Dragon's Tail vs Iron Mt Road?

[Iowa Guy]

So.. I have heard a lot of talk about the Dragon's Tail as a road that is fun for the twisties but I've never been on it. I was on two roads last week that certainly had some twisties and I am curious if anyone has ridden them as well as the Dragon's Tail and so could give some comparisons. I went to the Black Hills and first rode the Needle's Hwy down to Custer St Prk then road the Iron Mt Rd back up to Mt Rushmore.

 

Iron Mt. Road had 15, 10 and 5 mph marked corners. It had an immediate 270 degree turn after exiting from a tunnel. It had the narrow winding slightly elevated blacktop split with each opposing lane having its own road then return together after a quarter mile.

 

How does the Dragons Tail compare?

 

Iowa Guy

[Snarley Bill]

i've ridden the dragon. but not the ones you mentioned. to me what makes a road with twisties rough is how fast you can go and how experienced you are. if you ride the dragon or any twisty road at a normal pace it's a piece of cake. if you push your riding ability to the limit than they all become a challenge and require total concentration.the tighter the twisties the less it hurts when you hit the pavement.i would rather go down doing 35 mph in a 10 mph curve then go down at 135mph in a sweeper. when i rode the dragon on my royal star i was close to the edge a couple of times with my wife on the rear and was'nt really going that fast. just did'nt have enough ground clearance to go faster. with my crotch rocket i could have probably gone twice as fast if the traffic was'nt so heavy. even at that the total concentration drained me after i went both ways. 636 curves in 22 miles. i have ridden twistier roads but the dragon sets the standard. it's all the hype that goes with it that makes it a must do. bill

[Johnh]

I've ridden all the roads you mentioned and they're all great in their own ways. Iron Mountain and Needles are much more scenic, but for all out riding and testing your ability and your bike's capability few places rival the Dragon. That boils it down to simplest terms.

[brainfart]

We rode TOD last year - i describe it as a well maintained, wide 2 lane blacktop with banked curves winding thru an evergreen forest.

with 2-up at 35 and it was a BEAUTIFUL ride.

Where not peg-scrapers - my better half sees to that - just cruised along enjoying the ride.

 

being from AZ the green was quite a treat.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Dragons Tail=higher speeds

 

Iron Mt Road=slower speeds

 

Does that help?

 

 

[Tatonka]

Thanks for those two roads out towards SD. I'll try both of them in September.

 

Isn't the TOD in NC? I looked at a you tube video and decided I'd rather miss it. We have to slow down to 50 mph for runs like that in the Alps here.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJRGln_lkRo]YouTube - Tail of the Dragon - '66 MGB[/ame]

 

After having seen that however, I worry about the skill of the other drivers.

I was driving in Scotland last year and forgot that I was supposed to drive on the "wrong" side of the road. Went 5 Km before I saw another car.

 

Ride safe and don't let the shiny stuff kiss.

[georgew48]

Have ridden all three roads and agree that the two black hills roads are better for the scenery and the dragon for testing your cornering skills. That being said I still favor the Black Hills for overall rideing pleasure.

[PBJ]

Thanks for those two roads out towards SD. I'll try both of them in September.

 

Isn't the TOD in NC? I looked at a you tube video and decided I'd rather miss it. We have to slow down to 50 mph for runs like that in the Alps here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJRGln_lkRo

 

After having seen that however, I worry about the skill of the other drivers.

I was driving in Scotland last year and forgot that I was supposed to drive on the "wrong" side of the road. Went 5 Km before I saw another car.

 

Ride safe and don't let the shiny stuff kiss.

 

Man, Tatonka you got lucky. Your post reminded me of an incident that happened here in New York almost ten tears ago. A charter boat captain from Australia came to America. He pictured up a brand nrew Honda Gold Wing in L.A. and rode it all the way to New York for the Americade. This guy was big, friendly and the nicest aussie you could ever meet. His nickname was the "Whale" and he became the longest distance winner and and an Americade favorite that year. His plan was to start with the Americade and ride to ever rallye he could through until September. His next stop was Laconia in New Hampshire. hge had stopped at Bill Dutcher, the Americade organizers home for breakfast then headed on his way. @0 mintues later the Dutchers recieved a phone call, the Whale had left their house and even though he'd ridden across the U.S, without incident immediatly started riding the wrong side of the highway. he hit a pick at full speed coming around a blind curve. It was a tragedy that rocked everone who had meet him. Americade volunteers returned to Lake George for the funeral. One moment of forgetfullness and the life of a good man was ended. Please be careful we need all the good guys we have

