DRz400s. We were passing Goldwings and even a few sport bikes. It is very tight😎. Great scenery all over.
 
The Jack Daniel’s distillery is between here and there, and so is Graceland, and the Dragon is fun to do. I’ve done it twice 20 years ago and 18 years ago. Glad to say I’ve done it, but I am looking forward to all the other good roads that are waiting to be discovered.
 
The Dragon is great, everyone should do it. It's like Pike's Peak, it's not the best view on top, but it's an iconic mountain. The Tail is not the best motorcycle road, but it is one of the best known roads. The best thing about the tail is the lack of driveways and side roads. I've ridden it on a 1970 YDS6, FZ1 and a DRZ400. Nobody passed me on either. SAFE passing is extremely hard unless there is an enormous difference in riding skills. Scenery is lacking because of dense forest. If you're going to do it twice, make one of them on the weekend so you can see a wide variety of bikes at the top. Ride the Tail at least 3 times on each loop, go down, up and back down. When you ride your loop again, reverse it, but still do the Tail 3 times, this time up, down and back up. Avoid Gatlinburg unless you enjoy heavy stop and go traffic or you are an extreme miniature golf fan. The Little River Gorge road is a very nice bypass around Gatlinburg. Highway 32 north of the Tail and inside Great Smoky Mountain NP, is one of the best roads in the area in my opinion. The problem is there is not a good way to get to it if you are in the region of the tail.
 
Awesome guys, thank you. I plan on doing this in the spring before memorial day. Depending on how the stars align with my kids school and wife's work will depend on if I ride out or drive. We have family in charrlotte that they would like to go see, so if they make it, I'll unload and kiss them goodbye for a few days then meet them in Charlotte when I'm ready.
 
We camped there for a couple days. Great ride but there is a ton of great stuff in the area. We did stop at JD. As it was it was just kind of "interesting" watching the people.
 
Wow. So, I just did the Tail this summer. I'll be echoing a few previous comments, but here's my take:

  • Go on Mon-Wed and go early
  • Give riders in front space and be prepared to use the infrequent turnoffs to let tiny supermotos by
  • Do not try to keep up with tiny supermotos, lest your ego and heart muscle suffer the effects of contraction
  • Mind your fuel level if riding the dragon into the dark (which I don't recommend without REALLY good lights), because the pumps close when the shop closes (at five or six...I think). There's later-night fuel in Robbinsville about 18 miles south. If I remember correctly, the Gap store is also cash only.
  • I will try to update this with better specifics if they arrive in my brain - but I'd suggest 28 along the Cheoha, 129 along the Cheoha and the Cheoha Dam itself. 28 is RIGHT BY the lake. It's slow, but gorgeous.
  • On my way back south and west, I took 74 in TN and came across the Ocoee Whitewater Center. There is a big pull-in there where you can get out and walk down to have a look at (what I thought) was impressive rapids. If it's open then, the Center offers canoe trips on the river there. Even if it's for a short pitstop, I deemed it worth it. Do note that the restrooms outside are composting. Outside of the whitewater, I found 74 a pretty nice run. Before you get to Ocoee, you can see a lot of the flume that runs down the mountain.
  • The foliage is quite thick, I am wondering how much you'd still need to look out for leaves or rivulets crossing the roads in March...
  • Not so much on the Tail, but be wary of earth falling onto the roadway on 129.
 
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If you're going to go there...
it's not far away and it's a lot more fun IMHO (fewer roadside tax collectors too)

The Snake 421, "The Best of The Snake Motorcycle Ride"

The Snake 421 travels 112 miles a heavily traveled Motorcycle and Sport Car Ride. The Best of the Snake, is a 37 mile section of The Snake, with 489 curves
www.thesnake421.com

The Dragon is great too, enjoy it, but check the tree of shame first, it's a good reminder of what not to do.
There's several other really nice rides in the general vicinity that would keep me entertained for a week.
 
Lots of good riding all over that area. If you trailer you could benefit running new sticky rubber on the Bandit for that trip unless you're not aggressive in the corners.
 
If you have a few days after the Dragon, look at these for entertainment.

From Waynesville, 209 to Hot Springs, 25 east about 10 miles, then 208 to 212 to 352 to Erwin Tn then 395 to NC 197 to 226 to Bakersville, then 261 to Tn143 to Roan Mountain. Now get to Shady Valley (I prefer running up 91) for the already mentioned 421/Snake, turn around in Mountain City and do it again. Now get to Meadowview, I-81 exit 24. Take 80 north take your time, some of it is 1 lane wide, to 19, east to Tazewell, and 16 back south to Marion. (Do NOT be temped to take 91 between 80 and 16 on a street bike, it is dirt up & over the mountain as Forest Rd 48) Continue south on 16 to 58, west on 58 to 194 to Boone and 321 through Hickory to Lincolnton and 27 in Charlotte. Plenty more options if time permits.
 
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