Issue No. 4  ·  Thursday Edition
Thursday, March 26, 2026
REDLINE
Full Throttle. No Apologies.
Atlanta  ·  North Georgia  ·  The Southeast
🚨

MotoAmerica Road Atlanta Rider Entry Deadline — TODAY, March 26. Submit at motoamericaregistration.com before midnight.

Thursday Edition — Issue No. 4

Three Weeks Out.
Road Atlanta Is Coming.

The weekend is two days away and the mountains are calling. Easter weekend is right around the corner, the MotoAmerica countdown is on, and Atlanta H-D wraps up a big weekend tomorrow night. Issue No. 4 gives you the full Easter riding preview, a deep look at what's waiting at Road Atlanta in three weeks, a road spotlight on one of North Georgia's most underrated corridors, and everything on the Southeast calendar through June. Let's get into it.

Lawrence Johnson
Editor · Red Line · Atlanta, GA
✦ Countdown — MotoAmerica Road Atlanta
🏁 Road Atlanta — April 17–19, 2026
22Days
6Classes
120+Riders
2.55Mile Track

RV check-in opens Thursday, April 16 at 1:00 PM. Friday is practice and qualifying. All-day racing Saturday and Sunday. VIP packages include continental breakfast, catering, escorted Superbike race grid access, and preferred podium viewing. The Cardo Fan Lap puts you on the circuit yourself — minimum one lap at race speeds, sign the e-waiver in advance at motoamerica.com. Kids 12 and under free with a paying adult. Camping spots and reserved RV spaces with power — book now at motoamerica.com before they're gone. This is Road Atlanta's 50th anniversary year. Don't miss it.

✦ Conditions Check — Easter Weekend
🌤 Easter Weekend Riding Outlook — April 4–5

Easter weekend is one week out and the forecast is trending favorable for riders. Saturday looks like the better riding day — mid-60s in the valleys with mostly clear skies. Sunday morning may bring patchy fog in the mountain gaps before burning off by mid-morning. The North Georgia mountains will be busy — Easter weekend draws a crowd. Best strategy: Hit the roads early Saturday and avoid the Suches loop on Sunday afternoon when traffic stacks up. The GA-52 Ellijay Corridor and Warwoman Road out of Clayton are solid alternatives to the more crowded routes. Fill up before you head into the mountains — stations in Suches and Dillard can run slow on holiday weekends.

✦ This Weekend — Atlanta H-D Wrap-Up
Mar 28 2026
Tonight · Free Dinner
Harleys After Dark
📍 Atlanta Harley-Davidson · Lithia Springs, GA

Free dinner and drinks tonight at Atlanta H-D. RSVP required — check the Atlanta H-D events page if you haven't already. A good excuse to get out to Lithia Springs and connect with the local community before the weekend. The Morning Workshop follows at 11:45 AM tomorrow.

Mar 28 2026
Sat Morning · Free
Emergency Roadside Maintenance Workshop
📍 Atlanta Harley-Davidson · Lithia Springs, GA

11:45 AM Saturday. Hands-on roadside prep — tire management, electrical basics, fluid checks, and what to do when the bike goes down somewhere it shouldn't. Free to attend, RSVP recommended. With Easter weekend coming, this is the right time to make sure you're ready for a mountain run. Bring your questions and your riding buddies.

✦ On Deck — April Through June
Apr 17 – 19
Marquee · 22 Days Out
MotoAmerica Superbikes — Road Atlanta
📍 Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta · Braselton, GA

Rider entry closes TODAY. Spectator tickets still available. Six classes: Superbike, Supersport, King of the Baggers, Twins Cup, Talent Cup, and Build.Train.Race. Meet 120+ riders in the open paddock. VIP suites include catering both days plus escorted grid access. Fan Laps on the circuit — sign e-waiver in advance. RV check-in Thursday April 16, 1 PM. Camping spots filling — book at motoamerica.com now.

Apr 24 – 26
Vintage · Racing
HSR The Mitty — Presented by Hagerty
📍 Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta · Braselton, GA

Historic Sports Car Racing's premier vintage event hits Road Atlanta the week after MotoAmerica. Legendary vintage machinery, open paddock, and an atmosphere that's as much museum as racetrack. A great reason to keep the helmet out for another weekend in Braselton. Pairs perfectly with the North Georgia Classic in Dillard the same weekend — make it a full Rabun County run.

