Rode the Dragon along with 900 other miles and the "LC" conquered them all!!! - Motorcycle-Journal Forums

stp1971 · 07-07-2005, 08:47 AM

This past weekend myself and a couple of friends decided to take a road trip. We left out Saturday morning around 10:30 am and headed north to the North Georgia mountains. After about an hour and a half of interstate and divided four lane we made it to the opening of what we were working for.

We jumped on some of the local roads and immediately found ourselves in the twisties. Hard left and right leans, winding up the mountains and hundreds of bikes riding by one after another. We continued on that course zig zagging around the curves and this weekend the "LC" showed everyone what it was made of.

Hardly any downshifts at all,, I just kept twisting the throttle letting off of it, twisting it again, letting it off again, and it pulled like a Clydesdale all weekend.

We headed back towards Helen after that ride (Helen is a little Bavarian styled village-- another story) and then we mounted up and rode some more. At on point the incline was at least a 18% grade,, fun climbing,, but going back down the bike stayed in second and third with no throttle applied.

That night we stayed North of there at a B&B and the next morning awoke to rain,,hmmmmm,,,,go home or ride,,,,, RIDE ON MAN!!!!!!

We rode on further northeast to Robbinsville where we picked up the Cherohala skyway,, it is a nice ridge that climbs to 5300 ft and we got to see some really nice scenery and some fun sweeping curves. The rain held off for that part of the ride and it actually was very nice with nice dry pavement to ride,,,, GAME ON!!! It was a blast!!!!

Then we headed towards the north entrance to the Dragon,,, US 129,, if you have never heard of it,, you eventually will. This was the part of the ride where I was challenging my skills and was kinda stoked but also kinda anxious as well.

As we headed south on the Dragon it decided that it was going to start pouring rain,, NOT what I had hoped for,, so we managed to ride the dragon at speed limit speeds,, not exceeding it really. Average speed was 35,, a couple of 20's, a couple of 15's, a couple of 10's,, and yes I even remeber seeing a 5 mph speed limit. At one point the guy behind me said with the lean of the curve and the lean of the bike from the rear it looked like the bike was laying sideways with the road.

Then we finished the Dragon,, butt cheeks were a little sore,, not from saddle sore, but from all the butt puckering I was doing in the rain riding that thing. Would recomend riding it when it's nice outside and there are not alot of traffic.

The ride continued south and then we went over to Cherokee and Gatlinburg to settle down for the night. Between Cherokee and Gatlinburg there was a 30 some odd mile parkway we rode,, it had it's moments as well,,especially since it was foggy, rainy, and dark,, on top of another twisty ridge as well.

Then the next day it was get up and make the trip back to Atlanta,,, but the trip and it's 900 some odd miles was a blast,, and by the way,, the butt buffer pad works,, my friends were all cursing it saying things like "Da*n that gel pad,,, I hate gel,, we should throw that thing over the side of the cliff". I was able to keep riding where there dairy airs were all numb and sore.

The 1500LC showed me a good time this weekend,, ran like a champ,, pulled good, leaned good in the twisties, and was comfortable to ride the whole time. I can hardly wait till I get those pipes on it and I get it re-jetted to see how it will really perform next time!!!!!!

Intruders ROCK!!!!!!