The Dragon via Google Street View

After viewing killboy.com, a blog we religiously visit, we learned that the infamous Dragon at Deals Gap has made the cut in having its own Street View within Google Maps. This, to us, is very, very cool. Not trying to oversell it here, because it still requires patience to slowly click and creep through the highway, but what a neat way to peruse the curves that are much praised and debated. Check out these pics and read more below...


Above: Our good friend and Dragon photog, Darryl Cannon shot this in 2007; the very car whose funky 360-view, 11-lens camera recorded Highway 129 on both sides of the North Carolina/Tennessee border.


Above: This "view" shows a portion of the inviting asphalt, consequential shoulder, and flowing curves.


Above: This shot beckons me. A nicely cambered roadway tucked right into the Smoky Mountains; hard to beat. Contrary to much negative assumption in the riding community, you can actually experience views like this without hundreds of bikes, campers, or leaf-watchers in your way (more on that below).


Above: One of our favorite scenes. Over a decade ago, this was one of the views that most impressed us. It really sunk in why this road was gonna be memorable. The bend above shows how tight some of the curves are (this one is near Parsons Branch).

So what will come of this news that the Dragon is viewable on Google Map's Street View? First, it'll get a lot of "hoorays" and "hey, that's cool!" But, of course, as we have found with our moto-documentary, it will stir up a lot of debate. For some reason, when the Dragon reaches the headlines, the scoffers emerge. Some folks will click through a curve or two and self-confirm their opinion that there are a million better roads in the country (though they've never ridden the Dragon). Some will spend time critiquing the driver of the camera car, accusing him of crossing the double yellow...not knowing the camera also shoots backward, making it look like it's traveling the wrong way. As this news makes its way across blogs and forums, irrelevant comments will quickly appear about how there is no way to ride this road without a parade of Harleys holding up others, or that there are too many sportbikin' squids that will kill you by lane crossing at every turn. Sigh.

Hopefully folks will learn from honest motorcyclists that while there is danger (which is important to be aware of), the Dragon can wholly be enjoyed when its quiet, when there are no police, and when there are only a few vehicles found on the entire 11-mile section of 129. In Why They Ride, you'll see a segment that warns of danger and you'll see views of the road where no cars or bikes are seen for curve after curve after curve. There are no claims that it's the best road in the universe either, but we believe it must be one of the most special motorcycling roads out there. There, you'll find the intimacy of you, your bike and the road (pure motorcycling), but just as fun is the fellowship with the many motorcyclists who see the value of the Dragon and its surrounding area. Often, the focus is placed on the mere 11 miles...not the hundreds of miles of roads immediately around them and the good people that ride them.

If you're curious about what it would be like to walk the Dragon, check out its new Street View and watch out for squids riding 100mph crossing the double yellow on blind curves and don't click too fast because one of the 50 police cars may ticket you. Just kidding. :) Enjoy the sunshine, the curves, the trees, and the mountains...

Who's Watchin' Why They Ride

Back in October '08, we posted a map showing states and provinces who have purchased Why They Ride. Since then, more folks have joined the growing audience, so we've updated the map. Click on the map for an enlarged view.


The stars show the Top Ten; the orange represents those who have purchased WTR. Alright, if you know anyone in VT, HI, WY, ND, UT, ID, ME and DE that is into motorcycling, well, send 'em a link to WTR (please). If they buy one, we'll orange-in their state. :) And, if they purchase a copy in December of this year, they'll get free shipping.

Thanks, again, to those who send in their comments and post our website in forums. That helps get the word out about our moto-documentary and this grass roots effort.

Why I Ride In the Winter

Why? Because riding's fun. But it's cold here in Indy; real cold. Don't even wanna think about being chilled to the bone on a bike. It's a bummer. But, every once in awhile, the temps will start to edge up above freezing and there's hope that things will align for the opportunity to ride. Things like: Sunshine (no matter how cold), non-icy pavement, and mood. Yep, ya gotta be in the mood to get over that initial shock of coldness. After that, it's usually a blast.

