How to go from Drag racer to sport-tourer in $400

[Ludicrous Speed]

NOTE: This is quite long, but I really enjoyed myself and would like everyone to be able to hear about my trip. Maybe it is a little much, but we all had such a blast!!!!!

Myself and a few friends were finally able to coordinate our vacation schedules and planned a trip to the Gap.

For those who do not want to read my entire story, here is the Cliffnotes: I bought Cortech Sport Saddlebags and a Super mini tank bag, rode 400 miles from Southern IL to Sweetwater, TN with two others and rode the Cherohala Skyway and the Gap. I had the best time I have ever had on a motorcycle, period!! I am not a corner carver, but was really getting into it by the end of the day.
Total miles: 1076 in three days.

Jason, John, and myself all hit the road at 7am

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v59/LudicrousSpeed/03LeavingJohns-1.jpg

Jason on his 05 1k, John on his 06 Busa and me on my 04 Busa

At the first gas stop in Hopkinsville, KY we saw this:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v59/LudicrousSpeed/05BIGasstruck-1.jpg

No idea what it was carrying........??

A scenery pic on the way in TN
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v59/LudicrousSpeed/09Ridedown.jpg


Dinner that evening at the Cherohala Crossing. http://www.cherohalacrossing.com/
Great BBQ and atmosphere. Cute Waitress, too! Sorry, no pic of her.....

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v59/LudicrousSpeed/10CherohalaCrossing.jpg

[Ludicrous Speed]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v59/LudicrousSpeed/11CherohalaCrossing.jpg

The next morning we woke up two hours late, due to the non-existent wake up call. Got on the road shortly after nine am. Headed off to the Skyway in-route to the Gap. In some ways, the Skyway is as challenging as the Gap. Looonnnnggg higher speed sweepers with some sharper curves thrown in. Lots of nice scenery and overlooks to stop at.Try and watch your speed, there are some curves that are deceptive, and even though we did not see any cops, they are reported to be patrolling it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v59/LudicrousSpeed/13CherohalaSkyway.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v59/LudicrousSpeed/15CherohalaSkyway.jpg







Me
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v59/LudicrousSpeed/14Cherohalaskyway.jpg

[Ludicrous Speed]

Jason with my bike
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v59/LudicrousSpeed/19Skyway4594ft.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v59/LudicrousSpeed/22CherohalaSkyway.jpg
My bike and Jason's 1k
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v59/LudicrousSpeed/27CherohalaSkyway.jpg
I almost eliminated my chicken strips on the Skyway. They were gone completely on the front and all but 1/4" on the rear. The front looked really scuffed and had the little balls on it for some reason. I guess it pushes (that is what someone told me)??
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v59/LudicrousSpeed/28Cherohalachickenstrips.jpg

[Ludicrous Speed]

After Getting off the Skyway, you have about a thirty minute ride to the dam that was in the Movie "The Fugitive" (Starred Tommy Lee Jones and Harrison Ford)

The three fugitives
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v59/LudicrousSpeed/35ThreeFugitives.jpg
The getaway rides
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v59/LudicrousSpeed/36Bikesatdam.jpg

The southern entrance to the Gap is just around the corner from the Dam

We arrived at the Gap following a heavy rain and wandered around the lodge for a while and talked to some who just got done running the road. It turns out that the TN State Police were in attendance and were handing out souveniers like crazy.. A guy on a Harley got one for 27 mph over! I'd hate to think what they would have nailed US for.........

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v59/LudicrousSpeed/37Justarrived.jpg

Anyway, we start off on our first run. We ride it slowly enough that me being in the rear, I hardly ever saw a brakelight come on. We weren't poking, just not pushing it. Or so we thought.... About thirty turns into the run, John (on the Busa, in the lead) slowed up more than Jason expected, Jason checked up and lost his line, causing him to hit the brakes. The bike stood up, and off the road he went. I quickly pulled over and ran back to Jason and his bike. He was OK and I pulled his bike out of the ditch. We then took the obligitory pic, as he was mad I didn't take one of his bike in the ditch. Luckily, all it got was some rashed bodywork and a broken shift lever, and a slightly bruised ego.

