Planning a trip.....

[cwhite123174]

I will be heading to Eastern Tennessee from Iowa in August. The couple we are riding with have a 2015 Harley Davidson Ultra Limited and he asked me something I couldn't honestly answer... He asked if I think I will have any troubles in the mountains because my bike is not fuel injected.

Can anyone answer that? I know I couldn't. We are more curious than anything. I don't personally think it will be an issue.

We will ride to Nashville our first isn't and stay the night. We will get up and head to Gatlinburg where we will have be in a cabin for the next 3 days.

I plan to ride the Devils Triangle but we don't think the Tail of the Dragon is going to be possible. Our wives are not really crazy about doing that for some reason!

 

Should I expect any problems?

[Flyinfool]

If you are worried about it you can always offer to pull one of your spark plug wires so that the Harley can keep up.......

 

Our carbs being vacuum operated mixture control has the effect of altitude compensation. Unless you have rejetted or made other modifications to get everything possible out of your engine you will be fine.

[XV1100SE]

We rode the Beartooth a couple years ago....12,000 ft...and had no issues.

 

As well as what Jeff mentioned, our carbs have heaters. I have to agree with him...your friend on his Harley might have issues keeping up with our V4....and they'll want/need to stop to rest more often than you and your wife on the sofa seat of the RSV.

[cwhite123174]

I have had the Ivan jet kit done but I can't see that being an issue.

I disagree with both of your statements about him keeping up with us in the mountains..... He can't keep up now! Funny how a bike that cost $40000 and is only 1 year old and a bike that I paid $4800 for.... Well.... You know the rest! Thanks guys!

[BratmanXj]

He can't keep up now! Funny how a bike that cost $40000 and is only 1 year old and a bike that I paid $4800 for.... Well.... You know the rest! Thanks guys!

I went from an 88ci Harley Road king "down" to the Venture while saving money for a house (put more than $8k in the bank in doing so!) and my buddy rides an '06 SE Ultra with the 103ci. He started making cracks about his bike vs my "new" bike with a smaller motor... that went away real quick the 1st shot down our favorite backroads.

[cowpuc]

Fool nailed it,, CV Carbs work awesome in higher altitudes.. Was the Ivan kit done to fatten up your scoot for the Oval's C Dub? As long as your fuel air mix is properly set up and not to far on the fat side you should have NO PROBLEM!! A few years back Tip and I rode down to the Dragon with some close friends who were on their new Ultra Limited - sort of the same situation you are talking about doing except we were riding a beat up old Venture with over 200k on her at the time. We all rode the Dragon and had a blast,, before we split up for the night (they had a motel reserved, Tip and I slept on a couple picnic tables in a parking lot at the west end of the Dragon) we had NO complaints about the running of our Venture - on the other hand, my buddy and his wife both had MAJOR complaints about their legs being roasted.. Had I have known then what I know now I think it would have been great to have brought along a couple pair of leather chaps to offer my riding buddies at just the right moment - something to think about it ...

By the way,, the Dragon is well within a days ride of Gatlinburg (there and back) if you take the roadway past Smokey Mountain National Park - really nice ride too.. If you get a chance to lead your group, just head that way, dont say nothing to the ladies and ride The Dragon like your just out exploring..

 

YOU FOLKS HAVE A BLAST OUT THERE!!

[JDaniel]

If you are making the trip all the way from Iowa you really need to ride the Tail of the Dragon. If you leave Gatlinburg and enter the Smokies and take a right on Little River Road it will take you through Townsend and over to the Foothills Parkway. The Parkway is a very scenic route and dead ends into 129. A left turn on 129 and in a few short miles you will enter the Dragon from the west side and be able to stop at Deals Gap at the east end and pickup a T-shirt. Jump on the Moonshiner 28 and take it to 74 and 74 to 441 which will take you through Cherokee and through the Smokies and return you to Gatlinburg. Have done this route a couple of times. It is an easy one day ride.

[Eck]

The elevation height of the mountains in PA,WV, VA, NC, KY, North GA, are not high enough to mess with the elevation problems of your bike. I have rode my RSV all over those mountains and never had one problem. Now when you get to the mountains in CO., then you will feel a difference in power. Going through Roosevelt National Forest my RSV bogged down a little at one point but it didn't stop me. The Roosevelt National Forest is a National Forest located in north central Colorado.