I'm reminded of why riding bikes is such a neat thing when challenges of dodging suspect black ice arise or when you feel fellow motorists looking on with a stare that usually accompanies head-shaking and scoffing. I completely understand their position, really. I'm not one of those bikers who puff up and claim "car people just don't understand motorcyclists." Nope, in frigid circumstances it's strange, silly, and sometimes unsafe...but somehow still fun.

Here's a pic of winter-riding with my legs doin' some outriggin'. Had to deal with some face-chapping but the suede work gloves and glass goggles helped extend the ride time. With 50 screaming CC's and a lotta weight over the rear tire, this hog reached top speed with no prob.

Stay warm and safe (and stuff someone's stocking with Why They Ride!)

Fight Cabin Fever!

During the cold, winter months when you're pining for the warm sunshine in the Great Smokies, curl up with a good viewing of Why They Ride. It'll take you there.

And check out the latest review of WTR in the current issue of RoadRUNNER magazine. From their pen: "It offers lots of laughs, a few tears, and incredible riding footage in the beautiful Smoky Mountains."

Why They Ride: Worldwide

As of today, our motorcycle documentary has reached 38 United States, 7 provinces in Canada, 3 Australian states, 2 countries in the UK, and a university in Hong Kong. The feedback has been amazing, proving to us that the overall theme of Why They Ride is much more universal and far-reaching than its setting. Thanks everyone!

Above: Orange locations have purchased a DVD from the WTR website.

Now, as you can see in the map above (click on it to enlarge, if necessary), there are some states in America that have not purchased a DVD from the WTR website. If you have a motorcycling friend or family member from any of the absent U.S. States, tell 'em to check out our site and view the trailers! We'd appreciate it. :)

Thanks to all who write in with their thoughts. We very much enjoy hearing from fellow motorcyclists!

Wilkinson Brothers in the News

We're thankful to have been featured in the Indianapolis Star last month, click here to read the article. This pic was taken by our good friend and Indianapolis Star photographer, Steve Healey. In preparation for this article and for the Red Bull Indianapolis GP, we designed and screened these shirts the night before the photoshoot. :)

A big thanks to those who have helped us spread the word! Check out some of the folks who’ve put Why They Ride in front of tens of thousands of motorcyclists (click here to view the full WTR news release about this):

Casey's Article Featured in BMW Owners News Magazine

During the making of Why They Ride, Casey's BMW R1100GS was the pack mule. It hauled all of the camera equipment and even became a platform for me to hang off and film from while Casey piloted it. We remain indebted to its ample cargo space and sure-footed capabilities. So, as a member of the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America, Casey penned an ode to his bike in a behind-the-scenes look at our moto-documentary. Click here to read the full story from the September 2008 issue...

MotoGP is Coming! MotoGP is Coming!

If you have seen our documentary, you'd probably guess that the Wilkinson Brothers would be fans of MotoGP. As motorcycle enthusiasts and fans of racing, how could we NOT be? As I've said to many, if you're a fan of the basic elements of good racing (varying road courses, rivalries, a lot of overtaking, intense speed, and the defying of physics), then MotoGP should get yer motor runnin.'

This is certainly a time when we are proud to be Hoosier motorcyclists. It should really be no surprise that the highest tier in motorcycle competition would want to make a stop at the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but I'm sure dialing in the logistics between the organizers and MotoGP owners was no small task. We have to give a tip of the helmet to Mel Harder, the Senior VP at IMS for orchestrating what will, or has become one of the most historic invitations in motorcycle racing history. To boil it down: The oldest motorsport world championship in existence is coming to the Racing Capital of the World at the largest sporting facility on earth. Makes perfect sense to us. We're thankful for Mel's vision and hard work in seeing this through.

