Hot Bike Tour Report with Pics, video, shenanigans etc.

[DK Custom Products]

Hot Bike Tour 2016

Gonna have a bunch of photos, some video, some prep work, some repair...we may or may not report everything, don't want any trouble from the women we left behind.

There were 3 of us that went on the Hot Bike Tour-

Devin, the D in DK On his Street Glide

Kevin, the K in DK On the DK Sporty

Blake, the husband of Amber who heads up all the packaging at the shop, on the Project 48 Sporty

The Hot Bike Tour is a 5 day Rolling Rally. This years schedule-

Asheville, NC

Maggie Valley, NC

Marysville, TN (2 days)

Chattanooga, TN

Not sure what the count was of everyone riding, but there were thousands of folks at the rally each night!

We did a few things to each of the bikes before leaving on the Hot Bike Tour.

Since we were going to spend most of our time riding in some of the best curvy & twisty roads in North America, I put some 13" rear shocks on the DK Sporty. That gave me some extra clearance, plus gave a nicer ride for my 58 year old bones.

See more on the DK Sporty at this THREAD.

The Project 48 Sporty got a bit of freshening up too. While we left the stock rear shocks in place, we completely rebuilt the front forks...wow, what a difference!

The Stage IV Street Glide got a bit of attention before the trip too. Probably the two biggest things were swapping out the 12 HD "premium" rear shocks for some 13" Pro-Action Shocks. Huge improvement in ride quality, handling, and got some extra clearance for the twistys. Another addition was the HiRoller Slip-ons.

Really great sound out of them.

So, the bikes are ready for the Hot Bike Tour.

The 3 days before the Hot Bike Tour Starts, Mary and I are already in Maggie Valley on the Tri-Glide, at the Annual MV Trike Talk Get Together!

So Devin & Blake trailer the 3 bikes to Maggie Valley.

I park the Trike, leaving Mary in MV, and Blake Devin & I take off on the 3 bikes for Asheville!

The fun has Not begun yet!



We have video of riding some the best sweepers and twisties in the USA coming.

Lots of metal grinding! Some stunt riding video, donuts in an enclosed parking garage, pics of the Bagger & Hot Bike Build-off.

More coming soon!

 

[DK Custom Products]

Day 1

The first day was just a short ride over to Asheville, NC from Maggie Valley.

Randy, the owner of Trike Talk forum, rode his Wide Glide with us over to Asheville to check things out.

Our first of many gas stops over the next 5 days. That 2.1 gallon tank on the 48 looks cool, but when you're hammering the throttle, can't go much more than 70 miles without stopping.

A short 45 miles at mostly 75-85 mph got us there pretty quick.

After getting checked in at the hotel, and with the Hot Bike Tour booth, we took a look around at the bikes that were starting to populate the area.

There were baggers everywhere! Here are just a few that Trask had there.

We got our bike parked, free koozies, stickers and catalogs out.

As is usual, the 48 almost always had a lot of folks looking it over.

This is Panhead Billy's ride. He has been living off this bike for over 30 years now. Quite a character.

Brad Gregory's "Death Machine" with the DK Custom Outlaw 587 A/C. He was on the 2014 Hot Bike Tour with us also.

That's it for Day 1...well, got a short video coming. But Day 2 will be posted up soon. We rode the twisty part of 151 Twice, the twisty part of 276 Twice, then we hit the Dragon!



Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

Video of getting to the first Stop. The real riding starts on Day 2.

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

Day 2 Part I-

Spent the night in Asheville, NC. After looking at thousands of bikes, listening to the band, and generally getting into the groove of riding with a thousand plus fellow bikers...

We head out of downtown Asheville...

...we've been looking forward to this for awhile. The roads ahead are fun, the bikes are loud, and we're ready to tear it up!

First part of the ride are a few dozen miles on the Blue Ridge Parkway. In this first pic, in the upper right corner, you can see a Drone.

Hot Bike Magazine was taking photos and videos as well over 1000 bikes past by.

Scenic pull-out on the BRP...

...the views from the BRP of the Smokies are great!

It wasn't long til we turned off on the 151.

The first 10 miles or so have some of the best twistys around, with very little traffic!

Here is a little video of some of the highlights of todays riding. I know it is almost 3 minutes long, but if you like the twistys, I don't think you will be bored.

In a good number of the curves in the video you will hear a scraping noise. It is the metal on my heel rests being ground away...see pic below-

So we ran the 151 to the end of the "good part", then turned around and rode it again!

