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Cruiser
Posts: 153 Frisco, TX | For those of you interested, I did a video of my trip down the Dragon on Sunday while Craig and I were heading home. The Tail of the Dragon (for those that don’t know), is a famous little stretch of HWY 129 bordering the southern side of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park between North Carolina and Tennessee. Most of it is on the Tennessee side. It’s 11 miles with 318 curves. You can see the video on youtube by going to my youtube page at http://www.youtube.com/viperfergy. Look at the playlist section. It’s in 2 parts since youtube limits to 10 minutes for a video. I just uploaded the videos so it may be a little while before they’re available for playing. For the full version which is about 15 minutes, you can go to http://craftlogicsoftware.com/TailOfTheDragonFull.mpg but it may take a while to start streaming yet it’s of better quality and higher resolution. The Vision is a very formidable bike in the twisties and you can see. I'm very impressed with the handling of this bike. I did, however, have to pump up the rear shock to 40 PSI to keep from scraping my tip-over protectors. Try laying your bike on the tip-over protectors and then you'll realize how far this bike can lean. Very impressive. For more information on the Tail of the Dragon, go here: http://www.tailofthedragon.com/ BTW, when riding the Dragon, I felt I was going much faster than the video shows. Oh well… There’s always next time!
Edited by Fergy 2008-05-20 1:26 AM
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Visionary
Posts: 1436
| Watched your video and wonder exactly where the camera was mounted? You might want to pick up a copy of "twist the wrist." I'm always extremely reluctant to criticize someone elses riding habits, but have found this book to be most enlightening. The fact you can hear the rollover guards scraping as often as what they did suggests you can pick up a great deal from this book. Not a criticism or poke at you, just a recommendation for a very enlightening read. Ridden the dragon numerous times and it sure is a great road. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 71 Opelika, AL | I checked killboy.com... didn't see your pics on there yet.. looks like he doesn't have Sunday's photos loaded yet... give it a day or two..  |
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Cruiser
Posts: 153 Frisco, TX | Teach - 2008-05-20 7:18 PM Watched your video and wonder exactly where the camera was mounted? You might want to pick up a copy of "twist the wrist." I'm always extremely reluctant to criticize someone elses riding habits, but have found this book to be most enlightening. The fact you can hear the rollover guards scraping as often as what they did suggests you can pick up a great deal from this book. Not a criticism or poke at you, just a recommendation for a very enlightening read. Ridden the dragon numerous times and it sure is a great road. I'm not exactly sure what you're implying. The boards are scraping, yes, but there is nothing wrong with that. I'm taking the dragon agressively; not a Sunday drive in the park. When pushing the limits of machine and rider, a board scrape is acceptable assuming the rider knows the limits and understands how to ride. The camera was mounted on the front left fairing and that's why it appears the bike is more left on the road than I'm actually riding. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 153 Frisco, TX | autiger2 - 2008-05-20 7:20 PM I checked killboy.com... didn't see your pics on there yet.. looks like he doesn't have Sunday's photos loaded yet... give it a day or two..  We were there on Sunday early before they arrived so you won't find our picture there. You can check on Friday. We came through there on the way to Maggie Valley. I'm on the black tour and Craig is on the cherry. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 71 Opelika, AL | Yes... photo 175 in Touring Bikes..  |
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Cruiser
Posts: 65 Newburgh,IN | Fergy:
Thanks for taping your ride & Thanks for posting it here. Looks like you had fun. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 196
| Fergy,
We were there later on Sunday also, see Zee Photos 197 & 198 for Sunday!
I LOVE my Vision! |
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Visionary
Posts: 1436
| Fergy, I wasn't implying anything, just suggesting a good read that you might pick up some pointers from that might well relieve some or all of the scraping. Ride safe...... T |
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Cruiser
Posts: 153 Frisco, TX | Teach - 2008-05-21 9:37 PM Fergy, I wasn't implying anything, just suggesting a good read that you might pick up some pointers from that might well relieve some or all of the scraping. Ride safe...... T Thanks. At some point, if you go fast enough and can't lean any more into the turn, you will scrape. Scraping is not bad. It's just a warning that if you lean much more, you won't be able to turn enough to maintain the current turning radius. If I start to scrape, I simply shift my weight more to the inside and the bike stands up more and the scraping stops. Because I'm a very agressive rider, though, I shift my weight to the inside prior to the turn not just to keep from scraping but because I want to be able to make the turn at a faster speed. I never go into a turn too hot. Instead, I get set in the turn and then start rolling on the throttle. I continue to accellerate and lean into the turn until I start to scrape. This allows me to get to the maximum speed and maximum lean angle more safely than if I started to scrape at the beginning of the curve. If it's a decreasing radius turn or I start to scrape, all I need to do is let off the throttle a litlte and maybe do some trail braking. All is good. Riding safe is the most important thing and knowing how to ride is how you know how to ride safely. |
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Fountain Inn, SC United States | Nice Video! I especially like pt2 where you run up on the dirt biker. He almost loses it a couple times but the Vision stays right on his butt.
I've added your video to the Vision-Riders frontpage. You're A Star!
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Cruiser
Posts: 153 Frisco, TX | JAM - 2008-05-22 11:52 AM Nice Video! I especially like pt2 where you run up on the dirt biker. He almost loses it a couple times but the Vision stays right on his butt. I've added your video to the Vision-Riders frontpage. You're A Star! Thanks! |
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