Damned pea metal: Again!

[Trade_nancy]

Day off on Friday - so took the wife on back of the Sprint over the Paraparas and on to Ohakune etc. Expected some detritus on a few corners - and it was not too bad really - right up to about 70% in from the Wonga end and we got a 75kph RH bend with loose metal on the apex. Knees in on my thighs - the missus - she felt the rear wheel skate out from under us...ahhhh....came back. For fuksake..how many more damned stoney, boney, dusty corners are ther out there (with no signs)?
Had another scary moment going through the desert road last month - another 75k corner and a case of gravel on that too....whooo...back on line - luckily as it was double laner and we had a truck on our LHS...in a slow traffic lane..but hell why don't they sweep the f'ing roads nowadays ? Used to see sweeping machines - on tractors back whenever. Today it seems they are not used. They spray shit on the surface and wait for vehicles to squish it down!
OK I 'm a chicken shit..(now). Too old for death.

[Grizzo]

Yep, I still got a starfish shaped bite mark in my seat from last weekend.
Doing some nice curvy stuff like Iv'e done plenty of times before, only to come across a change in surface mid corner. Talk about arse puckering.
The Tillies back end was floppin around all over the place.
Likewise,no fuckin signage!

[strandedinnz]

Yep, I still got a starfish shaped bite mark in my seat from last weekend.

That made me chuckle :-)

[cheshirecat]

Its the only country I've ridden in where a resurfaced road is worse than the original

[buggerit]

We used to take the piss out of the ministry of works but at least when they built a road it was generally a long lasting result and any repairs later(alot later!!!!) were well done. It gives me the shits when I see them ripping up one of the well built old roads that have started to get a few imperfections and create a patch thats 10 times worse 2 weeks later!!

[Asher]

I was muttering inside my helmet about this this afternoon also.
Seems like there is no standard either, some roads seem to have unchanging 30kmh zones for weeks while others seem to spawn unmarked repairs and gravel overnight

[ducatijim]

Its the only country I've ridden in where a resurfaced road is worse than the original

Big +1 there!!

[Mom]

Each time this happens, stop, take a photo and send it to your local council. They HAVE to do something about it if they are made aware of a problem. Most times they are delighted to be made aware of a problem as the contractors they employ are supposed to leave sites safe. Contractors face huge penalties for this sort of thing. The more times complaints are laid, the more times contractors are penalised the more times they will actually stop and give a shit about the condition they leave roads in.

Report shit road conditons!

[FJRider]

Report shit road conditons!

The road conditions as reported in post #1 would be more likely to be caused by truck and trailer units .... especially on the tighter corners. (the trailers take the short-cut and drags gravel out onto the road)

We all know such gravel is likely in the tight twisty main roads ... and reporting such is a waste of a phone call.

But it is your dime ...

As for the original post ... the back end wont step out much at 75 km/hr ... even with pea gravel on the road.

[98tls]

Jesus i thought this place was about motorcycling if ya dont like surprises buy an old VW and pack a lunchbox,made your arsehole pucker up and no doubt you felt the joy of clenched thighs round your waistnothing to complain about i reckon.

[Ocean1]

As for the original post ... the back end wont step out much at 75 km/hr ... even with pea gravel on the road.

Eh?

Better class of gravel down there mate?

[FJRider]

Eh?

Better class of gravel down there mate?

Most of us just don't pretend the twistys are our own personal pristine surfaced private race track.

And if gravel is found on some of the corners (as it often is) ... we don't take it as a personal insult.

[Woodman]

Most of us just don't pretend the twistys are our own personal pristine surfaced private race track.

And if gravel is found on some of the corners (as it often is) ... we don't take it as a personal insult.

Exactly right, and the MOW/Fulton Hogan etc are not Flag marshalls. There has been and always will be the odd bit of pea gravel on roads, if ya can't handle that, then sell ya bike and get a car.

[Trade_nancy]

Exactly right, and the MOW/Fulton Hogan etc are not Flag marshalls. There has been and always will be the odd bit of pea gravel on roads, if ya can't handle that, then sell ya bike and get a car.

Well I guess if you ride what features in your Avatar you might think like that Woodie. I too could sound like a clever clogged smart arse if I rode a trail/adventure bike over light gravel. Having said that - I have put my (now sold) trusty old CB750 over some solid lengthy areas of gravel on back roads at speed and know well how to get out the other end and have a good time of it.
But those of us with new road touring bikes with hard bags and pillion attached think differently and know better than you for sure what our bike to road limitations are.

[sugilite:Me]

Each time this happens, stop, take a photo and send it to your local council. They HAVE to do something about it if they are made aware of a problem. Most times they are delighted to be made aware of a problem as the contractors they employ are supposed to leave sites safe. Contractors face huge penalties for this sort of thing. The more times complaints are laid, the more times contractors are penalised the more times they will actually stop and give a shit about the condition they leave roads in.

Report shit road conditons!

A HUGE +1 on that! Over this way the contractors stopped coming back with road sweepers after dubious reseal jobs quite some time ago, and we don't have groups of KB riding legends to sweep the road for us. I've certainly lost the front and rear ends at 75 kph and below, hell I've had the front slip on me at half that speed on one particular corner. Sounds like it's back to riding skool for me

I have put my (now sold) trusty old CB750 over some solid lengthy areas of gravel on back roads at speed and know well how to get out the other end and have a good time of it.

WTF, you mean you have prior riding experience and skills picked up over the years? How on earth did our KB riding legends, psychics and members of the PPP (Pious Posting Perfectionists) miss that?

Mate, if you going to dare to post threads like this you need to at least do the following...
1. Give us an independently verified resume of your riding history.
2. Independently assessed and accredited skills list, both practical and written.
3. An on hands and knees count of said pea gravel per square meter, backed up with photographic evidence.
4. Measure said gravel with vernier calipers, and give an average on size.
5. A full report the rolling velocity of said pea gravel.
6. Speed test report in 5 kph increments on when the rear tyre will start to slide, and how far.
7. An 8 week study on just how that gravel may have got there, video evidence is expected. Needless to say, your report will be expected to be backed up with either forensic or KB approved psychic evidence.

But even then, the PPP gunna get ya!