Looooonnnngggg overdue ride

IAM Rand · Mar 13, 2025

I have been a motorcycle rider since college. Let me just say that it was many moons ago when I started riding. I have never taken a long trip. Mainly just around the state with about 4 hours max.

This summer I am planning a 7 day trip out to the Tail of the Dragon. I am a little nervous and very excited. Working out the details of the trip now. Not going to spend a great deal of time in any one location other than in the Tennessee. I will spend a full day in the area and may hit a couple of distilleries.

I have a 2015 BMW K1600 that I absolutely love it but, dang is it expensive to maintain. I am doing a 36K service next week and will also be getting tires and brakes later on. Sometimes I think the automotive and recreational vehicle industry makes these things hard to work on so that the average Joe can't. Not only that, since when do I pay a mechanic to use a screw driver or wrench on my vehicle(s). AND yet, I have to pay them to use a computer to tell me what is wrong. A computer, just like that screw driver or wrench, that they couldn't do their job with out it.

Sorry for the off topic rant. If there are any must see attractions in the area of the Dragon, please let me know. I may figure in an extra day out there.

Bro. Dave · Mar 13, 2025

I'm not sure of your route, but if you go through the Vicksburg MS area and are a history buff, even peripherally, go see the gunboat Cairo Museum. For a Civil War enthusiast, the display of the remains of the boat and the enormous quantity of artifacts recovered from the anaerobic mud is not to be missed.

Edited to add: I was there with friends on motorcycles and we found the Natchez Trace to be a disappointment. It has a strictly enforced speed limit of 45 mph and going through the dense pine forest it was like going down a hallway. Not to the tastes of those with whom I rode.

old bear · Mar 13, 2025

This summer I am planning a 7 day trip out to the Tail of the Dragon. I am a little nervous and very excited. Working out the details of the trip now. Not going to spend a great deal of time in any one location other than in the Tennessee. I will spend a full day in the area and may hit a couple of distilleries.

You may want to make that stop an over night stop..

lihpster · Mar 13, 2025

Not exactly right near the Dragon, but Wheels Through Time motorcycle museum in Maggie Valley, NC might be something you'd want to check out.

Buzzzer · Mar 13, 2025

The wife and I did a similar trip back in 2010. We did the tail and Cherohala Skyway and part of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Stay away from the Gatlinburg, TN, area, unless you like lots of traffic. We traveled from the north so had to find a way around it in the Smokey's. We stayed overnight in Cherokee and Ashville. Nice ride, once we got there. Have fun!

(Ya, a Beemer, nice bikes but maintaining it, not me, no offense)

Rodan · Mar 13, 2025

The Cherohala Skyway is a great ride. Personally I would stay off the Blue Ridge Pkway. Absurdly low speed limits and aggressive enforcement...

The Dragon is one of those bucket list things, but honestly just about any road in the area will be a really nice ride... and far less crowded. The Dragon is really tight, especially for a big bike like a K16. IMHO, you have many roads in CO that are far more fun to ride.

Barber Motorsports park is a day away from the Dragon, but the Museum there is a must see for a motorcycle enthusiast.

On the Cherohala Skyway waaay back in '03...

I used to do a LOT of motorcycle touring, and I do miss it! I'm jealous...

oink · Mar 13, 2025

The Cherohala Skyway is a very pretty ride but not at all challenging unless you plan to take it at warp speed. The Southern end of the Blue Ridge Pky is very worth doing for it's beauty even if you do take it slow at the posted limit.

The Foothills Pky between Gatlinburg, by way of Townsend, and the Dragon is a nice pretty ride. The Dragon is, I guess, a must but it's not the most enjoyable stretch around and there are some really nice rides in the area. The Dragon is ok but it is tight and you have to watch for the guys trying to set speed records and vehicles with tows going very slow while taking up the whole road.