NOTE on the Coker Tires on the Project 48:

These are bad-ass looking tires. They also have a "unique" characteristic. When you lean into a curve there is an eerie feeling that the bike is going to keep leaning and fall on its' side!

While it feels that way, they, in fact, they grip very well, and by the third day Blake was keeping up, running thru sweepers at 80 & 90 mph.

But, on this first day, on the first road with curves, you can see him taking it very easy as he "got used" to that weird feeling that the bike is just going to fall over.

NOTE on me scraping in the twistys:

In anticipation of the great sweeping and twisty roads that we're going to be riding, I put some 13" rear shocks on the DK Sporty. This gave me much more lean angle, And much quicker steering.

However, being 58 years young, and riding around 1000 miles in 5 days, I did not want to ride without my heel rests. They make things much more comfortable for my old bones. But they do sit lower, so when I was leaned over, that is what was scraping (along with the heel of my boots at times, and a few times my kickstand scraped).

A few pics from the 151-

Leaned over, making sparks...gets the adrenaline pumping when folding up the pegs at 60 mph!

More in next post.

- - - Updated - - -

Day 2 Part II-

We're back on the Blue Ridge Parkway...

Enjoying the views and the sweepers after the adrenaline charged run up the 151.

Panoramic shot of a scenic turn-out on the BRP...

The views up here are amazing!

Next we ran the 276, TWICE.

It was just as much fun as the 151.

(no video yet).

Then we got back on the BRP and ran it the rest of the way into Maggie Valley.

We set up the bikes (and free Koozies & Stickers) at the Wheels Through Time Museum.

Then we headed into the Museum. If you have never been....

...these couple of pics barely scratch the surface of what all is in these walls. I have been 4 or 5 times, and every time I'm there I see new stuff.

It is jam-packed with bikes documenting the history of American Motorcycles. btw, most of them are running. Chance are, when you visit, you will hear at least one of them start up, and maybe even see one of them doing a burn-out thru the building!

Back outside, looking at many of the bikes. We were quite happy to see that Jon Schroder, of EvoCyle, was using one of our V-Stack intakes on his Invitational Hot Bike Build.

Day 3 is coming soon, along with pics and video of The Dragon and various other adventures!

Kevin

 

[Papa Zook]

Kevin, I just grinned when you asked me if I could keep up you you on your sporty with my FXDWG 103. Its stock, but still pretty light and nimble... I figured out the sporty isnt stock and you ride like a bat out of hell. Good times in Maggie Valley.

 

[ol' school]

Definitely looks like a fun ride!!!

And yes, the Wheels Through Time Museum is an awesome place to visit. If you are a motorhead, when you walk in just smelling the grease and oil lets you know you have just walked into a place that you're gonna love!!!

 

[desertclassic]

Thanks for the post and pictures. Stuff like this keeps us old guys dreaming. Jim

 

[DK Custom Products]

We are headed for the Trike Talk Get-Together in Texas in the morning. So there will be no updates to this Ride Report until sometime next week.

In the meantime, here's a little video of Devin...lol...he wasn't going to quit til he got some air.

Kevin

- - - Updated - - -

Kevin, I just grinned when you asked me if I could keep up you you on your sporty with my FXDWG 103.

Its stock, but still pretty light and nimble... I figured out the sporty isnt stock and you ride like a bat out of hell. Good times in Maggie Valley.

Yeah, was a blast riding with you. Next time we gotta ride together more. Definitely a great time in Maggie Valley!!!

Definitely looks like a fun ride!!!

And yes, the Wheels Through Time Museum is an awesome place to visit. If you are a motorhead, when you walk in just smelling the grease and oil lets you know you have just walked into a place that you're gonna love!!!

You said it better than I did. I could spend a week in there and not take it all in!

Thanks for the post and pictures.

Stuff like this keeps us old guys dreaming. Jim

Glad you're enjoying. Still lots more to come....after the Texas Get-Together!

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

Day 3 Part I

The morning of Day 3 is Deja Vu of Day 1. We are leaving Maggie Valley again, but this time headed west instead of east.

First things first, we got to the Riders Meeting early, at the Wheels Through Time Museum...

Leaving the Riders Meeting, squeezing past a truck on a one lane bridge....good thing I was on the Sporty and not a bagger.

We are headed toward Deals Gap, to ride the Tail of the Dragon. The three of us rode together, but periodically we would run into groups of other riders.