[Ludicrous Speed]

Minor rash
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v59/LudicrousSpeed/38Dumpedit.jpg









From there, we rode back up to the scenic overlook and shot the breeze with some others before finishing the run, and then returning to the lodge.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v59/LudicrousSpeed/39Gapoverlook.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v59/LudicrousSpeed/42Gapoverlook.jpg

As we left to go back, I ended up behind a couple on Yamahas that were absolutely flying and one guy on a Katana. I purposely let them go ahead so I would not be tempted to try and keep up and ride over my head. After a short time I was right on the Katana, and the Yammies were long gone. All of a sudden, the Kat guy blew his line and skidded to a stop an inch from going off the road! He looked at me and I waved him on. I thought I may have been pushing him, so I found a place to pull off and wait on my buddies and take another couple pics.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v59/LudicrousSpeed/40Gapoverlook.jpg

[Ludicrous Speed]

Since Jason had nothing to contribute to the tree, he parked his bike by the tree for us to ridicule him a little bit

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v59/LudicrousSpeed/52Jasonattree.jpg
Luckily, I had nothing to add.....
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v59/LudicrousSpeed/49Nothingtoadd.jpg

It then started to pour down rain, so we decided to have lunch and get our shirts, etc. Prices were surprisingly fair, both on food and fuel. The burgers were made to order and quite large. Good food!

By this time it quit raining and we were waiting for it to dry up some, so we did our souvenier shopping, shot the bull and headed out for one last runup and back, before leaving. I was in the lead, followed by Jason, then John. I was really feeling it, and was pushing a little harder. I did not want o go over my head, so I was being cautious, but was on the brakes hard and leaning hard and having a blast!!

Then the fun quickly ended as I came out of a corner and saw a guy walking. When I got straightened up, I saw a blue bike down in the ditch and I quickly stopped. I asked if he was ok, and he thought for a minute and said "I don't know. " I went up the road about 30 yards and pulled over and ran back. He still could not answer me about his condition, and as I reached his bike, my buddies showed up to help. We got his bike out of the ditch and up the road and parked it. Some rash, but nothing bad. Still ridable. I asked him if he felt he could ride and he said "No, I am hurting now." I asked where and he replied his arm and shoulder. I asked him to take his jacket off and he refused, saying he can't move his arm and he is afraid he won't get it back on. I lift the jacket and move the collar of his shirt to see his collar bone poking up into the skin about 3/4 of an inch. I realize the he is really hurt and we try to call 911. Of course there is no signal anywhere on the entire mountain, but we had to try. I ask him if there is anyone with him and he tells me what his buddy is riding and wearing. I set out to get him and meet him just before the overlook, flag him down and tell him what happened. We ride back and are trying to figure out what to do. By this time a TN state trooper on his personal bike has stopped and one of his buddies also. We are trying to talk the guy into getting on the Harley (since it had a backrest) to get to somewhere to get help. Finally a car comes around the corner and I flag it down. Luck has it that it is two ladies who are nurses and agree to take him to a clinic in Robbinsville to medical help. By this time he is spitting/coughing up a little blood. His buddy leaves to follow and will come back to get the bike with the trailer. Hope he is alright! (If anyone knows anything, pleasepost up!)

After all this, it takes the enthusiasim out of our day and we slowly ride back to the lodge and fuel up for our return home.

We get one last pic

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v59/LudicrousSpeed/55Gettingreadytoleave.jpg

[Ludicrous Speed]

The Skyway was great on the way back until halfway back when it started raining pretty hard. We rode on through it and made it back to the Cherohala crossing again and decided to stop there for supper. We met a couple guys from Canada (Ottowa, I think? One is a member here, I believe he goes by Chinto). They rode their Busa and a Katana all the way down, camping every night and said they had no map!! These guys came into the Gap at midnight the night before and did not even know they were on it till halfway through. I would not want to ride that at night, let alone with a hundred lbs of luggage!!!!!!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v59/LudicrousSpeed/57Canadiansatcrossingeh.jpg












Couple cool pics from around the restaurant
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v59/LudicrousSpeed/60Bridgeatcrossing.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v59/LudicrousSpeed/61Cabinatcrossing.jpg

Side note: All day long, Jason had been sending pics to a friend who was unable to come. This provided me with a good idea. Our waitress was extremely cute, and I explained about our friend and asked if she would pose with us holding a sign. She agreed and here is the result. Yes, I realize she is covering the goodies. They were more than ample!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v59/LudicrousSpeed/56yummyAmber.jpg

We talked to our new friends from Canada for awhile before finally heading back to motel, tired, but satisfied.