[DRAGIN TAIL]

My son-inlaw is a deputy sheriff here in TN. He went to a week long training session last year and several law officers who work the Dragon's Tail were in attendance. Their name for the dragon is "One A Day Highway" because they call an emergency vehicle/wrecker for a serious accident on average once a day during the long riding season. I don't know what the most dangerous part of riding it is, it could be the steep dropoffs on one side or the stone walls on the other or the Crotch Rockets coming up from behind. I intend on riding some of the Western routes next summer so I'll be able to compare then.

[Snarley Bill]

My son-inlaw is a deputy sheriff here in TN. He went to a week long training session last year and several law officers who work the Dragon's Tail were in attendance. Their name for the dragon is "One A Day Highway" because they call an emergency vehicle/wrecker for a serious accident on average once a day during the long riding season. I don't know what the most dangerous part of riding it is, it could be the steep dropoffs on one side or the stone walls on the other or the Crotch Rockets coming up from behind. I intend on riding some of the Western routes next summer so I'll be able to compare then.

i think the biggest danger of the dragon is the blind curves and people crossing the centerline. this basically boils down to inexperience. many thousands ride it every day, there are bound to be mishaps. most of the people were pretty sensible when i rode it. we had a great time and it was quite an experience.the last time i rode it there was so much traffic, that no one could go extremely fast. i guess in the off season is when alot of the really skilled riders do their thing. check out the dragon website for more info.

[Two Tone White]

I've ridden the Dragon but it didn't test my nerves as much as riding to the top of Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina http://www.grandfather.com/ or the following:

 

In Arizona, go ride Rt 666 (The Devil's Highway), now called Rt 191 from Morenci Mine to Springerville:

 

http://www.azride.com/DevilsHighwayRun.html

 

Or, go try Route 168 from Big Pine (South of Bishop off 395) in California to Oasis at Rt 266. There are parts of the road when climbing up and over the range when you actually have to stop the bike and look around a corner of blasted-through mountain to make sure that no one else is coming through the one-lane road. Then it smooths out to some nice sweepers at a high alpine plain and then gets tricky again. You probably won't see a soul on this rode.

 

http://www.motorcycleroads.us/roads/ca168.html

[tmodel]

I wasn't going to put in my "2 cents" here but ...

 

Riding with my wife is one of the great pleasures of my life. She tells me to name the date and time and she will have the bags packed and ready to hop on the bike.

 

We rode the Dragon two years ago. While we love the scenery and the ride, it was a stressful ride. There were crotch rockets and cages flying by, crossing the center line and screaming up from behind. My Heavens... it is a public road with posted speed limits and high traffic usage! Those who use it as a "track to test their skills" do so not only at their own peril, they also jeopardize the safetly and lives of all on the road.

 

While reading some postings about the Dragon on the Internet, I found sites blasting the THP and Blount County Sheriff's Office for their intense crackdown on reckless driving. I applaud them for trying to make the road safer for not only the local and business traffic that must use this road, but for all bikers, cagers, SUV's and motorhomes that frequent the mountains as part of their vacations and weekend get-a-ways.

 

Frequently on this very site we see post after post of the crazy cagers on our highways and backroads causing bikes to wreck and the riders receiving serious and sometimes life-threating injuries because of cager's poor driving habits and lack of respect for others on the road. While I'm sure it isn't in the hearts and minds of those that want to "test their skills" on the Dragon to wreck or involve others in accidents, purposely ignoring posted speed limits in these high traffic areas and not respecting the rights of the other travelers may very well lead to such events. I think we become the crazy bikers then.

 

As an alternative... maybe we should be trying to convince the authorities to set aside times where the Dragon caters only to drivers, cagers and bikers alike, that would like to challenge the road and test their skills. During those times drivers that prefer to cruise should not be allowed on that stretch of road making it safer for those who want to test their skills and limits of their equipment. Promoted properly it could very successful venture (no pun intended).

 

While many of you may not agree with me, I am very appreciative of Freebird and the rest of you on this site for allowing me to post my thoughts. Ride safe... someone else's future might depend on it!

