Riding the dragon
04-27-2006, 08:01 PM
#1
Member
Squid
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 40
Riding the dragon
Hey guys been watching the forums for almost a year now since I got my superhawk... Going to be on the dragon june 14 to 18 was wondering if anyone else would be around there maybe meet up and ride also this is my first time on the dragon was wondering if anyone had any advice for me ??? I have been riding my bike for a year now and I can do some power wheelies and get pretty low in the turns even had the bike to the drag strip a few times so I'm not afraid of it but was kinda wondering how chalanging the dragon really was????
04-27-2006, 09:12 PM
#2
Moderator
MotoGP
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: South Texas
Posts: 2,553
We have some "locals" here on the site who will give you some great pointers. I would just like to say don't ride it tired.
I had done a near 500 mile day getting there (overnighted in mississippi) and couldn't resist riding it that evening before checking into the hotel. The number of turns per mile is simple incredible and I truly wanted to get off it that first time but you can't. There are no exits or side roads off of it but that's actually great as it keeps the dangers to a minimum.
Ride it during the week if you can. MUCH better conditions.
I had done a near 500 mile day getting there (overnighted in mississippi) and couldn't resist riding it that evening before checking into the hotel. The number of turns per mile is simple incredible and I truly wanted to get off it that first time but you can't. There are no exits or side roads off of it but that's actually great as it keeps the dangers to a minimum.
Ride it during the week if you can. MUCH better conditions.
04-27-2006, 09:39 PM
#3
Senior Member
Superstock
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: 58 miles from Deals Gap
Posts: 442
Re: Riding the dragon
I live 68.7 miles from the gap and the best advice I can give is 1) On your first run through take your time your not in a race and there's no trophy at the end. As your going through use your first run to get a good feel for the road conditions, i.e. road debris. Stop at the overlook and ask anyone there if the local law enforcement is around. You can do wheelies just about anywhere but being able to manage the 318 turns is a task all in itself. If someone is tapping their helmet it's not calling you an idiot, it means there is a cop on the side of the road. Make sure you wear your gear, a good helmet gloves, jacket and boots is a definate plus. I've been riding the gap for three years and the only time I didn't wear my leathers is the one time I crashed. Stay in your lane, many of the turns are blind, staying in your lane is probably the best advice I can give. Believe it or not, if it's your first time up there when a quicker bike is coming thru just wave them by. I have also added my link below of my run thru the gap last year on my old 96 ZX9R. If you have any questions please ask
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...ls+gap&pl=true
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...ls+gap&pl=true
04-28-2006, 06:16 AM
#5
Senior Member
Superstock
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Trussville, Alabama
Posts: 406
Re: Riding the dragon
Sgt. Rock gives good advice. And Superhawk as well (hey, you can't overlook the obvious can you).
There was a thread here a few months back about The Tail of The Dragon.
You can refer back to it here:
https://www.superhawkforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=2285
It is a great ride! Just DON'T get too aggressive your first few times. Some turns that might not seem like much at 20-25 mph can eat your lunch at 40-45 mph.
My son doesn't have a baseball tournament the weekend you mention, so I will probably be there if the rest of life allows it.
One simple bit of advice: look for skid marks at the end of the (short) straight sections as warning signs. That is a pretty good "heads up" that riders prior to you have found themselves going too fast to enter the turn, and locked up the rear wheel trying to slow down.
There was a thread here a few months back about The Tail of The Dragon.
You can refer back to it here:
https://www.superhawkforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=2285
It is a great ride! Just DON'T get too aggressive your first few times. Some turns that might not seem like much at 20-25 mph can eat your lunch at 40-45 mph.
My son doesn't have a baseball tournament the weekend you mention, so I will probably be there if the rest of life allows it.
One simple bit of advice: look for skid marks at the end of the (short) straight sections as warning signs. That is a pretty good "heads up" that riders prior to you have found themselves going too fast to enter the turn, and locked up the rear wheel trying to slow down.
04-28-2006, 10:48 AM
#6
Senior Member
Superstock
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: 58 miles from Deals Gap
Posts: 442
Re: Riding the dragon
I forgot to mention, as you approach some of the more challenging turns you will notice a now faded "yellow" circle painted in the middle of the lane. Don't ask where it came from just know that they were put there to tell you to slow down sharp turn approaching.
04-29-2006, 07:16 PM
#7
Sexual Daredevil
SuperSport
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Mother Earth- orbiting around Charlotte, NC. But now over the border in S.C.
Posts: 597
Try looking here to get an idea. Cool photos and local info www.killboy.com
04-30-2006, 03:27 PM
#8
Senior Member
Superstock
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Trussville, Alabama
Posts: 406
Re: Riding the dragon
Frank, I was at The Dragon Saturday and thought of this thread while riding.
I came up on several accidents.
All were cruiser guys. All accidents appeared to be the direct result of blowing a turn.
Thing is, none of them were in areas you'd likely see "high speeds".
I'll bet all were at 20-25 mph or so. It appeared the rider got to into a turn that was something different than he had expected and he (again appeared) to have blown a turn he probably could have made if he'd been more experienced in such twisty riding conditions.
Anyways, not trying to pass judgement on the guys at all. Just pointing out that accidents can happen (and bones get broken
) at fairly low speeds.
I came up on several accidents.
All were cruiser guys. All accidents appeared to be the direct result of blowing a turn.
Thing is, none of them were in areas you'd likely see "high speeds".
I'll bet all were at 20-25 mph or so. It appeared the rider got to into a turn that was something different than he had expected and he (again appeared) to have blown a turn he probably could have made if he'd been more experienced in such twisty riding conditions.
Anyways, not trying to pass judgement on the guys at all. Just pointing out that accidents can happen (and bones get broken
) at fairly low speeds.
