Riding on gravel roads

[Hijak]

So the long weekend is calling and the good weather seems to be sticking around for a bit so we can all get on two wheels.

My brothers going up to Tawharanui camping for the weekend and i was going to join him but ride my Hornet up there (as long as it's back from the garage in time)....

Problem: The last few k's to Tawharanui are all on an unsealed road, quite stoney, very dusty and a piece of piss and quite fun to drive in a car, but i'm sure on two wheels is very different.

Does anyone have any tips for riding on gravel roads or should it just be avoided if you don't have semi off road tyres etc.

Cheers

Jake

[firefighter]

a real important one.........since your going to be miles from anywhere......slooowww dowwwwnnnn, because if anything happens then it's going to take a long time for someone to reach you, and even longer if it takes a while for the next car to pass if you can't call for help yourself, other than that I ride in the "bro lines" or tracks made by cars.

[mstriumph]

good luck with it

gravel scares the daylights out of me .........

[xwhatsit]

should it just be avoided if you don't have semi off road tyres etc.

Certainly not! I thoroughly enjoy riding on gravel with my road bike. It's a right laugh -- you get to do things you can't do on tarmac with a 250, like powersliding and wheelspinning for protracted lengths of time and all kinds of fun things.

Biggest thing is to relax. The bike will move quite a bit underneath you -- the handlebars will waggle back and forth. Just let it, these small movements will occur but the bike (on the whole) keeps moving in the direction you pointed it in. Don't have a death grip on the handlebars.

Keep in a `rut'. Preferably the left-most wheeltrack, as lunatic 4WDs will come tearing round corners and you won't be able to get out of their way in a hurry.

Be smooth when cornering. Slow down well before the corner (it takes you a long while to stop), then keep the bike accelerating through the corner. It seems that as long as keep the power on, the front wheel is unlikely to lose traction. If the rear wheel kicks out, then hang it out and enjoy it

You can brake surprisingly well with the front brake. The weight transfer gives a lot of grip. Took me ages to learn to trust it. Just do it in a straight line.

Standing up on the pegs (should be easy with a Hornet, they've got normal pegs and quite high bars) can help on occasion. Experiment.

Have fun! I've seen a Hornet 250 do nasty shingle before, did quite nicely Relax and enjoy yourself.

[tri boy]

Take your time.
Relax.
Brake early, and in the wheel tracks. (actually, try and ride in the tracks as much as you can while learning).
Slow in, faster out of corners.
Grip the bars lightly.
Eyes up n looking for ruts, potholes etc.
Enjoy.

[jrandom]

What xwhatsit and triboy said.

Riding in gravel's great fun, even on a GSX1400.

Number one rule - stay steady on the gas. If you're putting power down and pointing the front wheel where you want to go, it's very unlikely that you'll fall off.

You just have to find a way of mentally switching to seeing your motorcycle as a giant mountainbike that you don't have to pedal.

[Rosie]

Slow down, and look where you want to go.

As well as everything else that has been said here:

On straights - put your weight back as far as you can, and hold onto the bars gently. The front wheel will wiggle around, but you'll keep going straight.

On corners - slide your weight right forward and hold onto the bars more firmly. Look where you want to go, and try and hold the bars moderately steady (they will still wiggle, but you want to stop the front from tucking in). The faster you go, the more weight you need over the front wheel to retain traction while you are turning.

[sweetp]

I am so with you on the not liking gravel thing. But had to do it on a ride a little while ago and the others gave me this little mantra - back brake only and if in doubt wheelie it out!

Relax and look forward to the arrival at the destination.

Have fun and ride safe

[homer]

once you get the feel for it ,its wicked fun .
i want another traill bike , a 600 650 i think ,
maybe a 400 dr even .
something to throw around the corners and that donuts easy .
a real fun bike .
question to anyone ?
will a 600 650 pull about 170 km 180 km
i want one that will

[mowgli]

Keep your eyes up. Don't get caught out staring at the road only a few meters beyond your front.

[ital916]

I learnt all those lessons the hard way when we rode through the gravel roads from hell on the way back from cape reinga. It's all true, look where you wanna go, the bike will move fuckloads, go with the flow and don't do what I did and slow down too much, cos then it all goes to poo.

[Subike]

shingle + 1100cc = fun
rear brake... more of,
roostertails, cages dont follow close...but watch out for your mate behind you
pot holes....dont try and swerve to avoid them, the result is worse than the bump.
tyres dont really matter what they are, as long as they not flat.
corrogations? stand on pegs and let the bike float

But most of all relax, if you fight the bike, it will bite...nasty

[Owl]

Keep left!!!

[homer]

shingle + 1100cc = fun
rear brake... more of,
roostertails, cages dont follow close...but watch out for your mate behind you
pot holes....dont try and swerve to avoid them, the result is worse than the bump.
tyres dont really matter what they are, as long as they not flat.
corrogations? stand on pegs and let the bike float

But most of all relax, if you fight the bike, it will bite...nasty

hell yeah, and just keep the throttle on
its wicked when your going slow and you want to go left and the wheels lock that direction but the rear still wants to go left as well
great stuff

[Taz]

Don't fear the gravel. You will still accomplish most of your braking using the front brake. Be smooth and treat it like a slippery wet road until you get a feel for it.