If you take the Dragon coming from the Foothills Pky and then turn South towards the Tellico Plains and then on towards the Cherohala Skyway it's a great ride. I may not have gotten that correct as I'm going from my poor memory. But that whole area is nice riding. Keep your tank full.

I have done pretty much the whole Blue Ridge at speed which was for sure an adrenaline pumping ride. One of my riding buddies went down on one trip but couldn't have picked a better place, soft turf, no rocks and no cliff. No injury. The bad news is riding like that you miss all of the beauty. I say go slow and enjoy the beauty of the ride.

I'll also tell you to allow more than a day for Tn. Give it at least 3 days minimum and a couple more if you want to visit distilleries. The Sevierville/Pigeon Forge/ Gatlinburg area is a traffic mess in season but still worth it IMHO. The park roads you can access through Gatlinburg are worth it alone. And there's the so called moonshine in Gatlinburg if you're interested, which I'm not. I prefer my booze aged in charred oak for a few years.

The Natchez Trace is a nice ride for at least 50 miles South of Nashville. It's a scenic ride with no sharp turns Not a challenging ride. There are some really nice two lane roads in that area that are more fun.

I'd throw up a couple of pics but they must still be on my old computer or phone. I even bought my Dragon pics one time.

Buzzzer · Mar 13, 2025

Rodan said:
The Cherohala Skyway is a great ride. Personally I would stay off the Blue Ridge Pkway. Absurdly low speed limits and aggressive enforcement...

The Dragon is one of those bucket list things, but honestly just about any road in the area will be a really nice ride... and far less crowded. The Dragon is really tight, especially for a big bike like a K16. IMHO, you have many roads in CO that are far more fun to ride.

Barber Motorsports park is a day away from the Dragon, but the Museum there is a must see for a motorcycle enthusiast.

On the Cherohala Skyway waaay back in '03...

I used to do a LOT of motorcycle touring, and I do miss it! I'm jealous...

Another Strom! Wife and I went on my '09 650.

Faulkner · Mar 13, 2025

I love riding in east Tennessee and the Smoky Mountains. Riding the Dragon is one of those bucket list things that's pretty cool but I much prefer riding the Blue Ridge Parkway.

As noted in previous posts Natchez Trace is a neat ride, I've ridden the entire length several times.

Frankly, though, if you are coming from Colorado you'll be passing near some of the best motorcycle roads in middle American in the Ozarks.

Yendor357 · Mar 13, 2025

The Dragon was a lot of fun 25 years ago when it was pretty much unknown. Too commercialized now. I haven’t been for about 5 years. From pics I’ve seen, it’s gotten more crowded and more commercialized since. If you go late in the day, an hour before sunset, you might get a clean run.

I know you’re not going to drink and ride, so I won’t comment on distilleries.

I always liked the Fontana dam. They filmed a scene form that movie with Harrison Ford in it, The Fugitive, I think. Thinking of jumping down there gives me the Willie’s.

I prefer auick and light. But to each their own.
Oops. Looks like I’m going down hill! lol

Goldstar225 · Mar 13, 2025

My wife and I did the dragon 3 years ago. Avoid it on the weekend due to extra traffic. The Tennessee and North Carolina Patrol watch it closely. It's one of those "gotta do it rides" and we're glad we did but we enjoyed the cherohola skyway and moonshiner more, even though it rained on us the entire time.

jimmyj · Mar 13, 2025

Right after we moved to Vonore, Tennessee we went sightseeing and unknown to us we got on "The Tail Of The Dragon". (In a car). longest road we ever was on. Seem like 300 hairpin turns. At the end in North Carolina my wife told me find another route back to Vonore or I am flying home.

Maddog 521 · Mar 14, 2025

It's a great ride. Be sure to go both ways. Enjoy your trip.

