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Tail Of The Dragon

reimerdavid

New member
Okay when I was at the last chance rally people were talking abou the tail of the dragon something like 218 turns in 11 miles NICE!!! But here is my question has anyone rode it with a r100rs. I just want to know will my bike be able to do it and also if anyone has any tips for me "reimerdavids son" Thank You:bikes
 
Any bike can do it, go to the tailofthedragon web site and check for the best times to do, when traffic is light, etc. you might even get a picture of you riding it. Be carefull though its a challenging road, go for smoothness not speed!

RM
 
Yamaha Tour Deluxe

I used to live 30 miles from there and road the Tail often, even with a tank like the Tour Deluxe, a 1300cc V4 touring bike. If it was fun on that bike, you will be in heaven! There are many other rides in and around the area that are just as fun and less traveled too. ENJOY!
 
We were there the end of July- beginning of August. Weekends are crazy. Go mid-week if you can and early in the morning. Three people were killed riding the Dragon a couple days prior to the week-end we were there, and people were just riding/driving crazy, so we actually chose to check out some of the other local roads and save ther Dragon for a better day. Any road down there is a great ride.
 
Agree with RM, "smoothness not speed". (good tires and brakes).
Never been there but nearly every motor-head I know has been, all have various stories like rclyon3, most just glowing from the experience.
Depending on where you come from, getting there can be fantastic as well, especially if you hit VA (skyline drive), etc...
I also have a MINI and a couple Ducatis and intend to go there also, probably on a week day with good weather or with an organized rational group of riders/drivers.
I'd take my R75 on it, but that's another thing all together.
If you go, take pics, tell us about it, please.
 
Okay when I was at the last chance rally people were talking abou the tail of the dragon something like 218 turns in 11 miles NICE!!! But here is my question has anyone rode it with a r100rs. I just want to know will my bike be able to do it and also if anyone has any tips for me "reimerdavids son" Thank You:bikes

Here is a picture of my 1977 R100RS at Deals Gap, rode it up and back with no problems!
You have to know your own limitations and don't get over your head!
The bike had no problem keeping up with a Honda ST1100 and a Susuki GS 1100 Katana.

Darryl
 

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I never rode the Dragon, but it sure sounds a lot like Mt. Hamilton Road in San Jose. We count 419 turns in 19 miles there. I think a lot of the people injured on the Dragon must be from areas where there are few winding roads. Jerry " The Motorman" Palladino made a video about riding the Dragon where the local photographer said most accidents were caused by friends trying to ride over their heads to impress each other. Just take your own pace.
 
Okay when I was at the last chance rally people were talking abou the tail of the dragon something like 218 turns in 11 miles NICE!!! But here is my question has anyone rode it with a r100rs. I just want to know will my bike be able to do it and also if anyone has any tips for me "reimerdavids son" Thank You:bikes

Why wouldn't it be able to? It starts, right?!?!? ;) If not, start on the North end and coast down... :D
 
Tail of the Dragon

David:

I rode an R 100 RS for 16 years and found it to be a very capable cornering machine, although mine had had the usual frame and suspension mods installed.

I found there were only two milieus where it wasn't that great:

1. in gravel, where the rear end tended to squirm and there wasn't enough bar leverage to really feel comfortable;

2. on a paved goat track of a road, west of Sisters, Oregon that was so tight the bike couldn't get out of it's own way (this wonderful road would have been great for a 250 cc supermotard).

A few years ago I was in L.A. for a few days, and took my rent a car down the Angeles Crest Highway. At Newman's Ranch, I chatted up a bunch of squid pilots and they finally asked me what I rode. The guy said something like: "Yep, the RS, great handling bike, and they give you lots of warning before you get in over your head". Needless to say, I was pleased that the bike got this kind of respect from the sport bike crowd.

So have fun on the Dragon.