[Leland]

The "highest" point in the Great Smoky "Mountains" is only about a 1,000 feet higher than Denver (the mile high city - more ways than one now). As stated before, more than one 12,000'+ pass out here in the West. I have friends with a 103 HD Ultra. They can't believe the power from that little V4 - even pulling a trailer no problems.

[bongobobny]

Yah!! I have heard several riders comment on how their bikes ran fine in higher altitudes and not one say they had problems! It might be how they are jetted from the factory that the higher altitudes and thinner air do not affect them...

[vicco27]

Mrs. Vicco here....In 2011 and 2013, we made trips back and forth across the Rockies, altitudes as high as 10,000 feet or more, and never had a whisper of a problem. Cruised through Yellowstone Park where some of the passes are in the 8,000-9,000 and couldn't tell any difference running at those altitudes and being near sea level at home. Problems at elevation was one of our concerns before we left and we were pleasantly surprised to learn that it wasn't a concern or problem at all.

[Midrsv]

I agree with Eck. When I had my Venture the only time I felt a loss of power was above 8000 to 9000 feet in the Rockies. You won't encounter any elevations like that in the TN and NC mountains.

[djh3]

I rode my venture from Florida I think field elevation at local airport is like 45 ft, up to Charlotte NC, then thru the NY Finger Lakes region, to outside Toronto, back thur WV to Fla. No issues with bike sputtering or anything that indicate some carb issue. I would try to stay in front of the HD as it is easier to dodge parts and oil film. lol

As far as Dragon goes, make sure your insurance is payed up. Last time I was going to ride it, I left the lower end there @ restaurant and made first corner when a Jack Azz in a big rig came around the corner and ran me off the road. I'm done with it until they put those ba$turds in jail. There are huge signs telling them not to drive that road. If he would have killed me he would have never stopped, because he saw me go off and kept going.

Sorry to go off there a bit. Can you tell I'm still pissed? And it happened in Oct 2015

[cwhite123174]

If you are making the trip all the way from Iowa you really need to ride the Tail of the Dragon. If you leave Gatlinburg and enter the Smokies and take a right on Little River Road it will take you through Townsend and over to the Foothills Parkway. The Parkway is a very scenic route and dead ends into 129. A left turn on 129 and in a few short miles you will enter the Dragon from the west side and be able to stop at Deals Gap at the east end and pickup a T-shirt. Jump on the Moonshiner 28 and take it to 74 and 74 to 441 which will take you through Cherokee and through the Smokies and return you to Gatlinburg. Have done this route a couple of times. It is an easy one day ride.

I have read and heard about the Tail of the Dragon many times but when we brought it up to our wives, they didn't seem excited about it. They want to do the Devils Triangle instead of the Tail of the Dragon. The couple we are riding with used to live in that area and say it's a very nice, scenic ride.

I did however suggest taking the road that heads South out of Gatlinburg through the Smokey Mountains into Cherokee. I am assuming that would be a nice ride. It's an assumption of course.

I am not counting out the Tail of the Dragon just yet. Simply put, I don't want my ribcage sore from the wife hitting me constantly!

[cwhite123174]

The elevation height of the mountains in PA,WV, VA, NC, KY, North GA, are not high enough to mess with the elevation problems of your bike. I have rode my RSV all over those mountains and never had one problem. Now when you get to the mountains in CO., then you will feel a difference in power. Going through Roosevelt National Forest my RSV bogged down a little at one point but it didn't stop me. The Roosevelt National Forest is a National Forest located in north central Colorado.

Yes, the guy I am riding with was comparing it to his trip last year to Colorado... Pikes Peak. He wasn't sure of the elevation comparison and neither was I. I planned to Google it, just didn't make it that far. He said his bike even had a couple small minor hiccups last year in Colorado. Colorado is a very beautiful state but I have been to Eastern Tennessee for Bristol races and I like it much better than Colorado!

[cwhite123174]

I rode my venture from Florida I think field elevation at local airport is like 45 ft, up to Charlotte NC, then thru the NY Finger Lakes region, to outside Toronto, back thur WV to Fla. No issues with bike sputtering or anything that indicate some carb issue. I would try to stay in front of the HD as it is easier to dodge parts and oil film. lol

As far as Dragon goes, make sure your insurance is payed up. Last time I was going to ride it, I left the lower end there @ restaurant and made first corner when a Jack Azz in a big rig came around the corner and ran me off the road. I'm done with it until they put those ba$turds in jail. There are huge signs telling them not to drive that road. If he would have killed me he would have never stopped, because he saw me go off and kept going.