Apr 24 – 26
North Georgia Rally
North Georgia Classic — MSTA · Dillard, GA
📍 Dillard, GA · Rabun County

MSTA's season opener in the northeast corner of Georgia — three days of mountain riding out of Dillard. Guided and unguided rides, group events, all makes welcome. No MSTA membership required. Register at ridemsta-ga.com. Within striking distance of the Dragon, Cherohala, and Moonshiner 28 — one of the best-positioned rally locations in the state.

May 23 2026
Veteran Motor Show
Brave and Bold Veteran Motor Show
📍 McDonough, GA · Henry County

Custom bikes, military vehicles, and veteran community pride 30 miles south of Atlanta. Red Line will be there and will have full coverage. If your club is attending or you're entering a build — reach out. We want to tell your story.

May 29 2026
Benefit Ride
Riding 22 States — Georgia Stop · Buford
📍 Buford, GA · Gwinnett County

The national veteran suicide awareness benefit ride hits Georgia on May 29. Gwinnett County, just north of Atlanta off I-985. Show up, ride a leg, support the mission. 22 veterans lost every day. This ride exists to change that number. Red Line is tracking every stop.

Jun 4 – 7
Georgia Mountain Rally
26th Biker Nation Reunion Rally
📍 City Park · Helen, GA

26th annual at Helen — VIP guided rides, live music, vendors, and negotiated hotel rates. Register early at reunionrally.com. Rooms go fast once spring rally season opens up.

✦ Feature — Road Atlanta: What To Know Before You Go
"Braselton Is 35 Miles From Atlanta. It Feels Like a Different World."

Three weeks out from the MotoAmerica Superbike Speedfest, here's everything you need to know to make the most of the trip to Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta on April 17–19.

Getting There

Road Atlanta sits just off GA-53 near Braselton — take I-985 north from I-85 and follow the signs. From downtown Atlanta it's about 50 miles, roughly 55 minutes on a clear day. Ride it. The stretch of GA-53 and surrounding roads north of Gainesville are smooth, open, and flowing — worth adding an extra 20 minutes to your route to enjoy them. Parking for bikes is free and plentiful. Pull in early and take a walk through the paddock before the crowd builds.

The Racing

Six classes take the grid: Superbike, Supersport, Mission King of the Baggers, Twins Cup, Talent Cup, and Royal Enfield Build.Train.Race. The Bagger class is the crowd favorite — purpose-built touring bikes that top 170 mph on Road Atlanta's 4,182-foot straight. The Superbike class brings the fastest machinery on American tarmac. Qualifying Friday is a great time to walk the paddock with lighter crowds and full access to the teams.

The Fan Experience

The open race paddock gives you access to over 120 riders, their crews, and their machines. Walk up and ask questions — the MotoAmerica paddock culture is the most accessible in American motorsport. The Cardo Fan Lap puts you on the circuit during the Saturday/Sunday lunch break — sign the e-waiver online before you arrive. VIP packages include catering, grid access, and preferred podium viewing. Kids Zone with free carnival games if you're bringing the family.

Camping

Camping spots range from tent locations up to reserved RV spaces with power. Restrooms and showers are conveniently located to campsites. RV check-in opens Thursday, April 16 at 1:00 PM — arrive early and enjoy Friday qualifying as part of a full weekend. Camping at a race circuit is one of those experiences every rider should have once. Waking up to the sound of Superbikes warming up is something you don't forget.

✦ Road Spotlight — GA-60: Dahlonega to Suches
The Road That Starts Every Great North Georgia Ride.

Every issue we spotlight a road. This week it's the one that starts it all — GA-60 north from Dahlonega to Suches. It's the on-ramp to the entire North Georgia mountain corridor and one of the most satisfying approaches to a great riding day in this part of the country.

From Dahlonega, GA-60 north begins gently — rolling farmland, a few small communities, and the kind of wide open rural two-lane that lets you settle into a comfortable pace before the mountains start taking over. About 15 miles north of Dahlonega the road enters the Chattahoochee National Forest and the character changes completely. The grades steepen, the curves tighten, and the canopy closes in overhead. By the time you reach Suches you're in the heart of the North Georgia riding country — with Wolf Pen Gap, Richard Russell, and the full Suches Loop waiting.

Two Wheels of Suches sits right at the GA-60 / GA-180 intersection in Suches. Fuel, food, and the kind of parking lot that tells you everything about how many great riders this corridor draws. Stop here before you commit to the Wolf Pen Gap run — it's your last solid fuel stop before the technical stuff begins.

