Ruttly wrote on 02/19/23 at 11:38:49:


I also enjoy making graceful passes on slower riders - it brings back the memories of when I was young and racing in the dirt.  Passing was a skill that needed to be practiced and learned - and when racing we had to become comfortable riding with a small distance between riders. It was not uncommon that when someone passed you had to instantly make changes to your speed or path - as the other rider was now in your way.......it was just part of the racing game.

When you ride the Tail of the Dragon, there is a wide range of rider skills and speeds.....everything from fast sport bike riders on slicks to large touring bikes riding double with lots of luggage.

I ride the Dragon at a pretty aggressive pace and scrub off a lot of tire rubber in the corners - but I don't try to set any land speed records in the straights between curves.  There are some riders who accelerate aggressively between curves .....and also drag knees in the corners, and I don't ride it that aggressively as I feel the need to have some ability to change my line if I come around a corner and see a bike or car in my lane.  When these faster riders come up behind me - I get over to the side and wave them past.  When I come up behind slower riders (or cars) I give them the opportunity to see I am behind them and allow them the chance to wave me past......or they can pull over to any one of the numerous pull off areas that are provided.  When they provide the opportunity to pass I always give them a quick "beep" on the horn and a friendly "Thanks" wave as I pass.  I limit my passes to the straight sections - it just isn't a race track and passing in the corners just seems like an unnecessary risk (I have been passed in the corners a few times by some really fast/aggressive sport bike riders).

There are some slow riders (and cars) who just won't wave you past them.  It is pretty easy to find a spot to pass if there are only 1 or 2 of them - but sometimes a long line of bikes/cars gets stacked up behind and it is impossible to pass.....when this happens, I just turn around and ride the other way for a while as the curves are fun in both directions.  When I do pass slower riders most of the time it is just fine - but not everyone accepts it gracefully.  One time I came up behind a man and woman riding big cruisers and they were pretty slow.  The man was riding behind the woman, and he waved me around him.  I was able to pass him easily on a straight section and get between them.  She never volunteered for me to pass, and I shot past her on a short straight and was likely 30 feet in front of her when I braked and leaned into the curve.............and she blew her horn and let me know she was not happy about the pass.  It is very likely she never looked into her mirror and didn't know I was behind her....and the pass surprised her.

I raced Motocross and Hare Scrambles many years ago, and I am comfortable with making passes (and being passed) by good riders.....and riding with MM, Oldfeller, Verslagen, Stewmills, Youzguys, Armen, Serowbot and other good forum riders we are comfortable with riding close and passing each other at any time.  Many motorcycles riders are not comfortable with that and don't have the skills needed to ride well - they find it a challenge just to shift gears, ride between the lines and not fall over when they come to a stop.....they are just not experienced riders yet.  Having someone pass them on a short straight and drop into a corner in front of them is horribly scary to them!  A herd of V-Twin riders on the Dragon can be passed 1 or 2 at a time - but they seem to really get irritated by you dropping in to break up their parade, and I generally don't do it if there are more than 3 or 4 of them in the group.  MM, Stemills and I were riding on Wolf Pen Gap and we came up behind about a dozen riders who were painfully slow......we really didn't have any option but to follow them at their slow pace - there just wasn't any way to pass them safely.

It really is best to ride the Dragon on Monday through Thursday and avoid the weekends.  If you get out before 10AM on  the weekends it is OK - avoid it anytime you see a car club headed that direction.  Mustangs, Camaros, Corvettes, BMWs and other large cars just don't fit well on the tight curves and there are going to be a lot of drivers crossing over the centerline.

We've got a couple of nice roads to ride right in our area:  One 2 mile pkwy with 20 turns and plenty of outlook stops.  Or the ride through the park which is 10 miles with ups and downs and plenty of turns.

Ruttly wrote on 02/20/23 at 21:09:48:



The Dragon is a section of road, 318 curves in 11 miles, which works out to a curve every 182’.   It is a fun and challenging road.  Many very tight curves in the mountains with cliffs that you do not want to go airborne on.  Riders that do that may take a few days to find their body.
As Dave mentioned choosing the day/time to ride is needed ti avoid the crowds during the summer.

We don’t count corners , yeah maybe you got more but I know some really good roads , some one mistake would be your last. Tight , up , down , in and out of shadows , maybe a little damp , maybe a tad rough and sometimes it turns to dirt. Roads you don’t dare ride stupid. Roads that can test your fire road skills at times too. When I vacation it’s always a “No Service” area , away from people and trouble. Guess I’m done with crowds and having to go slow because of them doesn’t interest me. A buddy or two and a road I’ve never ridden before  , that’s adventure , a new page in life.
It’s in the “maybe” column of the bucket list. Pikes Peak still lures me like voice in my head that won’t go away , granted now that it’s paved to the top it has lost some of its appeal , but that road is solid in the “Doing It” column. If I eat $hit and die , it was meant to be , it’s a callin !
So many roads , so little time !