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Joined: Wed Aug 11, 2010 1:12 am Posts: 80 Location: Greensboro, NC, USA
The past weekend I went to the Dragon (Deals Gap), Cherohala skyway and Blue ridge parkway after dreaming about that for a long time. These are some of the best motorcycling roads in the US http://allaboutbikes.com/motorcyle-news ... in-america
The pictures were taken before I dropped the bike on a semi-gravel road. The dragon is the ultimate road for motorcycling in the eastern US with 318 curves in 11 miles. You hardly stay upright or think straight. (Honorable mentions: NC 28 near Fontana, NC 151 near Mt. Pisgah and NC 80 near Marion) Here are some of the pictures: ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- Blue Ridge Parkway ---- Blue Ridge Parkway ---- Blue Ridge Parkway ---- Cherohala Skyway
_________________ 2008 GSX650F - Blue & White - Completely Stock!! 2007 Ninja 500R - Traded In 2007 Ninja 250R - Sold
Last edited by ZookBug on Tue Oct 18, 2011 1:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Joined: Sun Jan 16, 2011 8:41 pm Posts: 684 Location: Sydney, Australia
Awesome pics dude, but I do NOT like the line you're showing in the one from behind... If I'm right, you've started WAY too far on the inside, which is gonna leave you running wide-ish on exit IF nothing goes wrong! Much better to start out on the centreline until you can see the exit clearly (which would be quite early here, I concede...), then push your inside bar forward to counter-steer into the turn. Your turn then finishes more on the INSIDE of the curve, giving you MUCH more room to manoeuvre in case of emergency. Or, at the position shown in the pic, your bike should be pointing another 20-degrees or so to the right... There's an awesome poster that shows what I mean; you can see it in all the training schools etc here but I'll try to find an online copy to show you...
Please don't think I'm dissing you
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The Bronx Bull wrote:
Nitekreeper, you've clearly proven that you have nothing better to do aside from trolling. I think everyone here would agree with me.
Joined: Wed Aug 11, 2010 1:12 am Posts: 80 Location: Greensboro, NC, USA
Thanks for the tip Nitekreeper. I'm still a newbie. As I mentioned there were 318 curves in 11 miles and my mind went blank with the excitement. Next time I go there I will try to do it better
_________________ 2008 GSX650F - Blue & White - Completely Stock!! 2007 Ninja 500R - Traded In 2007 Ninja 250R - Sold
Joined: Sun Jan 16, 2011 8:41 pm Posts: 684 Location: Sydney, Australia
Don't I know THAT feeling bro! The Dragon is famous here too, and quite a few of us have it on our bucket lists (mine included...). I also subscribe to rnickeymouse's Youtube channel, so I've seen many a rider come undone there...
I have a PDF copy of a "Newbies guide to cornering" that I can send you, if you PM me an email address - I still read it through every now and again to reinforce the theory. (For the Netriders it's Rob's guide, which he agreed to me lifting and editing, and has also proof-read...)
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The Bronx Bull wrote:
Nitekreeper, you've clearly proven that you have nothing better to do aside from trolling. I think everyone here would agree with me.
Hey Zookbug, you have me all drooling. Boy what awesome pics, like Nite said, you are a tad off the line, but I know precisely from where you are coming, I did Mt. Rainier, 34 miles hundreds of curves being a biker which returned to it after a waaaay to long of a break, it did cost me some reacquainting to go a decent line, not to mention moving my arse to the line gets steadily drawn. I got me the two books proficient riding and more proficient riding for my iPad, so I can always read in them. I think I have licenses left to authorize other apple users, if so, hit me up (Nite you of course too) and I will get that going.
But and again like Nite said, the Dragon is on my bucket list, BIG TIME.
PS: I dropped my SuziF after my run at Mt. Rainier! Magneto cover, lever, turn signal, a scratch on the upper part of my fairing. With them tips from the bros here and some elbow grease I got her back, but my pride was badly bruised, trust me.
PSPS: Nite, I would be very interested in that PDF of yours, can. Hit you up?
_________________ 2008 GSX650F (SuziF), Yoshi TRC, T-Rex swing arm and frame sliders, Pazzo levers, dark Puig screen, White powder coated Rims, Powerbronze seat cowl/painted side covers, Tourmaster saddle-/tail/tank bag(s) 2011 GSX R750 (SuziR), Black, Yoshi Fender Eliminator, Bitch Seat eliminator, Silver powder coated Rims, Racing rearsets, Pazzo levers, soon to come Yoshi R-77D "Carbon"
Joined: Wed Aug 11, 2010 1:12 am Posts: 80 Location: Greensboro, NC, USA
Nitekreeper, I just PMed my email. Thanks
I'm so glad I did this trip. Except for the unfortunate event of dropping her, the trip was so great. I can't wait to go back to the dragon, given that I live close to this place.
_________________ 2008 GSX650F - Blue & White - Completely Stock!! 2007 Ninja 500R - Traded In 2007 Ninja 250R - Sold
I envy you ZookBug, I plan a VERY long road trip for that, since I've gotta cross our beautiful country!! RAD TRIP *LOL. But the Dragon has to wait, since I will do the West coast highway, from Ocean Shores, WA down to LA!!! Can't wait for this trip, planning is already in the making for next year!
_________________ 2008 GSX650F (SuziF), Yoshi TRC, T-Rex swing arm and frame sliders, Pazzo levers, dark Puig screen, White powder coated Rims, Powerbronze seat cowl/painted side covers, Tourmaster saddle-/tail/tank bag(s) 2011 GSX R750 (SuziR), Black, Yoshi Fender Eliminator, Bitch Seat eliminator, Silver powder coated Rims, Racing rearsets, Pazzo levers, soon to come Yoshi R-77D "Carbon"
_________________ 2008 GSX650F (SuziF), Yoshi TRC, T-Rex swing arm and frame sliders, Pazzo levers, dark Puig screen, White powder coated Rims, Powerbronze seat cowl/painted side covers, Tourmaster saddle-/tail/tank bag(s) 2011 GSX R750 (SuziR), Black, Yoshi Fender Eliminator, Bitch Seat eliminator, Silver powder coated Rims, Racing rearsets, Pazzo levers, soon to come Yoshi R-77D "Carbon"
Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2011 2:06 pm Posts: 37 Location: Richmond, Va. USA
Great looking pictures "neighbor" ! ! I heard the 'Dragon' is an amazing ride, so far I have only been on the Blueridge/SkyLine Drive from C-ville, Harrisonburg and Front Royal. The next time you run the Blueridge let me know, we could hook-up at the boarder. BTW, nice looking jacket!
Joined: Wed Jun 22, 2011 10:56 pm Posts: 32 Location: New Haven, Ct., USA
I've got to say I was pretty disappointed by the Dragon. The whole challenge seemed to be purely technical, just lacing turn after turn, quickly & smoothly. Most of the radii were similar, the hillside & forest closed in any nice scenery, & there seemed to be twenty or thirty other vehicles per mile exhibiting hyper squid behavior. I've been down that end of the BRP 3 times now & ran the dragon both ways on the first two trips. I'm not sure why this one gets all the buzz, when there seems to be miles & miles of better, more interesting roads all over the area. The last time I was down there, I just skipped it & went exploring. You pretty much can't go wrong, almost any direction has hours & hours of roads that are more interesting, prettier, less crowded, & squid free.
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