Who rode Today

[Orion90]

I ride every day to work, unless the weather is just so God awful that I have to take the car.

[RoadStarRaider]

[FireNative]

FINALLY rode my baby yesterday! I got her back from the dealership from her 8K service check. Hurricane, ordered parts so yeah dropped her off on August 18 and got her back September 23 so 5 weeks. I left the dealership and did a 4hr loop in the neighboring city on the back roads. The weather was perfect. 80F, no clouds, small breeze, barely any traffic. Ate at favorite Mexican restaurant in that town then took off and it was a great day to ride. I had a 7 day trip to Lake Sam Rayburn around  Broaddus, TX. I was going to bring my motorcycle but my employer cancelled my vacation because I was still at the fire station recovering the city from a direct hit from Ida. So I can't wait until Oct 10-22. I have 4 days in a hotel in Kodak, TN, then 4 days in a cabin in Bryson City, NC, then 4 days in a cabin in Lake Winfield Scott recreation park in Suches, GA. Bringing my motorcycle on a rented Uhaul moto trailer until I can buy a light Toy Hauler. I CANT WAIT!

[FireNative]

Washed my baby at noon then rode to New Orleans to get some pizza and met a friend but he had to work on cleaning pools so he only had time to stop by and say hey for a few minutes. So I ate, drank  3 beers relaxed and rode back home. Put on about 135 miles on her and got back home and now about to relax and work in the morning. The weather was perfect, 80F, no clouds, barely a breeze, light traffic except in a few spots but no biggy.

[Fiddles]

Got in about 150 miles on the Red Raider Beautiful day around 80° and a light breeze and clear sky

[ROADKILL]

FINALLY rode my baby yesterday! I got her back from the dealership from her 8K service check. Hurricane, ordered parts so yeah dropped her off on August 18 and got her back September 23 so 5 weeks. I left the dealership and did a 4hr loop in the neighboring city on the back roads. The weather was perfect. 80F, no clouds, small breeze, barely any traffic. Ate at favorite Mexican restaurant in that town then took off and it was a great day to ride. I had a 7 day trip to Lake Sam Rayburn around  Broaddus, TX. I was going to bring my motorcycle but my employer cancelled my vacation because I was still at the fire station recovering the city from a direct hit from Ida. So I can't wait until Oct 10-22. I have 4 days in a hotel in Kodak, TN, then 4 days in a cabin in Bryson City, NC, then 4 days in a cabin in Lake Winfield Scott recreation park in Suches, GA. Bringing my motorcycle on a rented Uhaul moto trailer until I can buy a light Toy Hauler. I CANT WAIT!

You need to take a look at my website for rides while you're in NC & GA https://maggievalleyrides.com/index.html mainly the rides page.

[FireNative]

You need to take a look at my website for rides while you're in NC & GA https://maggievalleyrides.com/index.html mainly the rides page.
[/quote]

Thanks so much ROADKILL. I have your site in my favorites and will make a few loops using your maps. I saw you posted that site here earlier so I will definitely us it to make some routes and store it in my cell phone mounted to my handle bars so even if I lose internet the route will be downloaded to my cell. Any recommendations? I was planning on doing a few loops

Here is another good motorcycle map site for the Smokey's  https://mysmokymountainguide.com/eleven-popular-motorcycle-rides-in-the-smoky-mountains/

[ROADKILL]

You need to take a look at my website for rides while you're in NC & GA https://maggievalleyrides.com/index.html mainly the rides page.

Thanks so much ROADKILL. I have your site in my favorites and will make a few loops using your maps. I saw you posted that site here earlier so I will definitely us it to make some routes and store it in my cell phone mounted to my handle bars so even if I lose internet the route will be downloaded to my cell. Any recommendations? I was planning on doing a few loops

Here is another good motorcycle map site for the Smokey's  https://mysmokymountainguide.com/eleven-popular-motorcycle-rides-in-the-smoky-mountains/
[/quote]
My website covers all those routes and a lot more - I just added a route The 865 Loop which is an 865 mile loop that includes 8 named rides - The Dragon, Devils Triangle, KY Rattlesnake 192, Eye of the Dragon (Nada Tunnel & Red River Gorge), The River Dragon, Dragon Slayer 160, Back of the Dragon & The Rattler.
Since you're staying in Bryson City check this route out, it includes: Fontana Dam, The Dragon, Bald River Falls, Cherohala Skyway, Wayah Rd and a section of Moonshiner 28 -
 https://goo.gl/maps/EBSyubBdDjaMrVJ29

