Slippery roads

**haydes55** · 18th May 2013, 19:12

I've always been fairly confident in the rain. But in the last few weeks I've been through a couple of roads that even my lil bike spun up the rear wheel.

It's that shiny tar! The first instance was at a T intersection, the back wheel was locking up under downshifting/braking (very slow braking without even touching the front brake). When I took off slowly the back wheel suddenly broke traction and I entered the road sideway. Fun and scarey all in one.

The second instance was this arvo coming from Bombay up the hill towards Pukekohe, I was overtaking a few cars before the yellow lines, as I turned back into my lane the rear wheel skidded out to the right then in my lane it skidded out to the left. Heart racing!

I'm thinking my rear tire hasn't got as much wet grip as my old one

**boman** · 18th May 2013, 21:17

Originally Posted by haydes55

I've always been fairly confident in the rain. But in the last few weeks I've been through a couple of roads that even my lil bike spun up the rear wheel.

It's that shiny tar! The first instance was at a T intersection, the back wheel was locking up under downshifting/braking (very slow braking without even touching the front brake). When I took off slowly the back wheel suddenly broke traction and I entered the road sideway. Fun and scarey all in one.

The second instance was this arvo coming from Bombay up the hill towards Pukekohe, I was overtaking a few cars before the yellow lines, as I turned back into my lane the rear wheel skidded out to the right then in my lane it skidded out to the left. Heart racing!

I'm thinking my rear tire hasn't got as much wet grip as my old one

FWIW, I think the long hot summer, has fucked the road surface. There are plenty of places around Franklin, which are very, very slippery now.
I jumped on the ABS brakes in my Ute. Doing 100kph as a test , a few days ago, and got a skid on the shiny stuff. Even the ABS couldn't help.

It is slowly becoming a danger riding in the wet. Until the Mighty super city

decides to reseal some roads. Which is unlikely, as the fun roads, are the back roads.

**Rhys** · 18th May 2013, 23:27

Is you new tyre duel compound?

I agree that the road surfaces are not the best, but the reality is that it's not going to improve any time soon

So ride to your ability and the conditions

**haydes55** · 19th May 2013, 07:45

Na single compound, if it was a dual compound it would of been the issue, because both times would of occurred on the harder central compound.

Yea blardy gubermint!!!!

Shiny side up, even on the shiny stuff!

**swbarnett** · 19th May 2013, 09:34

Originally Posted by haydes55

The second instance was this arvo coming from Bombay up the hill towards Pukekohe, I was overtaking a few cars before the yellow lines, as I turned back into my lane the rear wheel skidded out to the right then in my lane it skidded out to the left. Heart racing!

I travel that stretch of road daily. Last week I had exactly the same thing happen in exactly the same spot. I had just wound open the throttle at the time. Instinctual closing of the throttle got the rear to re-grip and all was back tonormal. The funny thing is that it didn't worry me at all. I've had the back skip out enough times over the last few decades (tyres in the '80s didn't have the grip they do today) that I'm kind of used to it.

Originally Posted by haydes55

I'm thinking my rear tire hasn't got as much wet grip as my old one

I'm with boman. I think the major factor is that we're now getting a lot of rain after a long dry spell. All the oils that accumulate in the dry roads are coming to the surface.

**Maha** · 19th May 2013, 09:43

Originally Posted by swbarnett

I'm with boman. I think the major factor is that we're now getting a lot of rain after a long dry spell. All the oils that accumulate in the dry roads are coming to the surface.

Absolutely correct.....long sunny dry followed by sudden wet=OMG!
Add the seasonal pine needle fall into the scenario and things can go tits up real quick.

**Brayden** · 20th May 2013, 07:01

Bro that black tar is slippery as fuck I had a low speed low side under slow light braking just as you mentioned. It wasn't even raining just a litle bit of morning dew on a Sunny morning was enough to make it lethal.. Watch that black tar aye

**duckonin** · 20th May 2013, 09:35

You have identified the problem, 'black tar' = slip. So now you can handle it. Take care in the rain or for that matter anytime.

**Tigadee** · 21st May 2013, 11:00

**GazzaH** · 8th March 2017, 19:23

Originally Posted by Tigadee

Useful vid that, thanks for the link.

Now to find out how to ride safely down a wet gravel track covered in pine cones, pine needles, pine branches and worn out tree fellers ...

**BMWST?** · 8th March 2017, 21:01

Originally Posted by GazzaH

Useful vid that, thanks for the link.

Now to find out how to ride safely down a wet gravel track covered in pine cones, pine needles, pine branches and worn out tree fellers ...

as above but with even more gradual inputs

**mossy1200** · 8th March 2017, 21:27

Originally Posted by haydes55

Na single compound, if it was a dual compound it would of been the issue, because both times would of occurred on the harder central compound.

Isnt it the centre is about the same and the outer is softer but everything would be brand and model dependent.

High silica and plenty of well designed groves is the key but you trade one quality to get another.
You want to try pushing some super corsa sp tyres in the wet.

**russd7** · 18th March 2017, 15:36

been happening for years, i remember back in about 01 on a trip up north and riding the desert road in torrential rain and having the rear wheel spin up just cruising, then a couple of year ago while passing a truck in rain and lighting the rear up half way past, few other times on lesser scales but it happens

**madbikeboy** · 19th March 2017, 11:44

Lane position also helps with this.

If you're following the tyre track of the cars (either left or right track depending on the traffic around you and escape room / need to project presence), then there will likely be less oil and diesel. Obviously, the centre of the lane, right under the centre of vehicles, will accumulate more diesel and petrol. As soon as it rains for the first time in a few days or even weeks (not likely in Auckland I guess), then that slippery stuff will rise to the surface.

What difference does it make in the real world? Well, on my GSXR, I can crack open the throttle just a little going up the Auckland Hubba bridge and in the centre of the lane, it'll just wheel spin for as long as I want. In either lane, not as much.

Clearly, tar snakes, metal grates, man hole covers etc are to be avoided - or crossed with near zero lean or turn angle.

Now, to put this in perspective. If I poured 10 litres of diesel on a polished concrete floor, you wouldn't be able to walk across it. Even a litre of petrol and a bunch of water is still slippery as all hell. You can often smell spilled diesel before you hit it. And you can almost always see the rainbow on the street. Treat it like dealing with a PMS infected mad cow - no sudden moves, and exit gently before you get hurt.

PS - sorry if this is sounding like I'm telling experienced riders to suck eggs. This is aimed instead at the noobs who will read this long after we've forgotten.
PPS - learn to ride a MX bike, get comfortable with the back of the bike moving around. Sliding is fun. Drifting in cars is for assholes who can't ride.