Who's ridden the Dragon at Deal's Gap?

[5thhorseman]

I just got back from a trip down to NC at Deal's Gap. OMG those are some serious twisties. 1100 miles total for the trip. Posterior area was severely sore from Mad Maxes malformed seat.

I'm waiting on some pictures. I'll post them once I get them.

Who else has ridden the Dragon?

Mr. Max didn't like the switchbacks, but I must say he really liked the open straight roads on the way there.

Now I have a mysterious leak of oil at a boot by the middle drive. I thought it might have been the final drive as it didn't "feel" like engine oil. There is a small hole in the boot that looks like it was intended to be there. That's where it's leaking from. Final drive oil was a little low, engine oil just fine. I am at a loss as to what this is. Any ideas?

 

[Buck8154]

I rode it in Oct. 05 with my dad and uncle, at the time my max was stock, I'd like to go back and ride it again sometime.

 

[DanQuin]

I've gone several times. Mostly on the R1, but last year I brought my Vmax. I was running it as hard as others, and passed several people on the Vmax.

The Vmax is not too difficult to ride on the Dragon. Main thing I noticed is to stay in lower gears and get the braking done before the turn so you can be on the gas through the turn. Since the suspension sucks, and the motor is so stout, being on the gas is the best way to have the chassis straighten itself out consistently through the many turns. This year I think I'll venture out to the Cherohala Skyway with the Vmax.

Bogie has ridden the Dragon on his 07 and my 05.

 

[maleko89]

Now I have a mysterious leak of oil at a boot by the middle drive. I thought it might have been the final drive as it didn't "feel" like engine oil. There is a small hole in the boot that looks like it was intended to be there. That's where it's leaking from. Final drive oil was a little low, engine oil just fine. I am at a loss as to what this is. Any ideas?

Could be that oil seal in final drive is allowing oil to run down drive shaft chute. Easiest way is to remove four bolts holding final drive on and look for oil in swing arm.

 

[Lew L]

I'll be going there the second week of June, I have to rent a bike ( a GoldWing) as I'm not going to ride my Max across the USA. Will be staying at a motel suggested from this site. I rented a Wing last weekend to see how it fit my wife and I . Supriseingly well, but it's just to big for me to own.
Should be a good time:eusa_dance:
Lew

 

[m-cman]

Rode it in 2000 on my 95 Max on a trip to the Outer Banks from Dallas. Really had no problems and bike was totally stock mechanically except for Jardine slip-ons. Had soft bags, Corbin seat and Yamaha windshield for the trip.

 

[5thhorseman]

The Vmax is not too difficult to ride on the Dragon. Main thing I noticed is to stay in lower gears and get the braking done before the turn so you can be on the gas through the turn. Since the suspension sucks, and the motor is so stout, being on the gas is the best way to have the chassis straighten itself out consistently through the many turns. This year I think I'll venture out to the Cherohala Skyway with the Vmax.

That's exactly what I did. Most of the time I was in second gear. Some of the turns up the hill bogged the engine if I was in third, not giving me enough power to come out in the right line for the next turn. You're right, suspension sucks. I had to manhandle around the turns. No finesse like the sport bikes.

I just took it at a nice steady pace. My buddy on an Electraglide actually caught up to and passed a sport bike. He left quite a bit of his frame on the mountain. Oh well, paint covers it up real nice.

One of the guys down at the motorcyle "resort" stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the Max. He looked at me and said "You takin' that up the dragon?" When I told him that I was......he shook my hand. Just in case I didn't make it back. Said that he rode his 85 Max on it and almost killed himself. Lost the Max off the side of the mountain. He tried to over turn and it got away from him. Slid right off and WAY down.

What was most interesting was that we had come in at the top of the tail. The trip took far longer than it was supposed to so we got there at night. At night, first time on the dragon on a Vmax......in the rain. Lovely.

I was sore afterwards. Shoulders and arms had to work very hard keeping the beast on the beasty. I ran it a total of 10 times. Spent two nights then a nice long drive home. 12 hours on a VMAX is a pain in the arse.....literally.

 

[jfeagins]

The wife and I rode the Dragon last September. Awesome ride. We plan on going again this September and spending more time in and around the area.