Living just minutes from the track, we've immersed ourselves in the excitement leading up to MotoGP next week. See our journey that started over a year ago...


Get used to seeing more of this: Bikes and the Circle City. It's sure to be a common sight in mid-September!


We second that "thanks." Thank you, thank you, thank you. This day, back in the summer of 2007, we rode in the Motorcycle Rally that led us to a lap around the famous oval. We parked our bikes in the infield, walked into a room and heard the official announcement of MotoGP at Indy. See our video and photo presentation of the whole experience by clicking here.



Somehow, some way...the Red Bull folks back some exciting motorsports. Rock on.


Casey's GS sitting proud in the plaza right under the Pagoda at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.



Then came the inaugural lap to be completed by 2006 MotoGP champ, Nicky Hayden, on April 7th, 2008. He would get a quick lesson in 1909 technology and ride this Indian around the new MotoGP course.

Corey riding his Tuono just past the yard of bricks. We were thankful to have been among the first 30 or so motorcyclists to make a lap around the new MotoGP layout at IMS. Yeah, we've pretty much completed more laps here than Valentino Rossi at this point, so...

Then came came the three days of testing this July (2008). See the pics below...







Here, the bikes would pass the start/finish line at 190-something miles per hour. I could feel it in my chest when they blasted by. It was amazing to see how soon they started hanging off the bike to begin the process of turning it into turn one.

The third day belonged to the AMA Red Bull Rookies Cup riders. The young teen racers show up to two semis full of bikes and an Alpinestars van carrying their leathers. These kids earn their rides and time on the bikes through a strict point system that involves their performance on and off the track.






Yep, it's a big deal to us. Indianapolis, MotoGP, the history, the motorcycles, racing...it's a special event in so many ways and we're gonna wallow around in it as much as possible! (And, yes, we have tickets to the Indy Mile as well...so much top-tier racing we've got to squeeze in in a few days, but we're up to the task.)

Oh, and if you're wondering where the vids are that we shot at the Speedway, here they are:

We've Gone Vintage

After our yearly visit to AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days at Mid-Ohio, we're usually itchin' to buy a nostalgic ol' bike. Well, this year we returned from Mid-O and took a spin through eBay, Craig's List and the other various listings, looking for a good deal and cool bikes. Craig's List ended up being the fruitful source and here's what we ended up with:


I found a 1972 Triumph Bonneville and Casey found a '73 BMW R50/5. You can't beat riding through rural Indiana on two vintage machines without being in a hurry, without being tempted to wheelie off from stop signs, and enjoying the comfort of early-seventies ergos. It's a frequent occurrence when we stop that someone walks up and asks what year the bikes are, then reminisces about bikes of their past. They're like time capsules being revealed to passersby, triggering memories of riding with fathers or buddies and what times were like back then. We dig that.

Back to the Gap 2008

Our annual trip to the Smoky Mountains fell on July 10th through the 13th this year. In the pic below, you'll see our bro-in-law, Chris, our dad, Darryl, myself and Casey. It seems like a short span of time but we crammed in hundreds of miles of beautiful mountain roads and definitely got our fix. It was great to see many of the people we met during the making of Why They Ride as well as some of the local characters we've known for years.

We were glad to see Ben and Jessica at the Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort and it was a treat to see the brand new baby girl of Brad and Beth, owners of the Resort. Congrats!!! This will bump the population to 8 now? :) These folks are always very hospitable, helpful and offer a mean Dragon Burger (order the onion rings with it...mmmmm).

Of course, a ride through the Dragon wouldn't be complete without seeing Darryl Cannon and his team of Killboy photographers. When we stopped to talk with him, he had just taken a break from action photos to shoot pics of a fella proposing to his gal on the Dragon. (She said yes!)

We also stopped in on Francois at his new shop, Dual Sport Touring, in Friendsville, TN. It was great to catch up with him and check out his inventory. We tried on riding pants, rain gear, looked through catalogs, etc. He gives great advice and steers us motorcyclists in the right direction.