From Atlanta: GA-400 north to Dahlonega, then GA-60 north — you're at Two Wheels of Suches in about 90 minutes. This week: Roads clean and dry through Saturday morning. Light showers possible Saturday afternoon and Sunday. Easter weekend strategy: Leave Atlanta before 8 AM Saturday, beat the holiday traffic, and have the mountain roads to yourself for the first couple of hours.

✦ Rider Intel — Fast Notes
⚡ Fast Intel — March 26, 2026
✦ Veteran Riders — Vet Corner
🎖 Vet Rider Corner — Issue No. 4

Rolling Thunder Ride for Freedom — Washington D.C., May 24, 2026. The largest veteran motorcycle event in the country rolls through the nation's capital on Memorial Day weekend for the annual POW/MIA tribute ride. If you've never been, it is an experience unlike any other — hundreds of thousands of riders converging on D.C. to honor those who never came home. It's a long haul from Atlanta but riders make it every year. If you're going, Red Line wants to hear about it.

Closer to home — Brave and Bold Veteran Motor Show, McDonough, May 23. 30 miles south of Atlanta. Red Line is covering it. If your chapter or organization is participating, reach out. And the Riding 22 States Georgia stop hits Buford on May 29. Mark it. Show up. Bring your brothers and sisters.

✦ Quick Hits — Southeast Scene
🐉

Dragon Season In Full Swing

Deals Gap is seeing its first real spring crowds. 318 curves in 11 miles. Best time: Tuesday through Thursday, first light. The Tennessee side's Foothills Parkway is a spectacular and crowd-free bonus loop on the same trip.

🌊

Thunder Beach — Final Call on Rooms

Panama City Beach, April 29–May 3. Hotels along the Emerald Coast are down to last inventory at reasonable rates. US-98 along the Gulf is one of the most satisfying rally-week rides anywhere. Book this week or pay surge pricing.

🎸

Loretta Lynn's Ranch

Tennessee Motorcycles & Music Revival, May 14–17 at Hurricane Mills, TN. Four days of national music acts, hill climbs, ADV trails, and camping on the grounds of a country music legend. A complete long-weekend experience from Atlanta.

📬

Send Us Your Events

Four issues in and the Red Line calendar keeps growing. If your club, chapter, or dealership has a ride, poker run, swap meet, or bike night happening in Georgia or the Southeast — send it in. This newsletter is built by this community.

✦ Southeast Radar — Full Calendar
GA
Mar 28
Atlanta H-D Weekend

Harleys After Dark (eve, RSVP) + Roadside Workshop (11:45 AM). Lithia Springs.

GA
Apr 4–5
Easter Weekend Riding

Mountains open, roads busy. Go early Saturday. Ellijay and Warwoman are your alternatives.

GA
Apr 17–19
MotoAmerica — Road Atlanta

Braselton. Six classes. Fan Laps. Camping. VIP suites. 22 days out — book now.

FL
Apr 24–26
Leesburg BikeFest

Free admission. 30 downtown blocks. 60+ bands. Best value rally in the country.

GA
Apr 24–26
North Georgia Classic

Dillard, Rabun County. MSTA opener. Mountain riding. All welcome. ridemsta-ga.com.

FL
Apr 29–May 3
Thunder Beach Spring Rally

Panama City Beach. Book hotels now. Gulf Coast moto party.

TN
May 14–17
TN Motorcycles & Music Revival

Loretta Lynn's Ranch, Hurricane Mills. Music, hill climbs, ADV trails, camping.

GA
May 23
Brave & Bold Vet Motor Show

McDonough. Veteran motorcycle and military vehicle show. Red Line will be there.

GA
May 29
Riding 22 States — Buford

Gwinnett County. Veteran suicide awareness. Georgia stop. Show up.

✦ Until Monday

Issue No. 4 in the books. Tonight — Atlanta H-D, free dinner, go connect with the community. Saturday morning — the Roadside Workshop. Saturday afternoon and Sunday — your call, but the mountains are clean and the window is open.

Three weeks to Road Atlanta. If you're going, get your camping booked this weekend. If you're racing, the entry window closed today — get that submission in before midnight.

Much love to everyone riding with Red Line. Keep sharing it. Keep sending events in. And as always — much love to you all.

Lawrence Johnson
Editor · Red Line · Atlanta, Georgia · Est. 2026

THREE WEEKS TO ROAD ATLANTA.
BOOK YOUR CAMPING.
FULL THROTTLE. NO APOLOGIES.

REDLINE FULL THROTTLE. NO APOLOGIES.