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Tail of the dragon in your ST

2K views 7 replies 8 participants last post by  angryhampster 
#1 ·
So I took the trek from IL to TN to get a run in on tail and oh boy was it fun. I was embaressing a porsche club up there but in general had a blast. The factory brakes showed their true colors but the suspension on these cars are pretty amazing in factory form. Anyone else here run it in their ST? Feedback?

Also... this was the first time I ever saw the oil temp go above the middle portion of the gauge.


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#2 ·
I drove through it once but unfortunately it was after dark. Still an awesome experience. The roads leading up to and away from the Tail of the Dragon are great too. I'd say close to 1.5 hours of driving on twisty roads. I dont know if my GPS was being kind or if that area actually has no straight/fast highways.
 
#6 ·
Was there not too long ago, coming back from watching eclipse. It was already late and Killboy was no longer taking photos. It was also probably the worst day possible due to the traffic, but I managed to get a few miles of free road. What a blast, that road is amazing. The grippy tarmac + nice road camber = some insane cornering speeds :smile: I'll most likely be coming back next year. Oh, and I will be there on my bike in couple of weeks too.
 
#7 ·
I rode the Tail for the first time about a month ago when I came down from Ottawa for the eclipse (on my bike, not with the ST). Thankfully we had clear skies in Sweetwater and the whole eclipse experience was amazing. The tail was pretty great, but it was very busy and almost impossible to get a good run without catching up to someone going slow or holding up someone behind me.

I had more fun on The Snake (highway 421) between Bristol and Mountain City. The turns on the snake weren't quite as densely packed, but there was a lot less traffic and the eastern half was brand new asphalt. Some fairly long straight sections to test your judgement on braking points entering the twisty bits too. I recommend it if you ever find yourself in that area of Tennessee.
 
#8 ·
I was in the area a couple weeks ago. Was vacationing in Gatlinburg for a few days with my wife. Didn't feel like going all the way down to 129 and back, so I drove up Highway 32 before dawn one morning. It was brutal. 160ish curves in about 11 miles. I was rarely out of second gear.

Map Line Ecoregion


On the flipside tough, I didn't see a single other vehicle the entire time I was on the road. Not one car. Very isolated and had some beautiful views.
 
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