Rinty
 
I had no problems riding the "Tail" a couple of weeks ago, with my K Bike. I rode it smooth and at my own pace. I did let one sport bike pass me that was obviously better at handling the curves at speed. I just wish that the three couples ahead of me for the first part of the road (a Harley trike, a Harley and a Gold Wing) had pulled over to let me pass them. Rode it on a Wednesday, October 3 with only a few other riders on the road. At that time, the photographers were still taking photos of us as we went by. Just treat it like a smooth dance as you sway back and forth and you'll enjoy the road. Enjoy!
 
The Dragon

Does anyone remember when the Dragon surface :thumbwas just a thin coating of black top spread over tree roots and rocks?
 
Camden Arkansas????

"Okay when I was at the last chance rally people were talking abou the tail of the dragon. I just want to know will my bike be able to do it and also if anyone has any tips for me."

TIPS: Ride wherevery you can have the most fun. The Dragon is way overpopulated. This summer the LEO community decided to crack down on the crazies but it hasn't done much for the accident/death rate. I was in Northern Arkansas early this month for an ST1300 event and three of us did about 300 miles on Saturday on roads that I can only classify as astounding. No off-camber turns, miles and miles of great surface and twisties enough to satisfy the most avid knee draggers. AND: No enforcement, neglible traffic. If you have to travel far to find nice roads, it's a great area and the people love bikers of all types. North of I40 between Camden and Fort Smith.

What road are you referring to? Camden is far away from Ft. Smith. It is near the LA state line in the south central part of AR and is not north of I-40. The roads in the southern part of AR really do not have much to offer for the rider. Ft. Smith is indeed in the hilly part of AR and there are some wonderful roads all over the place there. Actually, most any area north of I-40 and west of Little Rock is loaded with good roads whatever kind of bike you are on. I'm just curious what town you were referring to instead of Camden. BTW... I have lived my entire 57 years in Arkansas. It has a lot of nice locations to offer a rider, but Camden for sure ain't one of 'em unless flat land, huge bugs, pulpwood trucks and unbearable heat are your thing!
 
<a href="http://whitehawk.smugmug.com/MOTORCYCLING/2009/THE-BIG-TRIP/11705647_mV743#826026854_UgqNp-A-LB" title=""><img src="http://whitehawk.smugmug.com/MOTORCYCLING/2009/THE-BIG-TRIP/CROSS-COUNTRY-TRIP-198/826026854_UgqNp-L.jpg" alt="" title=""></a>

I rode the Tail a couple of years ago on my 81RS and pretty much enjoyed the ride!

The road is nothing but turns from top to bottom and it's reasonably well cared for but there are a few patches, drop-offs and 'no shoulder' areas to keep you on your toes. The problem with riding the tail on an RS, is that our old LWB Airheads are not well suited to roads that tight and you may find yourself wishing that you could chop a foot of wheelbase off of your bike. I know I felt that way! The ideal bike for the Tail is almost certainly a modern super motard or a 600cc race replica.

Hot tip: Remove as much weight from your bike as you can. Drop the bags, tank bag and everything else that adds unnecessary weight, check your tires and brakes and then tighten up your shocks. A loaded Rs can be fun in the wide sweeping turns of the Rockies but it'll start oinking on the Tail! I would have been a lot happier on my "S" bike. :rofl

If possible, skip riding The Dragon on the weekends. Yes, there are lots of beautiful bikes to look at and theres a party atmosphere but even during the week, I had sport bike riders passing me in the middle of turns, going so fast that I almost fell off my bike. And I promise you, those weren't the fast guys! If you are there on a weekend, you'll probably have to deal with cars. All I can say is, relax, enjoy the scenery and don't try to pass em.

Going South, a few of the turns are pretty sneaky and you can easily find yourself maxed out, in a decreasing radius turn, with no place to go except over the line. Been there, done that and it wasn't fun. I was down there a few days after the 2009 National Rally and three guys killed themselves before the weekend started and only one of those riders was actually on the Tail. Lots of miles of good road and you'll be tempted to go fast but unless you know the roads, don't.

