Suspension test zone

The sign looks like this

Yeah its a Tail of the Dragon sticker, probably makes some sort of negative sign these days, but I've been driving over that road for years now and still enjoy it.

car handles great, needs better rubber (worn out Kuhmo AST's) and the diff fixed.

On a gravel road? That sounds awesome.

I call an Ohio gathering.

EvanB wrote: On a gravel road? That sounds awesome.

no, it's paved.

aussiesmg wrote: I call an Ohio gathering.

I'd like that.

I am in, where is this road?

Gearheadotaku wrote:

EvanB wrote: On a gravel road? That sounds awesome.

no, it's paved.

That sounds less fun.

EvanB wrote:

Gearheadotaku wrote:

EvanB wrote: On a gravel road? That sounds awesome.

no, it's paved.

That sounds less fun.

Not so bad, better for tuned suspension like the RX5.0

15-20 MPH my arse...

aussiesmg wrote: I am in, where is this road?

Tenneessee / N. Carolina

Don't you have some good stuff in south Ohio?

Actually, you could take this, and several other great roads on the way to the challenge. WARNING: Mongo will NOT make it down this road. You'll have to unload, go play, reload and double back a bit.

I'm not sure the Dragon really tests suspension. It's too smooth, too heavily banked. Fun, sure, but not my first choice for testing suspension.

Depends what kind of suspension you want test, and how. I know of some nastyass dirt roads in lower MI that will really test suspension(ie propensity to blow standard duty shocks), really hilly curvy unpopulated forest stuff, huge bumps all over, more or less impossible to do more than 45-50mph in anything short of an actual rally car.

In reply to aussiesmg:

+1

Keith Tanner wrote: I'm not sure the Dragon really tests suspension. It's too smooth, too heavily banked. Fun, sure, but not my first choice for testing suspension.

I recently used it to determine that a stock wheel/tire package will rub on a stock suspensioned Mazdaspeed Miata.

Gearheadotaku wrote:

EvanB wrote: On a gravel road? That sounds awesome.

no, it's paved.

You don't know where to drive.

There are Forestry roads that parallel the Dragon which are not paved. About twice as many miles worth as the paved ones.

If you show up to the Dragon at a Subaru meet, you won't spend much time on the pavement.

I've got nothing against fun in the gravel, just not what I'm doing at the moment.

aussiesmg wrote: I am in, where is this road?

As always I will remind everyone to be careful on the Tail of the Dragon. You will find this motorcycle part on the "Tree of Shame" about 1/2 way thru. He was a good friend of mine and he didn't make it all the way thru.

I know of the tail, but have never been there, sorry didn't recognize the pic.

Now when are we doing this?

Hal wrote:

aussiesmg wrote: I am in, where is this road?

As always I will remind everyone to be careful on the Tail of the Dragon. You will find this motorcycle part on the "Tree of Shame" about 1/2 way thru. He was a good friend of mine and he didn't make it all the way thru.

Thanks for the warning. It is worth remembering.....

I know this photo got a lot of coverage here and at car blogs ....and people talked about how he walked away. They don't remember that the fluids spilled during that encounter caused this

oldsaw wrote: Sadly, there was worse to come. A few hours later a local, experienced Dragon rider came around the corner and crashed in the fluids left by the Vette/Triumph incident. He was hospitalized with a broken neck, broken back, collapsed lungs, skull fracture and facial injuries that will require reconstructive surgeries. And, yes, he was using a full-face helmet.

keep in mind that it is a public road. There are no course workers to warn you of gravel, fluids, oncoming idiots who's line puts them in your lane....and no nearby ambulance to save your butt if something bad goes down.

And conditions can vary in the blink of an eye. Weather can be very unpredictable.

There were at least 4 incidents at the most recent MATG.

Buddy went into the ditch on 28. Road was damp in patches from the overnight rain still. The damp patches were like ice. Very scary.

Another friend hit a BEAR.

Someone else hit a boar, escaped with just cosmetic damage. Until a tire damaged from that incident blew out in spectacular fashion further down the Cherohala Skyway.

Another Miata was rolled when he opted to avoid a downed biker in a blind corner.

I honestly don't like to drive the road much anymore. There's other roads in the area that are more fun with less risk.

The only "good" time to run The Dragon anymore is at night.

Tog Gear determined that it was a horrible road to drive on a few years ago...

Top Gear was there? I knew they did something with exotics in the general area, but I thought it was the Blue ridge parkway or something like that.

Yeah, TG did the blue ridge parkway and they didn't like it.

The dragon is too packed for me. Chock full of riders/drivers that cross the yellow line and push things past their own skill level. As swank said, its much safer running the dragon at night. The road going down to Fontana dam is the best road there IMO.

Gearheadotaku wrote: Top Gear was there? I knew they did something with exotics in the general area, but I thought it was the Blue ridge parkway or something like that.

Yeah, they were not on the dragon....they were near it on the blue ridge.
http://youtu.be/JOOrf6QgRcQ?t=3m

Hwy 19 north out of Dahlonega GA is really nice too.