Has anyone ridden the Dragon's Tail with sidecar?

I have, it was great. Never in my life have I worked so hard to be the slow guy. Just trying to keep Roger Symington, Bill Balluo, and the rest in sight. I was moving pretty fast but they really moving.

There are many other roads in the area that are just as good, if not better if you're into carving corners. Plus the less known roads had a lot less traffic.

Ride the dragon, hang out at the resort, buy a T-shirt, then check out the rest of the area. You won't be disapointed.

Mike

Hey Mike;

Its on my play list for next spring/summer. I figured a leisurely but fast ride to Knoxville on I-40, find a motel room, and slide on down to ride the 'tail. I noted the Cherohola Skyway is also well spoken of. Anyhow, spend the night and another several hours exploring and I-40 back home late that afternoon. Anyhow, that's the plan.

And....I've heard there are something like 318 curves in a span of 11 miles. So, how tiring is that to your arms? I mean, after all, you're not doing much countersteering with your sidecar, right?. And what about the right hand curves? I've heard it said that for left hand turns, a sidecar mounted bike can keep up with, and sometimes exceed, the naked bike as far as speed is concerned.

But....how much slower must you take the righthand turns, without danger of catching some air? (I'm still in the process of mounting my sidecar, so I don't have any experience with which to judge things in that way....)

We have some good twisty roads in my part of the country, and I love to ride them on my Concours, sometimes having to depend upon the stickiness of those sport radials more than perhaps I should. Some roads can serve as genuine adrenalin factories and I do like to dial it up a tad sometimes.

Anyhow, thanks for the report and we'll catch you later!

Sahagan

I too have ridden the dragon back. I am very fortunate to live less than 2 hours away from the dragon. I and my friends make at least 5 trips through Deals Gap every year.

A sidecar run through the Gap is teeth gritting, back fatiguing, arm burning BALL OF FUN. I have made numerous runs and love it every time.
There are AMPLE turns, rises, bumps, other bikes, truck, rvs and sight seers. IF you can run and series of pilons on a flat course with no problems you will be fine. That underlying thought is ride you own ride.

Contact me if you have any questions or would like someone to ride with.

Kenneth Winter
East TN
1-800-264-6757

Hey Kenneth;

All right! You're on my 'must do' list and you can rest assured I'll be in touch about riding together next spring....I live in western Kentucky, but have lots of kids and grandkids in the Carolinas, so in a way, its on my way.

You know what? Maybe other sidecarists would like to ride that course with you as well. Why not pick out a good weekend (Yeah....I've heard there will be billions of bikes there on a weekend, but its hard for working folks to get lose during the week sometimes, although I'd certainly make the effort even then), and set up a joint ride with an emphasis on sidecars?

If you do, just go ahead and sign me up! If you don't, well, I'll be in touch anyhow, for I do mean to make that ride....and would love some experienced company to lead me through the tough spots.

Thanks for your reply and kind offer of riding partner. Catch you later!

Sahagan

Here are a couple of links to Deals Gap (The Dragon)...click on 'em.

http://www.dealsgap.com/index2.php

http://www.tailofthedragon.com/

Just a couple of comments on Deals Gap. I have been there twice and am looking forward to going back again. The roads in the area all all excellent.
The turns in much of 'The Gap' are banked quite a bit. They are also not connected by any straightaway sections to speak of. Due to this it is not too wise to try and 'straighten out' the turns , so to speak. If you do this you will actually be climbing one banking and then unloading the suspension as you 'go down'the banking of the next turn. The transition of the banking from one turn to the next is pretty good but only if you ride it in a way to take advantage of it.If not it can get pretty hairy to say the least. Taking the turns as they come is really a lot more fun and you will actually go faster.
We have been down in April and even though the weather can be unpredictable the road is not nearly as crowded.
Have fun!!
Claude

Hey Mr. Claude;

Thanks for those links....a body could easily spend a couple of enjoyable hours on the second link alone, taking in the ambience and adventure implicit in that incredible ride.

I'm up for it, although I expect slow and sure would best be the way to approach that first pass through. I've got many years of riding experience, but I still feel that sickening stomach slump whenever meeting a car or truck, or even motorcycle, coming around a blind curve, maybe a tad over the line, or even just too close, and me with my line already set and planned....and the necessity to make quick changes safely.

It looks like that ride could turn from sincere fun to deadly fear real quick....

I note the map from the second link has on it a toll gate. Is that real? Or just something from past years?

Right now, I'm thinking the last weekend in May or the first weekend in June for my run of the Dragon's Tail, giving me time to recuperate and make arrangements to join the festivities at Bean Blossum the weekend of June 24-27 (I suppose its a weekend....haven't looked at the calendar yet).

Anyhow, thanks for the info and we'll catch you later!

Sahagan

I've done Deals Gap, 4 times in the past 5 years .. on a solo bike.

I've never done anything even remotely physically challenging, either on a solo bike, or a sidecar rig. When the roads that you are normally used to can best be defined as '12 curves in 318 miles' (no, not Ohio, but close 🙂 ) and you go down to the Smokey Mountain area for a ride, the environment can be physically and mentally challenging, to say the least.
By the time you are 3/4 of the way through, i start to notice the fatique, the adrenaline rush can only take you so far 🙂 Deals Gap, or Highway 129, is fortunately but one of many roads to be discovered in that area, it's paradise on two wheels - the provisal is that i avoid going on weekends when law enforcement is high, and the squids are plenty. It's definitely worth going down for the weekdays, rather than a weekend trip.

