Beware of Gravel

[twigginton]

Well, after putting 1400 miles on my GZ I managed to drop it at the end of downhill paved driveway. Stopped to enter the highway, and the driveway had some accumulated gravel at the end of it next to the highway. My front wheel must have locked up in the gravel and down she went. I never saw it coming. Luckily I had no damage to anything other than my pride. I did a quick look around to see if anyone saw me fall, picked it up and got out of there. My footpeg, saddlebag and windshield took all the fall, along with my ankle...

Just wanted to let others know to watch out for that gravel. :??:

[Jer]

I've been reading about the dangers of gravel, sand, and other menaces. Is it primarily when braking and turning that these are a problem.

If you maintain speed and don't make any direction changes is it usually safe to cross these patches???

[Sarris]

The deal with gravel is don't make any sudden moves, slow down without braking, and try not to lean/turn while in it. I personally think it's alot more dangerous than wet roads. Also, don't panic, you're more likely to screw up if you're tense and gorilla gripping the bike.

:skull:

[Jer]

If you just roll across it though you needn't panic?

Is that kind of the thing with all these tricky surfaces?

[Sarris]

Panicing and therefore gorilla gripping the bike leads to choppy riding motions, so just roll on through. Just be cautious not terrified.

:2tup:

[Jer]

great, thanks!

[Easy Rider]

If you maintain speed and don't make any direction changes is it usually safe to cross these patches???

Yes. If you don't notice it in time, there is not much of an alternative. Ride it out.
This might tend to indicate, however, that you are not looking far enough down the road.

[Jer]

Sure, avoiding it if possible is the best choice. But if you have to cross it, go straight with no sudden changes in speed.

[Jer]

Rode on a dirt/gravel road over lunch today.

By accident. BUt since I needed some practice on it I kept going instead of turning around.

Lots of hills. Gentle turns. Lots of surface types. Hat to be a grade B service road or not much more than that.

Kept it at 20mph or so. Felt 100% in control. Just kept it on the hardest packed parts. And looked further ahead so I wasnt zoning in on all the rocks and thus hitting them.

No problems.

Thanks for the help!

[alanmcorcoran]

It's just like driving in snow.

[Jenny]

There's a dirt bike course about 1 1/2 hours from me. I'm thinking of signing up for it next year. When I was looking at getting my license, I read a few blog posts by men who had been riding motorcycles for years. They decided to take a dirt biking course for more info on riding on gravel. Both of the blog posts said that they assumed they'd go in knowing just about everything and were amazed at how little they knew and how much they learned. Neither does dirt biking, but they say that the experience they gained on how to handle gravel was invaluable.

[Jer]

Thats a good idea!

[Water Warrior 2]

Well, after putting 1400 miles on my GZ I managed to drop it at the end of downhill paved driveway. Stopped to enter the highway, and the driveway had some accumulated gravel at the end of it next to the highway. My front wheel must have locked up in the gravel and down she went. I never saw it coming. Luckily I had no damage to anything other than my pride. I did a quick look around to see if anyone saw me fall, picked it up and got out of there. My footpeg, saddlebag and windshield took all the fall, along with my ankle...

Just wanted to let others know to watch out for that gravel. :??:

Glad to hear you didn't get bit too hard. Don't use the front brake for your final few feet of coming to a stop. Use the rear brake and only put your left foot down. This is the proper and safest way to stop. Practice this and soon it will be automatic at every stop. It also allows the smoothest stops with no front end bounce or wobble. I always enjoyed the power of a front brake and relied on it almost exclusively. 50 years after my first ride on a bike I finally got it right.

[twigginton]

Thanks for the tips. I am going to practice what Water Warrior said for the final portion of the stop. I realize now that I have been relying on almost all front brake for stopping.

[Water Warrior 2]

Thanks for the tips. I am going to practice what Water Warrior said for the final portion of the stop. I realize now that I have been relying on almost all front brake for stopping.
It makes for an overall smoother stop on any surface and it is in the training course and Proficient Motorcycling.

