SuzukiSavage.com - 2009's Tail of the Dragon Trip

kel30734

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Re: This Year's Tail of the Dragon Trip
Reply #1305 - 08/30/10 at 06:31:45

Oldfeller--FSO wrote on 08/27/10 at 04:17:48:

Speed and skill are LEARNED by intentionally copying folks techniques who do it better than you do.

Dragon days are advanced riding training days -- always have been, always will be.

and Practice Practice Practice Practice Practice Practice Practice amd more Practice

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MMRanch Serious Thumper Offline Evil flourishes if Good Men do Nothing. Posts: 5770 LYNCHBURG TN Gender:	Re: This Year's Tail of the Dragon Trip Reply #1306 - 08/31/10 at 22:15:36 I've learned more than a couple things in the two years I've been there ! That first trip when I didn't think it would turn any more , was only the begining .
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Re: This Year's Tail of the Dragon Trip
Reply #1307 - 09/02/10 at 07:51:52

And I learned they really would go a heck of a lot faster around a turn if you put the gas on in the middle of the turn.

And that NO turn exists that you can't go around at twice whatever it is posted for by the DOT.

And that your bike will out accelerate a car EASILY getting around it inside a short straight away.

And Lancer and Yamakid both proved to me that you really can split the lane between two oncoming cars with room to spare. There is like 10 feet between them.

So you don't necessarily die if you get "caught out" on a passing job in the mountains.

.... just bring some spare underwear Wink

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LANCER Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Savage Beast Performance Parts Posts: 10620 Oklahoma Gender:	Re: This Year's Tail of the Dragon Trip Reply #1308 - 09/02/10 at 15:16:23 YEP ............ spare underwear is always good to have on hand; you never know what may come your way or from which direction !
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weracerc

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Re: This Year's Tail of the Dragon Trip
Reply #1309 - 09/06/10 at 17:46:16

for you veterans of the dragon - how much riding experience (at a minimum) is needed to safely get through the 11 mile run.......would you reccommend a less than 1 yr commute/around town less than 1000 miles total riding experience rider try it?

i found a link that shows the number of deaths by year - i dont want to be on that link - or be a nuisance to the other rriders for being to slow.

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Oldfeller--FSO

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Re: This Year's Tail of the Dragon Trip
Reply #1310 - 09/06/10 at 21:31:50

The last few days of Dragon week are reserved for the newbies -- and you are a Dragon newbie even if you have 20 years of general bike experience but haven't been around the Deals Gap area before.

Will you kill yourself? No, not very likely if you have any sense about things at all. Your biggest danger is getting run over by a crotch rocket or run off the road by an oncoming Hurley that is using your lane because he couldn't stay in his own lane.

Simply get a map of the area in your saddle bag and ride at the back of the pack when they take off for a run (let the rest of them go sweep up all the road dangers before you get there). The guys up front may simply ride a lot faster than you can -- but if you get left behind riding at your own safe pace, that's OK -- you can figure out how to get back to the resort using the map.

There is a lot of riding that we do way out in the surrounding country side apart from occasional runs up and down the Dragon. And the serious Savage riders up in front of the pack do ride faster than you would believe possible, so expect to get left some and don't take it to heart, it is all just part of learning how.

YOUR BIKE MUST BE IN EXCELLENT SHAPE, good tires, good brakes, valves set, carb tuned etc etc or the rigorous rides will expose whatever lacks your bike may have.

You might want to PM a guy called Southpaw -- this past year he was kinda in the same spot that you might be in. He can offer you some insights on dealing with the Dragon that I might not even consider (been doing it too durn long).

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kel30734

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Re: This Year's Tail of the Dragon Trip
Reply #1311 - 09/07/10 at 11:19:04

As fas as speed goes.... AT YOUR OWN PACE....
I got cought doing 70 or so on the Cherohola Skyway BUT I was JUST RIDING... not paying attention to my speedo.
I was Riding in my comfort zone.... It might be a bit too fast for some
when the elevation is around 4000 feet and you got a drop off on the outside of a long sweeper.
I did not beleave it untill Bigzuk pulled out the GPs History...
OF is correct... Bike mut be in tip top shape... I know I abuse mine every time i go to the GAP..... Grin