Edited July 9, 2008 by tmodel

[Dragonslayer]

My son-inlaw is a deputy sheriff here in TN. He went to a week long training session last year and several law officers who work the Dragon's Tail were in attendance. Their name for the dragon is "One A Day Highway" because they call an emergency vehicle/wrecker for a serious accident on average once a day during the long riding season. I don't know what the most dangerous part of riding it is, it could be the steep dropoffs on one side or the stone walls on the other or the Crotch Rockets coming up from behind. I intend on riding some of the Western routes next summer so I'll be able to compare then.

The Dragon tail being in my home riding range, it is a frequent destination in my rides. I've been up and down the Dragon probably about 35 times without incident of any kind. Not to say it's not a challenging road most of the wrecks are about crotch rockets trying to set speed records. Posted speed limit is 35 and Strickly enforced. The last few times I've been there every third to fifth vehicle was law enforcement. Another problem is that they allow tractor/trailer trucks, dump trucks, Winnebago's, Farm equipment on the road so that you may come around a blind twisties and up against the tail end of a 5 MPH dump truck. :bang head:I haven't riden the other road you mention but look forward to doing so on Sturgis Trip this year. Atlanta to Sturgis and Back 2008 fur sur this year.

[loehring]

I wasn't going to put in my "2 cents" here but ...

 

Riding with my wife is one of the great pleasures of my life. She tells me to name the date and time and she will have the bags packed and ready to hop on the bike.

 

We rode the Dragon two years ago. While we love the scenery and the ride, it was a stressful ride. There were crotch rockets and cages flying by, crossing the center line and screaming up from behind. My Heavens... it is a public road with posted speed limits and high traffic usage! Those who use it as a "track to test their skills" do so not only at their own peril, they also jeopardize the safetly and lives of all on the road.

 

While reading some postings about the Dragon on the Internet, I found sites blasting the THP and Blount County Sheriff's Office for their intense crackdown on reckless driving. I applaud them for trying to make the road safer for not only the local and business traffic that must use this road, but for all bikers, cagers, SUV's and motorhomes that frequent the mountains as part of their vacations and weekend get-a-ways.

 

Frequently on this very site we see post after post of the crazy cagers on our highways and backroads causing bikes to wreck and the riders receiving serious and sometimes life-threating injuries because of cager's poor driving habits and lack of respect for others on the road. While I'm sure it isn't in the hearts and minds of those that want to "test their skills" on the Dragon to wreck or involve others in accidents, purposely ignoring posted speed limits in these high traffic areas and not respecting the rights of the other travelers may very well lead to such events. I think we become the crazy bikers then.

 

As an alternative... maybe we should be trying to convince the authorities to set aside times where the Dragon caters only to drivers, cagers and bikers alike, that would like to challenge the road and test their skills. During those times drivers that prefer to cruise should not be allowed on that stretch of road making it safer for those who want to test their skills and limits of their equipment. Promoted properly it could very successful venture (no pun intended).

 

While many of you may not agree with me, I am very appreciative of Freebird and the rest of you on this site for allowing me to post my thoughts. Ride safe... someone else's future might depend on it!

Good points tmodel. I agree that The Drafon can be a pretty dangerous place because of the people who frequent it. I don't know that you could ever set it aside for people to use to test themselves though. The potential liability if the HP made it known they would allow it would be rediculous. I do wish they would limit cage traffic to vehicles that had the ability to negotiate the curves though. RVs and Trucks should be banned. They can't make the curves without crossing the lines no matter how well they're driven.

[Snarley Bill]

I wasn't going to put in my "2 cents" here but ...

 

Riding with my wife is one of the great pleasures of my life. She tells me to name the date and time and she will have the bags packed and ready to hop on the bike.

 

We rode the Dragon two years ago. While we love the scenery and the ride, it was a stressful ride. There were crotch rockets and cages flying by, crossing the center line and screaming up from behind. My Heavens... it is a public road with posted speed limits and high traffic usage! Those who use it as a "track to test their skills" do so not only at their own peril, they also jeopardize the safetly and lives of all on the road.

 

While reading some postings about the Dragon on the Internet, I found sites blasting the THP and Blount County Sheriff's Office for their intense crackdown on reckless driving. I applaud them for trying to make the road safer for not only the local and business traffic that must use this road, but for all bikers, cagers, SUV's and motorhomes that frequent the mountains as part of their vacations and weekend get-a-ways.

