Road biker wants to overcome gravel & dirt allergies

[Eddieb]

Give it more gas.

​Really helpful aren't ya?

Not necessarily bad advice though. Most road riders, myself included when I started Adventure Riding, slow down so much when they get on gravel that the front wheel gets pushed around by the stones and ruts, where a bit more speed allows the wheel to roll over those instead. At low speed 5km/h in extra speed can make all the difference to the level of stability you have.

[george formby]

Not necessarily bad advice though. Most road riders, myself included when I started Adventure Riding, slow down so much when they get on gravel that the front wheel gets pushed around by the stones and ruts, where a bit more speed allows the wheel to roll over those instead. At low speed 5km/h in extra speed can make all the difference to the level of stability you have.

Yup, I did not want to go into detail but using the throttle is the hurdle I have had to jump on the TDM. LIght bikes are easy to kick up from a slide, big bikes are not, but a positive throttle keeps the bike on line & feeling stable. Works exactly the same going down hill but that is another head game. As somebody has already posted, my biggest fear on our narrow, twisty & steep roads is other traffic, the Norfland Naughty Drift crew. This dictates my speed far more than the bike I'm riding.
A mate has a Fireblade & an ST 1300 and he lives at the end of a gravel road, you just got to get the technique & get out there.

[Devil]

Felix if you find somewhere to go (errr and have a trailer), you can borrow my KTM 200EXC. Its not road legal. I have all protective gear too that you can use.
Catch is you might have to bring me too so I can have a turn. Haven't been out for aaaages and i wouldn't mind having somewhere to go other than the sand at woodhill.

[cave weta]

click my sig for dirt bike deals....

[DEATH_INC.]

The music relaxed me & made my riding style not so nervous.

That is the answer right there. Dirt/gravel/sand etc requires you to be loose and relaxed. The bike MUST be able to move around. The more nervous and tense you are the worse it'll be. I can almost guarantee this is why you crashed.

I've punted a FZR thou around a dirt track on road tyres fast enough to keep up with a reasonably capable rider on a trailee, had My ZX12 over 200kph 2 up on a gravel road etc etc.

Roadbikes can do it, you just have to trust them.

[Zapf]

I can almost guarantee this is why you crashed.

Agreed....

I have seen a Gsxr1000 2 up in the Waikaremoana's.

Currently seeking the path to the skillzzzz!

[caspernz]

Give it more gas.

If in doubt, add power

[BMWST?]

you need to give it a go...bikes with bigger front wheels are bettter.In the old days i used to go absolutely anywhere on my 19 in front wheeled UJMs...You need to pick the line with the least gravel on it,use the throttle to negotiate thicker bits(say crossing the centre built up bit) but keep the speed under control,keep well left ,if you have to stop be careful with the front brake if the wheels are on gravel .If you are on a clean bit even a road tyre(in the dry) will give you lots of grip so you can brake quite hard if you want.

[_Shrek_]

An experienced road biker needs / wants to over come gravel / dirt allergie. (every time I fell off my road bike was due to gravel)

How?

Buy a 250cc dirt bike and get coaching?

Anyone know of any good coachs in Auckland area?


Thanks

there will be off road riders close to you, go into the adventure forum & start a thread, if you're not overly big a 250 trail bike would be ideal for you,

just so happens Off-spring is selling his XLR250 (road legal) $2400 has just over 13k on it

[nzspokes]

Come borrow my XR200 sometime. Its a little lacking in the power and front brake department but goes ok. Find a farm and go have fun. I just need to put the fuel line back on and get a wof for the trailer.

Its not like you could make it look worse than it already is......

[bluninja]

That is the answer right there. Dirt/gravel/sand etc requires you to be loose and relaxed. The bike MUST be able to move around. The more nervous and tense you are the worse it'll be. I can almost guarantee this is why you crashed.

I've punted a FZR thou around a dirt track on road tyres fast enough to keep up with a reasonably capable rider on a trailee, had My ZX12 over 200kph 2 up on a gravel road etc etc.

Roadbikes can do it, you just have to trust them.

Hmmmm I understand the message but it doesn't work too well for me in RL....perhaps I'm not trusting enough I have 2 fears about gravel riding...1) that it will suddenly become 60cms deep with boulders instead of gravel 2) Some eejit is coming the other way in a ute drifting sideways at 150 on a single lane track.

I did a little grass tracking and broke a rib, had my RSVR rear tyre ripped halfway through the gravel road at Whangamomona and been on rides across short gravel roads with other road bikes that have fallen off around me. That, and my lack of riding off road or gravel probably doesn't help. No problem riding round the garden, or 50-60 on a hard packed gravel road, but avoid anything that looks deep gravel (eg the far end of Tarata road heading to Taumaranui).

Seems a shame now to have a capable all rounder and miss out on gravel and off road trips due to the lack of skills and experience. Still with all the road works on SH3 now I'm getting lost of short practice runs on different gravel and hardcore sizes