First long trip with the E-type since finishing the restoration earlier this year, to NC and TN including the must drive Tail of the Dragon on the TN/NC state line. 11 miles, 300+ corners. Did a round trip for maximum enjoyment.
A lot of fun. We did it last year with the GTV6 as the E wasn’t finished and I couldn’t wait to do it with the E…
Traffic wasn’t too bad, definitely a drive to avoid on week end. Photographers set up shop along the road and sell the pics on line… here are a few.
That’s a cottage industry up there.
Looks like you had loads of fun. Did you lower the car? I know I’m seeing the side of the car that is lower from cornering forces, but it looks lowered anyway.
I ve always had it setup a little lower up front to get more downforce at speed. I was also on the brakes in some of the pics. And the tires are lower profile
They always look best, when driven hard!
The brake dust, on the front wires?
Excellent!!
Yep! Brake dust on the front wheels and bugs on the bonnet and windshield. Always a good sign!!
Hi Pascal. If that was yesterday, I probably just missed you. I was on the Foothills Parkway on the way home from Gatlinburg, but I went west on 129.
I live about 20 miles from the tail and have yet to do it.
Wunna deez dayz…
Drove it in my E about ten years ago. What a hoot! 2nd- 3rd - 2nd - 3rd - 2nd etc etc etc. My wife and I couldn’t stop laughing.
One appreciates torque on that road (as opposed to HP). I just got through the Dragon (on my bike ) on the Tennessee side and passed a crew cab pick up towing a boat heading in. That must have been a real bummer for someone who was “over-committed” coming the other way!
Somewhere I have a picture of the “Tree of Shame” where the motorcyclists hang their broken plastic fairing parts. It’s wise to stare at the Tree for a while, make a donation, get your Ying right so you don’t bust your Yang.
I want to get the E up there, so way to go Pascal!!! Lots of great roads and other Dragon parts up their in the hills.
…like Burt Munro’s shelf of busted parts?
"Offerings To The Gods Of Speed?
It could be called the Tree of Stupidity, but people who live in glass houses…
Didn’t Munro ride the Indian naked? A real contender for a body part in the Tree of Shame.
The day I was there a club of Honda S2000’s and the ATL Viper club was there. I’ll bet a guy could wreck a Viper real good on the Dragon. I wonder how that day ended for them? We bikers evacuated figuring it was safer on roads less traveled.
Ed, yes yesterday. we came on the Cherohala skyway in the morning and then north on 129 to the Dragon. . After that we drove 129 south to Topton we we rented a cabin.
Yes torque is fantastic and the V12 as tons of it. Very different from the GTV6 which runs better at higher RPM. The V12 runs great in the 2500-3500 range. I rarely go over 4000, that’s nowhere need the 6500 redline .
Same road last year with the Alfa. It has 50/50 weight distribution but the transaxle 5 speed is more challenging than the flick of the wrist JT5
Killboy is the photographer. Here is a link:
Looks great Pascal - love the grill treatment. These V12’s don’t have the real ugly camber change problems on the front like the 6 cyl cars.
As a (former) fellow bike pilot, I took to heart what my Dad, a Harley/Indian rider of the 30s and 40s, told me: “Unless you have direct evidence otherwise, assume car drivers are going to do the stupidest thing… right in front of you.”
Saved my leather-clad bacon more than a few times!
Jeff, lots of ways to fall off of those things. What’s with all those women showing off their tatoos?
That Alfa still looks pretty good to me.
Paul - Amen brother, amen.
I rode Harleys in the 70s. Switched to crouch rockets up to around 2006. Sold them all. Every time I pulled my helmet on, I told myself, everyone out there is trying to kill you. It got too real.
In the ER, they call motorcycle riders “organ donors”.
Did the Dragon in several different cars. Could not enjoy the drive because of all the motorcycles passing us on one wheel. Wife didn’t care for it at all. Every time we were there, sirens filled the air.
It was pretty safe, didn’t see any stupid moves. Maybe that happens on week ends.
After one mile we got stuck behind three bikes going way too slow. Stopped for a couple of minutes but caught them right away. Was able to pass them quickly. Pain in the butt. Most cars or even bikes know too pull over to let faster cars or bikes by.
We had a saying in the dispensary on base, “Buy your son a motorcycle for his last birthday”.
My Damascene moment was encountering a (ultimately) fatal bike accident (~1977: no cell phones) and getting out to help, found the victim was a friend.
I held him while he bled to death, from his head wounds (CO had just passed the no-helmet law).
Some things cannot be unseen: only rode street a few weeks more.