[MYPONY]

Gravel Is Evil!!! When I had 1,400 on Sparky... I dropped him-Oh Noooo!!!! 1st gear, right turn, slight downhill, going from pavement to an alley with a gravel parking area along alley. Little groove between alley & parking area, don't think I turned quite as far as I should, back tire sorta 'cross-rutted' ? just 'Toinked over' onto the R side. Turned Sparky off, thought about lifting him...ran in my friends house asking for Aaron. I dropped my baby-couldn't bear doing more damage attempting my first lift in gravel, uphill, Aaron did it :)

Bent turn signal back into place. Two little scratches at the end of the pipe (won't buff out), handlebar end (removed, sanded, painted-pretty again). Tiny barely there scratch on mirror & fender...gouged into the paint/plastic, only a half inch long but...hey now I have a reason for a chrome fender tip I always wanted ('chrome' decal ok for now).

Gravel Is Evil!!!

[mrlmd1]

Moving forward, front wheel turned to the side, front brake applied - bike will go down almost every time, gravel or not.
Don't only blame the gravel, it didn't knock the bike over.

When your front wheel "locked" or skidded, it must have turned sideways a little, if it was straight ahead, the bike should not have fallen over to the side. If you had let off the front brake, maybe you would have recovered and you could have ridden through it, or stopped as WW said, with the rear brake.
Be on the lookout for road hazards and slippery surfaces ahead and slow down before you get there, then just ride straight ahead through them.

[RamAir]

HAHAHA Ok Ill share my two storys and what worked for me.

Was at my grandparents cottage. mother and I took the bike out. I wanted to take the seenic rout. Forgot that is was like 10mins or more of gravile ad hard hard sandy read way. And even had a hill that turns. I kept it at about 40KPH not miles lol and when we got to the hill man it was scary going up. But having someone on the back did give me better tracktion on the way up. Anywho after 10 or 15min of gravil (cuz I was going slowly) it ended. So I showed my mom what black beauty can do and really opened he up on paved road!! Then On the way back I was not thinking and went the same way :poke2: Again drivin on the road was not that bad cuz I kept it stright but when it came to the down hill right turn with a stop sign at the bottum. I have never been so scared on the bike EVER! I dont mind falling and I have that one time on the grass and the bike show now grass is slippery even more so when you are trin to get some air off a hill, but thats another story :popcorn: , I would feel so bad if I fell so bad if I fall with someone on the back and even worse if it was my mom. (Plus se would kill me :lol: ) So I had both breaks on only to slow me down and not go any faster I did not lock them up and made the turn very gently. I tell you if I had to I could not stop. There was no cars so I slowly went threw the stop sign. But I tell you if you keep it slow and like everyone said dont make any suden moves. Cuz I know I could do that ride by myself easy. Our bikes are light so they dont really dig in when you turn. Just make the turn as wide and slow as you can. Long story short I kept it slow and gental used both brakes gently and I was fine!


Another time a friend and I were heading down a hill he told me it was a small road that got really turny so I was going a bike fast I think 40kph or so. it was kinda a steep hill. All road when we were gettiung to the part were he said the road forks he was telling me slowdown the road turns left. I oculd not see the turn off and could only see a right turn. he was like yo yo its a drive way. I did not care and was going way to fast to just stop. His driveway was gravil. So I hit the breaks outta fear locked both wheels up (only going about 30 or 40kph). Slid like 2 feet or so. Bike stated to lean over. My friend is about 6ish feet. So he put his leg down and stopped they bike from going down. My edvise. Ride around with a tall guy on the back to save the bike when needed!! :lol:

So bike stopped I asked him were is this other turn? We walk over to were he was pointing. IT WAS THE EDGE OF A CLIFF!!!!! THERE WAS NO MORE ROAD! I asked him have you gone thisway before. He said ya with my car just not this far down the road! :skull:


So always have a tall guy just dont listen to him!

[zenbutcher]

Well, after putting 1400 miles on my GZ I managed to drop it at the end of downhill paved driveway. Stopped to enter the highway, and the driveway had some accumulated gravel at the end of it next to the highway. My front wheel must have locked up in the gravel and down she went. I never saw it coming. Luckily I had no damage to anything other than my pride. I did a quick look around to see if anyone saw me fall, picked it up and got out of there. My footpeg, saddlebag and windshield took all the fall, along with my ankle...

