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VN 900Custom - Near Perfect

1K views 3 replies 4 participants last post by  DoomCrewInc 
#1 ·
Took a 2 day ride. From Atlanta through the N Georgia mountains, N. Carolina to Deals Gap (tail of the Dragon). Stayed overnight at the Dragon, basic accomodation, no cell service, no WiFi and everything closes at 7:00. Next day, rode the dragon a few times (318 curves in 11 miles) then went east through TN down towards Gatlinburg, through the smokies, turned west and rode down to Helen, GA, then back to Atlanta.

Almost all of the ride was between 40 and 60 MPH right in the VN900s sweet spot IMO. Great roads, little traffic, almost no trucks. It was a great 2 day getaway. The 900 seems like the perfect cruiser for this type of ride.

Do you have a similar near perfect experience with your VN900??
 
#2 · (Edited)
One of my near perfect/favorite rides was done yesterday, from the house across the valley, up the always fun Big Cottonwood Canyon road, loaded with plenty of turns. Hit up Guardman Pass at about 9,600 feet, then dropped down into Park City. Then east to Kamas, then up the Mirror Lake Highway to the Trial/Washington Lake area. Had to pay a $6 use fee, bit it was worth it. Left the bike at the Washington Lake trailhead and hit up the summit of Haystack Mountain just to the west. Topped out at just under 11k feet after continuing up to Bald Mountain Pass, then back the same route. Around 200 miles. Same conditions as above, 40-60 mph average speeds loaded with high country, twisting roads, and a lot of scenery.

This pic show the first part of the route:



This next pic shows the second portion to near the trail head area:



Looking east from the summit of Haystack MTN, those peaks in the distance reach well over 13k feet.



A little panorama:



And my VN900C, this photo was taken a couple weeks prior in L. Cottonwood Canyon: (Didn't get any pics of the bike yesterday)

 
#3 ·
Apart from the thunderstorm that drenched me near the end, my near perfect ride today was from Lewisburg, WV to Warrenton VA. I was riding my bike back to Northern VA (permanent home near DC) from Bloomington, Indiana. I took two days over a southern route (for change), and this leg was part of my second day. Why was it perfect?

1. It was gorgeous. I was on I64 and got sick of the freeway. When I got to Lewisburg, I asked Google Maps to take me home with no highways, tolls, or ferrys. This aspect of google maps is fantastic. It gave me this:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Lew...d-77.7952712!2d38.7134516!2m3!1b1!2b1!3b1!3e0.

It goes right through the Appalachians. Great twisties. Great scenery.

2. Like you said, Wild Bill, this bike (mine is a 900 LT, but close enough) eats up 40 to 60 on twisty mountain roads. That's its wheelhouse. I can ride those things all day long.

It was a very long day today, and when I got within an hour and a half of home, I got "get there itis." I put it on 65, 70, or 75 indicated (about 3 mph over actual on my 9) on a secondary highway and interstate. Not as fun. Not close. 65 is OK. 70 and 75 are both highish revs. This bike is meant for 40-60, or maybe up to 65. It seems perfect to me in that range.
 
#4 ·
You were around my neck of the woods when you hit Rt. 33. I live about 20 minutes north of where you came out there. Too bad I didn't know you were heading through, could have ridden some of your ride home with ya.
 
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