Lastly... If you're passing through, you owe it to yourself to ride the Dragon but there are so many other wonderful roads to ride in the Smokies, that you could spend a lifetime there on absolutely spectacular roads. Once you've tasted the Dragon, do yourself a,favor and go ride somewhere else.

Other than that, have a good time, take lots of pictures and make sure you get a sticker for your bike!
 
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Does anyone remember when the Dragon surface :thumbwas just a thin coating of black top spread over tree roots and rocks?


Nope, sure don't! We didn't move here (from Florida) to Tennessee until the 70's, so that is my first recollection. The reference "The Dragon" is a nickname that surfaced only about 8-10 years ago, I have no idea who came up with a goofy name like that. Most of the locals still refer to the area as Deal's Gap.
 
Rider!!

The nut behind the bars is more important than the machine. I had a great time on NC129 before it was the "Tail of the Dragon" in 1988 on my 78 R100RS. Buddies on Harleys had a more mixed reaction. The alpha male hated it.:brow
 
my 2 cents

i finally rode the tail of the dragon late last summer, not very fast, on my R11Rt and had a ball. I spent the night in Maryville, just north of the "start" of the dragon and got out "early," maybe 7:00 on a Monday and had it virtually to myself. Lots of blind turns, so i kept it at a comfortable pace; one I felt wouldn't include the potential of an ambulance or tow truck, and had a great time. Stopped at Deal's Gap and had breakfast, then tried the Cherahola Skyway and reeeeealy had a blast. Much easier to see thru the turns and find a sort of rhythm. Spent the night at Deal's gap with lots of other riders, mostly on Harleys, but also sport bikes and a couple scooters.(scooter might be the way to go) Slept in a clean, albeit weird room, and headed back up The Dragon early the next morning. Once again almost alone at 6:30 am, and because it was my second time thru, tho' facing the other way, I felt more confident and upped the speed a bit. Stopped at one of the look-outs and chatted w a couple rangers and a young man on a Honda sport-go-fast-somethingorother... IDK, but he talked about his technique, which was to hug the white line and stay on the outside of all the blind turns to avoid the trucks coming the other way....of course, i thought, "yes, but that means any error and you're off in the bushes....a couple hundred feet below." But to each, his own. I had fun. Met some pleasant riders, ate some greasy food, laffed out loud in my helmet, put some dragon stickers on my bike. Then I drove home. About 700 back to Chicago, but home in time for dinner. I had a blast and got to have the fun of remembering it here. Go have some fun. And then tell us about it. :thumb
 
................but he talked about his technique, which was to hug the white line and stay on the outside of all the blind turns to avoid the trucks coming the other way.........................of course, i thought, "yes, but that means any error and you're off in the bushes....a couple hundred feet below."


A wise man you talked with, and an experienced corner carver. White line is where it is safest for sure., unless you have a sight line.

Think of it this way, yes you are in the ding weeds faster if YOU screw up But running the center and having to veer sharply, due to opposing traffic in your lane, OR if you screw up, you are in the ding weeds too!

So if you encounter 20 cars/trucks/opposing bikes that MIGHT force you to make a quick move (lets hope you are quick enough), simple math tells me the ratio is 20:1, I personally like the "1" odds, as I can control my actions, but cant control others.

RH turns, center entry for maximum sight line, apex, and most important exit, on the white line. LH, white line for max sight line, as soon as clear sight line exists, center line apex, and exit setting up for next turn. If blind LH, stay on the white line.
 
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Speaking of Arkansas and the Dragon....we have a "mini dragon" in my neck of the woods. AR 314...runs from Big Flat, AR to the White River, outside of Mt. Home.

Nearly 20 miles of longer swoops etc...not as tight as the dragon but challenging for sure. Its a destination road for a lot of riders in the region.
 
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