The Dragon (BBC)

[cwiseman]

It's a great road to get to better roads, Hwy 28 being my favorite.

[old as dirt 2]

I ride the dragon quite often as I only live 65 miles from the lake side of it. I use it as a cut thru to some awesome roads in NC.
if you folks want some really good riding in the Vir, NC, Ga , Tn area I highly recommend you ordering the 9 maps set from America Rides Maps. The man who puts thee together is a Motorcyclist, Wayne does nothing but ride and verify each and every road on his maps. he grades each and every road and on the back of the maps he points out gas, lunch set seeing and other stops. Also a bit out the some of the roads.

the Dragon is a named road is all and a lot of folks have to get that t-shirt which is fine.

I didn't really care for the way the article was written. Its not a race track and it is a good ride if done in moderation and control.
Just don't pay attention to all the folks taking pics on the sides.

[LowRyter]

It's a great road to get to better roads, Hwy 28 being my favorite.

123 to Deal's Gap to 28 to Highlands....best route ever IMO.

[rboe]

State Route 191 in eastern Arizona, formally SR 666 which gave it the nick name of The Devil's Highway. I have yet to ride it, but many friends have. Long, iffy surface quality, reducing radius curves, probably open range. Did I mention it was LONG? :D

[rboe]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMbomNBNQG0

[oldbike54]

 There is a 12 mile or so stretch of highway 82 in Oklahoma that runs between Lequire and Red Oak. It bisects the San Bois Mountains (OK you denizens of mountain states , just hills) , and doesn't look like much on the map . But , the elevation changes are interesting ,and several long sweepers that can be run at 100 MPH if you have the stones . It was built just a few years ago , it meets modern Federal spec , meaning long sight lines , wide shoulders , and climbing lanes . There are some amazing views as a bonus . There are lots of good roads in that part of SE Okieland , what sets this part of 82 apart are the long sight lines , most of the roads in this area are running thru National Forest or Weyerhaeuser land where the trees are bordering the road .

 Dusty

[LowRyter]

82 is the road where I discovered I chunked the rear tire on my EV when we had breakfast in Stigler.  We were pushing it pretty good 85+.

Probably chunked it on way to Talihina the day before since the bike handled pretty weird.

[drlapo]

I rode the Dragon last month and it is a great road.
We also found rt 40 South of Boone mills in NC
new pavement No debris on the road surface properly cambered turns and15 mph switchbacks

[lucky phil]

The thing with roads like this is in reality if your there for carving corners and "the twisties" then they are a usually mass of blind corners with tightening radia and no runoff. Throw in the regular lunatic on a bike, the dreamy/incompetent car driver, tour buses, crap on the road, more lunatics on bikes and cars and its all just a bit of a wank.
Better off in the car, less drama.
The holy "Great Ocean Road" in my state is another one, chock full of the aforementioned plus land slides and changeable weather and its just a waste of a day that you could be on Phillip Island Race track.
Seriously, for anyone at any age and level of ability once you've done a track day these type of roads lose a lot of their appeal.

Ciao

[drlapo]

You can see all the way through every turn on the Dragon most are constant radius and positive camber.  every one is on it for pleasure so they are paying attention.
It really is a rolling amusement park
I did get stuck behind a tricycle parade but that's ok because I just got to the end turned around and did it again
And they take your photo!  Just like an amusement park.
Then the cherahola skyway!!!!

[bpreynolds]

I ride the dragon quite often as I only live 65 miles from the lake side of it. I use it as a cut thru to some awesome roads in NC.
if you folks want some really good riding in the Vir, NC, Ga , Tn area I highly recommend you ordering the 9 maps set from America Rides Maps. The man who puts thee together is a Motorcyclist, Wayne does nothing but ride and verify each and every road on his maps. he grades each and every road and on the back of the maps he points out gas, lunch set seeing and other stops. Also a bit out the some of the roads.

the Dragon is a named road is all and a lot of folks have to get that t-shirt which is fine.

I didn't really care for the way the article was written. Its not a race track and it is a good ride if done in moderation and control.
Just don't pay attention to all the folks taking pics on the sides.

 :1: On the America Rides maps.  I've used them for both my visits to the area and been amazed at how thorough they are.

[PeteS]

You can see all the way through every turn on the Dragon most are constant radius and positive camber.  every one is on it for pleasure so they are paying attention.
It really is a rolling amusement park
I did get stuck behind a tricycle parade but that's ok because I just got to the end turned around and did it again
And they take your photo!  Just like an amusement park.
Then the cherahola skyway!!!!

