Gravel riding?

[Hmmm]

I've ridden over a fair amount of gravel and other interesting roads over the years but always as a tourer with luggage and a pillion. Recently bought a DR650 to have a bit of fun by myself and have just been introduced to standing up I clearly have to readjust my foot/hand position and shift the controls downwards a little but the question I have is should I drop the footpegs or raise the bars? Clearly going to be easier to raise the bars but somehow I feel as though I need to be lower on the bike?? Is there a recommended stand up position which will then be adjusted to suit the individual. Advice please.

[thepom]

Raise the bars,.......and adjust controls to suit,when I first started gravel riding I never stood up but you have so much more control standing........

[Oscar]

I've been an off road rider since Moses was in short pants, and I never stand up when riding on gravel. I might get myself back on the seat in deep gravel or sand, so as to unweight the front, but standing up on gravel? Nah.

[ducatijim]

I've been an off road rider since Moses was in short pants, and I never stand up when riding on gravel. I might get myself back on the seat in deep gravel or sand, so as to unweight the front, but standing up on gravel? Nah.

+1, well said that man.

[Motu]

I've been an off road rider since Moses was in short pants, and I never stand up when riding on gravel. I might get myself back on the seat in deep gravel or sand, so as to unweight the front, but standing up on gravel? Nah.

I'm with Oscar too,I'll only stand up if the gravel road turns to some shit that's more off road than road. Check out flattrackers - you won't see them stand up when sideways at 160kph.

[Crasherfromwayback]

I've been an off road rider since Moses was in short pants, and I never stand up when riding on gravel. I might get myself back on the seat in deep gravel or sand, so as to unweight the front, but standing up on gravel? Nah.

I'm with Oscar too,I'll only stand up if the gravel road turns to some shit that's more off road than road. Check out flattrackers - you won't see them stand up when sideways at 160kph.

Stay seated!!!

[pete-blen]

I've been an off road rider since Moses was in short pants, and I never stand up when riding on gravel. I might get myself back on the seat in deep gravel or sand, so as to unweight the front, but standing up on gravel? Nah.

just got back into bikes after a long holiday...
seen the vids/ heard the talk....
tryed it..but it just dosn't feel right..
practice practice practice maybe ?..
Its good to give yer ass a rest from a hard seat..

keep yer ass on the seat till the bumps tell yer other wise..

[Box'a'bits]

Depends on the gravel, the bike & the tyres. Hardpack I sit. Anytime things get loose, or I struggle for front end grip, then I stand. Makes shifting weight around a hell of a lot easier. I ride a bigger bike, & its set up to make things comfortable for me to stand. I am not an aggressive rider.

I've noticed that when others that I ride with have experimented, & have then set up their bikes for standing, they tend to ride faster too.

Lower pegs, higher bars (& controls somewhat rotated forward), & a higher seat (to ease the transition from sitting to standing) all help.

[Padmei]

Ok that's pretty well sorted. Now ask about going real off road including water crossings & standing & sitting

[Night Falcon]

Standing or sitting depends on how fast you ride (Mark Coma stands a lot) what your riding on and how aggressive your pushing it. I like to stand alot cos I like to get the rear end of the 690 swinging like a drunk gogo dancer....hummm maybe thats why I go through so many rear tires but everyone likes their poridge cooked differently....single track stand where possible...except when overhanging tree branches forbid it

[Shewolf]

Ok that's pretty well sorted. Now ask about going real off road including water crossings & standing & sitting

[Box'a'bits]

Ok that's pretty well sorted. Now ask about going real off road including water crossings & standing & sitting

Okay. I'm going over to watch NordieBoys videos, to see if I can pick up some riding tips.

Have you ever noticed that when your riding goes to crap there's always a camera running?

[dino3310]

my fat arse is too heavy to stand so i stay seated till the bumps tell me to stand

[bart]

I almost always stand....until I get over 100kmh, when the wind makes you sit. Standing gives so much more control, and it's quicker to recover from a slide. With weight forward it's easier to control a slide also.

The only time I've found sitting better is with a new, agressive rear tyre. The foot sticky out method seems to work better because the back pushes the front around.

My 2c.

[Padmei]

OK gravel gurus.
On small bikes do you lean much on gravel or point with the front & shoot with the throttle?
Do you ride your smaller bikes differently from your big bikes?