I've been going every other year for a long time, missed my trip this year. I've stayed a bunch of places. IMO Franklin, NC is the best hq for riding the area.
I usually save up $1k over 2 yrs for the trip. I am 1000mi 1 way, drive truck w bike in back and stay in a hotel. Fuck camping... I want a shower and a bed after a long day of sweating my balls off in full leathers.
I can volunteer to lead rides, help plan routes, etc.
One thing I will say is, I don't care how good you are or how long you've been riding - if you've never ridden this area, prepare to be humbled. The roads are very technical and challenging and you will tire out fast.
Seb is nominated as official navigator. Even though I live here, I've only been twice. Put on about 500 miles each time, probably 18 or 20 trips over the gap, and I'm still a super novice. It is a physical and mental workout
I'm a solid maybe as well. It all depends on timing/money. Also depends on if I can get the KZ registered. If not I can always ride the cruiser. Wouldn't be the first time I've dragged the pegs and pipes
Check out the Microtel in Franklin. Multiple food options in walking distance, lots within a short drive. Beer in walking distance. Go kart track in the backyard. We had 3 kegs of microbrew at the last meet, they let us use the ice machine to fill tubs to keep them in. And we rolled them from the front yard to the back yard into the lobby when it rained on their bellhop carts
Also, my burnout entry pic/video was taken in their parking lot... nobody said a word to us about it.
The best part is, the start of 28 is just a few miles away. Ride all of 28 to get to the Dragon, run the Dragon, take 28 back. I could (and have) made days out of doing just that. Then you can also take 129 back to Robbinsville, or hit the Skyway, or take 28 south to N. Georgia... like I said, great HQ...
I'm a maybe. I can only plan things a couple months ahead with any kind of accuracy. I'd also rather do a cabin than camp. But like Seb said, going to a hotel and taking a shower at the end of the day is nice.
I've been to a bunch of other roads in that area too but I've only been to the dragon 2 times. First time was with the Duke and went through it probably 6 or 8 times, went down with the bike, and then almost ran out of gas because it was really early in the year and the main gas station there wasn't open and I had no service to find the nearest one so I was wandering around aimlessly trying to find fuel. Second time was with the gsxr1000 and I went through it 6 times after already riding 3.5 hours through rain to get there and then another 4.5 hours of riding afterwards before I could call it a night. Both times I was completely drained by the time I stopped.
We'll just keep this thread rolling and as we get towards year end, we can hash out the particulars. I'm more than willing to make the reservations, bring chase truck/trailer/tools since I'm close (ish)
Friends and I were talking about hauling the 80's out there next year to ride the Dragon. I don't know if I'll have a street legal road worthy bike next Spring.
Me and the wife took her Mini Cooper S on it about 4 years ago, and we saw a bike pass us and then saw it off the side of a hill about 10 minutes later....stopped to see about help, but he had some friends somewhere on the road to come back and help.
I should have the new ignition/powervalve box programmed on the RGV VJ23 by then. It would be the perfect place to use the bike for what it was designed for....:rock:
Having a bike isn't the problem, it's making sure my van can get there and back to work by Monday AM
I've been there a bunch of times. More than the Dragon and I prefer the Snake over the Dragon. Not quite so tight and technical but still enough to make you tired by the end of the afternoon.
I did the Snake and Dragon a few years ago in early March and there was frost on the bikes in the morning. Things were dry by the afternoon but it was still chilly.
I gotta see what my school schedule looks like but put me as a definite maybe. Maybe try to do it over my spring break? March 10th-18th is what i am seeing right now. Back at class on the 19th
I gotta see what my school schedule looks like but put me as a definite maybe. Maybe try to do it over my spring break? March 10th-18th is what i am seeing right now. Back at class on the 19th
Done that loop numerous times. Make sure you stop at every gas station if running it with a Hawk. No gas on the Skyway, little tanks don't last long running the big hills.
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