South Island deep shingle roads, post your riding tips here.

[AlpinePossum]

Ok, let's face it. All the real interesting Roads on South Island have some really deep, shingle or gravel sections.

Post your survival tips here...

Here are mine (for what it's worth, flame me if I've got it wrong)... (Your flames will hurt less than a spill in the gravel, just so long as you tell me what the Right Answer is... :-) )

* Slow down.
* Choose a speed/gear that allows you to travel in the middle of your power band. Not chugging along near stalling, not revving high.
* No sudden moves with steering, power or brakes.
* Despite all panicky inclinations to grab those handlebars tight tight tight. DON'T. Relax those arms. Relax those shoulders. The front wheel will jig about a bit, let it and then recover. Trust to the stability of the bike.
* Grabbing the clutch is a Bad Idea. If you must change, get it over quick and smooth.
* Practice. Slow down even more (again choosing gearing as above) then (make sure road clear) weave from left to right across the road. Yes, over the big scary piles of shit in the middle. Sooner or later you are going to have to cross them anyway... so do it under slow controlled conditions first.
** If you point the front wheel at a small angle to the pile, the pile will just shovel the wheel off and your front wheel and you will be going different places.
** So turn before you hit the pile, and hit the edge of the pile at a fairly sharp angle.
** Coming out of the pile turn once your front wheel is on the car tracks and give a slightest burst of juice to kick you out of it.
* Keep two fingers on the front brakes... apart from being a Good Idea anyway... it allows for finer control of the throttle in a situation where everything is bouncing and wriggling like mad.
* When you start stuffing up.... Stop. Park the bike, switch off, lie down, close your eyes, rest and relax. You'll do hugely better on the next section.
* Add cornering in addition to the deep gravel, and the fact you really do not have the faintest idea what is around the next bend. A 4x4, a sheep, a log....
** So slower, emergency braking in deep shingle on a bend is, umm, awkward.
** Taking a racing line or delayed apexing means crossing the pile. Do you really want to be doing that? If you don't that means even slower cornering.
** If you do, don't forget the need to hit the edge of the pile at a sharpish angle.
** The inner edge on a lot of the mountain pass corners are either over banked or piled high with gravel or have a vicious ditch.
* It's never time to give up trying to recover. It may seem as if you are heading for a spill... keep trying to stay on. The bike is well engineered, it will probably right itself. You may shit yourself in the process... but thats OK.

[That looks like fun]

My bike is well engineered and will probably right itself Those clever Germans, zey zink of everythink
Wieght the outside peg, twist the throttle and pray, works some times

[inorganic]

those easy fast buggers on gravel ... are concentrating ... in an easy all encompassing way (zenlike?) ... but never lose concentration or toast is the outcome

[inorganic]

focus is the key!!

[NordieBoy]

Low tyre pressures help too...

This from one of todays roads...

[AlpinePossum]

those easy fast buggers on gravel ... are concentrating ... in an easy all encompassing way (zenlike?) ... but never lose concentration or toast is the outcome

Wandering thoughts will be punished more firmly and faster than being whacked by a Zen masters stick.

Which is why perhaps the most effective suggestion on my list is "when you're getting it wrong, stop, lie down and relax".

[AlpinePossum]

This from one of todays roads...

Sometimes I think those roading guys hate us or something. I must try that lower tire pressure idea. How much lower?

[AlpinePossum]

My bike is well engineered and will probably right itself Those clever Germans, zey zink of everythink

http://ruina.tam.cornell.edu/researc...stability.mpeg

Weight the outside peg, twist the throttle and pray, works some times

Hmm. I must practise that weight the outside peg one.

[CookMySock]

Racetech emulators would be really good on a surface like that. Set them quite soft.

Not often we strike that type of road surface up here. I did once, and how the hell I was upright at the end of it puzzles me - front wheel wanted to knife down deeply into it and duck and dive around.. Not amusing.

Steve

[bart]

You forgot to mention body position. I've found in all riding, using your body weight to your advantage helps heaps. Get you arse off the seat and move around a bit. Also lets the bike take the punishment, not your body.

[junkmanjoe]

like you face bart.....

[Padmei]

Get you arse off the seat and move around a bit.

Then put your hands in the air & wave them like you don't care?






DR riders... all you want to do is party party party

[bart]

like you face bart.....

Then put your hands in the air & wave them like you don't care?


DR riders... all you want to do is party party party

Raves aren't my thing. I was always more of a head banger.

[Moki]

Then put your hands in the air & wave them...

...yelling ... "hey look, no hands!!"

[NordieBoy]

Which is why perhaps the most effective suggestion on my list is "when you're getting it wrong, stop, lie down and relax".

Or else you will have an unexpected stop, lie down and relax