For folks that hadn’t already figured it out, the Triumph “Dragon Raid” is named after the prime location where it takes place. While I took it for granted that it might be common knowledge among motorsports enthusiasts, for folks that don’t already know, the “Tail of the Dragon” is a stretch of U.S. Route 129 just south of Maryville, Tennessee, that runs to Deal’s Gap, North Carolina. Running through the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, this 11 mile stretch of road has 318 curves with virtually no intersections, and no residential properties along the roadway. While I personally think of it as Motorcycle Mecca east of the Mississippi, it’s without a doubt a prime motorsports tourist destination. I could go on and on about the thrill and danger involved, but the Travel Channel has already covered most of the details in the YouTube video below.

Note: This YouTube video was published in 2012; as of this year, semi-tractor trailers are banned from this section of US-129 in Tennessee. However that does not mean they always obey the law.

Back to the Triumph Dragon Raid 2015