They call it the Tail of the Dragon—eleven miles of relentless, coiled pavement twisting through the Smoky Mountains, with 318 curves so tight they could snap your concentration in half. It’s a place where dreams go to lean, scrape, and occasionally low-side into the trees. The speed limit is 30, the shoulders are nonexistent, and the margin for error is about the width of your front tire.
And I’m here to tell you: leave the big bikes at home. The Dragon belongs to the little guys.
Small Displacement Is Perfect for Tight Corners
I rode it on a Honda Rebel 300, and let me tell you—there wasn’t one moment I wished for more displacement.
The Rebel doesn’t roar, it hums. It doesn’t muscle its way through corners; it dances. It’s light, flickable, and not remotely intimidating. And on a road that punishes overconfidence and rewards rhythm, that’s exactly what you want.
Too often, people think more engine means more fun. But on the Tail of the Dragon, the throttle is only half the story. It’s not about raw power. It’s about how much of your motorcycle you can use.
On a 300cc bike, I could wring it out, rev it high, and feel like I was getting everything it had to give—without ever breaking the speed limit or losing control. Try that on a literbike and you’ll either be frustrated, exhausted, or airborne.
Easy to Load, Unload, and Enjoy
There’s also the practical stuff. Small bikes are easier to load up. You don’t have to commit to a 500-mile ride just to get there. Pop a Grom or a Monkey in the back of a pickup, drive to North Carolina to stay at Tapoco Lodge, and you’re Dragon-ready without a drop of sweat.
And when the road is that good, who cares if your machine looks like it belongs in a high school parking lot? You’re the one smiling in your helmet while the big bikes wrestle their way around switchbacks like they’re trying to steer a refrigerator downhill.
Small Bike, Small Price Tag
Oh—and small bikes are cheap. A new Grom costs nearly three times less than the cheapest new Harley. The Monkey is a goofy stylistic icon, has a competent 125cc engine, and it has turn signals and a license plate, what more do you need?
For riders who want to experience legendary roads without refinancing their garage, it’s the best deal in motorcycling.
Now, I’m not saying the big bikes don’t have their place. They do. Long stretches of highway on a touring bike. Wide open sweepers. Two-up cruising to the coast. But on roads like US-129, where the corners come faster than thoughts and the asphalt feels like a coiled spring, you want something you can lean into with abandon.
Small bikes. Big fun. That’s the secret.
So next time you’re eyeing a ride to the Tail of the Dragon, leave the horsepower at home and bring something light. The road’s tight. The corners are mean. And the Dragon? It smiles on the agile.
