XS Southeast 2013

[jetmechmarty]

Remember Ben, there are people joining us who have never ridden a motorcycle on US 129. We can not deny them! It's like pilgrimage to Mecca! It is required at least once!

[madmax-im]

I went through Deals Gap first thing Sunday morning two weeks ago with another group. It was awful. It was a slow crawl and a big crowd.

If you choose to travel with the group on Sunday, the Dragon is scheduled for after lunch. For those staying Sunday night, you will have time to run the Cherohala Skyway in both directions before dinner, after you pass through Deals Gap. If there is enough interest, I will take a group to Tellico Plains after lunch, and on up over the Skyway, skipping Deals Gap altogether. We can discuss that Friday and Saturday night. For many, Deals Gap is a very important part of the weekend. For others, not so much. It is going to remain on the agenda.

I'd much rather run the Skyway most especially if the weather is clear...the views are outstanding...The dragon all you see is woods until you get to the end...

[jetmechmarty]

I went through Deals Gap first thing Sunday morning two weeks ago with another group. It was awful. It was a slow crawl and a big crowd.

If you choose to travel with the group on Sunday, the Dragon is scheduled for after lunch. For those staying Sunday night, you will have time to run the Cherohala Skyway in both directions before dinner, after you pass through Deals Gap. If there is enough interest, I will take a group to Tellico Plains after lunch, and on up over the Skyway, skipping Deals Gap altogether. We can discuss that Friday and Saturday night. For many, Deals Gap is a very important part of the weekend. For others, not so much. It is going to remain on the agenda.

[knybanjo]

Last year we ran it around 10 am ..and there was traffic but it wasnt a zoo at that point...i dont see how we could get there any earlier this year either...but it was a good ride nonetheless

Sometimes you just get lucky....it's impossible to predict what everybody else is going to do.

This past May I arrived at the store at 4:25 on a Friday afternoon and had the place to myself!

[madmax-im]

Yes.

Other than the obvious mid-week and off season times the actual next safest times on the dragon are the otherwise more dangerous times to be on the road. Early morning/late afternoon, at night or in the rain, four legged critters abound and visibility is limited but traffic is minimal....and the shear volume of traffic seems to be the most dangerous factor, to me anyway. YMMV

Last year we ran it around 10 am ..and there was traffic but it wasnt a zoo at that point...i dont see how we could get there any earlier this year either...but it was a good ride nonetheless

[knybanjo]

my feeling is the earlier on sunday we do the dragon the less cops and crotch rocket squids there will be...

Yes.

Other than the obvious mid-week and off season times the actual next safest times on the dragon are the otherwise more dangerous times to be on the road. Early morning/late afternoon, at night or in the rain, four legged critters abound and visibility is limited but traffic is minimal....and the shear volume of traffic seems to be the most dangerous factor, to me anyway. YMMV

[TopCatGr58]

I received a reply from I-H, they had no problem with taking my Fri. dinner reservation, and didn't ask for any credit card info. When I was there before, I just paid cash for my meals when I placed my advanced orders.

Tod, even though the Dragon is a fun place to run, we will have a few hundred other miles around there where I don't think we'll see or have to worry too much about the Po-po presence.

It stopped raining enough down here for me to take Godzilla out for a 30-40 mile jaunt, started and worked just fine, looking forward to yankin' and bankin' in the mountains.

Scott, hope you don't wear yourself down/out just trying to get up with the OK gang! You'll want and need your strength to enjoy the twisties. Hope you have plenty of Monkey Butt cream?

T.C.

[madmax-im]

some of those troopers handle their bikes like newbies...bike leaning one way their bodies the other...typical HD posture

[madmax-im]

my feeling is the earlier on sunday we do the dragon the less cops and crotch rocket squids there will be...

[trbig]

Last year, I was amazed at the number of cops.. mainly on Tennessee's side of the roads. Now it looks like they've added even more?

Hard to play at 35mph with cops on every other corner. I guess I should have plenty of time to take pics...

[BA80]

An oil can filled with solvent can be used to pump CLEAN solvent onto the bearing,

I am not nor have I ever been keen on using solvent in any type of bearing simply because it's virtually impossible to get it all out before you put new grease in there and the solvent residue WILL break down the fresh grease. Let alone the fact that the solvent will almost certainly seep into the sealed bearing on the other side. In my opinion just cleaning it with a clean rag is all that should be used.

After all, if the bearing is good so is the grease.

Just my opinion from the experience of working will all sorts of bearings over my years in the automotive repair field.

[knybanjo]

This has been mentioned before, but there have been recent additions. Having been on the Dragon recently, there is more of a presence of law enforcement than has been previously. Used to be more local guys like county mounty level. The new guys are TN State Troopers. They are in patrol cars and, yes, on motorcycles too. Another addition is there are a few more ambulances stationed nearby (on the weekends). I feel that is a good thing - just don't want to see the inside of one. Outside view is just fine.

I am thinking that some of the crotch rocket thrill seekers are mostly the cause of this additional concern. They appear to be mostly looking for speeders as they are sitting in some of the turns with radar guns.

The good news is that there will likely be so many bikes on the Dragon that you can't be speeding anyway.

Don't be overly concerned. Just be advised that they are out there.

MP

Cops?....on the Dragon?

[CaptonZap]

Hi Greg, I wish I had asked that question last week. My bearing has less than 10k miles on it but I would have greased it if i had known how easy it would be.
Phil

Not to be a nag, but I would like to offer some words of caution.
While it is easy to remove the seal and inner race, it is just as easy to introduce dirt/grit into the area if you are not anal about cleanliness during the procedure. If the area around the inner race, on either end if it, shows ANY sign of darkening or hardening of the grease, that is a sign of contamination or degradation, and should be a signal to you to thoroughly clean out the old grease before repacking with fresh grease.
An oil can filled with solvent can be used to pump CLEAN solvent onto the bearing, flushing out the old grease, and high pressure compressed air can help in getting the encrusted grease out of the spacer/retainer cavities.
And while doing all this, remember that any particle of grit left in, or introduced into there from your hands or gritty rags, etc, will start acting as a grinding compound, which is mighty hard on bearings.
It is my belief that there are more bearings ruined by dirt introduced during inspections than ones worn out by extended use.
YMMV

[BA80]

840 miles Scott. That's about 17 hrs by my calculation. Tough run.

[3Phase]

Not enough gas stations open last night. Almost had to walk.

I'm shooting for Sallisaw, don't know if it can be done; just shy of Gallup, NM, right now.

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