How hard will I find gravel on my GSX-R?

[jonnyk5614]

I've ridden a lot of gravel in Vietnam but pretty rarely in Auckland (there isn't really any!).

Vietnam was pretty much a farm bike. The Gixxer thou is a bit different....


Will I get in any major trouble tackling good gravel (I want to do the Forgotten World Highway).

Cheers

[Ender EnZed]

You'll be fine. The Forgotten World Highway isn't gravel for long and it's usually in good condition.

Big wide road rubber is always going to feel a bit shit on gravel but it's not that bad with a bit of confidence. Keep the speed up high enough that you don't need to use first gear.

[pritch]

There is only about 12K of gravel in the Tangarakau Gorge. Unless the grader has just been through it'll be more like hard dirt, you should be fine. If you are heading south don't have a dark visor down when you enter the tunnel.

The main thing throughout the whole SH43 journey is to stay on your own side of the road and the advisory speed signs that say 15 or 20kph actually mean it.

[jonnyk5614]

Cheers guys

Generally speaking, if it is a legit road and I take it easy, I won't actually get stuck on gravel in NZ?

[jonnyk5614]

And I'm guessing 90 mile beach really is a No no.....

[Ender EnZed]

And I'm guessing 90 mile beach really is a No no.....

I'd give it a go on someone else's GSXR1000. Probably not my own.

[haydes55]

Gravel, hard packed sand, grass are fine on any bike.... If you have enough skill you could take a GSXR1000 over some sand dunes.

90 mile beach, take it easy, no worries. Just make sure you wash the bike thoroughly afterwards.

Forgotten worlds highway.... Peice of piss. The bigger issue is gravel on the corners that shouldn't be gravel, and the sections of tarmac being replaced with straight tar.

Sent from my HTC Desire 310 using Tapatalk

[mossy1200]

Stress less.:wait:

[Gremlin]

Gravel roads aren't like sealed roads. They can be anything from hard packed (where it's easy to do 100+), to the grader has been through and it's like riding on marbles, to they've laid down a fresh layer and you should put your togs on coz you're going swimming <_<

Hard pack, easy on the GSXR. Grader has just been, you're probably going to struggle. Fresh layer... hahaha you better know what you're doing :laugh:

Your skill/experience will make up a big component, and it's not like you're the first to do it.

I would suggest a radiator guard if you're going to get all keen about it, but realistically, just buy an adventure bike and go anywhere... cheaper when you drop it.

[Voltaire]

I've ridden a lot of gravel in Vietnam but pretty rarely in Auckland (there isn't really any!).

Vietnam was pretty much a farm bike. The Gixxer thou is a bit different....


Will I get in any major trouble tackling good gravel (I want to do the Forgotten World Highway).

Cheers

Vietnam...home of the Honda 150 :woohoo:, quite a bit of gravel in Auckland now taking in the Kaipara.

[Paul in NZ]

How hard will you find it? Pretty bloody hard if you fall on it ... But yes - take it easy... You will be fine

[BMWST?]

sh 43 is like....its forgotten,you will almost certainly round a corner to find rocks in the middle of the road.The gravel bit is pretty clean at the moment(queens birthday weekend) I would imagine that bit could be a bit slippery in the wet.There are plenty of wild goats too Some awesome views and history abound.I think there is a waterfall worth looking at very near the moki tunnel

[FJRider]

And I'm guessing 90 mile beach really is a No no.....

Why ... ?????????????????????????????????????????

[FJRider]

I'd give it a go on someone else's GSXR1000. Probably not my own.

Salt is good for the body .. not for the bike. Pick your track below high tide level ... and few issues should remain.

But it is better on somebody else's bike ... ;)

[jonnyk5614]

Vietnam...home of the Honda 150 :woohoo:, quite a bit of gravel in Auckland now taking in the Kaipara.

150! The 150s get rented out as "big bike".

My 107cc air-cooled, single cylinder, copy of a Honda Win on the other hand .... that was awesome!

[jonnyk5614]

Gravel roads aren't like sealed roads. They can be anything from hard packed (where it's easy to do 100+), to the grader has been through and it's like riding on marbles, to they've laid down a fresh layer and you should put your togs on coz you're going swimming <_<

Hard pack, easy on the GSXR. Grader has just been, you're probably going to struggle. Fresh layer... hahaha you better know what you're doing :laugh:

Your skill/experience will make up a big component, and it's not like you're the first to do it.

I would suggest a radiator guard if you're going to get all keen about it, but realistically, just buy an adventure bike and go anywhere... cheaper when you drop it.

