| Author | Message | ||
| kmh364
Senior Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 2194 Registered: 9-2003 |
Riding the "Dragon" in NC late in Oct. to try out my new '08 Ducati HM1100S. Which members here live in the general area? I'll be there for about a week, so it's possible for a little meet n' greet for coffee, grub, drinks, whatever. Cheers, Kevin | ||
| olieoliver
Senior Member Username: olieoliver Post Number: 1550 Registered: 2-2006 |
Kevin have fun and be safe man. We had a trip planned to ride the Dragon earlier this summer but that was before a drunk driver ruined my whole summer of riding. Peace, Olie | ||
| kmh364
Senior Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 2195 Registered: 9-2003 |
Thanks, Olie. Sorry to hear about the DUI idiot, but at least he/she didn't ruin your life (or that of your family's). I just hope some idiot doesn't try to ruin me when I ride one of America's best and also most dangerous roads. | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 1759 Registered: 3-2004 |
I've been there and ridden it, but I can't say it was the best riding in the area. I would get out on Cherohala or the Blue Ridge for lots more enjoyable miles than you can get on The Dragon. Too many idiots, too much police presence, and too many large vehicles on that road to really enjoy the ride at any speed. I also love Skyline Drive if that's part of your general itinerary. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't go there and not ride it, but The Dragon isn't my #1 riding attraction in the area. Wherever you go, though, have a great ride! For anyone that is local, are falling leaves and deer an issue for riding in late Oct? -bob | ||
| chuck
Intermediate Member Username: chuck Post Number: 199 Registered: 3-2005 |
Where is this place? Is it in N.C.? Let me know what part of the state and I will fill you in on who lives in the area as best I can. Chuck | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 1760 Registered: 3-2004 |
TN/NC border area due south of Knoxville. | ||
| kmh364
Senior Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 2196 Registered: 9-2003 |
They guy that does all the Dragon vids told us that the surrounding roads are as good or better. I'll be there about a week, avoiding the weekend and the attendant tourist traffic and five-o they attract. | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 5467 Registered: 5-2002 |
Well Kevin, if you are in Western North Carolina, then you will be in my neck of the woods. I'm in the Asheville area. Check it out on a map and drop me an email. | ||
| adriaan
Senior Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 1591 Registered: 6-2002 |
I enjoyed the twists and turns on the older routes in the Mosel area in Germany a lot, even in a family car. Beautiful scenery too - even our 7 year old enjoyed the views. | ||
| darkstar01
Member Username: darkstar01 Post Number: 77 Registered: 6-2005 |
I used to live in upstate SC, Greenville to be exact, and had a place near Caeser's head. 276 between Ceaser's head and pumpkintown, or whatever it is at that point, is always seeing crazy bike traffic, so i would assume it's pretty fun. If you are in Dave's neck of the woods, though, Asheville is a good place for good times and good music. Off the topic, Dave- do you know a bass player around those parts name Eliot? good friend of mine, just checking. Austin | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 5477 Registered: 5-2002 |
No, I don't think so. Do you know who he plays with? | ||
| darkstar01
Member Username: darkstar01 Post Number: 78 Registered: 6-2005 |
He has a band called Free Planet Radio that i think he's mostly working with now, but he played with Paul Winter for years.. won a couple Grammy's with him. He was my teacher up until I moved to NYC. FPR is definitely a band worth checking out. | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 5478 Registered: 5-2002 |
I haven't seen the name around town, but then I don't actually get in to town all that often. I just looked at their website. I have heard of the percussionist; I think Jon, the guitar player in my band, knows him (Jon plays with a lot of the jazz players in town). And it looks like your friend in still playing gigs with Paul Winter from time to time. I'm listening to the mp3's now; I love this stuff! Thanks! | ||
| terryc
Advanced Member Username: terryc Post Number: 257 Registered: 11-2004 |
Wish I could bring myself and my Fireblade to North Carolina from the UK..sounds like a great time...damn!!! | ||
| j_gary
Advanced Member Username: j_gary Post Number: 256 Registered: 6-2005 |
Hi Kevin, I wish I lived nearby. I have been up & down the Dragon several times and found her a panic. I was on a BMW R1100RT which is heavy for a sport bike, but was a thrill to wrestle down the road. I did not feel a desire to run her fast as the road is a blast at any speed. Total concentration, giggles & grins all the way. It should be a blast on a Duck. Safe journey! | ||
| kmh364
Senior Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 2204 Registered: 9-2003 |
Thanks Gary. I just got the Duc on Fri, so I'm still coming to terms with it. I've been riding a 1000# H-D barcalounger on wheels for the past 9yrs, so a <400# missile is a different animal altogether. I plan on taking it pretty easy on the Dragon...I don't want any part of (more precisely, any of my or my bike's parts on) the "tree of shame", LOL! The bike is a blast, though. It's tough rheining that beast in with all that power, handling and stopping power on tap. I'm trying very hard to resist the temptation to ride like a hooligan...and it's putting my hard-earned street survival savvy and wisdom developed over nearly 23yrs. of safe riding and three years as an MSF Rider Coach to the test. | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 1782 Registered: 3-2004 |
