Looking for feedback. I'll try to keep it brief

Had family in town recently. Mostly flat landers from FL & TX. I asked ahead of time if they'd be interested in riding while here in NC/Blue Ridge Mountains and the answer was a resounding "yes"...so I arranged to have a couple of Harley's available for us to do some riding together. After getting here and doing some driving in the area, they opted not to ride. They really didn't give any concrete reason as to the change of heart, but who could give up an opportunity to ride our local twisties and enjoy the Blue Ridge Parkway??

Are people generally intimidated by these kinds of roads or maybe it was something else and I'm just reading too much into it?

 

You could ask a bunch of strangers who have no idea, or you could ask the people involved.

 

There's mountains on the east coast? LOL

 

The reason they didn't want to ride in the mountains is simple:

They don't know how to ride a motorcycle.

 

That is odd! I live in Texas and have ridden the Blue Ridge Pkwy and very envious of the locals. I would have jumped on that opportunity.

 

You've never seen a topographical map?

People who have never ridden in the mountains will naturally feel it slightly challenging the first time.

 

[QUOTE=Streetglide Walt;15253046]...I live in Texas...[QUOTE]

I live in southern Louisiana, about a flat as it gets, and really love mountain riding. I try to make a couple of road trips each year up to mountain country -- just recently made my first trip this year, riding thru some of the Smokey Mountains region. As for the OP, I wouldn't be surprised if folks who have never had the fun of mountain riding were a bit intimidated -- especially if they've read some of the threads here about the Dragon, etc. <g>

 

Did you bathe that day?

 

Maybe they were a little intimidated about riding someone else's Harley in an environment they've never rode in.

 

This may or may not apply
A few years we meet a couple from our area at a TMRA rally kinda clicked together. Had a great time and over the next few months became good friends.

He seemed to handle their bike well 2 up and just riding around W. Texas was easy. They had their bike for 6 yrs when we meet.

Then came a trip to twisted sisters in the hill country of Texas. Meet family and old friends from that area, so the other couple jumped at the chance when invited along. When we hit RR 337 which has the most switchbacks and tight curves of the area. ( this isn't like NC or Tenn. but it's great for our area) I came to the conclusion that he may have ridden 20k and more BUT not on roads like this.

3months and 2 more trips (one was 4 days of solid riding around there) to the area he gained enough ability and confidence to keep up.

WP