About Wayne Busch

Wayne Busch has introduced thousands of motorcyclists to the best two lane mountain roads in the US helping them get the most enjoyment and adventure out of their travels. His easy to use pocket maps focus on the most exciting and memorable rides. Maximize your valuable time and expand your experiences. There are thousands of miles of undiscovered two lane treasures. Wayne searches them out and gathers them in a format that is comprehensive, easy to use, and inexpensive. His maps include the best rides near the Blue Ridge Parkway, North Georgia, the Smokies, West Virginia, and beyond. Wayne has been featured in Western North Carolina Magazine, the Smoky Mountain News, Full Throttle Magazine, and worked with Speed TV / Speed Channel, promoting the great riding found in the mountains. He’s your online resource helping you get the most out of your precious travel time and find what others miss.

Impact of Government Shutdown on Smoky Mountain Bikers

Posted on October 2, 2013 by Wayne Busch

Government Shutdown Predictions for Smoky Mountain Motorcycle Touring

Oct 2, 2013 – so you’ve got your Smoky Mountain motorcycle trip scheduled and you’re wondering “How does all this government shutdown nonsense affect me?” Here’s my best guesses for now –

The main impact will be around Great Smoky Mountains National Park. All the park facilities are now closed at the start of peak camping season. This includes River Road (TN 73). That’s going to displace a lot of people who will seek other accommodations and things to do on the north side of the park. Tourist traffic has already been building in Gatlinburg / Pigeon Forge, this will likely make it worse. It will also disperse those park tourists onto surrounding roads in the area. If you don’t have Map #8, I’d avoid the area for a while, especially on the weekends. On the south side of the park, I’d expect increased congestion in Cherokee.

Foothills Parkway in Tennessee is Closed – The Tennessee Foothills Parkway is the most common route to approach The Dragon on the north side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Most of the traffic will continue on US 321 to Maryville, then come west on 411, and south on US 129. If you have Map #8 look to using Walden’s Creek Road, then work over to Butterfly Gap Road, Flats Road, and Happy Valley Road. You just might find you like this route a lot better than the traditional tourist slog.

The Blue Ridge Parkway remains open for travel, but all facilities are closed including campsites. Some facilities and side roads had already been closed due to the sequester. I’d expect heavier traffic at the south end of the parkway between Cherokee and Asheville. Rangers will still be out, but routine maintenance may be postponed. Things are generally in great shape, so it shouldn’t be much of an impact. Be alert for rocks and limbs in the road with potential decreased attention to maintenance. The Pisgah Inn south of Asheville is open.

The Dragon will likely see minor impact. I predict a small increase in car traffic as locals take the long way around rather than deal with the traffic on US 441 through the park, and some decrease in bike traffic as riders from the north go to other places rather than deal with the increased traffic on the surrounding roads. Adventurous tourists will look for other places to see.

Suggestions – Focus on the areas south and east of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Dragon and Cherohala Skyway will still be good options. Cherokee will probably be congested. Expect heavy traffic on US 64 from Franklin to Lake Lure. It’s a great time to stray into north Georgia.

I have all these roads mapped out for you – http://americaridesmaps.com
____________________________________________________________________

Wayne Busch

– Wayne Busch lives in Waynesville, NC, where he produces the most detailed and comprehensive and up-to-date motorcycle pocket maps of the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains to help you get the most of your vacation experience. See them here – AmericaRidesMaps.com

Learn Total Control

Wayne is an advanced motorcycle instructor for Total Rider Tech teaching Lee Parks Total Control Advanced Rider Courses. Isn’t it time you looked into advanced rider training to ride more confidently and safely? It can transform your mountain riding experience. Total Rider Tech

____________________________________________________________________

Your Fall Motorcycle Leaf-peeping trip to the Smokies – Tips

Posted on September 26, 2013 by Wayne Busch

Your Fall Leaf-peeping Motorcycle Trip to the Smokies – Tips

Some of the best views will be from the heights of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

It’s that time of year again, the brief lull before the start of the peak of the tourist season in the Smoky Mountains. It’s a good time to pass along some last minute tips and advice to those planning to come see natures spectacular autumn show.