[FireNative]

Thanks ROADKILL I will check them out😎👍

[FireNative]

I just got home on the 23rd from a 12 day motorcycle trip in the Smokey Mountains. I had 4 days in a hotel on the strip in Sevierville, TN and I rode in the Smokey's on my baby. I did from my hotel on 441 S to Hwy 321 Wear's Valley to Foothills Parkway to (past Top of the World Tennessee) Hwy 129 to you guessed it The Tail of The Dragon, to continue on 129 past Lake Santeetlah to North on 74 to check out where my next cabin would be, it was according to google maps 658 Hightower Rd, (if you look on Google Maps its listed as Moonshiner’s Hideaway) off the map on a limestone road winding on a hillside. Then I continued on 74 through Bryson City, NC to 19 through Cherokee, through Maggie Valley to Hwy 40, (if you can avoid it DONT GO ON HWY 40! It was super tight with huge semis that the road is posted for them to do 5mph under the regular speed limit and stay to the right on the 2 lanes with a 5' cement divider between the opposite side and the other 2 lanes going in the opposite direction. Trust me it is NOT FUN on a bike, but then from 40 N to pass through Lake Douglas, back to 66 which becomes 441 the main strip in Kodak, Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg and where my hotel was. Another day I found the road that puts The Dragon to shame as it is just non stop switch backs and super tight, no guard rails, and trust me you don't want to fly on this road on a cruiser or even a street bike. To find it I went from 441 S to 321 E at Gatlinburg and hugged the Mountains to 32, (this is where the road puts the Tail of the Dragon to shame) I was going super slow and went from 32 to  where 32 becomes Mt Sterling Road and becomes limestone, and goes into North Carolina, and becomes Waterville Rd then passes up a Power Plant on the river. Then I continued on Waterville Rd cross the river to Hwy 40 AGAIN took 40 back to 66 to 441 to the hotel. Then I rode down 441 through Gatlinburg through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, through Bryson City, NC on 74, then off 28 and off Hightower Rd to the cabin. Then I had 4 days in that cabin and road from 74 to Cherokee to the Blue Ridge Parkway to 276 to 19 to 74 and back to the cabin. Then I rode 74 around 28 west to Andrews then back on 74 E to 129 to 143 back to 74 and the cabin. Then I rode 74 close to 28 West to 19 S to 180 to Lake Winfield Scott Recreation Area and stay in this cabin for 4 days. Then I rode from 180 at Lake Winfield to 19 to 348 to 75A to Helen the German Beer town, too bad I only had time to ride through as I started too late. Then I rode on 75 S through Cleveland to 129 back to 19 and then 180 to the cabin. Then I rode 180 at Lake Winfield west to 60 N through  Chattahoochee National Forest to Mineral Bluff, (which looked like it had NOTHING in the town where I went, turned back on 60 and went to 76 W through Blue Ridge which actually was a nice little town with stuff in it, at a New China buffet in town then road west on 76 to 515 to east on 53 to pass through Jasper to 19 back to 180 to the cabin. All in all I put 1550 miles on my truck, and 800 miles on my Raider in 14 days total, 12 in the mountains and 2 days to come back, I slept in Montgomery, AL one night, and rode my bike 7 days out of the 12 in the mountains. I had some 8hr riding days and some stay at the cabin and cook, bbq, and enjoy the hot tub, fire pit, and fire place, and wood burning stove days. The trip was almost perfect

What I learned from this trip is instead of 3 different locations I will probably book 2 different cabins and will probably book 5 nights each so less packing and unpacking, and loading and off loading my bike on and off the trailer. Second I prefer foothills riding instead of mountain riding. I don't like the twistys because I rather the windy, hilly roads that I can relax and enjoy the scenery instead of the twistys that I have to concentrate nonstop and can't see anything as there are tall trees close to the road and I have to look out for some dummy flying around the corner into my lane trying to kill me. Also I learned the Suches, GA area has a lot of curvy roads and a lot of off roads great for dual sports and adventure bikes. I met a guy at a gas station in Suches and he said he has a cabin on AirBnB and it looked awesome and he said he rents adventure/dual sports for about $100/day and does off road guides so I may check him out next time. And I also learned STAY OFF HWY 40 AT ALL COSTS!

[Fiddles]

You did some riding thats forsure. you need to come to the Rally in  Maggie Valley  July 24 - 31! Best western in Maggie Valley

[the urban legend]

(if you can avoid it DONT GO ON HWY 40! It was super tight with huge semis that the road is posted for them to do 5mph under the regular speed limit and stay to the right on the 2 lanes with a 5' cement divider between the opposite side and the other 2 lanes going in the opposite direction. Trust me it is NOT FUN on a bike,

And I also learned STAY OFF HWY 40 AT ALL COSTS!

Strange you should mention that. When I ride to SERR in Maggie Valley, I take the 81-S (from the Canadian border) all the way to the 40-E in TN. When I hit that twisty cement divider stretch, I usually crank it up to 65-70 mph without noticing. I find that stretch of road fun. And that's with full luggage, and after almost 20 hours straight on the bike... My mind might be a bit foggy by then 

[Sgt Fury]

Hey FireNative, cool trip, pix and review and 10-4 on staying off I-40 and interstates in general.  I know you make good time on them, but you miss so much of America by not "putting" around the nice secondary highways---time permitting.  I will say, as a Pennsylvania boy, that I-81 for the Canadians coming down here is not too shabby on the scenery.  As a retired military guy, I was always stunned by driving through our scenic western states, too, which I have only seen in photos and TV as a kid.  The Great Smokies speak for themselves and perhaps I'll catch Maggie Valley some day rather than just the upper Virginia pieces of the Blue Ridge.   Right now, I love seeing all the videos and photos this forum posts on the July Meets!  We are blessed to be Americans compared to the many dangerous rathole countries I've had to endure.  The nice ones made up for it to be fair.....     

[Dark Matter]

So I got the bike back, and I'm happy thinking this thing just got refreshed and I am going to enjoy a nice ride.  So, Thursday I headed north toward a place called Welaka to look at some property. This thing is comfortable, the new brakes are right there...I am golden.  Cruising up the highway and I figure I am gonna fly by this tractor/trailer rig 'cuz I don't like being next to them...and I crank the gas. Rpm comes up nice and smoothly, but the bike ain't goin' any faster...wtf?  I just had the clutch conversion done...this new clutch sucks. I finished the trip up there, looked at the house, and headed home...very disappointed...414 miles.  I call my mechanic and tell him about the new clutch slipping.  He says, "what new clutch?  All you asked for was the conversion, so all I did was replace the diaphragm spring with coils."

Well I got in 414 miles anyway...and a post.

[A.T.]

So I got the bike back, and I'm happy thinking this thing just got refreshed and I am going to enjoy a nice ride.  So, Thursday I headed north toward a place called Welaka to look at some property. This thing is comfortable, the new brakes are right there...I am golden.  Cruising up the highway and I figure I am gonna fly by this tractor/trailer rig 'cuz I don't like being next to them...and I crank the gas. Rpm comes up nice and smoothly, but the bike ain't goin' any faster...wtf?  I just had the clutch conversion done...this new clutch sucks. I finished the trip up there, looked at the house, and headed home...very disappointed...414 miles.  I call my mechanic and tell him about the new clutch slipping.  He says, "what new clutch?  All you asked for was the conversion, so all I did was replace the diaphragm spring with coils."

Well I got in 414 miles anyway...and a post.

Well that sux Phil...he didn't overfill the clutch reservoir did he?

[Zxdave]

So I got the bike back, and I'm happy thinking this thing just got refreshed and I am going to enjoy a nice ride.  So, Thursday I headed north toward a place called Welaka to look at some property. This thing is comfortable, the new brakes are right there...I am golden.  Cruising up the highway and I figure I am gonna fly by this tractor/trailer rig 'cuz I don't like being next to them...and I crank the gas. Rpm comes up nice and smoothly, but the bike ain't goin' any faster...wtf?  I just had the clutch conversion done...this new clutch sucks. I finished the trip up there, looked at the house, and headed home...very disappointed...414 miles.  I call my mechanic and tell him about the new clutch slipping.  He says, "what new clutch?  All you asked for was the conversion, so all I did was replace the diaphragm spring with coils."

Well I got in 414 miles anyway...and a post.

Dang man , that sucks ….. pull the cover off and pop in some new steels and fibers , it’s not that bad of a job !

I’d call your mechanic back and ask him if he put the gold springs in that thing !