Sorry to go off there a bit. Can you tell I'm still pissed? And it happened in Oct 2015

This is the reason our wives are not interested in doing it. They both were together and "YouTube'd" videos of Tail of the Dragon and of course those bad ones come up first. Again, if the wives are miserable, we are miserable so it makes the decision a little easier anyway....[emoji53] [emoji16]

[bongobobny]

Shame, because the Dragon is actually a fun ride! Actually, after doing a few of the access roads on and off of the Blue Ridge Parkway, by the time we got to the Dragon it seemed pretty tame. Sure, if you treat it like a race circuit and ride it like a maniac beyond your capabilities you're gonna get hurt! Also, as in Dion's case sometimes 18 wheelers do get on the Dragon where they do not belong! The best bet is to stay off of it on the weekends!! Do it during the week. Also, there IS another huge danger!! There ARE Police who periodically (and frequently) patrol the Dragon and are more than happy to hand you a document on just how fast you really were going in a 30mph zone... (NO, I didn't get a ticket)

[cwhite123174]

I don't want to count it out just yet. I mapped it out and the route that was recommended on here from member JDaniel doesn't seem bad at all. 4 hrs round trip and from what I can see, it would be VERY scenic. I am going to mention to the couple we are going with. What you all mentioned makes a lot of sense that if your an idiot, and ride it dumb, you deserve what you get. I was told the best time to ride the Tail is morning hours before 11am. Does that sound about right to you folks?

What about the Cherohala Skyway? I have heard that's really scenic and great for a motorcycle ride as well. Can anyone give me some suggestions on that?

[djh3]

Plenty other roads are good, without the danger of some big truck is trying to kill you. Cherahola Pky, Moonshiner 28, The loop around Fontana Dam is neat. Drive over Franklin to Highlands.

[cowpuc]

IMHO, anywhere you go in those mountains down there you are gonna run into tight hair pin turns and the dangers associated with such roads are always present. The only real difference between the Dragon and other area's is that it, the Dragon, is highly marketed. The cops actually make that beautifully scenic section of roadway a LOT safer in that they do a great job of patrolling it and it is well known they are watching closely - hats off to em!

The Cherahola Highway is BEAUTIFUL, Cherokee and that section of the Blue Ridge Parkway is amazing - there is a viewing area on the Parkway not far from Cherokee that yielded the second farthest coasting opportunity for us so far (seconded only by a record set for us going down into Kings Canyon) - IT IS AMAZING UP THERE!

Another area well within a days riding experience from Gatlinburg is the Red River Gorge area. That area tends to be a lot less visited and offers some amazing motorcycle touring..

If you folks feel drawn into the Smokey Mountains National Park, Cades Cove and all that,, here is something to think about. The loop around the park is one way - once your in your in.. 4 of the few times we have done that park the traffic around the loop was pretty bad. Bumper to bumper in a couple of those instances. While there are a couple cut acrosses so you can get away if you need to, some of those cut acrosses and escape routes are gravel/dirt roads that arent well care for - definitely bikeable but not your everyday ride opportunity unless your into such nonsense.

[cwhite123174]

I am going to sit down with our friends this weekend and propose the thought of doing this once again... Honestly... His wife was more concerned about it then mine BUT she was freaking out while in the mountains of Colorado to. Not in a bad way... Just voiced her opinion about the drop offs and really sharp turns.

[cowpuc]

See your from Iowa C Dub,, you folks ever scoot up and ride the Black Hills of SD? If so and if you rode that gorgeous stretch from Rushmore around to Needles Hwy (Iron Mountain Road/16A) you will have lots of experience similar to Smokey Mountain hair pins.. Just a thought....

[JDaniel]

We did the Cherohala Skyway on one of the trips down south. It is a very scenic route with a waterfall towards the westend by Tellico Plains. As others have mentioned the Dragon is not as bad as the videos make it out to be if you ride like you have some sense. Weekday mornings are less crowded than the weekends on the Dragon. Enjoy your trip, you can't go wrong with any of the routes you have mentioned.

[bongobobny]

Yup!! Cherohala is very nice!! There is a lot of other interesting roads in the Asheville NC area as well!! Do Chimney Mountain!

[DblTrbl]

May I suggest that your friends purchase the "motorcycle" option for their AAA account...... that way you won't have to wait so long for them to get back on the road.....