You don’t have to go far to find great scenery

Last minute advice – Get a room! If it’s your first visit to the Smoky Mountains on a fall motorcycle tour for leaf season, you don’t yet know how “last minute” this advice is. The nicest places to stay and most of the motorcycle friendly sites took reservations last year, they are probably booked. You can try calling, but you’re probably relegated to the second tier establishements. If you “wing it” you’ll be looking for adventure in the third tier or bouncing between crowded campgrounds.

Tanassi Creek Road – all yours, no traffic!

Tip – you’ll be back. There is no way you can hit all the best roads on one trip, even two trips. Some are worth coming back and riding again. If you really like the experience and find a base camp that treats you well, book ahead for next year.

Last minute advice – when is peak leaf viewing? Depends and varies. Were I to pick one (OK, 2 dates) for the Smokies, it would be Oct 16-17. Leaf color depends on climate conditions over the year. It takes a cold snap to make the leaves snap and the right mix of wet and dry. Who knows?

Becky Mountain Road

Tip – Leaf season is longer than it seems – That “peak of color” date is misleading. Due to the changes in altitude, the leaf change occurs at different rates at different altitudes. There are several weeks to either side of the announced peak date when the leaves will be spectacular, but limited within the altitude. High areas change early, valleys change later. There is still good leaf color into November at the lower altitudes.

Last minute advice – What will the weather be like? While it’s typically a dryer time of year, it’s also one of those transitional periods where we fluctuate between a couple warm days then a few colder ones. Cold fronts usually come through hard and fast, warm ones kinda drift in with gentle rains. On nice sunny days the temperatures may rise well into the 60’s, even 70’s. But, a damp and cloudy day in the 50’s can feel mighty chilly when the winds pick up atop the mountains. Morning lows will generally be in the 40’s, though a cold snap will bring frost (and help the leaves have good color).

Ellijay Road – beautiful and fun!

Tip – Bring warm gloves, a good jacket, and several layers. Mornings are typically foggy, an early start may mean the views are obscured. Don’t be in a rush to get to the mountaintops. As always, throw the rain suit in just in case. If you’ve got an open helmet, consider face protection.

Advice – What about the traffic? While millions will flock to the mountains to see the fall show, their patterns are predictable. Weekends, especially afternoons, will find the popular places like Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Chimney Rock, The Dragon, and the Parkways congested. Mornings are the better times to pass through the busier areas.

Photo-motorcycles-on-the-Blue-Ridge-Parkway

View from Waterrock Knob

Tip – try to hit those most popular areas during the week. They are definitely worth visiting, but you will enjoy them more if you can be riding, not idling. On the busiest days, there are still hundreds of great, fun, empty 2 lane back roads for you to enjoy riding, and they are all lined with colorful trees where the leaf-peepers rarely stray.

Advice – What should I watch out for? Be extra cautious when riding. Half the people out there may be tourists paying more attention to the scenery than the road. Be ready for the unexpected (like a car stopped dead in the road to take a photo on a curve). Same goes for you riders – use the numerous overlooks and pull offs to get the best views. Several motorcycles ride off the mountainsides each year when the driver was distracted by gorgeous the views. Pull over!

Enjoy the ride but pull over to enjoy the scenery. Don’t ride off into the sunset – it’s a long way down.

Tip – when traffic is heavy, best to avoid it. Get off the main roads, divert around towns, and look for those tiny back roads others bypass. You’ll have much more fun, see things others never do, and discover reasons to come back and ride more during the off season. Just one or two of my pocket maps will insure you have the best motorcycle vacation ever – they show you all the great back roads.

Charlie’s Creek Road – Not only will you find some of the best hidden pockets of leaf color, but you’ll have one of the best rides of your life.

____________________________________________________________________

Wayne Busch

Learn Total Control

____________________________________________________________________

100 Great Motorcycle Rides in the Smoky Mountains Map

Posted on August 24, 2013 by Wayne Busch

100 Great Motorcycle Rides in the Smoky Mountains Map

America Rides Maps – motorcycle pocket ride maps has a brand new map!