Going through the Deals Gap itself, is a physical workout even on a single track motorcycle, i can't imagine what a sidecar will be like.. i'll find out soon enough though, as i'll be going for a trip again in May 2004 with the newly completed rig.

I don't know about you guys but the gap always has a sort of hynotic effect on me in cerrtain sections. LEFT,RIGHT,LEFT,RIGHT etc.
Definately go for the weekdays!!

Claude

Hey Bill;

Going in May hmmmm? When you get your date firmly fixed, let me know and maybe I'll join you with my newly completed rig.

I have a suspicion the Dragon's Tail will be very good as far as telling how well you have your set-up lined out....kind of like that old saying, "If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere".

We have a road near here, in Tennessee (TN Highway 232, near Dover, TN), that collects squids on every good weather weekend, as well as regular riders from a large area. Its 13 miles of curve after curve, many nicely banked, but no shoulders or side verges available. Leave the road and you either climb a tree or fall way down the hillside.

The big negative is that it traverses the top of a long and narrow, heavily wooded ridge between the Tennessee River and the Cumberland River....and is always being logged. So you will likely meet a few trucks on the route, as well as the usual complement of local cars and so forth. The scary part is the way the younger guys on 600's ride, passing on curves, blasting around any and everything. They congregate at each end, somewhere between 15 and 35 or so of them, talk a while, then saddle up and blast to the other end, there to talk awhile, then saddle up and blast to the other end. So far, I don't recall hearing about any fatal accidents, although the sport riders generally take along a 'take home' trailer, and lots of weekends end up using it. In fact, in these parts, its kind of hard to find a sport bike with the plastic in good condition.....

And too, some of these guys are so macho they load their young girlfriends on the back of the bike, no helmets, no protective clothing (had one guy pass me on a blind curve, trying to catch up to his group, girlfriend on back, she dressed in cut-offs and tank-top, bare midriff, and seemingly just barely able to hold on; a truly scary thing for us older and more sedate folks who've seen accidents and the results too many times to take such a casual approach to life).

Reading the Dragon's Tail websites it looks as if they may have a similar problem there as well....so you really have to keep your eyes peeled and yours senses about you.

I write for some local and regional magazines, newspapers and so forth. And I often do travelogues, with narrative and photos tossed in. I believe I'll make the Dragon's Tail into just that kind of article....with the hugely increasing number of bikes and riders these days, it should go over okay.

So I'm definitely in....

Catch you later!

Sahagan

Hey Bill;

So, you're putting a Hannigan sidecar on your Bandit huh? I'm putting a Hannigan on my '02 Concours....I'm just 12 miles from Hannigan's and have been able to get some helpful information from him. Unlike many, he's eager and willing to help anyway he can.

Its a first for me, but I'm one of those guys who enjoy working on a bike almost as much fun as riding the bike. So I'm restoring the sidecar from scratch (well, several scratches actually, including a small crack or two....repainting it and so forth). I could probably finish it in an easy week or two, but I always try to pick a winter shop project, so I'm stretching it out to give me some fun over the course of the next few months. Hopefully, I can turn that extra time into a better finished job at the end of the matter.

Anyhow, I'd sure enjoy hearing about your progress, the obstacles you've faced and overcome (I had a real bear with the fact the Concours doesn't have a frame to speak of around the engine, with the engine actually being a stressed member of the frame....) and how you did so, or plan to do so. I suspect the Bandit also offers some particular difficulties.

I'm not wanting to impose upon you of course, but if you're inclined to share I'm all ears.

Thanks!

Sahagan

I have a suggestion for those of you wanting to ride the Gap.
I am member of the Honda Pacific Coast riders group.
We have an annual gathering at the Gap. Maybe we can combine these two unique groups for a larger gathering. The ride is usually during the first two weeks in July.

Each way, being local please contact me when anyone wants to come this way. I will show you some incredible roads.

1984 Honda Night Hawk with CA sidecar
1990 Honda PC 800
2002 KTM 250 EXC
1956 BMW Isetta
1991 XR 250 L

Kenneth Winter
1-800-264-6757

Cool!! I thought I was the only one crazy enough to think about slaying the dragon with a sidecar. So, there are other equally psychotic riders out there... Good to know. I rode the dragon with my solo bike for the first time this past August and had a blast. I am planning a sidecar trip to Deals Gap next spring so count me in and let's roll!!

Originally written by Sahagan on 10/28/2003 11:26 AM

Hey Bill;

Going in May hmmmm? When you get your date firmly fixed, let me know and maybe I'll join you with my newly completed rig.

I have a suspicion the Dragon's Tail will be very good as far as telling how well you have your set-up lined out....kind of like that old saying, "If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere".

Sahagan

Generally, i go down the 1st week of May, exact dates are as of yet undecided. I'll be riding down from Toronto Ontario (I think my flatbed trailer is too small for the rig, so got to plan on riding just in case 🙂 ) and spend a week or so putzing about the region, part of the time with a group of people that we have annual riding event with. The trip down will be the long distance shake-down cruise, the rides on the local roads will be the performance test 🙂

We'll see about hooking up, closer to the spring, for sure.