Anybody done Tail of the Dragon on their R18?

[tommymck]

I met up with a bunch of fellow CB1100 enthusiasts in North Carolina / Tennessee last week and of course had to do the Tail of the Dragon just because. There are so many great roads in those parts, the actual Tail of the Dragon is overrated in comparison (in my opinion), but I was wishing I had also brought my R18 to test it out on those roads.

That actual stretch is so touristy that they actually have photographers on the side of the road taking shots of everybody that rides by that they post online for download (for a cost). Cheesy, but enjoyable nonetheless...

 

[aicpjim]

I'd like to try it once, but I'd be that guy that wants to do it at the speed limit or maybe 5 over. What I'm afraid of is being taken out by some brainless fucknut sport bike rider trying to take it at double the limit. Did you go on a weekend or mid week?

 

[motoring]

Did once with my brother. He rented, i believe a dyna hd, and had a blast scraping the pegs/exhaust while I was on a 04, I think goldwing…thinking it was easy to do the ride in just one gear mostly. By the time it was over my mind had had enough of the all those curves for one day. very much a ride one had to stay focused while doing. Would not want to do in the fall with lots of leaves on the road.

Guessing a R18 base model with the fat exhaust might have less ground clearance then a Classic exhaust if doing that run.

 

[UK_r18_Classic]

You'd be aleady on the floor if you managed to scrape the exhaust on either model TBH.

 

[tommymck]

I'd like to try it once, but I'd be that guy that wants to do it at the speed limit or maybe 5 over. What I'm afraid of is being taken out by some brainless fucknut sport bike rider trying to take it at double the limit. Did you go on a weekend or mid week?

It was a Tuesday and not crowded at all. Police were very present and actively giving tickets to anybody misbehaving so the couple of nuts out there were on the side of the road at a pulloff "visiting" with the cops.

Regarding R18 ground clearance, I'm pretty sure that the peg feelers scrape at exactly the same lean. The R18 would have done just fine.

 

[Greg_H]

You’re correct that the Tail is way overrated. Better runs in that area. I’ve made the Tail run on 13 or 14 different bikes. None were cruisers. Not yet on the R18C. Although, glad to have boards on my R18C rather than pegs. I prefer weekdays in early spring and late fall, when the crowds are lighter as many won’t put on an extra layer to ride. Fall can sometimes be challenging if there’s too many wet leaves on the road. Surprisingly, my best run ever, not fastest, but the smoothest, was earlier this year on my R1250GS. Like butter! I chalked it up to the the boxer, acting like the balance pole Karl Wallenda used in his high wire act.

 

[Hdawg]

I have done the Dragon on R-12C, Road Glide and recently R18B. All with a passenger. Fun but I agree much better roads in the area.

 

[OscarTGrouch]

I did the dragon, moonshiner and Cherohala Skyway, on my Trashcan. Did a lot of footboard draggin! LOL Cupped the front tire enough to change tires about a month later. Trashcan handled ok on all of those, But The GTL was much more fun. My buddy had never ridden any of these and wanted to go. So we went for a weekend. He wound up changin his tires on his Harley too. Didnt seem like we were riding aggressively, but I guess we were........ a little bit LOL Looking at the Snake (US 421) next year. Got three Iron Butt rides planned Sept, (Air Force Birthday ride SS1000) Oct (Navy Birthday ride SS1000, and Nov (Veterans Day ride 2.5K ,Anthem AZ there and back) Maybe I can get more than 6K outta the tires LOL Yes better roads are available, Kinda like a bucket list thing for my friend.

 

[AV8OR]

Last week I rode part of the North Selkirk Route in BC, Canada. I have ridden in NZ, AU, Germany, UAE and Oman. The ride from New Denver to Kaslo was the best I have ever ridden. No pressure, uncrowded (we rode on a Thursday afternoon) and just the right distance. I do recommend this to any rider of any ability who is in the area.

 

[51rhC]

I didn't make it far south enough for the Tail of the Dragon, but I road the Back of the Dragon in Virginia on my TC earlier this week. I was riding the Blue Ridge Parkway and it was a two hour detour, so I hopped over for a jaunt. The TC handled it fine.

 

[Thomas Von Canon]

My wife an I road the "dragon' forwards and back this summer. She was on her Can-am Spyder and I was on my R-18 100yr. We also went to the 50th Rally.

 

[Mr.diaken]

Never on the BMW. Only on my Paul Smart