I reach the tail of the dragon sign/store/whatever. It isn't busy, but there are the usual crowd of cruisers, sport bike, sport cars, ect. I hear a comment about "a scooter". An older gentleman corrected the younger commenter with "That's a 100mph scooter". It occurs to me that the maxi-scooter trend of the early 2000's is past. most manufacturer's don't sell a 600cc + scooter in the US anymore. My bike is 18 years old. It just hasn't occurred to me that this thing isn't far off from being a classic.
I'm not practically a social person, so I take the obligatory picture of the sign, and leave. I never got off the bike.
I wait a red hot rod Audi to take off. It must have one of those sweet dual clutch transmissions. It sounds sweet, and it haves micro second aggressive shits. A couple of young guys are giving it the beans. I am actually a bit impressed. I given them a couple of minutes to get a reactionary gap. If he backs it out of corner, I don't want to be close. There are a couple of just on KTM dukes a full leather behind me. I almost let them go first, but they are taking so, I digress.
I pull out onto the highway, and give it all 50 + or - hp. The CVT belt flaps furiously. It was quite embarrassing. I had just changed the damn thing. In a sing song voice I holler "SON OF BITCCCCHHH". My bike is quite enough that I am sure the peanut gallery could hear.
My standard practice on this road is to take it easy and smooth. I never found it, any more challenging than a good Gymkhana course. That being said, I have never fancied being a tree ornament either. Slow in, accelerate out. There is one corner that always compresses the suspension, and my center stand scrapes. Some of you may know the one, but I never remember it. Ok dumbass, slow down. The Kill Boy crew snaps a picture. As usual it's on a strait, and the bike is totally vertical. They wonder why I never buy them.
I realize that red Audi sounds like it is tearing up road. It really does sound good. Well crap, I caught them. They must have seen me and my manly scooter. They really get aggressive. I tell my self I am touring, and not racing. Every strait they pour on the throttle, and squeal tires in the curves. They pull away, and like rubber band, I pull them i the curves. " I am repeating "not a race not a race not a race" in my head. It helps..... a little.
We pull into the overlook on the Tennessee side. The Audi guys just stare at me. They take off back to North Carolina, and seem a bit put off. The KTM guys pull up. We BS for a while. I agree that the KTM 390 and 690 are probably the perfect bikes for mountain passes.
As I leave 129 I have an epiphany. I am now the old (er) guy on the old bike. The one I used to try to keep up with, even though they weren't really trying anymore. I remember it used to be so frustrating that I couldn't keep up with a guy on 20 year old POS bike even though I was on a Yamaha R6.
Now about my fappy drive belt....
TBC