100 Great Motorcycle Rides mapin the Smoky Mountains

New map! 100 Great Motorcycle Rides in the Smoky Mountains

This map mails out September 6, 2013. This is the first run of these new maps, supplies are limited! Reserve yours now.

Order online here – http://www.shop.americaridesmaps.com/100-Great-Motorcycle-Rides-in-the-Smoky-Mountains-SM100F.htm

———————————————————————————————-

100 Great Smoky Mountain Motorcycle Rides Map – both folded (road use) and unfolded (wall display) versions. Waterproof and durable. Red Roads are best, Blue Roads are best connectors.

12 Classic Deals Gap Motorcycle Rides pocket map

Size: 24 x 36 inches
Waterproof and tear resitant
Folded and unfolded versions available
Supplies are limited!
Click here to order

100 Great Smoky Mountain Motorcycle Rides is the “grown up” version of our most popular 12 Classic Deals Gap Motorcycle Rides pocket map. This new larger and more detailed map adds in all the great roads that are not featured on the smaller map, more than 100 of them.

Great Motorcycle Rides in the Smoky Mountains Map

Size comparison – pocket maps vs. new map unfolded. More detail, easy to read, tons more roads!

——————————————————————-

100 Great Motorcycle Rides in the Smoky Mountains Map

4.5 x 8 inches folded

ABOUT:

Discalimer –

There are way more then 100 great motorcycle rides on this map
Most of these roads are peripheral to the actual geologic formation of the Smoky Mountains

This new larger format map (24×36 inches) combines at least 3 pocket maps (#6, #7, #8) and sections of 2 more (#5, #9) into one larger map that encircles and includes all the best motorcycle rides surrounding Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

This map stretches from Tellico Plains, TN in the west to include the Cherohala Skyway, The Dragon, and connecting roads, to beyond Asheville, NC in the east. It dips into Georgia and South Carolina, and reaches as far north as Knoxville, TN. Within these borders lie some of the best motorcycle roads in the nation.

For the first time visitor – all the great motorcycle roads are at your disposal.
For the return visitor – expand on what you’ve already discovered
For the local – I bet you find something new

Buy this map now

————————————————————————————————-

– And you’ll have to wait for it until September 6, 2013;

Maps will mail Sept 6

This maps just arrived from the printer and I’m about to leave on my motorcycle vacation. Yes, just like you, I need my motorcycle trips.

So all I can do is let you know when you can get them –

You can order now –
I will start mailing maps again on September 6, 1st Class or Priority Mail –
You should have your map by September 10, 2013

Order now

————————————————————————————————-

Where can I buy these maps NOW?

Best bet – Harley-Davidson of Asheville in Swannanoa, NC
Next best – AHoliday Motel in Maggie Valley, NC
One more – Eurosport Asheville in Asheville, NC
Last chance – Mountaineer Restaurant in Maggie Valley, NC

I’ve had no time to get them out to sellers so these are the few places they are available and in limited supply at that. Once I return from my motorcycle trip I’ll get more out to the other vendors.

http://www.shop.americaridesmaps.com/100-Great-Motorcycle-Rides-in-the-Smoky-Mountains-SM100F.htm

How the maps compare in size –

Click here to shop online and see all the maps –

Top 10 Motorcycle Rides – The Cherohala Skyway

Posted on August 13, 2013 by Wayne Busch

“One of the finest motorcycle rides you’ll ever enjoy” –

Fall color on the North Carolina end of the Cherohala Skyway

The Cherohala Skyway takes the motorcycle rider on a long and sweeping romp through the mile high ridge lines of remote national forests just west of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Stunning long range views can be enjoyed from overlooks and rest areas along the park-like road. Traffic is typically light and the curves are challenging and consistent for the 50 mile town-to-town ride through some of the most wild and scenic areas in the Blue Ridge mountains.

