Cruisers - Deals Gap

[Pauljo]

A couple of interesting pictures, and related discussion.

Cruisers Riding Deals Gap (http://www.sport-touring.net/cgi-bin/msgboard/ikonboard.cgi?;act=ST;f=1;t=21749;&#top)

[Houston357]

Kept looking for the third picture where the cruisers kissed pavement.

Houston

[Pauljo]

Kept looking for the third picture where the cruisers kissed pavement.

Houston

From reading the discussion, saddlebags went flying, but nobody went down or got hurt. I've never seen anybody leaned over that far and going straight!

[Houston357]

Thought for sure at least a broken leg would come out of that. At one time I wanted a cruiser like those. Glad I have my strom now.

Houston

[Bob]

If you are interested in some other great photos from the Deals Gap area, a great side is www.tailofthedragon.com. If you want to see what happens when big trucks try to negotiate the Tail of the Dragon, which starts at Deals Gap, check here http://www.tailofthedragon.com/dragon_trucks.html

For those of you who don't know the Tail of the Dragon, it runs for 11 miles between North Carolina into Tennessee and has 318 curves in that 11 miles with no entrance roads during that stretch. This means nobody can ever pull out of a side road as you come howling around a curve. You do, however, have to worry about the guy on the cruiser who never learned to ride correctly and comes over onto your side of the road. The curves are so tight trucks can barely make it around some of them. I rode there 3 years ago on a BMW 1150RS, which was quite a pilgrimage for me because it's a long way down there from Canada. Quite a treat, except for the asshole in the Dodge Viper who nearly ran me off the road trying to race me on my third time through the Dragon. There are a lot of other great roads around there too. If you decide to go down there, do your best not to make it on a weekend. Every sport bike and sport car imaginable will be on that road on a weekend, and the cops are out in full force too.

Bob

[DooFighter]

I see the ST.N guys have a few sarcastic words, LOL. I saw it on http://www.killboy.com/ a week or so ago. In addition to the tail of the dragon site, killboy has new pics roughly once a week. And if you get there on a day when he's shooting, you can get a picture of yourself. He has a few favorite spots he sets up to shoot and will easily take a thousand pics in a day or more depending on traffic. Anyway, if anyone hasn't seen it, bookmark the killboy site and check it weekly, good stuff.

[LiterStrom]

I'm betting Sparky is real glad he didn't have the front end stretched.

[Lencho]

Thought I would reply to this aged posting because it’s the first time I have seen it and it is so fun! Great pictures of an out of control Road King. It’s also related to a trip to Deals Gap (The Dragon) I have taken, and one I am taking this Thursday.

I am lucky enough to live in middle TN, so getting to Deals Gaps is just a few hours away, and the ride there is almost as fun in itself. You have to pass over the Cumberland Plateau, which has some great roads all over it too.

The first time I tired the Dragon I was on a Yamaha V-Star 1100 Classic, so I can relate to this H-D rider :( . Cruisers scrape like there is no tomorrow on the Dragon. You literally scrap every turn. That ride on my cruiser is the one event that literally "sold" me on the fact that I wanted out of cruiser land :shock: . I was mentally worn out after riding The Dragon only twice. I was also lucky enough to get my picture taken 3 times by killboy, and now have those for memory sake. Luckily, I was in control, and in my lane. I got home after that ride and never stopped thinking about getting a V-Strom, KTM Adventure, Triumph Tiger, Ducati Multistrada or BMW GS until I finally settled on my big blue Strom and scratched the itch :D . The V-Star was gorgeous, but only skin deep. The Strom has both internal and external beauty. One to take home to momma, sort of speak.

Now the current fun topic - I get to go back this Thursday and Friday, but on my DL1000 for the first time!!! :D :D I can hardly wait to try the nimble handling and great power on the Dragon, and all the other great roads through out the Smokies. It is going to be a very different feeling. One that I know I am going to enjoy very much. I’ll be showing my buddy on an FJR1300 what Stroms are all about.