Been there Done that 4 times now. Its cool to say you did it...but honestly..... the ride from Gatlinburg to the dragon via Townsend and the FOOTHILLS PARKWAY and then the ride from the dragon to Cherokee, NC along 28, 74, and 19 is MUCH BETTER than the Dragon. The other routes I mention are a lot of long snakey kind of roads that have twists & turns....but they also allow you to enjoy the ride while taking in the sights along the way! I'll go again this fall and ride it AGAIN....just for the joy of the ride!

 

I agree, we rode it last year. We had more fun riding the Skyway,I saw more than just the road in front of me.
[/quote]

Skyway... wheres that?
[/quote]

I assume he is talkin about theCherohala Skyway. It runs from Robinsville, NC to Tellico Plains, TN. Very nice ride.

 

Every road up there is better than Deals Gap. Especially on a cruiser with no ground clearance. Its a decent point and shoot road for a sportbike. It was better 20 years ago when there would be 20 bikes in the parking lot on any given Sunday.

 

"Skyway" = Cherohala Skyway. Here's some info:

http://www.cherohala.com/

Fill-up the tank before you get on it 'cause there are no gas stations on it; at least there weren't when I road it last. There are small towns along the Skyway to find gas, but better to start with a full tank. Connects Robbinsville, NC and Tellico Plains, TN. Fabulous vistas and huge elevation changes.

 

Back in 2002 we rode the dragon and tractor trailor left us no place to go....everybody ended up OK though

Take a look at the picture:

 

son of a bitch! that was a nasty looking pic. hate to see a harley in such an unnatural position. glad everyone made it okay.

 

I agree the ride to the Dragon is more enjoyable than the actual dragon ride - at least for me. The roads from the Smikey Mts to Deals Gap are really beautiful.

 

i loved the dragon but by the time we got off my wife was in tears. we were two up and full bags. the crotch rockets were passin us with on coming traffic . i thinkl they had death wishes or something. i want to go back , just goin to leave the wife by the pool.

 

Very sad story, repeated all too often. I believe much of it comes down to training and maturity. Manyridersdon't know how to ride a motorcycle within the limits of the environment. I raced "crotch-rockets" on closed course road race circuits for 6 years when I was in my late 20s, and anyone who thinks they can actually ride a sportbike fast on a public road has no proper perspective. Also, the fact that the rider in the story locked up his REAR brake shows he probably didn't know how to ride. I would suggest that you almost never need (or even should) use your rear brake on a motorcycle...it simply doesn't have enough weight on it to do anything other than lock up in a hard-braking scenario. I agree with some of the posts about the gap not being a particularly enjoyable ride unless you are on a light, good handling motorcycle. Two-up on my RKC??? no thanks please.

 

How freakin' fast do you have to be going to *skid* for *230 feet*?!?

Terrible -- But too many of these things are attributable to Darwinism. I hope everyone here avoids such things - As in, being an innocent casualty of such things.