The Cherohala Skyway is near The Dragon at Deals Gap. It runs from Robbinsville, NC to Tellico Plains, TN. Click on map for larger view. Source – America Rides Maps Motorcycle Pocket maps – AmericaRidesMaps.com

Enjoying a summer motorcycle ride on the Cherohala Skyway

The majority of motorcycle riders are drawn to this remote mountainous area to experience the thrill of riding US 129 a.k.a. “The Dragon” which skirts the western border of Great Smoky Mountains National Park nearby. A good number of them find the ride on the Cherohala Skyway far more enjoyable. It’s a relaxing contrast to the commotion and crowds that race back and forth through the Dragon’s legendary curves.

The Cherohala Skyway runs east to west connecting the small towns of Robbinsville, NC, and Tellico Plains, TN. Between them lies a large undeveloped mountainous section of the Cherokee (TN) and Nantahala (NC) National Forests. The made-up name “Cherohala” comes from a combination of the names of the remote forests it runs through.

Motorcycle flying through the mile high curves on the Cherohala Skyway

Flying through the mile high curves near the middle of the long wonderful ride

From either end the road makes a gradual climb to reach the 5000 ft heights near the middle section. Two broad lanes with sweeping curves arc through the mountain passes. Scenic overlooks, some with rest areas, yield views of a vast forests often free of visible human impact to the horizon. While the towns at either end have food, gas, and lodging, there is nothing but empty pavement on the 40 or so miles between them.

Springtime motorcycle ride on the Cherohala Skyway

Springtime on the Tennessee end of the Cherohala Skyway – nice long view of road, click to enlarge

Riding the Cherohala Skyway on a motorcycle you’ll find smooth pavement with good traction save a few bumpy patches here and there and the occasional bit of gravel dragged into turns by cars that run wide. The speed limit is 45 mph though there are many turns where a prudent rider will carry a bit less and the experienced rider will find satisfaction at speed. The overlooks and pull outs are well marked, paved, and have ample parking. Elevation signs along the road signal each 1000 ft change. It’s very much an experience like riding through a national park – similar to riding the the Blue Ridge Parkway (less than an hour east).

Stop to enjoy the views from the nice overlooks on the Cherohala Skyway

As relaxing as that “park-like” experience sounds, the road challenges the motorcycle riders’ skill. The Cherohala Skyway is “big brother” to the nearby Dragon with it’s back-to-back tight turns. The Cherohala Skyway is a ‘super-sized” version of it. The curves open up and relax a bit but they keep coming one after another with the added dimension of long winding climbs and descents.

The Cherohala Skyway and the Dragon are often ridden together in a 123 mile long loop ride which runs north on US 129 to via TN 72, then to Vonore, TN, then south via TN 360 to Tellico Plains, TN, then across the Cherohala Skyway to Robbinsville. When you ride both roads , the contrast is obvious -the need to be hyper alert and vigilant in the parade of bikes on the Dragon is relieved on the Cherohala Skyway. It seems empty by comparison, you can relax and it has all this gorgeous scenery too!

Great views, nice pavement, low traffic, and miles and miles of sweeping curves make the Cherohala Skyway a top motorcycle ride.

The best time for a visit is fall when the leaves are changing. Staying at the eastern (NC) end of the road places you near several other great motorcycle rides like the Dragon and NC 28. Robbinsville, NC is the larger town with more food / lodging options though many like the west end in Tellico Plains, TN for the camping.

The Cherohala Skyway is open all year (except when snow blocks) making it one of the first destinations for southern riders in the spring and a winter play spot for the hardcore adventurer.

Starting up the grade from the North Carolina end of the road on the Cherohala Skyway.

Tips and Advice –

It’s about 50 miles with no gas. Fuel at either end. Be safe – top off.
3000 foot elevation change – it will be cooler, more windy, and wetter at the higher altitudes. Dress for it.
It’s a long, long way if you need help. Ride with that in mind.

It takes a little effort, but visiting Bald River Falls on your Cherohala Skyway ride is worth it

It takes a little effort, but Bald River Falls is worth the trip

Make a side trip to Bald River Falls –

You’ll see a sign for Bald River Falls near the start of the Tennessee end of the Cherohala Skyway. Follow barely paved River Road for several miles, it’s obvious.