I agree with the constant radius and positive camber part, not so much being able to see through every turn. The big plus that a few here have already mentioned is the fact that there are no driveways or other access roads to deal with over the 11 miles.
Its just one road among thousands of miles of great roads in the Appalachians and Smokies. Hard to name any of them the best.

Pete

[LowRyter]

The thing with roads like this is in reality if your there for carving corners and "the twisties" then they are a usually mass of blind corners with tightening radia and no runoff. Throw in the regular lunatic on a bike, the dreamy/incompetent car driver, tour buses, crap on the road, more lunatics on bikes and cars and its all just a bit of a wank.
Better off in the car, less drama.
The holy "Great Ocean Road" in my state is another one, chock full of the aforementioned plus land slides and changeable weather and its just a waste of a day that you could be on Phillip Island Race track.
Seriously, for anyone at any age and level of ability once you've done a track day these type of roads lose a lot of their appeal.

Ciao

The beauty of the Dragon is that the road is smooth, has excellent site lines and no intersecting side roads or driveways.  The big problem is traffic and folks riding beyond their ability.  It's tight with only one small little straight section that you can obtain highway speeds or greater. 

When I ride the Dragon, I have to ride it one time slowly to pick up a rhythm.  Then I when I go back around I am more in sync and comfortable.

Arkansas Ozarks has good site lines but even my favorite roads have cross traffic and driveways.  Unfortunately many of the roads were paved during the '90s and early '00s and are starting to deteriorate. 

Unfortunately, eastern OK has similar terrain but even the Talemina Dr has lots of traffic,  poor site lines and old pavement.  Hwy 62 east of Talequah is perhaps the best OK Ozark road IMO.  I took the road to Spavinaw last week on my way to Gary's campout and it's a challenge.  I did over cook one corner and crossed the yellow, the first time I can remember doing it on the Greenie.  Again, site lines are notoriously bad on that road and lots of gravel too.  For a real challenge try hwy 127  west of Jay OK, talk about a roller coaster, it's pretty dangerous for the hills, gravel, traffic and site lines, perhaps that's why it's a challenge?

[ohiorider]

I posted it because BBC made note of it,please 'go ride it instead of the lousy roads we have here in SW Virginia/West Virginia.

Dean

Dean, you want me to stay away from 39 ....... and 250?   

Bob

[Dean Rose]

Dean, you want me to stay away from 39 ....... and 250?   

Bob

Yeah and sweet 16 too.

Dean

[Orange Guzzi]

There's a whooooooole lot of marketing going on .... it almost wouldn't matter what it actually IS any more; but in order to be real and have bragging rights and be "in", you HAVE to go there, and get the T-shirt.   That's what I hear, anyhow.

Sort of how you can know that is to see how the surrounding Tourist Bureaus have reacted.   Now every county from Beckley to Gainesville has a "Back of the Dragon" or "Claw of the Dragon" or "Devil's Triangle" or "Snake" or "Diamondback" or "Rattlesnake" or some other reptile that you must go and ride and get the T-shirt.

Sort of nice to be a major economic force in the world today - everyone's after us!

Lannis

Two Devils Backbones within an hour of my home in Indiana.  Plus a Honey Run and Whiskey Run.  The roads around my home follow the buffalo migration trails thru the hills in Southern Indiana. 

[LowRyter]

I've ridden in Southern Indiana and there are some good roads there for sure.   

[Sheepdog]

I lived in Knoxville, TN for eight years and had ample opportunities to visit Deal's Gap. It is fantastic on a Tuesday morning...beautiful and challenging in ways that are hard to find out West. However, you could say the same about riding many parts of the Appalachians. It is lush...almost dark in places and the air has a soft quality that only a little humidity can deliver.

I also lived upstate in New York...another series of awesome riding roads. New Mexico has some unbelievable areas, too; and Idaho, Washington, Montana, Colorado, Arizona, Pennsylvania, ad infinitum. Face it, my fellow Americans: we have some extraordinary places to ride in the USA...and many are remote and lightly used. It's a great time and place to be into motorcycles...

[redrider90]

The Dragon is overrated. What!!  that is blasphemy right? No it isn't. I've never been on it but I have spent enough time in the roads in far western N/c and too know there are plenty of roads like the dragon. Maybe not 318 curves in 11 miles but gobs of incredible roads that are just as much fun with a lot less traffic.

[Scud]

However, you could say the same about riding many parts of the Appalachians. It is lush...almost dark in places and the air has a soft quality that only a little humidity can deliver.

   Yes. It's not just about the road, it's the whole experience. This is also how I felt riding through the higher elevations in the Sequoias - but mix in the majesty of the worlds biggest trees. But then at lower elevations it thins out and transitions to desert.