Jayzonk Posted January 24, 2023 Author Share Posted January 24, 2023 (edited) Agreed. I'd probably lose half a day to a day after travelling all of that way anyway. Would be nice to be down with fresh tires. Edited January 24, 2023 by Jayzonk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heavy Posted January 25, 2023 Share Posted January 25, 2023 Fresh tires? BAH! Ride the Tracer down. You're not lining up for qualifying at Sepang. Getting there is the adventure. IMHO, anyway. 1 1 There is never enough time or money to do it right the first time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayzonk Posted January 25, 2023 Author Share Posted January 25, 2023 (edited) 2 hours ago, Heavy said: Fresh tires? BAH! Ride the Tracer down. You're not lining up for qualifying at Sepang. Getting there is the adventure. IMHO, anyway. 😆😆😆😆😆 I think my generation has been brainwashed to be ultra competitive lol. Edited January 25, 2023 by Jayzonk 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nhchris Posted January 26, 2023 Share Posted January 26, 2023 On 1/24/2023 at 12:51 PM, Jayzonk said: Thanks for the write-up. Actually, I have taken a YCRS course on a racetrack, but I am by no means a racer or even close. I took the course for the sake of learning how to corner using trail braking, how to body position for curves, and generally how to ride briskly but safe. ... I found the Dragon provides a very small margin of error. The road is narrow to begin with. Slightly too far right and you are quickly in the weeds. No breakdown lane, shoulder or fog line in most stretches. Slightly too far left and double yellow line is instantly under your front wheel. (And there is lots of head on traffic most of the time.) It's no race track, more like the Isle of Man! Stay sane and you'll do fine. 2 1968 Triumph Bonneville 650 1971 Norton Commando Roadster 2002 Harley 1200 Sportster 2003 Honda ST 1300 2016 FJ 09 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhotoAl Posted January 27, 2023 Share Posted January 27, 2023 Been a while since I did it. Read enough about it to psych myself out. If you know how to ride it is not bad ... if you take it slow the first time. To me seemed like there were lots of 3 corner sequences. First two were similar and just about when you think hey got these figured out the 3rd corner was significantly different. Many times if you slow down and ride comfortable and focus of what you know you can do and keep your lines clean then you actually go a pretty good pace. At the track when I'm looking for the next great crash photo I look for two things. Intersecting lines and bikes that are wobbly or jerky. That is a great indication that the rider if over their skill level and something not good is about to happen. Haven't taken the Tracer to the dragon or that area (I need to since I'm not that far away) but have ridden a lot of mountain roads out west including Chief Joseph Highway and Beartooth Pass. Battle Pass in Wyoming and Snowy River Road also in Wyoming. Except for Beartooth Pass they are much more open and speeds higher. Beartooth Pass was lots of 180s. Totally agree on early or late during the midweek. Its not just to other bikes is the other idiots in fast cars and they have the same trouble we do in that part way thru they get tired physically or mentally. I run Michelin Road 6s and they do just fine for spirited riding. Not what I would choose for a track day but they are plenty good enough for the Dragon. If you want to go fast, a track day is the place for that. I have done the Amalfi Coast on a scooter with my wife on the back. It makes the Dragon look like a wide open interstate. Most of the time it has a rock wall on the ocean side and rock bank on the other and the lanes are quite narrow. LOL most folks I know are scared in a small car and cannot believe I rode a scooter on it. I passed folks on that road - takes a bit of work as the scooter didn't have great acceleration - it gathered speed. On that road anything over a 600 was too big. One time it was on a weekend and on the far end there were a few sport bikes running race pace - awesome to see but they were being careful I think. They would ride a short distance then turn around and hammer it as they knew what was in front - still think they were crazy. The road to Revallyo has a narrow section where they use traffic lights to let only one direction thru at a time during the day. The local police standing there waved me thru - it OK to ride a scooter as you are small and if necessary can pull over to let the but thru. Always always have to be aware! A couple of times got back and my wife found some grass or leaves on her pants were we had brushed the weeds on the side of the road while cornering. Lines thru corners were always the ones you take if the oncoming vehicle is over the line. Big busses take the whole road and in blind corners there are mirrors and the busses honk - I'm coming get out of the way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now