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Tail of the Dragon @ Deals Gap

ZRider

ZRider

Joined Apr 2014
77 Posts | 0+
The Apex, TN
'Twas a great day in TN yesterday (Tues., 5-6-14) for riding twisties. The Hyperstrada does an awesome job in the mountains. My new Michelin PP3's are scrubbed-in and grip like a cat-on-a-carpet! Cornering confidence is ultra high. During warm weather, the Dragon is so popular on the weekends that I prefer to ride it Monday-Thursday. On weekdays, there's much less chance of being center-punched by an on-coming bike or car that overshoots its turn into your lane on a blind curve while you are committed to a full lean. :rolleyes: It happens with regularity. But, the road is among the world's best for twisties and the area is really amazing about noon on a sunny Saturday. I've seen the Deals Gap Resort (at the south end of the Dragon) so crowded that it was difficult to find a place to put my kick stand down in a very large parking lot. It's great sport just sitting on the resort porch to watch the circus. Every kind of bike, muscle car and sports car, vintage and new, can be seen there if you hang out long enough. Since I live 30 minutes away, I get there weekly. Life is plenty rough for a Duc-loving retiree. :D Cheers!

duc_dragon1_1280.jpg
 
Jealous!!! I spent a week down there exactly 2 years ago. Had a ball. So many great rides around there. Unfortunately the 1,000 mile commute to get there really sucks. I am hoping to get down there again, possibly this fall. Great Pic..is that from KillBoy?

Also, did you move to that area after retirement? I am seriously thinking about heading that way when I retire in a couple more years.
 
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C'mon down...the Dragon awaits. :p No, that is not a KillBoy shot but he is the original and probably the best among 5 or so photo services on the Dragon at various times/places. The pic is from http://moonshinephoto.com. I moved to Maryville last August (after my wife passed away) and I also grew up here. Love the moderate climate, the southern people and...the mountain roads. There's no state income tax here, nor emissions inspections, and it's a "Mecca" of sorts for hot rods, sports cars and bikes. Message me, if you like, next time you come this way and we'll tickle that old Dragon with a double dose of Ducati! :cool:
 
I've read a small article about this road. Next year I may plan to visit some folks down in the States and I'm thiking about this path a lot. Hummmmmm. lol
 
NewRider said:
I've read a small article about this road. Next year I may plan to visit some folks down in the States and I'm thiking about this path a lot. Hummmmmm. lol
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Cool. About the only folks I've ever seen regret a trip to the Dragon are the few who...crash. :eek: If you respect the Dragon, he rarely bites. Plenty of Canadians ride or trailer in and grin a lot. ;)
 
Yep, it's crazy...and addictive. I haven't personally counted the curves (too focused on riding) but other folks have and the consensus is 318 curves in 11 miles = "Tail of the Dragon". The pic above is commonly repeated throughout the 11 mile ride. Some curves are more gradual. Some are more extreme. Some are decreasing radius curves that greatly surprise casual riders. If you like sport-type motorcycles, this place should be on your bucket list...! :)
 
me too

I was fortunate to ride the Dragon in '07 on my old ST2. I was on my one and only cross US junket on the way to a Duc ST meet in WV and stopped to visit with a fellow ST owner in Knoxville. It was a great day, he took me on all sorts of roads in that area. It was also a weekday, which meant the parking lot was only 1/4 full! Wonderful area for a twisties lover to live in.
 
st2cmack said:
I was fortunate to ride the Dragon in '07 on my old ST2. I was on my one and only cross US junket on the way to a Duc ST meet in WV and stopped to visit with a fellow ST owner in Knoxville. It was a great day, he took me on all sorts of roads in that area. It was also a weekday, which meant the parking lot was only 1/4 full! Wonderful area for a twisties lover to live in.
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Glad you had the "Dragon" experience. It's not easily forgotten and it really tunes-up riding skills! :)
 
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