I've had a lot of personal stuff going on over the past two years, especially because of COVID and I spent hardly any time on my bike. I began working in the Augusta, GA area 3 years ago (while still living in Texas) and have only ridden 12,000 miles in that time (4k miles/year). When I was working full-time in Texas, I was putting 10k miles/year on this thing because the weather was great (hot, but great). The rain out here sucks. I made a promise to myself to ride every day that it's not raining when I leave for work. If it rains in the afternoon, that's fine as long as it's not forecasted to be an absolute flood/hurricane/tornado.
I've been able to ride 1000 miles this past month and finally hit 30,000 miles! Time for an oil change. I bought Mobil 1 V-twin to replace the Motul that I feel makes the engine hotter. I really bake with the Motul for some reason (just based on feel). Not replacing the Motul trans/primary fluids this go around because they are ultra high quality, working great, and only have 5k miles on them.
I'm hoping to revive my thread and get back to the way it used to be
glad to hear more riding is in the plans…be interesting to hear your review of changing oil correlating to felt engine heat. I can’t imagine myself being able to feel a difference in ET from oil to oil
glad to hear more riding is in the plans…be interesting to hear your review of changing oil correlating to felt engine heat. I can’t imagine myself being able to feel a difference in ET from oil to oil
Maybe it's in my head! I don't know... At minimum I will have a placebo effect and psychologically feel cooler
Thinking of heading up to the Dragon this weekend. Never been there before. I have a 3-day weekend so probably heading up there Friday morning and staying over one or two nights. It's about 5 hours/275 miles away. I'm young enough I can put in 10 hours a day of riding and not regret it I plan on catching a few of the "canned" routes from Tail of the Dragon Maps and if I don't see everything I want, I'll just come back another time!
I'm open to suggestions and advice. Also, I take my time and I'm not in any hurry to the grave - I'm there to see the sights, not to tempt fate.
If I'm not able to go this weekend I get every-other Friday off so I'll try again in 2 weeks. Weather is lining up to be a real beaut this weekend though.
Thinking of heading up to the Dragon this weekend. Never been there before. I have a 3-day weekend so probably heading up there Friday morning and staying over one or two nights. It's about 5 hours/275 miles away. I'm young enough I can put in 10 hours a day of riding and not regret it I plan on catching a few of the "canned" routes from Tail of the Dragon Maps and if I don't see everything I want, I'll just come back another time!
I'm open to suggestions and advice. Also, I take my time and I'm not in any hurry to the grave - I'm there to see the sights, not to tempt fate.
If I'm not able to go this weekend I get every-other Friday off so I'll try again in 2 weeks. Weather is lining up to be a real beaut this weekend though.
I rode that area last year. I am also in the "there to see the sites, not push my limit" kind of guy. I would plan to hit the Cherohala Skyway while in the area. In my opinion, it was much more enjoyable than the Tail of the Dragon. If you can, I would also highly recommend riding into GSMNP and going to Newfound Gap where TN/NC intersect. It is a very nice ride and great views at the top.
I rode that area last year. I am also in the "there to see the sites, not push my limit" kind of guy. I would plan to hit the Cherohala Skyway while in the area. In my opinion, it was much more enjoyable than the Tail of the Dragon. If you can, I would also highly recommend riding into GSMNP and going to Newfound Gap where TN/NC intersect. It is a very nice ride and great views at the top.
Awesome, thanks - I was planning the Smoky Mountain loop and the Dragon-Cherohala loop so right in line with your suggestions. I went to a nascar race in Bristol a couple years ago and on the drive back the next morning I went through Maryville over to Cherokee (321 to 441) and wished I was on my bike!
Another great thing is that I'll be taking the Moonshiner's Run straight out of Augusta. GA-28 heads straight out of Augusta, which then crosses the river and becomes SC-28 where it officially becomes the Moonshiner 28 near Clemson. Then it becomes GA-28 (again), then NC-28 - all the way to the Tail of the Dragon. I'm pretty lucky to have such a great road between me and the Dragon.
Awesome, thanks - I was planning the Smoky Mountain loop and the Dragon-Cherohala loop so right in line with your suggestions. I went to a nascar race in Bristol a couple years ago and on the drive back the next morning I went through Maryville over to Cherokee (321 to 441) and wished I was on my bike!
Another great thing is that I'll be taking the Moonshiner's Run straight out of Augusta. GA-28 heads straight out of Augusta, which then crosses the river and becomes SC-28 where it officially becomes the Moonshiner 28 near Clemson. Then it becomes GA-28 (again), then NC-28 - all the way to the Tail of the Dragon. I'm pretty lucky to have such a great road between me and the Dragon.
since you are just getting back into riding more might want to ease into it first and maybe start with the Florida Tail Of The Dragon....11 turns in 110 miles
Awesome, thanks - I was planning the Smoky Mountain loop and the Dragon-Cherohala loop so right in line with your suggestions. I went to a nascar race in Bristol a couple years ago and on the drive back the next morning I went through Maryville over to Cherokee (321 to 441) and wished I was on my bike!
Another great thing is that I'll be taking the Moonshiner's Run straight out of Augusta. GA-28 heads straight out of Augusta, which then crosses the river and becomes SC-28 where it officially becomes the Moonshiner 28 near Clemson. Then it becomes GA-28 (again), then NC-28 - all the way to the Tail of the Dragon. I'm pretty lucky to have such a great road between me and the Dragon.
Awesome. Yes, those are the routes I would suggest. I wish I knew about the route out of Augusta. Every year my brother and I meet my cousin and head out on a ~2,000 mile ride. A few years ago we rode from Northern VA to Augusta Ga on day 1 to meet him (he came up from Florida). It was a 543 mile day which is still my longest to date.
Went from Augusta to Jasper AL, to Tupelo, to Cherokee NC (via Natchez Trace), through the park, to Wytheville VA, and home. Great trip but it was a very wet year (I think we had rain everyday and most days were torrential down pours for a good chunk of the day).
since you are just getting back into riding more might want to ease into it first and maybe start with the Florida Tail Of The Dragon....11 turns in 110 miles
Funny enough I rode down to Florida on I95 a few weeks ago and nearly fell asleep! I rode to Savannah then decided, what the heck... Florida is only another 2 hours! 8 hours/500 miles roundtrip for dinner lol
Finally got the front tire replaced... WOW things are moving slow nowadays. I even downgraded to a D407 instead of the American Elite so I didn't have to wait until May to get one!
Question... I counted 17, yes, SEVENTEEN, wheel weights on my tire. All on one side, all connected. WTF. I could see a "5" on the weight (not sure grams or oz.) and "Zn" (zinc?). Really? 17? Can't be that out of shape, can it?
Should have ridden a little further east into SC, dealer
has AE’s stacked from floor to ceiling!
First 100 miles down. About 300 more to go. Going up the Moonshiner 28 to the southern part of the Dragon, but then heading around the Cherohala Skyway west and up to Vonore. That’s 7 hours on the bike today and around 400 miles.
Tomorrow I will see how I feel and decide if I want to spend one more day riding to head back home, down the Dragon and back Florence the Moonshiner 28. Or spend two more days riding. One for going around the Smoky Mountain loop and then another day to get home. Time will tell.
Last edited by BrandonSmith; 04-22-2022 at 11:46 AM.
04-20-2022, 03:37 PM