When I'm riding with her (she's on her 04 Honda Rune), I don't get to spend any time thinking about cornering quicker or going faster through the Dragon, as I have to worry about being run over from the rear. She rides so slow, I sometimes think how great it was when she still rode the back seat with me, but at that time, all I thought about was how great it would be if she rode her own bike. Now I know.

Beautiful country up at the Gap.

 

[MAXXMAN93-4301]

I was at the gap a couple years ago man what a blast!!:eusa_dance: my max did greatunk:. i think for 8/10 riding it would be hard to beat for fun. i passed several sportbikes,:rofl_200: especially in the rain. the cherohallo skyway is a great ride also with long fast sweepers and up to 5000 ft evlevation. actually any road not in a city there is pretty damn good!:clapping:

 

[4gasem]

Been twice! Once on my SV1000S and once in a 335I that I was delivering to Florida.

Twas fun both times.

 

[Mr. Pickles]

I did back in 1996. It wasn't quite the meat market it is now. (I've heard)

I don't think you could pay me to go back down there now. Besides, a little exploring off the gap and you'll find roads equally as good, not quite as long, but virtually untraveled.

If you ever get a chance to explore in Marion, Va....I think that area would give deal's a run for fun.

 

[4gasem]

I did back in 1996. It wasn't quite the meat market it is now. (I've heard)

I don't think you could pay me to go back down there now. Besides, a little exploring off the gap and you'll find roads equally as good, not quite as long, but virtually untraveled.

If you ever get a chance to explore in Marion, Va....I think that area would give deal's a run for fun.

If you follow 129 down about 30-40 minutes you hit another amazing stretch of road. The dragon is fun but it gets old fast. All that went through my mind is "your going to die" so I quit and went out on the Cherohala sky way.

 

[5thhorseman]

If you follow 129 down about 30-40 minutes you hit another amazing stretch of road. The dragon is fun but it gets old fast. All that went through my mind is "your going to die" so I quit and went out on the Cherohala sky way.

We're already planning our next trip. We wanted to do the skyway and the triangle.

Just found a road here in Ohio that would make the dragon riders cry. SR 536 in Southern Ohio near Hannibal. Serious peg scrapers on that one. Some of the hills you have to drop to low gear just to make it up. Most turns are about 15 MPH. No guard rails. Very little traffic. They call this road the Snake.

Hasn't caught on with the riding public yet, but I have no doubts that a few well placed media blurbs would build this one up just like the dragon.

Hmmmm......wonder if Hannibal needs a motorcycle shop.

"I Rode the Snake!" patches and stickers and photos and coozies and hats and shirts........There's Gold in them there hills!

 

[gamorg02]

We're already planning our next trip. We wanted to do the skyway and the triangle.

Just found a road here in Ohio that would make the dragon riders cry. SR 536 in Southern Ohio near Hannibal. Serious peg scrapers on that one. Some of the hills you have to drop to low gear just to make it up. Most turns are about 15 MPH. No guard rails. Very little traffic. They call this road the Snake.

Hasn't caught on with the riding public yet, but I have no doubts that a few well placed media blurbs would build this one up just like the dragon.

Hmmmm......wonder if Hannibal needs a motorcycle shop.

"I Rode the Snake!" patches and stickers and photos and coozies and hats and shirts........There's Gold in them there hills!

this?
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=OH-536%2FState+Route+536&daddr=39.667874,-80.869331&geocode=FaJ_XgIdeEws-w%3B&hl=en&gl=us&mra=mi&mrsp=1,0&sz=12&sll=39.693979,-80.921516&sspn=0.189942,0.30899&ie=UTF8&z=12

pretty cool too, the whole section is street-viewed... thats right i made it a verb

 

[5thhorseman]

this?
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sou...-80.921516&sspn=0.189942,0.30899&ie=UTF8&z=12

pretty cool too, the whole section is street-viewed... thats right i made it a verb

YES! That's it. Great road.

Don't worry, I make up words too.......like when you burp and hick-up at the same time. I call it a Hick-a-burp. Feel free to use it....LOL

I can't wait to get down there and tame the snake.......or not.

 

[MachoCamachoZ]

My dad has been on it on his goldwing... I never have myself, haven't done long traveling yet.