 

Frequently on this very site we see post after post of the crazy cagers on our highways and backroads causing bikes to wreck and the riders receiving serious and sometimes life-threating injuries because of cager's poor driving habits and lack of respect for others on the road. While I'm sure it isn't in the hearts and minds of those that want to "test their skills" on the Dragon to wreck or involve others in accidents, purposely ignoring posted speed limits in these high traffic areas and not respecting the rights of the other travelers may very well lead to such events. I think we become the crazy bikers then.

 

As an alternative... maybe we should be trying to convince the authorities to set aside times where the Dragon caters only to drivers, cagers and bikers alike, that would like to challenge the road and test their skills. During those times drivers that prefer to cruise should not be allowed on that stretch of road making it safer for those who want to test their skills and limits of their equipment. Promoted properly it could very successful venture (no pun intended).

 

While many of you may not agree with me, I am very appreciative of Freebird and the rest of you on this site for allowing me to post my thoughts. Ride safe... someone else's future might depend on it!

your right i don't agree. the dragon is one of those things in this country that has become a world renound special place. kind of like route 66. i think it should be handled just like they are doing it. the police patrol it well. most people follow the rules and enjoy it. there are always going to be those that abuse a privelage. i would guess the dragon draws alot of revenue to north carolina, tennesee, and georgia ,from people visiting to ride it from here and abroad. i say leave it be the way it is. many thousands enjoy it every year. the biggest traffic problem on the dragon is big trucks getting jambed in the curves and shutting it down. looked to me like everyone that travels it has no problem with speed other than that. we followed some locals in cars at one time and could'nt stay with them. bill:2133:

[Johnh]

The Dragon is a fun ride, but you won't catch me going down there between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

[Scooter]

If the Tail of the Dragon has 318 curves in 11 miles, how many curves does the Iron Mountain Road have, and how does one count the curves anyway. For example, on the Iron Mountain road does one of the pigtail bridges count as one curve or several since it completes far more than a complete circle. I once tried to count the curves on this 18 mile road and was about halfway through with a count of 250 when I lost track when I focused more on the ride than the count.

[jrcain32]

If the Tail of the Dragon has 318 curves in 11 miles, how many curves does the Iron Mountain Road have, and how does one count the curves anyway. For example, on the Iron Mountain road does one of the pigtail bridges count as one curve or several since it completes far more than a complete circle. I once tried to count the curves on this 18 mile road and was about halfway through with a count of 250 when I lost track when I focused more on the ride than the count.

 

 

 

I read somewhere in an article about the "Dragon" that any bend in the road is counted as a curve. The way I read it was that any change of direction, no matter how minor, from a slight bend to a hair pin curve was counted. That can add up quick. I will get to see first hand in 3 weeks. I'm more excited about riding the "Cherohola Skyway" than I am the Dragon. According to an other article more people are killed on it than the Dragon, because of speed more than anything else. If you stay within your limits all should be well. We shall see...

[Snarley Bill]

I read somewhere in an article about the "Dragon" that any bend in the road is counted as a curve. The way I read it was that any change of direction, no matter how minor, from a slight bend to a hair pin curve was counted. That can add up quick. I will get to see first hand in 3 weeks. I'm more excited about riding the "Cherohola Skyway" than I am the Dragon. According to an other article more people are killed on it than the Dragon, because of speed more than anything else. If you stay within your limits all should be well. We shall see...

don't think there are any minor changes of direction on the dragon. when you ride it, it involves alot of concentration and does'nt seem like there are that many curves, but there are that many real good curves. when you get to the end there is a area where you can rest up before you start back, unless you keep going wherever it goes. if you just ride it normal it's not a bad ride.it's when your with others and it gets competitive that it gets hairy. there are lots of good roads that are more dangerous than the dragon down there cuz the sweepers will allow you to ride alot faster. if your a good ,sensible rider you will enjoy it. bill

[86er]

Bill, if you're talking about the overlook as the place to rest up before starting back, that isn't the end. That's only nine miles from the Deal's Gap. There are two more miles going down to the lake and that is as twisty as the rest of it.

 

[Snarley Bill]

Bill, if you're talking about the overlook as the place to rest up before starting back, that isn't the end. That's only nine miles from the Deal's Gap. There are two more miles going down to the lake and that is as twisty as the rest of it.

 

darn that means i got to go back for the rest of it. lol