Dragon and Blue Ridge Pkwy

Joined
Apr 3, 2017
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6
Location
Greenville, TX
Bike
2010 Silver NT700V
Last weekend I had the opportunity to ride the Tail of the Dragon and Blue Ridge Pkwy (among other roads). Weather was perfect, ride was amazing. The bike was whispering in my ear that it wanted to lean more! We did 400 mi over the weekend, the rest were on the trailer.

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--Jae
 
Joined
Aug 7, 2013
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Location
Otsego, MI
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'10 NT 84 BMW R100RT Ural
Blue Ridge is one of the best slow roads you can have the pleasure of riding. Tail, I think there are many better roads that don't get a bunch of sport bikers being not the best example of motorcyclists. Glade you have a nice time.
 

Phil Tarman

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Greeley, CO
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Everybody ought to ride the Dragon once, IMNSHO. But I've got to agree with Miairhead that there are many better ones. My favorite of the better-known one that that I've ridden in the SE is the Cherahola Skyway.

The best one I've been on was when I was on my way back to Fontana, where I was attending a Concours Owner's Group National Rally, from my brother's house on Lake Keoway and wandered up into North Carolina and stumbled onto NC-215, called Parkway Road when it heads north off of US-65 until it crosses the Blue Ridge Parkway at Beech Gap, and then becomes Love Joy Road until it reaches US-276. Streets and Trips makes it a 35-mile long road and, with extreme optimism says it can be ridden in 39 minutes. Ha! I don't remember exactly, but I'd guess it took me an hour and a half. Great ride with hardly any traffic and extremely tight corners.
 

lynnbpa

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Jun 9, 2017
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25
Location
New Freedom, PA
Bike
2010 Silver NT700
Never did the Dragon. Back in 1973 (pre-marriage, family, etc.) a friend and I rode Skyline Drive and part of the Blue Ridge Parkway, then swung westward a bit, and made our way back to PA via TN, KY, and WV. We fell in love with WV. In '74 and '76 we again did trips to southerly destinations, but again incorporated WV into our return routes. I'd have to dig out the maps (I think I still have them somewhere) to identify the routes we rode in WV, but they remain as some of my fondest biking memories!
 

DirtFlier

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Dec 13, 2010
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Troy, OH
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It's difficult to find a bad road in WV, even the interstates have plenty of curves and hills!

Personally, the Dragon is one of my least favorite curvy roads because it has too many crazy people - especially on weekends - going in both directions and not just motorcyclists.
 
Joined
Mar 28, 2016
Messages
86
Location
Camp Springs, KY
The Dragon is a great ride.....I love it! However - it is important to pick the days and time you go. Most weekdays it is pretty tame - weekends can be awful...especially if it is a weekend when some car club has a gathering in the area. Mustangs, Camaros, Corvettes, etc. are just too big to fit on the road well, and they "poooosh" those front ends around the corners and often drift over the centerline (or over the hill). When the Honda/Miata/Mini car clubs show up it is equally as dangerous as they tend to get surprised by the decreasing radius corners. Most mornings before noon or after 6 and you will likely have a limited amount traffic and have a nice ride.......I generally ride it between 9 and 10 AM before most folks are up and moving.

As Phil said - NC215 out of Waynesville is a great ride, and so is 276 from Waynesville across the BlueRidge towards Brevard.

I love Moonshiner 28 from Deals Gap south all the way into Georgia....the last downhill section going into GA is really nice, and you can turn onto Warwoman for a few more delightful curves.

I have recently fallen in love with 281 between Tuskagee and Lake Toxaway - it is delightfully curvy and the traffic is light.

If/when you come across some slow traffic that just won't seem to go away - just turn around and ride the curves backwards for a while! They are fun in both directions!
 
Joined
Dec 12, 2010
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Buzzard's Breath, Ohio
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Bonneville T120
I'm headed down to Wytheville on Friday. We plan to ride a few of the routes suggested by a RoadRUnner shamrock tour. I tried to convince one of my riding partners to go all the way down to the Dragon but he's not up for it. Of course he tore a meniscus on the last long ride we did and he hasn't had the necessary surgery yet.
 

Phil Tarman

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I tried to convince one of my riding partners to go all the way down to the Dragon but he's not up for it. Of course he tore a meniscus on the last long ride we did and he hasn't had the necessary surgery yet.
So, you're afraid to call him a "wimp" to his face? :rofl1:
 

RedLdr1

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Woodstock, Georgia
I'll probably be up on the Dragon next week in the Mustang. Lately every time I drive the Dragon I expect to pick up a motorcycle, or a rider, as a hood ornament. :rolleyes1: There are too many squids leaning waaay over the center line. I reckon they don't understand that just because your wheels are in your lane doesn't mean you can hang your head, and half the bike, over the center line. I'm glad I bought a Garmin dash cam, it records some some interesting views....:)
 

Warren

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Dec 13, 2010
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O'Fallon, MO
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2019 Yamaha XMAX
The best time to ride the Dragon is in the Spring or the Fall. Far fewer riders and the temperatures are are much more comfortable. Early May and early September have worked well for me although as others have said there are far better less traveled roads in the area.
 

RedLdr1

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Woodstock, Georgia
The best time to ride the Dragon is in the Spring or the Fall.
The earlier in the spring, or the later in the fall, the better. And midweek is definitely the best time... I like to run the Dragon periodically but it is not the only game in the area, just the best known. And I'll "Slay The Dragon" with whatever we are driving....even a big crossover...:smile:
 

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