Since I've never driven the road, I cannot comment. I happened to stumble on the following comments. To put it into context, Porsche must have done a media day recently at the Dragon for Canada. The writer is talking about Canadian prices ...

Quote:

"Mention "Tail of the Dragon" to just about any motorcyclist and they'll go all dewy-eyed and misty.This 18-kilometre stretch of blacktop in eastern Tennessee, up the western slope of the Blue Ridge in the Great Smoky Mountains, apparently ranks right up there with a pilgrimage to Sturgis, N.D. as a Ride Before You Die deal. ...

Frankly, as a road, the Tail of the Dragon was a bit oversold. Too bad the speed limit wasn't left at 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h) instead of the 30 (50 km/h) it is now.

Porsche laid on some other routes, too. The roads at either end of The Tail — the Joyce Kilmer Road (`I think that I shall never see a poem lovely as a tree") on the east end in North Carolina, or the Happy Valley Road to the west in Tennessee — were even more fun.

Much less crowded, even twistier and more challenging, and poorly paved, so as to highlight the car's compliant and comfortable ride."

The full article is here May be a boring read since its about P-cars.

So, is it overrated? What about the other roads mentioned?

 

Hail naw it's not overrated. How can a road with 318 curves in 11 miles be overrated . Ask all of us who have either puked or almost puked at the end if it is overrated

p.s...not to dog (ed..Canadian Reporters) but only an igmo would say that stretch of road should have a 50MPH speed limit

p.s.s...not to dog (ed..Canadian Reporters) further but only an igmo would prefer a lesser paved road so it would "highlight the car's compliant and comfortable ride" Give me smooth & curved any day so I can challenge the twisties.

 

The guys on the speed channel show, superbikes, did a little feature about the dragon. Sounds real challenging and dangerous.

BTW, the guys on superbikes are crazy!

 

It's crowded, pot holed, oil laidened, smelly, full of trucks and bikers with chains...stay away...stay far far away

 

I will
I will

 

Yeah, what Sid said! You do NOT want to go to that overrated Dragon! I should know....I've been there 11 times....um...but it's really not that big of a deal.

 

The cool thing about the Dragon is all the other good roads in the area..... the Dragon itself (depending on speed carried) is a double black diamond to challenge yourself (for skiers).... there are many really nice greens, blues and black diamonds in the area so every run/drive doesn't have to make you "puke" to have fun

 

Porsche people didn't write that article. It was a journalist. I have no idea what Porsche ppl think. Its one Canadian journalist's opinion. In fact, he was blasting the car for costing so much in Canada.

I was wondering if his opinion was way off?

Are you saying a 50 MPH speed limit is too high?

 

OK then I will change what I said & refer to the Canadian Reporter as an igmo

Yes I am saying the speed limit should be lower than 50MPH. The road isn't there for only car enthusiasts. It is a public Hwy driven by lots of regular folks too (unfortunately ). I don't know of many 2 lane, winding roads that are full of 180 turns that have a speed limit of 50

 

Sides...it's too late to get a place to stay for hundreds of miles around...something about "Mini" infestation...you don't want to catch that anyway

 

To me speed has no effect on the puke factor. You can get queezy going fast or slow. It's all the back & forth & back & forth that gets me especially on an empty stomach. I found that I am OK as long as I eat before riding it

 

mmmmmmmmmm...try having a full stomach before a stunt flying demo

 

WTH is a stunt flying demo

 

The AL, GA border has many roads in the 45-55 MPH Speed limit range, paving is ethier perfect or gravel, little to no traffic, and not always enough room to constitute having a ceterline in the road. The catch is, gas stations, resturants, and hotels are few and far between so you must plan ahead so you'll have enough gas and food; there are occasional 35 and 25 MPH zones (in the 25 zone I couldn't get a large enough radius turn to pass 20MPH in a MINI and there was a small section of that same road in which I was required to forge a 10 yd wide 6in deep stream) and every once in a while you'll think you ended up in somones driveway.

 

Teresa, FYI the Dragon used to be posted at 55, so think about that! What I cannot understand is why they do not absolutely ban the 18-wheelers from that portion of 129. It's such a hazard to them and to the others on the road! :impatient

 

Clo 55 that's just insane especially that particular 11 miles of it

 

Try this with a full tummy



kinda looks like the Dragon's tail...eh?

 

YAK

 

Did the tail for the first time this spring....not bad. Can't compare to many east coast roads cuz I moved here from SF Bay area and there4 ain't driven many. But this is the 'best' right????

So let's compare to some others I've done.....let's think San Fran and Golden Gate State park and the roads north....

Sorry

In SFB I could run to the northside of the GG Bridge, pickup the coast roads and be good for several hours.... and do it the next day on a different route ... always ending up in Bodega Bay for lunch and then trying to decide which route to continue up into wine country....not as many turns per mile says you? Well after 3 or 4 hours I was 'turned out' and then there was the afterglow....the first part had enuf twisties to make my son car sick ....later, wonderful cruising.

Dragon is OK ... but crowded, and only 11 miles ..... with too many racers spaced between too many slow-bees in too small a space....

flame on....

 

So what does BJ stand for Captain? I must admit I am picturing some crazy superhero costumes

 

I have lived about 20 minutes south of the Dragon's Tail for two decades and only started driving it (aggressively) the past 3 years. I usually spend a full day making runs there every other week with a few buddies. I know the road better than the back of my hand.

Lots of the people on this site believe the road is always very crowded. Most of them only go there on the MOTD weekend where it is packed! I rarely ever see any MINIs there other than that weekend. 90% of the year the road has no traffic. Bikers only start coming to the road from mid April until mid October. The majority of cars and bad drivers come up there on the weekends when it is also heavily patrolled by state police. If you actually want to push your car to its limits, come up on a weekday when you might pass only 2-3 bikes and a couple of local cars the entire 11 mile stretch. Also the police are a lot more forgiving.

If I lived out on the West coast, would I drive 3k miles every May to MOTD? Probably not, but at least once. Its a great road but there are many more great roads and tracks out there. I would much rather spend a day driving WOT at Laguna Seca, Mid-Ohio, etc. where you can legally speed and safely test your car to its limits.

I believe that MOTD is such a successful and hyped event every year not just because of the amazing road, but because of the beautiful scenery, the secluded Fontana Village, the incredible vendors present (Helix, Detroit Tuned, M7, OutMotoring, etc.), the huge social gathering, and seeing 500+ other MINI's there. All of that combined makes every year's MOTD my favorite weekend on the Dragon and something every MINI enthusiast must experience at least once.

 

^^^What he said. It's so much more than an 11-mile strip of pavement. You'll never know that from reading magazines.

 

FYI, the two other roads mentioned are nice rides. Happy Valley was on the touring rally for the second and third Dragon Runs. There are so many enjoyable roads in the area where TN, GA, and NC come together. One of my favorites is Wayah Rd, from 19 in the Nantahala Gorge area to Franklin.

 

I believe that 100% true but thats not what the author was talking about. He was talking about the "road" being overrated in terms of being a lot of turns and, I presume because of his speed limit remark, the low speed limit.

I would imagine the Porsche readers have probably never heard of MOTD but I do know other marquees go there on different days of the year.

I was just interested in opinions on the road itself. Seems like he liked the surrounding roads better?

 

Chows, I am stunned that you haven't been to MOTD yet... make plans now to come to MOTD5... you won't regret it!