JB...having just ridden the dragon, I'd say to take the trip even if it's just once. While I was there I met people who rode out from Wisconsin.

By the way, how do you and your wife like that Sundowner?

 

It is way better than the stock but she still longs for the seat I had on my Virago which was a modified '03 Softail seat. We did 240 miles on Sunday, Thunder in the Rockies, and she was a bit uncomfortable but on the stock we did 160 and she was just about to the point of making me drop her off and bring back the cage. If by this winter it has not softened up a bit more then I will probably send both of them to Spencers Seat Mods. Did you get the Mustang pillion? What does your gf think compared to the Sundowner?

 

Oh yeah...she just mentioned the other day that she likes the mustang better than the sundowner.

 

I may have to go the Mustang route if Spencer's is not able to get the SD to the better half's liking. Come Spring I may be asking for pics and part numbers if you don't mind.

 

I can tell you what I have right now...

#76107...Mustang vintage solo

#76109...Mustang 9" vintage passenger seat. They have either a 12.5 or 13.5" version also.

 

Not in Colorado, but not nearly as far away as the Dragon. If you really like the twisties take a look at the Coronado Trail (rt. 191, Devil's Highway, old rt. 666) in eastern Arizona.

86 miles with over 1,500 turns, over 400 of which are 25 mph or less. Altitude goes from about 3500 ft. to over 9500 ft. from Clifton to Alpine, AZ. It was originally a forest road, but is paved (2 lane) and has almost no traffic and I've never seen law enforcement on it yet.

Best run from south to north (mostly uphill), but a great ride either way.

 

I've done research on rt 191 and most of it says that it is 90 miles and 400 curves. Where do you get 1500???

 

The articles I've read say 400 "switchbacks" or tight turns. There are many more directional change (sweepers) turns.

When I've run it, I've always been too busy to count them.

A common stopping place on the trail is Hannigans Meadow, one thing you usually hear there from other riders there is they were beginning to wonder if the turns would ever end.

Here's the article where I got my info:

http://www.roadtripamerica.com/drive...nado-Trail.htm

This paragraph: "From Morenci, US-191 winds into the mountains."

"I counted 435 curves between the city limit and the town of Alpine, 92 miles away. There are twice that many lesser curves, what I'd call "directional adjustments." You climb from about 3500 feet to almost 9000 in elevation. The route passes the vast lands of the San Carlos Apache Tribe, the Blue River Primitive Area, and the pine and aspen forests of the White Mountains."

If this is accurate, there are about 1300 turns total. At any rate it is a really fun road to ride with very little traffic. It takes about 3-4 hours depending on how hard you ride.

 

mathematically....

191 has 400+ switchbacks in 92 miles...that's ~ 5 switchbacks per mile.

The dragon has 318 switchbacks in 11 miles...that's ~29 switchbacks per mile.

The math doesn't lie man... 191 may be longer but not as dense with switchbacks as other roads in the U.S.

and with that many swicthbacks...who has time to take in the scenery? Not me...I'm concentrating on not dying....and navigating the road.

and who wants to ride up 9000ft? it's EFFIN cold at 9000 feet. Sheeeet, I was cold at 5400 feet on the cherohala skyway outside the dragon.

Watching a vid of 191 now...scenery? it's sand. You know what it's gonna be in 40 yrs? sand. lol I wouldn't mind riding it though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9Ojn3y6QDY

 

9,000 feet is not a place I'd want to be in the winter, but when it's 115 degrees in Phoenix it's about 74 degrees at the highest point of the trail.
I did ride the trail last year in November when there was snow on the ground and in the shady spots on the road, serious pucker factor at times.

I'm not knocking the Dragon at all, I've never been there. Just letting the original poster know of a good twisty road a little closer to him. I'd like to ride it one day, missed an opportunity when I rode to Daytona earlier this year but we were on a schedule and didn't have time for the detour.