Woke up the next morning and it was raining again by the time we left. Glad I bought rain gear!! Blew through a few speed traps with a cager blocking for us, got no tickets and had an uneventful (but sore) ride home.

My ass doesn't hurt, it is my legs! From being up on the pegs and sliding back and forth. If you ride the gap hard, you don't ever sit, you are in constant motion from side to side.

Keep in mind, I am not a corner carver at all. I like to drag race, and my bike is set up accordingly. I rode it there with the back lowered 2" and a Shinko 003 on the rear. I had no real issues with the handling, and I loved every corner. I would go back next week!

If you haven't ridden there, I highly recommend you do. A few things to think about:

There is no cell service, so it will be a long time to get help if you get hurt!!!!!

Go in the middle of the week (less traffic, but there were still several hundred bikes there)

Watch for people crossing the line into your lane (happens a lot)

RIDE IT SLOWLY until you feel comfortable

Don't worry about holding faster riders up. Don't wave them past, they will know when to pass. If you are in front of some people and are holding them up, wait until there is a good place to stop, then pull over.

If you are behind a car or bike that is too slow and you cannot get past, pull over, kick back for a few and watch the action. No sense trying to get around and hurting yourself. Youcan always ride it again.

But above all, be careful! The day you ruin may not only be your own...... There were three fatalaties two days before we got there.

[Ludicrous Speed]

WHEW! I hope everyone enjoyed the story of our trip. I looked here before we left, and was left wondering about what I was getting into, so I wanted to go a little more in depth.

I realize that most people stay on the North side of the Gap or on the Carolina side, but Sweetwater, TN was a great starting point for our day.

I would definitely recommend that you ride the Skyway, it was a lot of fun too!

I'd love to hear your thoughts?

[crs01]

nice pics and a good story...i'll be there late september...can't wait!

[tigerstripes]

nice pics from what you were saying about the dates we were there at about the same time we arrived there on sunday before the rain and it rained most of the week we also came a cross an accident and stopped to help like you said cell service no matter who your carrier is is non existent and ems unless it is serious is about an hour plus away. this was the second time for us on the dragon and we enjoyed it emensly the leos were out in force on sunday when we entered the dragon at the bottom as well as through out the cherahola skyway is as nice as described next time need to ride some of the blue ridge as well some very scenic areas

[kerrbon]

Great pics - and narration - it makes me want to go back soon (luckily, I will be there a second time in late August - guys only trip)

Thanks for sharing - it brings back memories.

The wife and I were there the week after you. I posted a quick post without pictures - I will try to post pics soon

http://www.dealsgap.com/forum/showthread.php?t=752

[jnor]

Great story, and pic's. I can't believe that you rode a Busa that far without hurting bad.
I sold my Busa after a 500 mile day, the back of my neck, and butt were killing me, and I had Genmar risers, a Tobin seat, and had lowered the rear 1.5". I loved the bike, but for as much as I ride it wasn't practical for me.

[kitesurfer]

loved the story..the pics wee all red X's :) got to go home and read it again so i can saee the pics! i'll be there this time next week!

[MilleArp]

Great post-up and thanx for the pix !
:)

[Ludicrous Speed]

Great story, and pic's. I can't believe that you rode a Busa that far without hurting bad.
I sold my Busa after a 500 mile day, the back of my neck, and butt were killing me, and I had Genmar risers, a Tobin seat, and had lowered the rear 1.5". I loved the bike, but for as much as I ride it wasn't practical for me.

Well, the only thing that hurt on me was my legs, and that was from being up on the toes as I slid from side to side riding the Dragon. I find the bike extremely comfortable, especially for a sport bike. I am 6'3" and approx 250 lbs, and it fits me quite well.

I am actually planning my return trip at the end of september. I need to find a place to stay, this time closer to the Gap. There is a Busa gathering the last weekend of Sept. and my wife has given me the verbal OK!!! I may trailer it down this time, not sure. Just depends on the weather.

PS, I have a TObin seat, but I only use it for drag racing, as it lowers me down and makes my legs too bent. I just use the stock seat for everyday.