———————————————————————————————-

Wayne Busch

– Wayne Busch produces the most detailed and comprehensive motorcycle pocket maps of the hundreds of great roads in the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains so you know where the best roads are and how to spend the bulk of your riding time on them.

You’ll find the Cherohala Skyway on America Rides Maps –

____________________________________________________________________

Blue Ridge Parkway Detour Route for Motorcycles – July, 2013

Posted on July 19, 2013 by Wayne Busch

Blue Ridge Parkway Detour Route for Motorcycles – July, 2013

A section of the Blue Ridge Parkway north of Asheville, NC has closed due to a recent slope failure. Unprecedented rainfall in the region has triggered numerous slides, washed out roads and bridges, and caused some flooding in areas. The National Park Service detour routes traffic south and east of this long closed section of the parkway using US 221 through Marion, NC.

Photo courtesy National Park Service – Blue Ridge Parkway crack in road at site of slope failure.

Usually, there is a better route than the “official Park Service Route”, as the park needs to factor in for the large RV’s which cannot easily negotiate steep climbs and sharp turns. Here is a map which highlights the most pleasant way for the motorcycle traveler to bypass the closed section of the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is also the most direct route so you miss as little as possible.

Blue Ridge Parkway detour map 2013

Use this link to a .pdf file of the map here to download or print it for free;

http://smokymountainrider.com/Downloads/Parkway-detour-map-2013.pdf

Map #5 – The Best Roads North and South of Asheville, NC

This road closure occurs on America Rides Maps Motorcycle Pocket Map #5 – “The Best Roads North and South of Asheville, NC”. A section of Map #5 with the better detour route is highlighted. You’ll also see there are several other ways to go – the red roads are best if you have the time.

America Rides Motorcycle Pocket Maps catalogue several hundred of the best motorcycle roads in the Blue Ridge Mountains from north Georgia to north Virginia so you get the most out of your visits. Great rides are linked together with the best connecting roads to keep you rolling on the most enjoyable 2 lane back roads you’ll find anywhere.

Get your maps here
____________________________________________________________________

Wayne Busch

Learn Total Control

____________________________________________________________________

Riding the Blue Ridge Parkway – Tips; Tame the Tunnels

Posted on June 28, 2013 by Wayne Busch

Riding the Blue Ridge Parkway – Tips; Tame the Tunnels

Danger or delight? With 26 tunnels on the Blue Ridge Parkway the experience of rolling under a mountain is common. Most are short, and in many you can see the light at the other side. Still, every one is dark and if you’re riding along in the bright sunlight with your sunglasses on, the sudden plunge into darkness can momentarily blind you. Here are some observations and tips –

Riding the Blue Ridge Parkway Tips – Taming the Tunnels – the contrast can momentarily blind you

Know where they are – there’s only one in Virginia at MP 53.1 approaching the James River area. The remaining 25 are in North Carolina. A few are near Little Switzerland, but there are two areas to really plan for them – climbing from the French Broad River in Asheville to Mt. Pisgah, and descending from Soco Gap at Maggie Valley to Cherokee. You’ll hit 9 or so in sequence as you climb or descend from the highest section of the Parkway which lies between these points. If you are coming into one of these sections and the tunnels are a problem for you, it may be time to go without the sunglasses through here.

Riding the Blue Ridge Parkway Tips – Taming the Tunnels – It’s pretty easy to just follow the lights, but give plenty of room. The first guy is doing all the work. Be ready for the unexpected.

Use your lights , all of them – motorcycles are required to burn headlights at all times in North Carolina, but even so, they may not do the job in these dark tunnels. Flip on the brights. That will help light up the reflectors along the wall.

Riding the Blue Ridge Parkway Tips – Taming the Tunnels – Tunnels need a lot of maintenance. Slow down when the workers are there.

Watch for hazards – Keep alert for bicycles. They too are required to have lights on the Blue Ridge Parkway, but they won’t be as bold as on a vehicle. Watch for those dim flashing red strobes at the side of the road. Also keep an eye out for wet spots which are common in the tunnels. Cars often slow a bit when in the tunnels, expect it.