VaTom · Mar 14, 2025

Any ride on the Blue Ridge Parkway will be great. I haven’t been on a motorcycle in 50 years but it was always a favorite. Have you thought of the Beartooth Highway (Montana / Wyoming Border). A little closer to home. I did it in a car last year. Wow! I have a friend who did it on his motorcycle with several others several years ago. 10,000 feet at Summit. My wife cried the whole way over the mountains. White knuckle ride for 70 something folks.

Rodan · Mar 14, 2025

Buzzzer said:
Another Strom! Wife and I went on my '09 650.

The V-Strom was a great touring bike. Mine was the first year for the 1000... fantastic motor. I rode it border to border and coast to coast putting on 32k miles of recreational riding in 2 years.

IAM Rand · Mar 14, 2025

Right now I am planning on spending at least 1 day in the area of the Dragon. I was looking to do a triangle, 129 to 143 and then back up on 28.

I am not going to be doing any drinking and driving but, wanted to hit a couple of distilleries to pick something up for home. I might wet my tongue to make sure I like what I am getting.

My main route is 70 from Limon, CO east. I will probably be taking 64 southeast until Lexington and then head south. Not sure if there are any good places to stay close to the beginning of the Tail.

I am not sure I want to go south of Nashville. I have family in Wichita and want to work my way there. I am kinda torn though, there is a fantastic steak place in Dallas that I love, YO Ranch Steakhouse. I just don't know if I want to ride though that area.

sheepdawg · Mar 14, 2025

The Jack Daniels distillery tour is a good one but it's usually crowded. About 15 miles north in Tullahoma is the George Dickel distillery a much smaller and more personable tour. Far easier to buy some good stuff to bring home too since Jack Daniels is in a dry county and all they'll sell you are commemoratives.

Lookout Mtn. Near Chattanooga is a hoot too.

IAM Rand · May 14, 2025

Got my hotels worked out and all is ready. Gonna be spending 2 days in Gatlinburg for the Dragon ride and sight seeing. Kinda seems like Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge are touristy areas but Gatlinburg seemed a little better. My wife wanted me to go to Dollywood but it would be too boring without her. Have to save that for another trip in the truck.

On the way out it will be 8 hour days +/-. On the way back I am going to be pushing it a little, almost 10 hours to Russellville AR. Ibuprofen and coffee will be my friends.

Rodan · May 14, 2025

441/321 from I40 down through Sevierville and Pigeon Forge are very touristy and will have massive traffic. I highly recommend finding a 'back' way into Gatlinburg. If you're coming in on I40, continuing east to Wilton Springs and riding in from the East on 321 will be far more pleasant.

We were in Gatlinburg in the fall in our RV, but had to head back west because of the hurricane. We had planned to be in the Ashville area the day the hurricane hit... obviously that didn't work out.

IAM Rand · Jun 15, 2025

Did it and have the sore rear to prove it. 3099 miles round trip with the Tail of the Dragon both ways under my belt. I tried to break it down into 7-8 hour days which, as I found out, much easier in a car than on a MC. Did stops in Topeka, Paducah, then Gatlinburg on the way out. I stayed in a hotel close to the Ohio River, The 1857 Hotel. Just a walk from the water. Learned that Grant went there to stop the South from entering Kentucky. I want to go back there and learn more about the history of the area.

Didn't seem like there was too much around Gatlinburg. A couple of historical cabins but mostly touristy stuff, there and Pigeon Forge. Beautiful area though. The mountains were smokey when I was there. This was a plus and minus. Kept things a little cooler but also put some moisture on the road. Made riding the Dragon a little challenging. Not that there was standing water but you could see the moisture on the corners which prevented me from opening it up a little more. Plenty of bike and cars all hauling you know what through the Dragon.

The ride back was a little more. I went from Gatlinburg to Russellville AR in one very long day. No rain but clouds and mist. From there I went to Wichita and then back to the Mile High state. Glad I took the next week off to recover. After the whole trip I developed bursitis in my right shoulder, man it sucks getting old.

Looooonnnngggg overdue ride

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