Obligatory Dragon Photo

the Ferret

Road warrior
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From our recent trip ..man this bike looks so good!

 
Wow, perfect shot! Those photographers certainly get plenty of practice.

So tell us about the road. Too many cops? Other riders or drivers doing stupid things?? Any tractor-trailers taking up the entire roadway???
 
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Jim I have ridden the dragon at least 1/2 dozen times over the years, solo and two up on 3 different motorcycles I can think of. I have never seen a cop on the Dragon. W ride it mid week in the morning. This trip it was wed morning about 9 am.

The road itself is just a curvy road, typical of roads in that area. Its not even particularly difficult for an experienced rider. Some are much more difficult. What makes it difficult is generally the sheer number of bikes and cars on that stretch of road and the vast difference at which those vehicles are able to negotiate it. Some can only do 20 to 25 miles per hour, while some can average 50 or more ( speed limit is 35). Sport bikes of course try to run it very quickly, cruisers and dressers tend to run it very slowly. Throw in the occasional newby and issues develop.Trucks aka semis are encouraged by signs not to take the road, but they still do go on it, and one was on it when we went this trip, but they are becoming rare on that stretch of highway.

It is a destination area for sports cars and motorcyclists with a gathering place restaurant/store at one end. Several photographers set up on the road and take pictures to sell. Killboy.com and US129 photos.com are the primary ones.

The Cherahola Skyway in the same general area is a much more pleasant road to ride. Once you've ridden the Dragon up to the lookout and back once, it's better to go find some oher great roads in the area to ride where the danger and traffic are not so high.imo
 
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cb400four_imp said:
Ferret, that is a great pic.
Thanks. Thats the only reason I went to the Dragon this year..to get a good pic of the CB.
 
Hmmm...maybe you need a jacket that matches the CB a little more closely?
Maybe some red or silver in it......
Than you would look as good as the CB!
 
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HikerToo_imp said:
Hmmm...maybe you need a jacket that matches the CB a little more closely?
Maybe some red or silver in it......
Than you would look as good as the CB!

Hey, my wife said the same thing, all the while knowing I have three blue jackets, 1 silver jacket, and 2 black leather jackets in the closet already...but she also said I didn't need to buy another one. My FZ-1 was blue, hence all the blue gear. Never envisioned that I would sell it, or that Honda would bring the big CB into the country, which I would be forced to buy..and that it would be red lol.
 
Ferret, that pic is beautiful! If Guth should decide to put together a 2014 calender and sell them to members so that the proceeds would help keep this forum alive and well, then that pic of you and the 11 definitely warrant cover considerations. Well done!
Jim
 
I'm not sure I'll have time this summer to ride the Dragon, so I'm tempted to use photoshop to replace the blue accents on Ferret's jacket with the lime green high vis accents on my Tourmaster and just imagine what that ride would have been like :rolleyes:
 
Ferret... Did you ride it down from Ohio? If so, how long of a trip was that and how did the bike perform? I've ridden the roads you mentioned, and others, many times over the years. And you're right, The Cherahola Skyway is a nicer ride with the benefit of better scenery too! Great picture... makes me want to rethink which bike to bring back to Georgia... the HD or the CB??
 
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Gheil yes I rode it. we took a convoluted way down, but direct ride back. Going down 10 hours, coming home 6-7 hours maybe? Bike preformed admirably. Weak link is the seat, but even then I was able to tolerate several 10 hour days in a row on it. Here are a couple ride reports with photos you may enjoy

BRP, the Dragon and more part 1


BRP, the Dragon and more Part 2
 
Do the Dragon once and get your photo and sticker. Then go ride the Cherohala Skyway again and again. What an incredible piece of engineering that road is. It should be, it took forty years and $100,000,000 to build it!
 
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The Spaceman_imp said:
Do the Dragon once and get your photo and sticker. Then go ride the Cherohala Skyway again and again. What an incredible piece of engineering that road is. It should be, it took forty years and $100,000,000 to build it!
Lol..I even skip the sticker...I'm not into stickers. If I was an ADV rider, I'd have the most boring saddlebags in the history of ADV riders. I don't even let car dealers put their stickers on my car, or their silly license plate frames with their name on it.
 
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