Kevin, then you know the first miles on a new bike are a more dangerous time for even the most experienced rider. Get a bunch of hours in before you go. No way do you want to be thinking about where or how responsive your controls are while you're spinning through Deals Gap. The bike has to be ready for a ride like this as well. Get through at least the first service so the machine is running smooth and reliably then scrape the pegs a bit in some "safe" environments to scrub the tires in as far as you might need them to grip. Finally, if you're going to be there a while, take a slow pass down and back to get familiar with the road conditions and look for any sandy road surfaces, potholes, or particularly scary combination turns. Safety first! When we last rode the Gap, it was two up on a fully loaded ST1300. That kept the pace fun enough to elicit a few screams through the headset, but significantly less than suicidal. | ||
| kmh364
Senior Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 2205 Registered: 9-2003 |
Understood. Statistics show an unfamiliar bike catches both inexperienced and experienced riders alike out a disproportionate amount of the time. FWIW, I recommend to my students that they take the ERC as a refresher at least every-other year (preferably at season's start) and/or everytime they get a new bike for the above reason. The bike has about 900mi on it now and has been dealer-serviced @ the 600mi mark (1st recommended interval). It was a demo, so the bike is well shaken out. I got a good feel for the bike this weekend with the riding I did. I deliberately brought it to the range so that I could ride all the ERC exercises on it to try and find the limits at reasonable speeds and in a controlled enviro closed to regular traffic. The tires have no "chicken strips" (mold nubs) left, as the rear tire has wear to within 1/4" of each outer edge. As for the Dragon, I'm no hero or Valentino-wannabee (or is that Stoner-wannabee...it is a Duc, LOL!). I know my limits and I'm not looking to set the "lap" record there. I'll be down there for nearly a week, so I'll have plenty of time to acclimate myself and I can slowly wick-up the speed as confidence and conditions allow. | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 1783 Registered: 3-2004 |
I am a high mileage guy and many of us subscribe to a different way of breaking in bikes than most of the manufacturer recommendations. Out of your control on a demo bike, but first service for me comes between 50-100 miles. Those first engine rotations will result in metal shavings in the oils as parts get used to rubbing against each other. On some bikes, the oil pulled after 50 miles looks like someone dumped a packet of glitter into it. Same thing for the rear end on a shaft drive, though it's usually not quite so ugly. The 500-600 mile service is when we switch over to synthetic oils. Glad to hear that you are practicing what you preach. Tight turns on the aging blacktop of the typical MSF range will usually do a decent job of scrubbing in the sidewalls. Have a great trip! | ||
| kmh364
Senior Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 2206 Registered: 9-2003 |
You're preaching to the choir, Bob, LOL! In my prior life I was a professionally-trained class-A HD Diesel/Automotive Mechanic (5yrs in the commercial sector, many others privately for myself). I always change my oil in every new engine by the 100mi mark. Then I go with the 500-1000mi change then every 3500-5000 thereafter. Unfortunately, due to the immutable laws of supply/demand economics, I had to go with the demo or wait until Nov. Not a normal practice for me as I prefer new out-of-the-crate/no-body's *ss on my seat bikes. Plus taking delivery of a "naked" bike during the beginning of the long, cold NE-Corridor winter season didn't make much sense to me either...at least I can enoy the best riding weather of the year for a couple of months before having to take out the Gerbing's heated gear or park the thing until the thaw. FWIW, timing is everything. When I was in the market in '99 for my first H-D they were in such high demand and such short supply that you had to wait 3mos-2rs. to get the bike you wanted and often had to pay well in excess of MSRP. This time I wanted a Duc and an unobtainable one at that, so it was MSRP and a wait (I did get a few hundred off and the first service free beacause it was a demo). Now H-D dealers are stuck with bikes and a local guy is offering $3K off of MSRP on '07 Baggers (All Touring family models in stock)! That makes a new $18k Road King a better buy than my $14k Duc! Don't forget all the 'extra" fees, like prep/freight, paint/wheel/alarm options, Tax/title/tags, etc.! My Duc soared to thousands over MSRP after all was said and done. Well, as a wise man once said: "It's only money and I'll make more!" You truly only do live once! And yes, I do practice what I preach. It doesn't make much sense to me to go thru all the time/trouble/expense to become a professional MSF Rider Coach and then not set a proper example for my students and the public at large. Believe you me, nobody is an RC for the money...if you needed to teach to eat, you'd be a goner for sure, LOL! |