Riding the Blue Ridge Parkway Tips – Taming the Tunnels – Be alert for bicycles in the tunnels.

Don’t look down – The tunnels are not only dark, but they curve. You need to keep your eyes ahead. Pay attention to the wall of the tunnel where your brights will illuminate a piece of it ahead of you. It will guide you through.

Riding the Blue Ridge Parkway Tips – Taming the Tunnels – even the short ones often have wet spots, debris, and other things to watch for. In cold weather be wary of ice.

____________________________________________________________________

Wayne Busch

Learn Total Control

____________________________________________________________________

Tips for Riding the Dragon on your Motorcycle – #5 Dance

Posted on June 2, 2013 by Wayne Busch

5) Relax and enjoy it – do the Dragon Dance

Relax – don’t ride scared. Don’t push beyond fun. While it’s OK to feel the thrill, if you’re not relaxed, you are compromising the function of your motorcycle. Worse yet, you may be on the verge of panic when you slip out of your comfort zone. Everything you do when you panic makes the situation worse – you tense up, sit up, roll off the throttle, and hit the brakes, all of which makes the motorcycle stand up go in a straight line while reducing traction. There are no straight lines in the Dragons’ corners.

Control the corners – slow in, fast out.

The right attitude is to dance with the Dragon, not fight with it. Find a pace where you flow into the curves in control with a little in reserve. It’s supposed to be fun. If it’s not, you’re doing it wrong. Seek out that rhythm where you are rolling into the curves at a speed where where you’re getting on the throttle as soon as possible, not the brakes. Gently power through them and you’ll find you have more ground clearance and better traction. Strive for a slow approach to the corners, gently power through, and you’ll end up with a smooth quick controlled exit AND a margin for error or the unexpected.

____________________________________________________________________

Wayne Busch

Learn Total Control

____________________________________________________________________

Tips for Riding the Dragon on your Motorcycle – #4 Da Bike

Posted on May 28, 2013 by Wayne Busch

4) Ride the Bike you Brought

You can have a good time riding the Dragon on any bike you can ride there. If you’ve ridden there, you’ve got the basic skills to ride the road. In fact, you’ve already hit some decent curves on the way. So what makes the Dragon such a challenge? You do – it’s all about how you ride it. But…

A scooter on the Dragon – a fun ride regardless what you brought.

The Dragon will not magically transform your behemoth cruiser into a Moto GP race bike. It will not make the mass of your passenger disappear. You will not miraculously find the ground clearance you never had before. If you’re dragging hard parts through every corner, hard on the brakes coming into each turn, you’re doing it wrong and it’s just a matter of time before the Dragon bites.

Ride the bike you brought as it was built to be ridden.

Riding the Dragon well comes down to skill and technique regardless of the bike. Strive to be smooth, relaxed, and in control.
____________________________________________________________________

Wayne Busch

Learn Total Control

____________________________________________________________________

Tips for Riding the Dragon on Your Motorcycle – #3 Consequences

Posted on May 23, 2013 by Wayne Busch

3) Recognize the Consequences

Before you grab that handful of throttle and screech out of the parking lot to prove your manhood, consider the consequences if your motorcycle ride on the Dragon doesn’t go as well as planned. While surprisingly few accidents on the Dragon are fatal, be aware, it’s a long way to the nearest hospital and an expensive trip to get you there if it’s needed. Deals Gap is a remote and isolated area. If you need help, it will likely be an hour before it arrives. That’s a long time to be hurt, broken, or worse yet bleeding.

Rescues at the Dragon are neither easy nor quick.

Maybe, you low side into an embankment as you blow a turn. With luck, you miss a rocky face and slide into the hard and stoney dirt. With the right armor, gear, and luck, you walk away. Maybe your bike is rideable to the repair shop, or maybe they winch it up onto a flatbed on it’s side compounding the damage and expense. The “Tree of Shame” at the Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort is hung with the detritus of years of accidents, some quite serious. It’s no badge of honor to add your own.

