Headed to the Tail of the Dragon...any suggestions?

[Jimmynickelz]

The speeds at which aerodynamics work is too fast for public roads. You will never go fast enough to utilize the wing, nor would you ever need it, even on a racetrack. SS lines won’t make much of a difference unless your OE lines are old and worn & most SS lines have questionable Chinese fittings. What you really want are brakes pads designed to operate in the heat range they would see and high temp fluid.

You're right. Let me calm tf down and put my wallet away.

The E46 makes 377 whp natural. The intake has this huge flap that opens at 3krpm...and I mean huge. Its the size of a paper plate!🤣🤣. He has a lot of time and tuning in that thing to make it exactly how he wants it.

As far as crossing the yellow, unfortunately I did it twice. Got in the corner too n hot. Wasn't on purpose. There are so many drivers that slice across the yellow out there.

 

[Jimmynickelz]

Did i mention a Ferrari on the Rally hit a U-Haul about 15 min into the drive?

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1147307560798224&vanity=motobrosmoto1

 

[Capri to ST]

Looks like the U-Haul came out ahead on that road test.

 

[Jimmynickelz]

Looks like the U-Haul came out ahead on that road test.

The U-Haul lost the driveshaft, but the Ferrari was....well, Enzo is looking down and isn't happy.

 

[Intuit]

Is that the truck's exhaust or drive shaft on the ground?


Oomph... assuming that's not a trick of MPEG compression, guess that's the driveshaft.



Yup, that's the driveshaft. Pretty clean... must be a new truck.





I guess some people have no concept of the idea that public roads are for getting places. Not just our personal entertainment.

Am I wrong in assuming that there are not "better" routes for getting from A to B?

 

[Intuit]

BTW, you know who's insurance price is going to go up... and it ain't the Ferrari or U-Haul's price...

 

[Jimmynickelz]

"I guess some people have no concept of the idea that public roads are for getting places. Not just our personal entertainment."

Agreed. It's a fun road, but it's still a public road and you gotta be respectful to people who are just trying to get to wherever they're going. The common courtesy of pulling into a turnoff for faster traffic is very much practiced and appreciated out there.

 

[Jimmynickelz]

 

[M-Sport fan]

Is that the truck's exhaust or drive shaft on the ground?
View attachment 68259

Oomph... assuming that's not a trick of MPEG compression, guess that's the driveshaft.

View attachment 68260

Yup, that's the driveshaft. Pretty clean... must be a new truck.





I guess some people have no concept of the idea that public roads are for getting places. Not just our personal entertainment.
View attachment 68258
Am I wrong in assuming that there are not "better" routes for getting from A to B?

It looks like whatever locates the solid rear axle in those things snapped or lost/sheared bolts, and that took out the front u-joint and dropped the driveshaft.
(Look how skewed the rear wheel is in the fender well/housing.)

 

[Downsy]

Is that the truck's exhaust or drive shaft on the ground?
View attachment 68259

Oomph... assuming that's not a trick of MPEG compression, guess that's the driveshaft.

View attachment 68260

Yup, that's the driveshaft. Pretty clean... must be a new truck.





I guess some people have no concept of the idea that public roads are for getting places. Not just our personal entertainment.
View attachment 68258
Am I wrong in assuming that there are not "better" routes for getting from A to B?

A lot of the traffic that "shouldn't be up there" are people who don't know any better following a GPS. That's how 18 wheelers wind up on it on a regular basis. Or at least did I think they have pretty significant signage at this point. On a map or GPS screen it just looks like a road, not to mention US HIGHWAYS tend to be higher speed/straighter anyone looking at "US 129" on a GPS might assume it's a regular state highway.

 

[Intuit]

Makes sense.

 

[Downsy]

Apparently it's still happening <--- Link

 

[Jimmynickelz]

A lot of the traffic that "shouldn't be up there" are people who don't know any better following a GPS. That's how 18 wheelers wind up on it on a regular basis. Or at least did I think they have pretty significant signage at this point. On a map or GPS screen it just looks like a road, not to mention US HIGHWAYS tend to be higher speed/straighter anyone looking at "US 129" on a GPS might assume it's a regular state highway.

Headed to "The Back of the Dragon" next week. I hope they don't have the same issues. Honestly, for us in cars it's not a huge deal. It can be tragic for motorcyclists. Mid corner corrections when you have a truck headed at you are difficult/impossible.

 

[Jimmynickelz]

Wish they had those warning lights and an overabundance of signs with a turnaround. The can opener in North Carolina has a bunch of lights and warning signs, and trucks still get their tops peeled off regardless. Nothing usually gets damaged but the truck though. Its not something that can kill someone.