Riding into a scenic pull-out....

...there was a group of Trikers from the Trike-Talk Get-Together.

Devin & Blake, enjoying riding in the Smokies.

Back on the road, headed for the Dragon...lots of sweepers and tunnels on the way.

More in next post.

 

[DK Custom Products]

Day 3 Part III

One more of Blake on the Project 48.

End of the Dragon. We moved thru it at a pretty good clip. It was Devin and Blake's first time thru, and my first time thru on two wheels in a few years. A lot of folks say it is over-hyped, but it really is a kick-ass ride...just too short. We'll have some video of this ride thru the Dragon posted up soon.

The road after the "end" of the Dragon is a ton of fun too.

Before we knew it we were at U.S. 129 Harley-Davidson Dragon Store.

We hung out there on the porch for awhile, had some lunch, then we're off to Maryville HD.

We had to stop at the Maryville HD dealership to pick up some brake pads for Devin's SGS...

...We then rode to Knoxville (where our hotel was) and changed out the brake pads in the enclosed parking lot.

After getting the pads changed out, & getting checked into our room, we rode the 28 miles back to the Maryville HD Dealership, where the rally was for the night.

The music was good, thousands of riders and their bikes were there, the stunt riding was good...what a great evening to cap off a blast of a day riding.

A couple of videos coming soon showing more.

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

Got the Day 3 videos done.




Part I has some nice sweepers in it

We did Part II in two different versions....Short & Extended.


The Extended one has much more of The Tail of The Dragon in it, plus some fast sweepers after the Dragon.






Part II Short Version

Part II Extended Version

Kevin

 

[Ed Hobgood]

Kevin, has anyone told you that you are just a little bit NUTS? With that being said looks like you guys are really having a great time. Don't think I could keep up with you on the dragon, let me rephrase that I know I could't keep up with you on the dragon. Have fun and try to be safe.

 

[DK Custom Products]

Kevin, has anyone told you that you are just a little bit NUTS? With that being said looks like you guys are really having a great time. Don't think I could keep up with you on the dragon, let me rephrase that I know I could't keep up with you on the dragon. Have fun and try to be safe.

:laugh::laugh::laugh: Yeah, I scare myself sometimes when looking at videos...but when I'm riding it is just a ton of fun! A stray thought does cross my mind now and then...to just ride trikes, so much safer...but I am not ready to give up 2 wheels yet.

We were moving pretty good on the Dragon, but I don't think as fast as I can go on the Tri-Glide.

Not sure, we had to stop on the bikes several times to get some space between us and some slower bikes. But I will try and add up the actual riding time on two wheels and compare it with the TG run we made.

For sure the run on the TG was much safer!

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

Day 4 Part I

This was a crazy day! We had a blast, broke more than a few laws and regs.

I've whittled down the pics to 49, plus 4 videos, so it will be a bit of a longer report...I will do my best to convey the mayhem that was today, will probably fall far short, but it is a day that will live on in our memories.



Short synopsis of the day:

Left Marriott

Met up with Carl

Rode to the Dragon

Rode the Dragon

Hung around Deals Gap

Rode to Cherohala Skyway

Rode the Skyway

Went to the Rolling Rally at Smoky Mountain HD

Test rode a M8 there

Hung out

Rode 27 miles back to Marriott in POURING RAIN at Night Time

Emptied water out of boots multiple times

Did donuts in the attached, enclosed parking garage at the Marriott

Fell asleep

We left out of the Marriott in the morning, headed 27 miles to Smoky Mountain HD to meet up...

...with Carl on his Road King.

Carl is local to our shop, and rode over to ride with us for the day.

Headed toward the Dragon....LONG line of bikes in front of us, but they kept straight when we turned off to the Dragon.

The road leading up to the Dragon is some fun to carve up...

...it is a great "warm-up" road.

Beginning of the Dragon...opposite end from Deals Gap.

On the Dragon, having a blast...

...Devin is sure I can't keep up with him, and with his Stage IV SGS, he does pull away from me in the straights some...

But I am going over 75 mph in the straights, which is fast enough for me. (see youtube videos coming soon)

But in the curves we played cat & mouse all day.

More in next post.

- - - Updated - - -

Day 4 Part II

Hey! Stay in your lane! I'm going over twice the speed limit and need my whole lane.

lol

As fast we were going...we are on Harley's, even with my, better than stock clearance, it is limited by my heel rests...and one time I pushed my kickstand up into the frame and lightened up my rear tire....the crotch rockets could flat haul ass.

