Smoky Mountain Rider and BMW Girl at the Tail of the Dragon
If you’re convinced the Tail of the Dragon at Deals Gap in North Carolina is “too dangerous” or “ too challenging” a motorcycle ride, you’ve been deluded. If you can negotiate a crowded parking lot without panic, navigate city traffic, or confidently explore unknown back roads, you can ride the “infamous” stretch of US 129 at known as “The Tail of the Dragon”.
While riders are killed on the Dragons Tail almost every year (once you visit you’ll know why) it’s not the road that does them in. It’s a great motorcycle road with more than 300 curves in 11 miles. The pavement is nice, the road is well engineered, and it sees little commercial traffic. Still the motorcycle accidents at Deals Gap keep piling up.
Truth is, motorcycle riders crash here due to their own expectations. The Tail of the Dragon near Deals Gap is so hyped as a challenging and dangerous motorcycle ride people believe they have to make it one. Too many bikers push their limits on this great ride to fulfill the myth and prove something to themselves. Those limits of skill and reason are exceeded far too often resulting in motorcycle wrecks that would not have otherwise occurred had the rider not been so persuaded this was the ideal place to test his mettle. Truth is, I can direct you to roads far more dangerous, all of which make for good motorcycle rides you will enjoy and savor if you don’t consciously try to kill yourself.
That said, the Tail of the Dragon may not be for everyone. If your bike was on the showroom floor last week, and your warm license stills smells like fresh plastic, think twice, break in the tires and get a few miles beneath them. The Blue Ridge Parkway will give you all you need, and I’ve mapped hundreds of miles of other great motorcycle roads in the area.
There are certainly TIMES to avoid the Tail of the Dragon. A rally can turn it into a suicidal circus. Weekends bring out the squids and posers. Safest bet is to go mid week, early in the day. Be warned, it’s heavily patrolled by overworked troopers who have absolutely no sense of humor left.
With hundreds of posted videos to choose from, you can be sure I’ll be posting more. Here’s one of the longer ones that not only shows the entire ride, but demonstrates why this good motorcycle ride has earned such a bad reputation. Is it the really roads fault?
For lots more info about the Tail of the Dragon at Deals Gap visit http://tailofthedragon.com
Thanks Peter. As with everything it’s a work in progress and I have a lot of irons in the fire. While I’ve been fabulously busy lately, I’m finally seeing some light from the end of the tunnel. If there is something specific I can cover, please suggest it. I’m sitting on a wealth of information.
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i own a 750 aero, my friend a street glide. i (we) want to ride the dragons tail this summer (2013). can you explain do’s and don’ts. thanx, wally.
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Walter Sulowski:
Two simple Do’s & Don’ts:
Do Respect the speed limit.
Don’t Cross the solid yellow lines.
By following these two simple rules, you will, in all probability, not kill yourself or others.
The exception is of course that you may be hit by someone going in the opposite direction, who is not adhering to these simple rules.
the tail of the dragon is not a dangerous road, until some idiot comes around the corner in your lane. the dragon is like an asshole magnet. it attracts a mob of arrogant and proud people that think they can actually ride/drive. trying to be cool is easy until one is laying on the ‘ass fault’. 32 is a very similar road on the east side of the park. at least on that road one can enjoy a few miles of mou ntain turns without the high chances of running into one of the many clowns seen daily on 129. stupid is as the road stupid rides.
Summer of 2015, we vacationed in Gatlinburg. Decided to rent a Camaro SS for 2 days…to just cruise the mountain roads, sight see (sure beats the family minivan lol)
We drove the Blue Ridge Parkway, Cherohala Skyway and the Dragon. Absolutely beautiful scenery. Spits on my home state named Michigan.
We were there for a week in August, ended up on the Dragon on a Wednesday early afternoon. Traffic was light and mostly uneventful, except for 1 bike that crossed the yellow on a curve. It wasn’t what I would say a “close call” but I can definitely see how fast a rider could be smeared all over the road during higher traffic and higher idiot times. Some of those curves, they are 100% blind. You meet in same lane head on, it’s game over.
You have to be on point on those curves, no clue whats coming up.
i live on the dragon and if you have never rode it before you need to take your time and enjoy it. i still take my time and enjoy it and i live on it. i know the road real well.
We are thinking about doing the ride,, end of August,, Is this a good time to
That’s a great time to do it. It will get busier and busier as fall approaches.
I drove the tail of the dragon by accident. Let me say …I have NEVER enjoyed being lost and without GPS signal so much. 🙂 I wasnt fortunate enough to be on 2 wheels but I did pull over and take the top off the Sahara. Took my time and enjoyed every stop off and scenic view along the way… BEAUTIFUL!!!!!! I will go back every chance I get …something about that ride spoke to my soul.