Side note:
Alot of the riding is Very technical... IE Setting up Decending raidous 90 deg lefthanders downhill that switch back in to a 90 or 100 deg up hill all the while trying to keep up with BigSuk and Son....
alot of PEG Scrapin fun to be had by all... even an exhaust header scrapes, Just ask the OF

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« Last Edit: 09/07/10 at 12:49:09 by kel30734 »

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weracerc

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Re: This Year's Tail of the Dragon Trip
Reply #1312 - 09/07/10 at 13:22:20

my cycle'n buddies (crotch rocketeers) are going there this weekend - I think i'll pass the 2010 season and try for a late 2011 run - perhaps by then i'll not pucker up at the thought of a peg scraping.....the bike is in good shape now that i have done the front brakes, raptor, head plug, oil change, spark plug replaced.....bike has 7800 miles on it now by this time next year hoping it has double that.....and thusly i'll be better prepared for some curves.

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Oldfeller--FSO

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Re: This Year's Tail of the Dragon Trip
Reply #1313 - 09/07/10 at 13:34:52

Don't ask me, I won't be there during newbie days.

The evil crazy frog will be elsewhere when the beginners get there, probably doing some crazy shite like passing 18 wheelers on double yellow line roads or luring pairs of full dresser Hurleys into attempting (and failing) 55 mph corners or some such crazy nonsense.

I pose a special danger to younger male riders and drivers -- they inherently cannot believe that they can't do what the fat old man on the overloaded stock single cylinder grandma bike can do and he lures them into situations that they lack the skills to handle and find they cannot get out of.

Ask Kel, he's been doing 75 mph sweepers and hitting 80 plus on the straight aways jest a running his bike just flat out as fast as it would go and getting upset he couldn't go any faster.

Big Zuk had fallen back at that point in time to sanity land, where his GPS recorded those 70 mph speeds -- but you weren't back there with him, were you now Kel -- you wuz out there in front way up in froggy land with me.

And it was so easy and natural, too ....

jest a floating gently along communing with the turns.

Grin

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kel30734 Senior Member Offline Dragon Rider Posts: 486 Calhoun, GA Gender:	Re: This Year's Tail of the Dragon Trip Reply #1314 - 09/07/10 at 16:53:34 and Still could not catch up with the OF on his Grandmaw bike.... IN THE ZONE and still did not nrrd any new DRAWZZZZZ
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Re: This Year's Tail of the Dragon Trip
Reply #1315 - 09/07/10 at 17:26:05

Go black lining with us -- traffic both ways is what causes them soiled drawers. Shocked

The Skyway was peaceful and deserted .... commune with them turns, watch the rain clouds top the ridge and envelope you in a world of pearly white while hitting 85 mph on the long ridge straight away .....

Happy zone, ain't it? I miss it a lot when I go back down into the normal world. My riding friends just don't understand why a set of curvy roads seems to go bring a grin to my face ....

Mountain roads are the Savage's natural element -- they come alive up there.

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LANCER Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Savage Beast Performance Parts Posts: 10620 Oklahoma Gender:	Re: This Year's Tail of the Dragon Trip Reply #1316 - 09/07/10 at 19:37:29 Quote: Mountain roads are the Savage's natural element -- they come alive up there . YEP
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ncron1103 Junior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 52 Georgetown,ky Gender:	Re: This Year's Tail of the Dragon Trip Reply #1317 - 10/22/10 at 01:26:38 I will be there!!!!!
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Re: This Year's Tail of the Dragon Trip
Reply #1318 - 11/06/10 at 07:03:23

Justin O Guy was thinking that fork brace was a necessary thing to have for a Dragon Run participant.

Not so, I don't have one !!!

He was shocked that I told him I didn't have one and that from what I can remember most of the participants did not have a fork brace either.

Dragon is all about developed skills and practice, not fork braces.

He still doesn't believe it, so all you Dragon guys chime in -- fork brace or no fork brace.

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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: This Year's Tail of the Dragon Trip Reply #1319 - 11/06/10 at 07:19:43 Here Now! Dont be misquotin me. Ice thot the hot rodders would have a brace, Im hearin otherwise. Ive been a loud proponent of the braces, maybe too much so, So, YOu crazy old peg scrapers, who has a brace & who doesnt?
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