Some nice pro shots of us (dunno where Carl was...way back there somewhere)

It's fun to take a leisurely putt thru the Dragon, and I have done that a time or two.

But most of the time, it is a Pavlovian response to twist the wick when I see a curve.

Dunno why he has his brakes on in the middle of the curve, he's holding me up.

hahaha

That bagger was riding at a pretty good clip, a tad slow for us, but we are almost at the end, so we follow him.

At Deals Gap, adrenaline flowing...

There are more than a few folks there.

More in next post.

 

[DK Custom Products]

Day 4 Part III

Happy, as always, to not be leaving anything on the Tree of Shame!

We hung out at Deals Gap for awhile, ate, talked about riding The Dragon 2 more times....but we were a bit short on time and wanted to ride Cherohala Skyway.

So a bit later we are on our way...

...even though we filled up at Deals Gap, getting to Cherohala, and then riding thru the Skyway, is a bit more than the 2.1 gallon tank will handle...so we pull over for Blake to top off.

Hung out there for a few minutes before getting back on the bikes.

The Skyway has a lot of fast sweepers, a few tight curves...

...one of the youtube videos has an S Sweeper in it. I was doing 75 mph and was in it that 1 sweeper for just shy of one minute. Fantastic riding!

It is also a very scenic ride, the colors are just starting to change.

We pulled over at this scenic lookout...

...Panoramic shot of it.

Devin & Blake decided they wanted to do a little drag race, uphill, on the Skyway.

CLICK HERE to see a video on one of their three runs.

The Target Tuned, NRHS 1250 DK Sporty easily pulled away each time.

More in next post.

 

[DK Custom Products]

Day 4 Part IV

On the other side of the Skyway the road parallels a river...

...which we stopped at and messed around a bit in.

We then headed straight to the Rolling Rally at Smoky Mountain Harley-Davidson. There were thousands of bikes and people there.

We were happy to see the Dealership had one of their new bikes on the sales floor with our Coil/Key relocation installed on it.

I took a test ride on a Milwaukee-Eight Tri-Glide while there...

...I was a bit disappointed upon my return.

You can read my review of my test ride, and see a video, at this thread-

http://www.triketalk.com/forum/threa...essions-Report

Looking around more, at all the rides that were there.

The music was great, the people we met were the best, lots of cool bikes, and there were hole shot races and more stunt riding. What a way to cap off a fantastic day of riding...

....little did we know.

A bit after it got dark, it started raining. We have 27 miles of riding, in some pretty gnarly traffic, so we decide to take off.

At first we thought we were going to beat the rain....hahaha

It came down hard, almost the entire 27 miles. We were completely soaked, not a dry piece of clothing.

We stopped once for gas...

...and under a bridge once, because it was coming down so hard we could not see 20 feet in front of us. no pics...we were too cold to think about that. lol

When we got to the Marriott, we met Krambo and his crew in the parking lot.

Good people.

https://www.facebook.com/Krambos1/

Around midnight we were only wet, no longer drenched, and someone had the idea to do donuts...

http://www.triketalk.com/forum/threa...essions-Report

More in next post.

 

[DK Custom Products]

Day 4 Concluded

Enclosed parking, loud bikes, beer, mini-van driving folks passing by, I guess you had to be there. (there is a video coming)

Perfect Donut!

The Coker tires on the 48 needed a little help from some beer.

The Cokers don't smoke like the Dunlops or Michelins.

Another Donut left for future guests at the Marriott.

You know, when we checked in at the Marriott, I wondered...why would a Hotel that caters to the mini-van, SUV crowd want to host a rolling bike rally? I wonder if they will do it again?

Devin moves further away from the cars...lol

Surprisingly, none of the civilians complained!

Another Donut!

That's it for the pics...videos of the Dragon, Skyway, & disturbing the peace at the Marriott, coming soon.

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

There will be 4 video, in total, from our riding & shenanigans on Day 4.

Here are the first two:

Video Part One

The ride to the Dealership to meet up with Carl, and then on over to the Tail of the Dragon...some fun riding in it-

Video Part Two

There is some fun stuff in this vid of riding The Dragon. A couple slo-mo parts, some fast cars we had to let by, a truck crossing into our lane, lots of metal ground down in the tight turns-

Kevin

 

[Fozworth]

Kevin,

Are you getting that video with a GOPRO?

 

[Ed Hobgood]

Thanks for the ride Kevin!