Cool - thanks for that. And yeah, bike came with a rad guard - a red one! That must make it go faster :)

I love gixxer life, just trying to gauge how adventurous my "touring" can get.
My kiwi gravel driving has been limited to carpark access roads ...

I'll get an adventure bike one day though :D

[Katman]

If you are heading south don't have a dark visor down when you enter the tunnel.

+1 to this.

After riding for a while in bright sunshine it's very easy to forget that you're looking through a full tint visor.

I rode into the tunnel and shit myself for a second or two before thinking to flick my visor up.

[pritch]

I rode into the tunnel and shit myself for a second or two before thinking to flick my visor up.

It's compounded by the fact that the tunnel slopes from one end to t'other so you can be looking at the roof or the floor (either way it's almost total blackness) depending which way you are travelling until you make the necessary adjustment to watch the proverbial "light at the end of the tunnel".

One of the locals out there, a BMW rider, once had to rescue another BMW rider who had dumped his bike in the tunnel.

[caspernz]

Cool - thanks for that. And yeah, bike came with a rad guard - a red one! That must make it go faster :)

I love gixxer life, just trying to gauge how adventurous my "touring" can get.
My kiwi gravel driving has been limited to carpark access roads ...

I'll get an adventure bike one day though :D

Well, the Forgotten World Highway is fine with a big sporty, on the Busa the gravel section isn't ideal but it's doable.

[SVboy]

I took my FZ1 through there in April, complete with wife and pack. No worries, road nicely formed( then) and the road from the pub through to Stratford was simply so much fun.

[mulletman]

More mud than gravel but funny as

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqgEl53x7CM

[puddytat]

Keep to the cleaner swept bits that vehicles make & if you do drift out into the Marbles, keep the power on!!
If you go "Oh fuck" & button off...chances are you'll run straight on or you'll lose the front.
When I say keep the power on, I mean nice & steady.
Not drop it down a gear & take it to redline, although if all else fails you could try that:yes:

[Autech]

I wrote my gixxer off on some gravel. Was just a patch on a sealed road though lol.

Sounding like you will be alright though, there's a good video on youtube of a guy taking his gixxer through a offroad (muddy bog) course in the UK. Great laugh

[george formby]

I wrote my gixxer off on some gravel. Was just a patch on a sealed road though lol.

Sounding like you will be alright though, there's a good video on youtube of a guy taking his gixxer through a offroad (muddy bog) course in the UK. Great laugh

Yesssss, Baron Von Grumble (https://youtu.be/CqgEl53x7CM)

I'm all for doing inappropriate things on bikes, but...

[awa355]

On many back roads the gravel can be in better shape than some poorly maintained sealed roads. If you pull up on the gravel section just dont park on top of a rotton possum carcase like I did. :( Corrugations on the downhill left hand corners can be unsettling on a small front wheel. From memory I think the Tangarakau gorge is mostly flat.

313002

[Moi]

utubery is your friend...

from the stable of fine films by a KBer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnVZgooNk7o

and from the same stable of fine films...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWbGjAtNq3I

and a couple more from another biker...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCFmP9_R1Vo


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdtMfYhhU80

The biggest issue was not the gravel section but the locals "you know the road"...

[Runty]

313085I went through there on a CBR1000 loaded with pack etc about 2 months ago - no dramas at all - just keep enough speed on so you float over as many of the ruts as possible..Tarseal parts are great (in the dry) - obviously you'll get smacked about a bit by the broken surface at times but my ancient wrists handled it ok

Sent from my communicator - Beam me outta here Scotty

[Banditbandit]

It's compounded by the fact that the tunnel slopes from one end to t'other so you can be looking at the roof or the floor (either way it's almost total blackness) depending which way you are travelling until you make the necessary adjustment to watch the proverbial "light at the end of the tunnel".

One of the locals out there, a BMW rider, once had to rescue another BMW rider who had dumped his bike in the tunnel.

Yeah - I had to pick up a mate who dropped his bike in the tunnal and broke his wrist ...


I took my FZ1 through there in April, complete with wife and pack. No worries, road nicely formed( then) and the road from the pub through to Stratford was simply so much fun.

Watch that road at this time of year if it is damp. last time I was there there was moss and lichen growing out of the seal and the corners were very slippery .. take care and you'll be fine ..

[jonnyk5614]

Well haven't been down to the forgotten yet, but following my Northland road trip last week, it turns out a Gixxer is absolutely find on Sand, Gravel, Mud and the Te Paki stream on 90 mile beach!

[Waihou Thumper]

And I'm guessing 90 mile beach really is a No no.....

Beach is fine, it's the stream at the top that might trap ya! :eek5:

[jonnyk5614]

Beach is fine, it's the stream at the top that might trap ya! :eek5:

Nah - piece of piss :D