Just wanted to let others know to watch out for that gravel. :??:

Glad to hear you didn't get bit too hard. Don't use the front brake for your final few feet of coming to a stop. Use the rear brake and only put your left foot down. This is the proper and safest way to stop. Practice this and soon it will be automatic at every stop. It also allows the smoothest stops with no front end bounce or wobble. I always enjoyed the power of a front brake and relied on it almost exclusively. 50 years after my first ride on a bike I finally got it right.

I'm a novice rider, but this was a key point for me to learn. I read on a website (listed below), that you basically should not use the front brake under 5-10 mph.

Here's a snippet of the article: "AVOID using the front brake at all costs when riding at parking lot speeds, as applying the front brake at 5 or 10mph with the handle bars turned even slightly, will pull you to the ground like a magnet."

Believe me, I learned this the hard way, and, thus, have a few scratches on my front brake lever, exhaust pipe, and front fender.

website: http://www.ridemyown.com/articles/ridin ... peed.shtml (http://www.ridemyown.com/articles/riding/BTB-slowspeed.shtml)

To give proper credit, the guy who wrote that article is Jerry Paladino and I heard about him from either this forum, or the yahoo GZ250 group, I believe. I learned a lot just by reading his articles, but he offers books and videos as well. Here is his website: http://www.ridelikeapro.com/

[Water Warrior 2]

Zenbutcher, the author is very correct stating no front brake at low speeds. In Proficient Motorcycling there is a very excellant explaination of the forces involved when using the front brake. Modern front disc brakes are wonderful but also need to be used with a little discretion at low speeds.

[zenbutcher]

Zenbutcher, the author is very correct stating no front brake at low speeds. In Proficient Motorcycling there is a very excellant explaination of the forces involved when using the front brake. Modern front disc brakes are wonderful but also need to be used with a little discretion at low speeds.

Hey, thanks, man! I keep hearing about this proficient motorcycling book. I guess I'll have to get it...

[Water Warrior 2]

Zenbutcher, the author is very correct stating no front brake at low speeds. In Proficient Motorcycling there is a very excellant explaination of the forces involved when using the front brake. Modern front disc brakes are wonderful but also need to be used with a little discretion at low speeds.

Hey, thanks, man! I keep hearing about this proficient motorcycling book. I guess I'll have to get it...
Proficient Motorcycling is the cheapest life insurance you will ever buy. And it will last a lifetime.

[alanmcorcoran]

Believe me, I learned this the hard way, and, thus, have a few scratches on my front brake lever, exhaust pipe, and front fender.

Me too. Went down going about 2 miles an hour when a guy turned left in front of me in our parking lot. It was a legal turn (there's no marked stop signs so it's a little technical as far as who has the right of way) but the surprise element caused me to instinctively grab the front brake as I was coming round the corner. Bad instinct! Was about 500 miles or so into my Strat. I set it down again a few months later when I got confused by a freeway onramp meter, but fortunately in both cases I had no injuries to myself, I had help picking it up, and all the bike suffered are some minor scratches. I always make sure I am upright and going straight before I use the front brake now and I consciously let go of it once I enter a turn.

[GeeZee250]

There are a couple of intersections on my road that have the usual bit of gravel in the middle. For the last few weeks I have been thinking of taking the big broom out as a public service and getting rid of that gravel. I think I will try to safely clean one this weekend and see how it goes.

[varangianknight]

Thanks water warrior and everyone else for their comment. i now realize that ive been leaning on the brake when im going slow. I thought that it should be an even distribution of braking when at slow speeds but i see now that at the 5-10 kmh speeds the braking should be be done mainly by the back brake.

[dieter33]

Slow WAY down and keep a steady pace and don't try to over correct; go with the flow. If it a REAL gravel road.....most people have never seen a real gravel road, It is not comfortable going more than 20 MPH for the beginners.....and with keeping my feet out too part of the time. And it is also on your bike's tire and the bike itself. Sometimes people get target fixated in a curve with debri at the apex or have the bike leaned over too much. Maybe on how they manage the bike.