04-30-2006, 06:56 PM
#9
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MotoGP
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Gainesville FLA.
Posts: 3,844
Saw this on another forum, might have something to do with it.
"well-looks like some big truck spilled some oil going up 129
starts at de soto falls-its in all the corners to the top-you can't miss it-fine black lines-really slick
careful if you go through there."
Did you notice any thing?
"well-looks like some big truck spilled some oil going up 129
starts at de soto falls-its in all the corners to the top-you can't miss it-fine black lines-really slick
careful if you go through there."
Did you notice any thing?
04-30-2006, 09:05 PM
#10
Senior Member
Superstock
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Trussville, Alabama
Posts: 406
Re: Riding the dragon
Nah, these poor guys just wrecked. I felt bad for them really.
A Harley rider wrecked and I was told, broke his ankle. We passed him a few times as he sat along side the road with folks who had stopped. He had to wait on the aubulance to arrive. No major damage to his bike from what I could see.
I helped right a Goldwing that went down. The rider was shaken and had a sore ankle, but nothing major.
It was a MAJOR busy weekend. And, thank goodnes, very few crashes. The road was actually in GREAT shape.
I wasn't on the SH. My son and I were two-up on the CBR1000F. He is a great passenger and we have a lot of fun. We actually get to mix it up with a lot of the sport bikes. Not the REALLY fast guys, but fast enough that we do get a few comments now and again.
Seems he's got this idea that he wants to take the SH one time and have us work on me dragging my knee with him on the back. That's a bit much for me, on the street at least.
Anyways, I didn't see a single sport bike wreck Saturday. But, I did hear one guy went down on his Hyabusa. (The Busa Bash was this weekend so lots of them were there.) I do not believe he was injured.
I have seen SOOOO many crashed bikes, and witnessed my fair share of crashes there over the last few years.
It makes me far more nervous to stop and watch folks go by than it does to ride it.
I have seen some really bad crashes, and seen some that looked awful but the guy jumped up and started worrying about his bike.
And then there is the 20 mph "UH OH!" where a 800lb cruiser breaks a guy's leg. You just never know.
I once held a guy's head in my lap - a guy that I just KNEW was dying. I mean this guy stopped breathing for 30 seconds or so a few times. He had just smacked a pine tree at about 40 mph. When I say "he" I mean HE smacked it. His bike did too, but this guy swattwed a pine tree, flush, with his body.
10 minutes later, he walked up the bank and was OK. HIs bike was totaled. It busted the engine right open and oil smoke was every where.
(He was wearing full race gear. He didn't have a scratch on him.)
My buddy and I were riding it once and caught up to some really slow and VERY erratic guy on an old two stroke Yamaha. I passed him (in a very safe manner.) The next turn, this guy ran wide and hit a girl head-on. She was on a sport bike. Both riders were injured but not major serious. The girl did go to the hospital. She was knocked goofy and they feared a concussion. My buddy - who was still behind Mr. Erratic- watched the whole thing unfold. He said it was real ugly. Not a glancing blow. Rather the head-on kind where there's a loud WHAM! and both bikes stop dead and fall over right there.
I have seen some nasty stuff there. Sometimes makes me wonder why I still go.
But, I know why. It is fun. Big time fun.
A Harley rider wrecked and I was told, broke his ankle. We passed him a few times as he sat along side the road with folks who had stopped. He had to wait on the aubulance to arrive. No major damage to his bike from what I could see.
I helped right a Goldwing that went down. The rider was shaken and had a sore ankle, but nothing major.
It was a MAJOR busy weekend. And, thank goodnes, very few crashes. The road was actually in GREAT shape.
I wasn't on the SH. My son and I were two-up on the CBR1000F. He is a great passenger and we have a lot of fun. We actually get to mix it up with a lot of the sport bikes. Not the REALLY fast guys, but fast enough that we do get a few comments now and again.
Seems he's got this idea that he wants to take the SH one time and have us work on me dragging my knee with him on the back. That's a bit much for me, on the street at least.
Anyways, I didn't see a single sport bike wreck Saturday. But, I did hear one guy went down on his Hyabusa. (The Busa Bash was this weekend so lots of them were there.) I do not believe he was injured.
I have seen SOOOO many crashed bikes, and witnessed my fair share of crashes there over the last few years.
It makes me far more nervous to stop and watch folks go by than it does to ride it.
I have seen some really bad crashes, and seen some that looked awful but the guy jumped up and started worrying about his bike.
And then there is the 20 mph "UH OH!" where a 800lb cruiser breaks a guy's leg. You just never know.
I once held a guy's head in my lap - a guy that I just KNEW was dying. I mean this guy stopped breathing for 30 seconds or so a few times. He had just smacked a pine tree at about 40 mph. When I say "he" I mean HE smacked it. His bike did too, but this guy swattwed a pine tree, flush, with his body.
10 minutes later, he walked up the bank and was OK. HIs bike was totaled. It busted the engine right open and oil smoke was every where.
(He was wearing full race gear. He didn't have a scratch on him.)
My buddy and I were riding it once and caught up to some really slow and VERY erratic guy on an old two stroke Yamaha. I passed him (in a very safe manner.) The next turn, this guy ran wide and hit a girl head-on. She was on a sport bike. Both riders were injured but not major serious. The girl did go to the hospital. She was knocked goofy and they feared a concussion. My buddy - who was still behind Mr. Erratic- watched the whole thing unfold. He said it was real ugly. Not a glancing blow. Rather the head-on kind where there's a loud WHAM! and both bikes stop dead and fall over right there.
I have seen some nasty stuff there. Sometimes makes me wonder why I still go.
But, I know why. It is fun. Big time fun.
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