Kiss your bike goodbye if you go off the sharp edge of the road, it’s most likely totaled. There are no soft and forgiving run-offs into the grass. The terrain is steep, the drops are long, and the mass of a moving bike carries it a long way as it caroms off trees and rocks on the cartwheeling tumble down into the dense woods. If it’s not totaled going down, it will be when the tow truck drags it back up with a long cable.

Motorcycle crosses double yellow at the Dragon

Crossing the double yellow is more common than you’d think – don’t be tempted

Worst case you meet another vehicle. Crossing the yellow lines is deadly. While there are times when visibility is good and you may feel it’s safe to cut that corner and straighten out the curves, don’t do it. It’s the #1 way to meet a law enforcement official, they do not tolerate it with good reason. Big brother has been known to station observers in the woods with cameras and radios. Live by the rule “Never cross the Double Yellow Line”.

Traffic enforcement at the Dragon at Deals Gap

The police are there to keep things sane. Maintain control and you’ll be fine. Cross the double yellow, and you will get personal attention.

Worse yet are those who stray across the line unintentionally. If it happens to you, you find yourself across the yellow line despite your efforts, you deserve a time out and a penalty break. Pull off and settle down at the next paved spot and take time to contemplate your mortality. You were riding beyond your limits, and fortunately this time you can tell the tale. Adjust your mind and ease off when you get back on the road. When the Dragon bites, it’s serious.
____________________________________________________________________

Wayne Busch

Learn Total Control

____________________________________________________________________

Tips for Riding the Dragon on your Motorcycle – #2 Recon

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Wayne Busch

2) Pre-ride the Road

Racers walk the track before they ride it to identify lines, note the subtle nuances, study the surface, and make mental plans on how to best approach each corner. While that’s not practical at the Dragon, it’s a fools venture to just roll out of the parking lot and get on the throttle. While you’re not going to memorize every turn on a slow ride through, you’ll get some idea of what to expect should you decide to come at it with more vigor. You may discover the 30 mph speed limit is way above what you can safely carry through many of the hairpin curves, especially the ones that unexpectedly close down on you and tighten up.

Take some time to judge the conditions – you’ll be better prepared for what lies ahead

Use the pre-ride to judge the conditions that day and adjust to them. Note the traffic, how the riders and drivers are behaving. Get a feel for the condition of the road – is there debris from a recent storm, are the shady spots wet, is there dirt or leaves in a corner? Is there a big group visiting or some event going on? Note where the photographers are so you’re not taken by surprise and distracted. Judge what the traffic enforcement is like that day – if there are a dozen troopers along the road it’s not the time for misbehaving. Sometimes, it’s better to head off to other roads and come back later.

The Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort at the Dragon

Spend a few minutes observing what’s going on that day. 10 minutes on the porch at the Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort will give you a wealth of information.

Pause for a few minutes at the end of the run and just observe. The Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort parking lot, the Calderwood Dam overlook, Tabcat Bridge pull-out are good places to spend a few minutes observing, chatting with other riders, and generally getting a feel for the rhythm of what’s going on. Listen and watch. Traffic tends to come in waves, judge your moment to start your run according to the flow.
____________________________________________________________________

Wayne Busch

Learn Total Control

____________________________________________________________________

Smoky Mountain Motorcycle Rider

The Best Motorcycle Rides in the Mountains

Author Archives: Wayne Busch

About Wayne Busch

Impact of Government Shutdown on Smoky Mountain Bikers

Your Fall Motorcycle Leaf-peeping trip to the Smokies – Tips

100 Great Motorcycle Rides in the Smoky Mountains Map

Top 10 Motorcycle Rides – The Cherohala Skyway

Blue Ridge Parkway Detour Route for Motorcycles – July, 2013

Blue Ridge Parkway Detour Route for Motorcycles – July, 2013

Riding the Blue Ridge Parkway – Tips; Tame the Tunnels

Tips for Riding the Dragon on your Motorcycle – #5 Dance

Tips for Riding the Dragon on your Motorcycle – #4 Da Bike

Tips for Riding the Dragon on Your Motorcycle – #3 Consequences

Tips for Riding the Dragon on your Motorcycle – #2 Recon