My 2022 Tail of the Dragon trip, 19th year!

[Klasse Act]

I need to watch the whole video. I follow Subaru Motorsports on Instagram and they've been teasing clips of that video all week. Another really cool post they had was a time-lapse/stop action image of the car going around a hairpin. It gave you a great chance to see the yaw rate of the car going around the turn and how Scott lined it up perfectly for the corner exit.



This part has always worried me about the dragon, some people I've talked to mention getting stuck behind caravans of slow moving RVs or other tourists. I've lost count of the times I've gone out to drive some remote, twisty back roads in my area and got stuck behind and RV or other slow moving vehicle where it is quite obvious the driver is scared to death of having to go around a turn. Not having a shoulder or turn-out place to stop to wait them out doesn't help either.

I still desperately want to do it, just for the experience. I could see going out there, driving the Dragon, and then promptly heading out into some of the other lesser traveled, spectacular roads in that area. I've been looking over maps for years and day dreaming about those roads...

It's really quite simple...don't go on Sat or Sunday

Because it's a public road and been on the web for the better part of 10 yrs its a crap shoot about "tourists" and overly careful drivers. My suggestion is to try and run it early in the morning or at dusk, no guarantees.

I go in the fall because it's cooler out, hopefully some color change and because of "fall" bikes don't like leaves all of the road, so there's that. The other option is to go at night but be advised...DON'T BE A HERO! It's pitch black and you have to deal with each turn as they appear, even with your high beams on! Now if you've got a good driver in front of you you'll be able to use their headlights and brake lights and enjoy the drive ALOT, especially if you've got a slower car and/or your more cautious, drive YOUR drive️I've always wondered if a set of TRUE rally car lights would help

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

 

[Desertnate]

Great tips.

I'd definitely try it in the spring or fall, not only to avoid the tourist potential, but like you said, it would be cooler. I'm just not a fan of summer heat. I'll be running on all season tires soon and would leave my grippier tires at home so I wouldn't have to worry about cold tires with no grip.

I wouldn't try to be a hero in the daylight or dark. There's other, safer, avenues to scratch that itch. I don't think I'd ever run it in the dark. On an unfamiliar road with no run-offs and a high potential for critters, the last thing I want to do is push hard...even though the LED lights on my BRZ put out an amazing amount of light. Also, isn't part of the whole reason in doing it to enjoy the scenery? That is what you eyeballs can capture around your focus on the road ahead...

 

[Klasse Act]

Great tips.

I'd definitely try it in the spring or fall, not only to avoid the tourist potential, but like you said, it would be cooler. I'm just not a fan of summer heat. I'll be running on all season tires soon and would leave my grippier tires at home so I wouldn't have to worry about cold tires with no grip.

I wouldn't try to be a hero in the daylight or dark. There's other, safer, avenues to scratch that itch. I don't think I'd ever run it in the dark. On an unfamiliar road with no run-offs and a high potential for critters, the last thing I want to do is push hard...even though the LED lights on my BRZ put out an amazing amount of light. Also, isn't part of the whole reason in doing it to enjoy the scenery? That is what you eyeballs can capture around your focus on the road ahead...

The scenery is more on the Cherahola Skyway and Moonshiners, not so much the Dragon. Don't get me wrong, it's like being in a tunnel sometimes for sure!

I've never encountered "wildlife" out there at night but you can get a fun run at nighttime though, if for anything else to say you did it. The Cherahola Skyway at night, different ball game, haven't done that in a loooong time but your closer to the stars though

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

 

[Desertnate]

Glad to hear animals aren't a problem.

On my drives through the Ozarks, the nighttime brings out deer, racoons (some of them HuGE), possums, coyote's etc. Heck, in the fall even driving to work in the morning becomes interesting with the deer and coyotes running across the roads. Even in the middle of the suburbs!

 

[Lance Mark]

have had it on the list for a few years and wife and I decided to ride down in March from Detroit, the riding in that area is amazing and the tail is a lot fun

we had an accident on the dragon, in fact....I moved to let what I thought was one cager zip past me, and when i did, i didn't stop on the shoulder, I just slowed down, moved over, and let him pass, then attempted to get back on...by the time he'd passed, there were many more cars that joined him so I had to turn back onto the shoulder and stop in short time....front end wasn't straight when i stopped, which is a really bad thing on big bike, we went down pretty hard.....wife knocked up her leg a bit, i was fine, bike took a permanent scar in the form of a 4" scratch, but no other damage, crash bars front and back did their job

the second car realized what had happened, because as soon as he saw me starting to reenter, he realized there was a good chance that the last time I'd checked my side mirrors there was only one car there...he and I talked for a bit after it happened as he and a bunch of guys were stopped and out of their cars immediately to make sure we weren't hurt seriously.....ftr, my bad for assuming....things change quick on the dragon and cars move way faster than bikes....in short time several other cars were stopped and blocking the scene....it took me more time to burn off the adrenaline than it did to get the bike up and ready to go again

all that being said, still a good time, and a story

View attachment 75903

 

[Klasse Act]

Glad you and your wife were OK, sounds cliche' to say this but it's true...the bike/car can be replaced...YOU can't be️

Was this your first and only time out there? If so, will you come back

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

 

[Lance Mark]

Glad you and your wife were OK, sounds cliche' to say this but it's true...the bike/car can be replaced...YOU can't be️

Was this your first and only time out there? If so, will you come back

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

first time we've been there and we'll definitely go back, there was a lot of riding we didn't do, and we were just there for an extended weekend

been riding for a lot of years, had a hard wreck in college that ended my hot rodding and wheelies....but I'll be on two wheels until i can't keep it up anymore, then it's three until I can't hold that up anymore

 

[Klasse Act]

first time we've been there and we'll definitely go back, there was a lot of riding we didn't do, and we were just there for an extended weekend

been riding for a lot of years, had a hard wreck in college that ended my hot rodding and wheelies....but I'll be on two wheels until i can't keep it up anymore, then it's three until I can't hold that up anymore

Was the tail of the dragon the only road that you guys were on?

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

 

[Lance Mark]

Was the tail of the dragon the only road that you guys were on?

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

we stayed at The Dragon City Resort....so imagine heading trough the dragon.....then keep going while taking right turns....sorry I don't know for sure, but i'm pretty sure we hit 129, 143, 165

we were up there at one point riding through clouds

 

[Klasse Act]

we stayed at The Dragon City Resort....so imagine heading trough the dragon.....then keep going while taking right turns....sorry I don't know for sure, but i'm pretty sure we hit 129, 143, 165

we were up there at one point riding through clouds

Oh yeah, 143/165 is the Cherahola Skyway. Riding in the clouds is a great analogy

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk