Riding pics from The Dragon

NightTrain

NightTrain

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Not sure if a thread like this has been started before, did a little searching first but didn't find it. Anyways I wanted to throw some pics up from deals gap. I plan to add some of me riding the Fz1 when I get out there sometime this year. Been awhile since I've rode out there and can't wait to go back.
 
Here's the only worthy shot from Killboy of me. This was on the FZ6 though. It was me following my wife on her first run through and she can barely be seen in front of me. But hey... I made his Highlight Reel! :D
 
Jamieb said:
If you haven't been I highly recommend going to the gap! While you are at it try the Cherahala skyway in Tennessee.
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Nice shots guys! Jamie, your absolutely right about the Skyway. That was by far my favorite road when we went down there. The dragon was great but not my kind of road to do every day. I did it back and forth once and got it out of my system and then thoroughly enjoyed all the other roads for the rest of the week. I just wanted to be able to say that I rode it.
 
I enjoyed the area of riding a bit more than the Dragon itself. I to did it to do it. ( missed ya pop)

My favorite road wa sthe trip we took to Gatlinburg. That was a great ride.
(missed ya pop).
Our day on the Cherehola was nice. For a bit! I didnt realize how low on gas I was when I went back over it to the house. I had to do some killing of the engine to save fuel. THAT SUCKED!!!
 
Here are few of me at 2010 FZ1OA Rally:

Dragon:

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Cherohala:

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I need to figure out how to get pics posted the way Crazybiker did, I attach the files but they show up as small pics to be clicked on.

Skyway and 28 ARE the best, but hey no Killboy to be found :eek: Think I'm going back early april to meet up with my old crew, 'them boys right there no how to do it up :nana::teeter:
 
I can't wait to go back. This past October was my first time and I can't get the area out of my head(not just the Dragon). I forget who is trying to organize a September ride but I have just become a full time student again and would love to put together a late May September run.
 
Yeah, after living out there and riding it every day it was so hard to move away. You all see the Killboy Shot of my MV Agusta in my signature, that's from the Dragon. Here's a few more of different bikes, but I agree the Cherohala and Rt. 28 are great. I have several other sneaky routes around the area but you'll have to kill me to get them. The more people ride an area the more police you'll find.

Also, I have tons of shots of the Foothills Pky, as well as the BRP. The BRP between Cherokee, NC and Asheville, NC is one of the greatest rides there are. I have shots of just about anything you guys would want to see there, from the Smoky Mtn Nat Park to Bald River Falls and Mingo Falls, etc. Here's a few over the years with friends and different bikes.
 
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Blavenia said:
Yeah, after living out there and riding it every day it was so hard to move away. You all see the Killboy Shot of my MV Agusta in my signature, that's from the Dragon. Here's a few more of different bikes, but I agree the Cherohala and Rt. 28 are great. I have several other sneaky routes around the area but you'll have to kill me to get them. The more people ride an area the more police you'll find.

Also, I have tons of shots of the Foothills Pky, as well as the BRP. The BRP between Cherokee, NC and Asheville, NC is one of the greatest rides there are. I have shots of just about anything you guys would want to see there, from the Smoky Mtn Nat Park to Bald River Falls and Mingo Falls, etc. Here's a few over the years with friends and different bikes.
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How long ago did you move from there? Last time I was there (about a year ago give or take a few months) I remember seeing a MV that looks like the one in your sig. Being a rare bike, I'm guessing it may very well have been you.

28 is the route I love the most. Nice variety to be had in regards of tight and wide open sweepers.
 
Train, Were you out there prior to 2009? I moved away in the summer of 2008, was back a couple of times just to ride, but I never saw another one out there except for the people I knew from the MVAgusta forum. The other MV rider over there is on a 2007 black F4R, mine was the F4 S (2005).

Also have to say Rt. 28 is easily one of my favorites as well. I just love that road. Just as you said, the perfect mix of tight/technical and looong sweeping curves. I've even had a great time going from 28 South, then over to Robbinsville, and back up 129 to the juncion again. 129 heading back and forth from the store to Robbinsville can be a blast as well, and its fun preparing for the Cherohala on it.

Crazybiker, I think we worked for the same guy in Alcoa at one point. I don't remember you, but I remember Ben in Service, as well as everyone else as well as Greg from Mountain Adventures. I gave up the MV as well as all the other toys, the Acura NSX, the 7 other bikes, etc, shortly after leaving there. I developed some significant health issues and had to make some major life adjustments mentally, physically, financially, and geographically.

From purely a riding perspective, the MV Agusta was the absolute most uncomfortable motorcycle on the planet. Imagine a GSXR but 100 times worse. Completely dedicated to one thing only and with a throttle literally like an on/off switch. Combine that with having to go to Atlanta from Knoxville area for any service and the time required to receive warranty parts and that was it. The plastic fuel line fittings cracked and that kept my MV off the road for 3 months in the fall. CRC took so long to get the parts in I finally insisted the dealer take the fuel lines off a new unit on the floor to get my bike back. It was just too much expense, time (7 hours round trip to dealer), and uncomfortable for me to keep. The attention was great, and I enjoyed sharing the bike and the history of the brand in conversation, but I took off my performance goodies and sold it before I left TN.

When moving to NJ, I knew the roads would be nothing like where I was, so I also gave up the FJR1300, the 07 CBR600RR, the dual sport and all the others and just kept the CBR1000RR Repsol for the track and some occaisional street riding. I had a horrible accident at Roebling Road in turn 5 when my CBR's front wheel touched another rider's rear wheel, destroying my body and the Repsol in seconds.

After waiting for quite a while and trying some other bikes again, I found the FZ1 and convinced the new wife that it was upright and slow and nothing like what I used to ride at the track. Of course now she knows I was a little full of it, but it was still a radical departure from what she had seen. Given the flat and straight nature of the NJ roads, I decided an FZ1 would be fine. The bike was a 2007 brand new leftover in April of 2010, the dealer made me an offer I couldn't refuse on the 3 year old leftover, and my wife said just buy it and get back to what I loved.

That's pretty much my story in a nutshell! Feel free to skip over any parts where I rambled, lost your interest, or got nostalgic about some of the other things I used to enjoy so much. But in the end, the MV Agusta was paid for, great for my ego, and cool to experience but other bikes did just as much just as well for 1/2 the cost.

Hope this finds you all well.
 
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