15 October 2011

Deal's Gap

Watch for these guys to pass the "Speed Limit 30" sign about 50 seconds into the video. Think they're exceeding the speed limit?
Both these guys are riding Honda GoldWings. These big bikes aren't supposed to be able to do this:



The now-and-then scraping sound you hear in the turns is the sound of something on the bike's undercarriage being ground away because the bike is being leaned at such a great angle.

Sent to me by friend Cary, who knew I'd be interested.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

You cycle riders must be more responsible than this. Just one ground squirrel on road or a sparrow on the windshield and you take out someone on the sideline.
Maybe I do not have the guts to ride like that or maybe I have good sense. The road belongs to you as much as me but for some mothers peace of mind SLOW DOWN.

jinksto said...

Folks like these are why I don't ride the dragon. If he came up behind me doing the speed limit he'd have to either drop the bike, hit me or pass in a curve... most of the time the opt to pass which puts everyone in Danger. There's a tree near the bottom that has motorcycle parts hung on it as "trophy's"...

Nuts... but then... I guess someone has to keep you employed in the day job... :)

Old NFO said...

Ah... The Dragon... And yeah, the splatter themselves on a regular basis! But those two never once crossed the center line, nor did they appear to be on the ragged edge of control!

Well Seasoned Fool said...

They have never seen a deer?

OlePrairiedog said...

I know I got dizzy, but it did look like fun. I would want to try it in a BMW, I would just feel safer.

CnC said...

I dont ride like this anymore, not saying its not fun, just saying my body cant afford it anymore

Timothy Frazier said...

They've obviously ridden it many times, and they have skills.

Deer, squirrels, those are the random risks you assume when you ride something like the Dragon at that speed. But as Old NFO pointed out, the lead bike definitely never crossed the center line and even if a deer or squirrel did get in the way these guys were only risking themselves. Glad they got to do it.

Everyone should get to do that once in a while. I do it on the Talimena Drive a couple times a year. And the sound of sacrificial pins under the floorboards scraping the pavement on the curves is music to my ears.

Gonna do it dark side style next weekend.

Timothy Frazier said...

P.S. And the Goldwing is supposed to be able to do that. Finely crafted bike with some of the best tech and engineering on the planet behind it. Put a good rider on one and let 'em get used to the lean limits and they'll outrun most of the crotch-rocket squids all day long.

Timothy Frazier said...

And the scraping is likely sacrificial pegs under the foot-boards. I have 'em on the R3 and replace them every year or so as they get ground away.