Tail of the Dragon - March 2013

[leem00]

I am still going to the Dragon but the dates have been changed. I am going with many riders(approx 30) & we have all rented a cabin. Pictures attached... Our plans were delayed due to a fire that actually burned down our original cabin reserved. So now, We have even more people going & staying in a luxury cabin that will only house us riders who already reserved/paid for the trip... My wife & I are very much looking forward to this trip & will post many photos & videos upon our return. We are keeping the dates we are going private just for security reasons..

What don't want the rest of us crashing your party?

 

[Anthony]

What don't want the rest of us crashing your party?

are you saying you want to crash it? lol

 

[Funkmaxtor]

Where is that cabin located? Looks awesome!

 

[RoadTrip]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPkmLWOqwwA

That rental is sick, BTW.

 

[Anthony]

My wife & I are very excited about this trip!

 

[buzzbomb]

The ride up was awesome. The Dragon was scary as hell. All my prep didn't mean shit. There is simply nothing around here that can prepare one for that road.

I hit all the first turns all Moto GP and leaned over and stuff. Right. I nearly went off the road. After the first few turns in the Dragon-proper, I slowed the "F" down and kept my ass firmly planted to the seat (mostly).

That road was WAY more crazy than anything I'd imagined. It was truly scary. Had I a lick of sense, I would have slowed way down and rode it like I was a noob.

Being who I am, I road it as best I could. I felt like I was going to crash more times than I will relate here. That has to be the most ridiculously useless and scary piece of pavement on God's Earth.

So I ran it three times. The second time I did much better. By the the third time? I was running it with more style than aggression, and that's what that road requires.

I also ran the 120 mile loop. Honestly? The Cherohola Skyway was may more fun. Tight sweeper after tight sweeper. Left and right and back again. I never felt like I was about to die, on that one.

The ride back was six hours in the pouring rain. It was absolutely grueling. I don't have motorcycle rain gear. I bought a $20 rain suit at Walmart. I wore it under my gear, and it performed perfectly.

Unfortunately my hands and feet were soaked within a mile or so.

I've got video of most of it. 48 gigabytes. I still haven't figured out how to get things converted so that Youtube will recognize it. (That's a whole other thread.) Also, I recorded it at the highest definition my GoPro would do, and it's wavy!

Not only that, but something happened on the the way up, I'm still not sure what, and I don't have video of me almost crashing. I'm missing like an hour or so.

Regardless, here's a pic of my Tora Tanshi at the Tail of the Dragon. The highlights of the video that I have will follow, as soon as I figure out how to convert and post in a format that Youtube will recognize.

 

[leem00]

The ride up was awesome. The Dragon was scary as hell. All my prep didn't mean shit. There is simply nothing around here that can prepare one for that road.

I hit all the first turns all Moto GP and leaned over and stuff. Right. I nearly went off the road. After the first few turns in the Dragon-proper, I slowed the "F" down and kept my ass firmly planted to the seat (mostly).

That road was WAY more crazy than anything I'd imagined. It was truly scary. Had I a lick of sense, I would have slowed way down and rode it like I was a noob.

Being who I am, I road it as best I could. I felt like I was going to crash more times than I will relate here. That has to be the most ridiculously useless and scary piece of pavement on God's Earth.

So I ran it three times. The second time I did much better. By the the third time? I was running it with more style than aggression, and that's what that road requires.

I also ran the 120 mile loop. Honestly? The Cherohola Skyway was may more fun. Tight sweeper after tight sweeper. Left and right and back again. I never felt like I was about to die, on that one.

The ride back was six hours in the pouring rain. It was absolutely grueling. I don't have motorcycle rain gear. I bought a $20 rain suit at Walmart. I wore it under my gear, and it performed perfectly.

Unfortunately my hands and feet were soaked within a mile or so.

I've got video of most of it. 48 gigabytes. I still haven't figured out how to get things converted so that Youtube will recognize it. (That's a whole other thread.) Also, I recorded it at the highest definition my GoPro would do, and it's wavy!

Not only that, but something happened on the the way up, I'm still not sure what, and I don't have video of me almost crashing. I'm missing like an hour or so.

Regardless, here's a pic of my Tora Tanshi at the Tail of the Dragon. The highlights of the video that I have will follow, as soon as I figure out how to convert and post in a format that Youtube will recognize.

I look forward to the video!

 

[Anthony]

Please post video!

 

[Anthony]

Were the photographers down there taking pics as you went through that you could buy?


My trip is coming up quick & I am getting ready.

I now have 2 go pro's. 1 for front view & 1 for rear view. Wife is dam near packed already. I'm going next week to buy the scala G9 dual set so my wife & I can talk to each other while riding.

 

[buzzbomb]

Were the photographers down there taking pics as you went through that you could buy?


My trip is coming up quick & I am getting ready.

I now have 2 go pro's. 1 for front view & 1 for rear view. Wife is dam near packed already. I'm going next week to buy the scala G9 dual set so my wife & I can talk to each other while riding.

There were two photog companies there. 129 and Killboy. They knock off pretty early, though. They got me on my first run-through.

Then I ran the 120 mile loop. When I came back to the Dragon for my second and third run, they were gone. A shame, that. I would have liked pics of how I looked on the third run. On the first run, I was just trying to figure things out and stay alive, and it showed.

I'm going to buy a couple pics, just because I don't have any of me riding the bike. But I get zero points for style. I'm just hanging on for dear life, and dragging parts.

If you're going to run it, get all your maintenance done as well. On the way up, a guy on a GoldWing pulled over to let me past. I didn't think much of it. I pulled into the overlook, at the summit for a smoke. The GoldWing guy later pulled in also.

Turns out, he'd lost his rear brakes. We both surmised he had overheated them. I asked him if he'd changed the brake fluid out, and he had no idea was I was talking about.

Basic maintenance. Get it done before you run that road. :wreck:

 

[Anthony]

There were two photog companies there. 129 and Killboy. They knock off pretty early, though. They got me on my first run-through.

Then I ran the 120 mile loop. When I came back to the Dragon for my second and third run, they were gone. A shame, that. I would have liked pics of how I looked on the third run. On the first run, I was just trying to figure things out and stay alive, and it showed.

I'm going to buy a couple pics, just because I don't have any of me riding the bike. But I get zero points for style. I'm just hanging on for dear life, and dragging parts.

If you're going to run it, get all your maintenance done as well. On the way up, a guy on a GoldWing pulled over to let me past. I didn't think much of it. I pulled into the overlook, at the summit for a smoke. The GoldWing guy later pulled in also.

Turns out, he'd lost his rear brakes. We both surmised he had overheated them. I asked him if he'd changed the brake fluid out, and he had no idea was I was talking about.

Basic maintenance. Get it done before you run that road. :wreck:

I would buy them also. Just for the heck of it. I plan on doing an oil change & standard chain lube/tension check but that is about it. My pads are in great shape. My tires are good.

 

[buzzbomb]

I would buy them also. Just for the heck of it. I plan on doing an oil change & standard chain lube/tension check but that is about it. My pads are in great shape. My tires are good.

Well, you've heard my advice. Keep the rubber side firmly planted and enjoy the ride.

 

[buzzbomb]

Some video is up. I put in the "Video" category:

http://www.600cc.org/forum/f90/dragon-28967/#post398641