Tail of the Dragon...on a Concours 14!

[mikeames]

Last week I had the exstreme pleasure of traveling to the Southeast and riding the Tail of the Dragon among 600 miles of other awesome roads in the area.

I live in the pacific NW and we have a lot of awesome curvy roads aroubd here, but the Dragon and surrounding roads are a whole other matter.

I couldn't get my FJR out there so I rented a 2016 Kawaskai Concours 14. The Concours was the other bike on my list when I bought my FJR last Fall. Gotta say, riding it for two days made we wonder if I made a mistake buying my FJR...but just a little bit. The differently designed rear suspension and the over all geometry of the bike made it feel really planted in corners. Maybe it's time for a Penzske update to my FJR!

Anyway, already uploaded the pics from my phone on to my laptop so no pics to add right now, but the whole area around the Dragon contained enough miles of great roads with smooth pavement and awesome cruves to keep someone busy for a week or more. I'd like to go back again for a longer trip.

Bottom line, if you've never been and you like the curves, move it upnon your list of things you want to do. You will not regret it!

 

[Mr. BR]

Hey Mike,

Regarding the Connie, it's well known as a very good bike with a dedicated following and forums to match, just like the FJR. The C14 is also on my list but it's going to stay there for a while as I'm very happy with my '05 FJR (coming up on 3 yrs of ownership). I rode a Gen2 C14 a few years ago at the Int'l MC show, before I got the FJR, but it wasn't enough to sway me. Not a fan of that keyless/fob stuff and the valve adjustment service is a serious PITA compared to the FJR. However, I do see myself with one at some point in the future and I'll tackle the valve adjust anyway when it's time (I do ALL my own work). Anyway, I'm sure it was a blast on the Dragon and great way to compare the two bikes.

Regards,

Mr. BR

 

[eddie]

I love the FJR but one of my other bikes is a ZX1400. If they put factory cruise on the Connie Im interested

ed

 

[mikeames]

Really would have loved to ride the dragon with my own bike too just for comparison...and another reason to ride the dragon again!!

 

[hppants]

I've been to the dragon many times. I had the most fun on it when I was riding the lightest bike (Nighthawk 700s). The curves of the dragon really suit a light sport bike (I'd LOVE to try it on an R3). Really, after 11 miles, you are done for a while anyway. So why not tame it on flickable bike you wouldn't want to ride more than 25 miles at a stint? I'm 750 miles from the Dragon - until someone figures out how to make a one-wheel trailer that will hold a ninja 250 and can be pulled behind the FJR, then I guess I'm going to ride the 600 pound porker ever time I go there.

Another issue with the dragon is traffic - particularly IDIOT traffic. The squids ride it stupid and won't give you two curves to pull over. The pirates ride it stupid and won't pull over for you EVER. The cages (for the most part) won't stay in their own lane. I like to ride the dragon in the morning, about 9 am. Between May and October, on a normal day, this is about when the fog has burned off, the road dries, and for the most part, the idiots are still sleeping.

Finally, in the past couple of years, the popo has gotten REALY strict on the dragon. If you subscribe to the "9 you're fine, 10 you're mine" theory, think again. 39-ish on the dragon was actually kind of fun. Now, they will pull you over for much less. Earlier this year, my Escort wouldn't shut up for the whole run - at least 5 cops over the 11 miles. I rode most of it with one hand, the other patting my head for on coming traffic.

It's not what it used to be.

Note: Please (PLEASE) don't tell anyone outside of this forum about the roads in northwestern Arkansas or northwestern Georgia. Before long, we won't have anywhere left to ride!!!

Edit - my comments aside, congrats to the OP on a good experience. I remember my first dragon run - I was intimidated and excited all at once. It was beyond my wildest expectations and I agree, every rider should try it at least once.

 

[mikeames]

Totally agree, riding it on a smaller, lighter, sportier bike would make it even more awesome. ...but this is a sport-touring forum and that's what I own at this point so that's the perspective I saw it from.

We had a completely different experience. We rode it in the evening, on a weekday (Tuesday) in early October. We had all travelled thousands of miles to get there and spent a fair amount of money for the opportunity...so we made sure to hit the dragon when the fun busters mentioned above were least likely to occur. For us, that worked perfectly. Zero cops not only on the dragon but on all of the non-freeway roads around it. Did run into two or three of our HD oriented buddies tearing in up at 10mph on thier 1500lb behemoths, but they all pulled over after a couple of curves as soon there was a spot. Cagers may not understand, but anyone on a bike should get it and alllow a pass as soon as it's practical. Very few cars and they all behaved. Also very few squidlies, more super-moto guys than anything.

