Dragon claims 67 year old triker

[k7lvo]

Some observations:

I would compare the reaction to a trike lifting a rear wheel with a car in a skid: In both situations, you countersteer, also called "steering into the skid" in a car.

The 3-wheelers of decades past killed a lot of children because, while it takes some size, maturity, and skill to ride a 2-wheeler, a very small/young child can climb on a 3-wheeler and twist the throttle.

A friend of mine rides a California Sidecar GW trike and he can flat handle that machine! He can, indeed, walk away from most of the two-wheeled Wings (and even some of the "sportier" bikes) in the twisties. And they always make him lead on the first rides of spring or if they think there may be gravel on the road. <_<

Some people switch to trikes when it's time for them to stop riding two wheels; some people switch to trikes when they should really be switching to the passenger seat...

 

[SacramentoMike]

Sorry to hear about this, naturally. I wondered about Angus's comment on trike handling too. Only time I tried one out was my brother-in-law's new GW. Made a left and damn near got tossed under the right wheel! I have no doubt I could be trained to ride better than that, at least. Unfortunately, this fellow may not have had enough experience. Here's a stretch of road way the heck across the country and yet I've heard of it many times. My speculation is it attracts a lot of folks who want to "tame the dragon," and there's some pressure to push too much. Anyway, damn shame.

 

[zenwhipper]

[SIZE=12pt]Trikes are only more stable than a two wheel machine when standing still or in very low speed situations.[/SIZE] :nerd:

I think most folks who ride trikes get them for the low speed stability (yah know, you don't have to worry about dropping your 900lb Goldwing if its a trike) and the ability to carry oodles of gear.

Trikes are very tippy in a hard braking situation coupled with a swerve or curve.

Trikes with two wheels in front are more stable than the one wheel in front verison.

OK, I have spoken. :yahoo:

Scott

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

Most Rec-Vees/Trikes (and motorcycles) are sold in the show-room. All that stuff (like low seat height) is really important there.

Vanity mirrors would be nice, too.....(How do I look...?)

 

[RonBB]

My speculation is it attracts a lot of folks who want to "tame the dragon," and there's some pressure to push too much. Anyway, damn shame.

Could not agree more. I very sincerely hope that our forum members upon arriving at the Dragon take a very conservative ride for familiarization at least the first ride through before any spirited riding. Ride safe guys-It either hurts or it doesn't.............. if you have an incident, and the Dragon has a LOT of incidents.

PS the week of the Honda Hoot in nearby Knoxville (usually around the 3rd week in June) is not a good time to ride the Dragon due to the M/C draw of the Hoot. Not a Daytona Bike Week, nor a Sturgis but still around 35,000 bikes & all seem to want to ride the 11 miles of the Dragon.

 

[Spook]

I always make a run in both directions on any new road I want to try a speed run on before pushing it. Lets you know the quirks and if there is all bad things on the road. I live near Sturges and any time there is a Rally there are lots of flat landers who stop an look both ways before going around the corner or the other type that panics and go right over the edge. You will see a short black line right before they go over.

 

[El Toro]

The biggest problem for the Dragon in my opinion is that the folks trying to make a buck off the Tennessee part of the road while living in North Carolina have promoted it as the greatest motorcycle road in the world. Hell... the Dragon's not even the best motorcycle road in Tennessee. We've got much better roads for nearly every type of challenge from the Cumberland Plateau through the Appalachians and Smokies.

The folks who started trying to make their living off the Dragon are essentially leech-like. They brought nothing good to it themselves, they hyped it in the media and promoted the idea that it was appropriate to ride the road as though it were your own private race track, and then as the costs of taking the dead and crippled out of the Tennessee side mounted exponentially and the State of Tennessee started vigorous enforcement, they whined and bitched and moaned about their mistreatment.

In my view, if the guys who make their living off the Dragon would go and build a Barber style Motorsports Park, and charge admission for track days, and carry the requisite insurance, and require appropriate gear, etc., I would have no beef with them. But to take a public road and start promoting it as a personal MotoGP course while sharing it with regular drivers who are using it for transportation rather than sport, is incredibly irresponsible.

 

[mrksfjr]

It's never good to hear of the death of a fellow biker. I feel for his family and my condolences go out to them. The dragon is not to be taken lightly, regardless of how many wheels are underneath you.

 

[madmike2]

The dragon is not to be No road taken lightly, regardless of how many wheels are underneath you.

I edited the above quote to what I think is more appropriate to this conversation.

In my view, if the guys who make their living off the Dragon would go and build a Barber style Motorsports Park, and charge admission for track days, and carry the requisite insurance, and require appropriate gear, etc., I would have no beef with them. But to take a public road and start promoting it as a personal MotoGP course while sharing it with regular drivers who are using it for transportation rather than sport, is incredibly irresponsible.

El Toro speaketh much wisdom, something we should all keep in mind.

[SIZE=8pt](Realizing that one finger pointed out leaves three pointed back at me!)[/SIZE]

 

[fjr]

Perhaps if the two wheels were in the front......