Famous Motorcycle Road / Tail Of The Dragon

Motorcycles are definitely one of the most beautiful ways to see the world. Along the way, riders always seem to find the most curvy roads, the best restaurants, the coldest beer, and the most interesting destinations. And I've learned that the best way to find them is to simply ask the ride. That's why I asked over 750,000 of you who follow me on social media to cast your vote on the absolute best. This is Motorcycle Destinations. The Tale of the Dragon is considered one of the most exciting rides in all of America. This stretch of road follows the southwest boundary of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Welcome y'all to the Tale of the Dragon. Probably America's most iconic road and possibly it's most dangerous too. They call it the Tale of the Dragon but it's formally known as Highway 129. And the reason it is so famous and so many riders come from all over the world, literally the world, they fly in from other countries just to ride this road. And it's because it contains 318 curves in just 11 short miles. And it's not only my opinion that this could potentially be one of the most dangerous roads in America, they even put a sign right here on the entrance telling you high crash area the next 11 miles. So now let's take this Indian Challenger on the Tale of the Dragon's 318 curves and find out why it's featured on Motorcycle Destinations. This stretch of road is considered one of the most exciting rides in all of America. And Highway 129 and the Chihuahua Dam were featured in movies like The Fugitive and Tulane Blacktop where much of this road was featured at the very end of the movie. Now there are dozens of pull outs like this all across the Tale of the Dragon where you can pull out, take a break, gather yourself if the curves are getting to you or if you just want to stop and watch some bikes pass by. And this to me is some of the most beautiful countryside in all of America. Unfortunately today we had a first-hand example as to why everybody says the Tale of the Dragon is such a dangerous road. A gentleman who had clearly gone head-to-head with a full-size car. The road conditions are a 5 out of 10, maybe a 6 out of 10 at best. There's plenty of potholes and repair jobs for you to dodge in between your corners. Okay this is another one of my favorite spots to stop because it's something you just don't see all the time. A mile marker zero sign. That's right. So this fence marks the state line between North Carolina and Tennessee. All right let's get back to the road. And that is it y'all. We have completely completed the Dragon together. While the curves on this road are definitely world-class, it's also important to note that the scenery is less than exciting. A few moments where you can peek between them to see a good view are rare and far between. Now this is Deals Gap. Deals Gap sits at the top of the Tale of the Dragon and it's got several things you're going to want to know about. One, it's got a gas station. Two, it's got a convenience store with a restaurant and some drinks. And the Tree of Shame. This is it. This is the Tree of Shame and basically all the people and live to tell about it come and hang a piece of their motorcycle right here. Like I said, I believe the Tale of the Dragon to be one of the most dangerous roads in all of America and it's not because of the steep drop-offs or anything like that. In fact, often you're covered by trees. It's the tight turns and not necessarily always a tight turn for yourself but the oncoming traffic overshooting or over judging their lane. So no matter how safe you may ride as a rider, people out there test their limits. They're pushing it too far and it's not only dangerous for themselves but for the other riders on the road. And there you have it. The Tale of the Dragon. Riders come from all over the world to test their skills on this very road and not only their skills but their machines. That's one of my favorite things about the Tale of the Dragon. Seeing all the different motorcycles and cars and random vehicles that come up and ride this road. I hope you all enjoyed today's video and if you happen to know another road or destination that motorcycles should be visiting, go on over to MotorcycleDestinations.com and add that listing. It's a resource to riders around the world.