I look at something like the dragon just like going to a movie theater. I don't like crowds, so you aren't likely to catch me at the movies on a rainy, Saturday evening. The three of us paid a lot to see this show and we planned it based on the best chance of a trouble free ride. Worked out fantastic!

 

[Allen_C]

Hppants, you say riding it on an r3 would be fun? Maybe we can meet up there one day and I can put my r3 on the back of my rv's carrier hitch!

 

[thompsonian]

Note: Please (PLEASE) don't tell anyone outside of this forum about the roads in northwestern Arkansas or northwestern Georgia. Before long, we won't have anywhere left to ride!!!

While you're at, don't mention SEO as well......

Glad you had a good experience! Dragon is on my list in the next few years!

 

[Bill Lumberg]

I live right by the roads you describe, or pretty close, anyway. I've never found a problem getting a wide open Dragon, but I don't go during peak times. Only once in years have I hit it at peak, because I was meeting my brother. And it took a long time to get through. Ended up working one wreck (cruiser, broken leg) and having to slip around a stranded semi that blocked most traffic for hours. There are plenty of "name" roads, like BRP, Wolf Pen Gap, Cherohala Skyway, and the Dragon, but for every one of those, there are three or four lesser known roads. Some of the best riding is getting to and from the big name stretches. Unfortunately, due to work and a bike that was down almost half the year, I have ridden in the mountains very little. Oddly, November and December will have me riding more than I got to in Spring and Summer, though I did have a great Tour of Honor/1K the first of April.

 

[mikeames]

I'd really like to go back for a week or so and really cover some ground. I'd muchh rather do it on my own bike tho and that's hard to make happen.

 

[John d]

Note: Please (PLEASE) don't tell anyone outside of this forum about the roads in northwestern Arkansas or northwestern Georgia. Before long, we won't have anywhere left to ride!!!

While you're at, don't mention SEO as well......

Glad you had a good experience! Dragon is on my list in the next few years!

I think it's important to tell everyone looking for a place to ride that there is only one good road to ride a motorcycle, that being Tail of the Dragon, US 129. Why bother with the flat, straight, and boring stuff. Yeah, just go there, you can thank me later.

 

[Bugnatr]

Note: Please (PLEASE) don't tell anyone outside of this forum about the roads in northwestern Arkansas or northwestern Georgia. Before long, we won't have anywhere left to ride!!!

While you're at, don't mention SEO as well......

Glad you had a good experience! Dragon is on my list in the next few years!

I think it's important to tell everyone looking for a place to ride that there is only one good road to ride a motorcycle, that being Tail of the Dragon, US 129. Why bother with the flat, straight, and boring stuff. Yeah, just go there, you can thank me later.

Piff. The Tail is the most over rated motorcycle road in the US. I rode it once, that was enough unless I could ride it during the week on a 450 supermoto

 

[RJAMT]

Glad you enjoyed it. I'm leaving on Sunday to run over to Pennsylvania then spend the rest of the week meandering down the mountains to the dragon.Its been some 30 years since I was there. Hoping the scenery will be up to par with the good camping and great riding.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Note: Please (PLEASE) don't tell anyone outside of this forum about the roads in northwestern Arkansas or northwestern Georgia. Before long, we won't have anywhere left to ride!!!

While you're at, don't mention SEO as well...... h34r2:

Glad you had a good experience! Dragon is on my list in the next few years!

I think it's important to tell everyone looking for a place to ride that there is only one good road to ride a motorcycle, that being Tail of the Dragon, US 129. Why bother with the flat, straight, and boring stuff. Yeah, just go there, you can thank me later.

Piff. The Tail is the most over rated motorcycle road in the US. I rode it once, that was enough unless I could ride it during the week on a 450 supermoto

Are you crazy? The Tail is it! Everyone should go there. Seriously.

 

[Bugnatr]

Note: Please (PLEASE) don't tell anyone outside of this forum about the roads in northwestern Arkansas or northwestern Georgia. Before long, we won't have anywhere left to ride!!!

While you're at, don't mention SEO as well......

Glad you had a good experience! Dragon is on my list in the next few years!

I think it's important to tell everyone looking for a place to ride that there is only one good road to ride a motorcycle, that being Tail of the Dragon, US 129. Why bother with the flat, straight, and boring stuff. Yeah, just go there, you can thank me later.

Piff. The Tail is the most over rated motorcycle road in the US. I rode it once, that was enough unless I could ride it during the week on a 450 supermoto

Are you crazy? The Tail is it! Everyone should go there. Seriously.

Wheatie would never lie ...