 

[Intuit]

Apparently it's still happening <--- Link

<< ...... , “Been a while since I paid attention to fuckups taking the Tail of the Dragon. It was drilled into us in training that relying on your GPS is a good way to get sent down a road you have no way of getting out of.” ........>>
That last part... screw ups are an unfortunate part of human nature. The really unfortunate part is, once they're on it, they're much too big to turn around; possibly even with State Trooper help, blocking off traffic. Once on it, they're basically stuck waiting on a police escort for the full length. That's a nightmare for the trucker, as much as it is the enthusiasts. At least a good chunk of the enthusiasts can just double back from whence they came and try another day.

As far as the bit focusing on the fact that this one case out of zillions happens to be a foreigner, meh. All of my hit and runs were committed by home-grown citizenry. Criminality has nothing to do with nationality. Most people are actually on better behavior when well away from home. It's just scapegoating. But they are correct in questioning the training, testing, and licensing standards. If people honestly want effective change, that's where the focus should be. Re importing labor, as long as leadership gets to keep a chunk of the profit as an annual "incentive" to increase profits, few people's jobs are actually safe. Tariff-taxing unfortunately misses the mark. The incentive remains unaffected.

Headed to "The Back of the Dragon" next week. I hope they don't have the same issues. Honestly, for us in cars it's not a huge deal. It can be tragic for motorcyclists. Mid corner corrections when you have a truck headed at you are difficult/impossible.

I'm a daily sport bike rider; Yamaha. The big bikes have much, much, much less reserve. For crying outloud I scraped a boot just tooling around a small parking lot at low speed on a coworker's bike. The riders can manage a mid-corner correction but they MUST ride with enough reserve. Going 90% on a blind corner you're not already intricately familiar with, is asking for it.

I'd like to do "enthusiast roads" but stay away because there are too many videos of folks taking corners completely in the wrong lane. I'm not talking just being a little bit over the double-yellows like the videographer scalded some folk for.

 

[Jimmynickelz]

<< ...... , “Been a while since I paid attention to fuckups taking the Tail of the Dragon. It was drilled into us in training that relying on your GPS is a good way to get sent down a road you have no way of getting out of.” ........>>
That last part... screw ups are an unfortunate part of human nature. The really unfortunate part is, once they're on it, they're much too big to turn around; possibly even with State Trooper help, blocking off traffic. Once on it, they're basically stuck waiting on a police escort for the full length. That's a nightmare for the trucker, as much as it is the enthusiasts. At least a good chunk of the enthusiasts can just double back from whence they came and try another day.

As far as the bit focusing on the fact that this one case out of zillions happens to be a foreigner, meh. All of my hit and runs were committed by home-grown citizenry. Criminality has nothing to do with nationality. Most people are actually on better behavior when well away from home. It's just scapegoating. But they are correct in questioning the training, testing, and licensing standards. If people honestly want effective change, that's where the focus should be. Re importing labor, as long as leadership gets to keep a chunk of the profit as an annual "incentive" to increase profits, few people's jobs are actually safe. Tariff-taxing unfortunately misses the mark. The incentive remains unaffected.


I'm a daily sport bike rider; Yamaha. The big bikes have much, much, much less reserve. For crying outloud I scraped a boot just tooling around a small parking lot at low speed on a coworker's bike. The riders can manage a mid-corner correction but they MUST ride with enough reserve. Going 90% on a blind corner you're not already intricately familiar with, is asking for it.

I'd like to do "enthusiast roads" but stay away because there are too many videos of folks taking corners completely in the wrong lane. I'm not talking just being a little bit over the double-yellows like the videographer scalded some folk for.

#1.Criminality/bad driving- I deal with stolen cars literally every day of my career and I specifically chose one with a manual trans because I don't have to worry about it getting stolen. People also tend to walk the tightrope a little closer and just work hard for a living when they're from overseas except in extreme circumstances. Not doing politics tho. Not today. Not here.

#2. I've done multiple track days on my R1 at Pocono, NJMSP, and NCCAR. Track riding is so much different than riding enthusiast roads. I'd chose track days every day of the week. There are so many factors out of your control on the road. Water, leaves, oil, etc. They can all come out snd bite you. Lost one of my best friends at Homestead Miami on his bike. Riding as a whole is just too unpredictable for me at this age. Can't YOLO anymore with these responsibilities.

#3. Enthusiast roads in a car are a different monster. Roads like the Tail give you the ability to explore the edges of the cars limits and stay under or at least close to the speed limit. I'd recommend it if you get the chance.

 

[Jimmynickelz]

The foothills parkway is amazing too btw.