We're reminded of why we make the annual pilgrimage by how welcome we feel every time we go. Even a quick run-in with a Forest Ranger at high speeds ended with a handshake and a smile. While there will always be controversy and debate about the Dragon and Deals Gap, we'll always claim it as our motorcycling home away from home. There's just too many miles of roads, good people, and wonderful little towns sprinkled throughout those mountains to drown out skeptics who only focus on the minute negative aspects. I think I'll go watch the movie again to relive the scenes and trigger more moto-memories.

National Ride to Work Day: July 16, 2008

Today's ride in to work felt a little different. Felt like we were part of a national movement! According to Ride To Work, a non-profit organization, it is National Ride to Work Day. They support, advocate, and raise awareness for the use of motorcycles and scooters for transportation. Check out their site, you can donate to the cause and for certain levels of donation, receive a nifty tee, pin, sticker and more.

Reviewed & Interviewed by Sojourn Chronicles

One of the first people we sent a DVD to was Brent Miller, an accomplished journalist who uses words and photos to share his observations. His work and website, Sojourn Chronicles, is "a travelogue for life...sometimes on a motorcycle!" In the recent past, he has reviewed DVDs and books about motorcycle adventures (including an interview with Ted Simon who penned Jupiter's Travels), so we thought he'd consider viewing our moto-documentary, then share his observation.

We were happy to hear he enjoyed the documentary and wanted to record an interview to accompany his review. It was a treat to welcome him to our design studio here in the burbs of Indy and talk shop (he's exploring engaging ways to communicate via the internet and new media...something we have in common). He also happens to be a motorcycle enthusiast, piloting his Suzuki V-Strom on side roads and backroads around and beyond his Cincinnati-area home.

We wanted to share with you his website, his review and the audio from our interview. Check it out by clicking here. For a sneak peek, here's a snippet of his thoughts about Why They Ride:

"This film will entertain you, and you'll probably watch it once by yourself, and then ask your family to watch it with you a second time, saying, 'Watch this. It explains why I ride.' It is a pretty good film that explains motorcycling like no other film I've seen."

Above: From left to right, Corey Wilkinson, Brent Miller and Casey Wilkinson.

Above: Casey, (left) and Corey. Photo by D. Brent Miller of Sojourn Chronicles

Women's Sportbike Rally

Ladies, if you're into riding sportbikes (and/or other types of bikes) check out the 2008 Women's Sportbike Rally on August 22 thru the 24th in the Smoky Mountains. It's a chance to enjoy motorcycling with like-minded women on some of the country's most beautiful riding roads. We were able to become good friends with co-founder and coordinator, Stephani McIntyre, when we were asked to design the WSR logo. We admire Stephani's efforts in raising funds and awareness for Tiffany's Melanoma Foundation. It was at this event that we met Judd Weirbach, father of Tiffany, the sportbiking girl who used motorcycling as a way to fight her overwhelming symptoms of cancer. Our interview with Judd in Why They Ride was a powerful testimony to the passion Tiffany had for motorcycles and a great example of how motorcycling can mean much more than mere transportation for some folks.

Find Our DVD at Wing Ding 2008

Heading to the Wing Ding in South Carolina? If so, look for Mitch and Marie at the Woodwing Art booth. They are the couple we featured in the documentary riding the maroon Honda Gold Wing. When we first met them in the Smokies, they were in the early part of their 35-day trip to New England and Canada all the way from the New Orleans area. They'll be at the Wing Ding from today to the 6th (July 3-6th in Greenville, SC). They create custom wooden signs and plaques for Goldwingers, both trikes and bikes. They'll also be selling copies of Why They Ride: A Moto-Documentary. Save a little on the DVD by avoiding shipping cost; buy one at Booth #333 and say hello to Mitch and Marie for us! Check out their site to see some of their creations or check out the pics below!