Around the corner in lean mode: GRAVEL Ahead!!!

tached1000rr · 12-12-2008, 09:26 PM

What's your tips/strategies for dealing with gravel once discovered as you are in mid turn and there's gravel just ahead or a series of decent sized rocks?

Trip · 12-12-2008, 09:28 PM

try to cut the corner so you can straighten up through the gravel section. Otherwise hold throttle steady and be smooth. That's why it's always best to do a scouting run before you start trying anything really aggressive.

OneSickPsycho · 12-12-2008, 11:50 PM

My method was to eat shit and get insurance to buy my bike for me. Worked out pretty well.

RCM78 · 12-13-2008, 06:01 PM

Every situation is different but I would say to straighten up and brake as hard as you can before you hit the gravel. You would need good instinctive braking skills to do this properly.

Flexin · 12-13-2008, 07:25 PM

I agree that every case is different. But if there has been some cars that drove over it after it was put on the road, then there is a good chance that you have a tire wide path thats some what clear. I have hit the same corner before to find it covered in gravel. Its a tight corner and the cars use the shoulder to get around. This covers the road. But the few that do stay on the road end up clearing a small path. I aim for that, stay calm and stay on the throttle. Worked for me. Both times I had a passenger. I think the first one noticed the gravel and went to sit up which started to take me out on my line. I had to lean in it more. I wanted to toss her in the ditch. The second passenger a few weeks later did what I said and just stayed with me. Both times I kept the rubber down so I was happy.

James

marko138 · 12-13-2008, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OneSickPsycho

My method was to eat shit and get insurance to buy my bike for me. Worked out pretty well.

Except that you don't become a better rider that way.

MikeSP1 · 12-14-2008, 06:45 AM

Every situation is different, but I agree with trip. Dig deep, cut the corner (but don't go off road), and stand her up before you hit the gravel. Try to slow down before you hit it if possible. And if you're not familiar with the road, DO NOT HAUL ASS. If you're gonna haul ass (i.e. knee down), scout it out first.

OneSickPsycho · 12-14-2008, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marko138

Except that you don't become a better rider that way.

Yeah, but I have cool scars now.

ceo012384 · 12-14-2008, 12:11 PM

If you're going to ride hard, scope out the road first.

Even under normal riding conditions it's usually the rider getting nervous and tightening up that causes the crash.

If the gravel is really thick and you're riding too fast, stand up the bike and brake if you have the time/space... if you don't, don't, otherwise you'll be essentially trailbraking and you'll wash the front like whoa. In that case just hang off the bike to get it upright and stay loose... chances are it will be fine.

No Worries · 12-15-2008, 12:42 AM

Except for today's snowstorm and -5 degrees, I had been riding between storms. Lookout Mountain's switchbacks are also steep. The plows that drop sand have to slow to 2 mph to get around them. The automatic sanders drop a ton of sand in these corners.

The snow melts quickly, but I wait until a bunch of cars have made tire tracks through the sand. So before each curve, I have to decide which tire track I want to be in. Even though I go slow, I lean heavily off the bike. This keeps the bike mostly upright. I'm also looking through the turn, but I glance down sometimes to make sure the tire is going where I want it.

I actually like the precise riding of staying in a tire track. It takes patience, finesse with the throttle and brakes, and a lot of leaning. I scout the road going uphill. Coming downhill is a lot harder because of the braking. But by the time I come down, I forgot where all the bad places were.

12-12-2008, 09:26 PM	#1
tached1000rr WERA White Plate Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: NC Moto: 2009 GSXR 1300 Posts: 2,448	Around the corner in lean mode: GRAVEL Ahead!!! What's your tips/strategies for dealing with gravel once discovered as you are in mid turn and there's gravel just ahead or a series of decent sized rocks?

12-13-2008, 06:01 PM	#4
RCM78 Slow Poke Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: NJ Moto: '05 R1 Posts: 61	Every situation is different but I would say to straighten up and brake as hard as you can before you hit the gravel. You would need good instinctive braking skills to do this properly. __________________ ---RCM78 '01 Valk '05 R1 TPM Coach #71 http://www.teampromotion.com

12-14-2008, 06:45 AM	#7
MikeSP1 Perpetual trouble Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: at the base of the Alps Moto: VTX 1300C, RC51, CBR600RR, CBR929RR Posts: 715	Every situation is different, but I agree with trip. Dig deep, cut the corner (but don't go off road), and stand her up before you hit the gravel. Try to slow down before you hit it if possible. And if you're not familiar with the road, DO NOT HAUL ASS. If you're gonna haul ass (i.e. knee down), scout it out first. __________________ "Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in one pretty and well preserved piece, but to skid across the line broadside, thoroughly used up, worn out, leaking oil, shouting GERONIMO!"

12-14-2008, 12:11 PM	#9
ceo012384 Pompous Prick Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: MA Moto: 06 R6 (race), 04 CRF Tard (race) Posts: 3,040	If you're going to ride hard, scope out the road first. Even under normal riding conditions it's usually the rider getting nervous and tightening up that causes the crash. If the gravel is really thick and you're riding too fast, stand up the bike and brake if you have the time/space... if you don't, don't, otherwise you'll be essentially trailbraking and you'll wash the front like whoa. In that case just hang off the bike to get it upright and stay loose... chances are it will be fine. __________________ LRRS/CCS #123 Boston Moto Dunlop Woodcraft 35 Motorsports Sidi Pit Bull K&N Filters

12-12-2008, 11:50 PM	#3
OneSickPsycho Ride Like an Asshole Join Date: Feb 2008 Moto: nothing... Posts: 11,254	My method was to eat shit and get insurance to buy my bike for me. Worked out pretty well.

12-13-2008, 07:25 PM	#5
Flexin AMA Supersport Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia Posts: 2,698	I agree that every case is different. But if there has been some cars that drove over it after it was put on the road, then there is a good chance that you have a tire wide path thats some what clear. I have hit the same corner before to find it covered in gravel. Its a tight corner and the cars use the shoulder to get around. This covers the road. But the few that do stay on the road end up clearing a small path. I aim for that, stay calm and stay on the throttle. Worked for me. Both times I had a passenger. I think the first one noticed the gravel and went to sit up which started to take me out on my line. I had to lean in it more. I wanted to toss her in the ditch. The second passenger a few weeks later did what I said and just stayed with me. Both times I kept the rubber down so I was happy. James

12-15-2008, 12:42 AM	#10
No Worries Keyboard Racer Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Mile High City Moto: Old Superbikes Posts: 1,016	Except for today's snowstorm and -5 degrees, I had been riding between storms. Lookout Mountain's switchbacks are also steep. The plows that drop sand have to slow to 2 mph to get around them. The automatic sanders drop a ton of sand in these corners. The snow melts quickly, but I wait until a bunch of cars have made tire tracks through the sand. So before each curve, I have to decide which tire track I want to be in. Even though I go slow, I lean heavily off the bike. This keeps the bike mostly upright. I'm also looking through the turn, but I glance down sometimes to make sure the tire is going where I want it. I actually like the precise riding of staying in a tire track. It takes patience, finesse with the throttle and brakes, and a lot of leaning. I scout the road going uphill. Coming downhill is a lot harder because of the braking. But by the time I come down, I forgot where all the bad places were.