Gravel is scary and terrible - how to navigate?

[scracha]

I popped round to see him on my TDM t'other day & loved the gravel even though the bike is well over 200kg's. It was comfortable at over 60kmh in places & drifted really well on the throttle. I was very suprised at how hard I could

2's up on about 20Km of unexpected gravel yesterday. Felt slow at 60kmh in 2nd, she's that stable. There is no better bike for NZ roads IMHO.

[marigami]

Well you should come to France where there are so much tiny roads (we should call them paths) in some areas which are regularly neraly every summer put some new gravel on...
Especially in places like mountains roads (Auvergne, Alps..).
In that case you'd better have a little grip at the rear (pillion is good!!) and have the right tyres.
Anyway do not try to move your handle every time. Sorry for my poor english,can't find the propoer word.
And I think keeping the speed rather low is better well on my bikes and with the bike my ex used to have (500 Honda).
We also found that, after riding in gravels, the best to actually clean the tyres was riding for a while in the grass.
Well it was our experience anyway.

[Lucy]

Wish I'd read this thread before yesterday. Just before National Park there was a big patch of really thick loose deep gravel. Nearly shat myself as the bike seemed to be sliding all over the place. Didn't fall off though, and I ended up going back over it (was about 500metres probably, seemed like 5ks) and riding over it again, to see if I was any better. No traffic around luckily, this stuff was deep, no tyre tracks to speak of, and thick ridges on the sides. Yuck I didn't like it, which is why I searched for tips and found this thread. I felt like I couldn't steer, and that I was going to wobble off. Keeping the speed up slightly seemed to help, but it was still scary.

[mister.koz]

Wish I'd read this thread before yesterday. Just before National Park there was a big patch of really thick loose deep gravel. Nearly shat myself as the bike seemed to be sliding all over the place. Didn't fall off though, and I ended up going back over it (was about 500metres probably, seemed like 5ks) and riding over it again, to see if I was any better. No traffic around luckily, this stuff was deep, no tyre tracks to speak of, and thick ridges on the sides. Yuck I didn't like it, which is why I searched for tips and found this thread. I felt like I couldn't steer, and that I was going to wobble off. Keeping the speed up slightly seemed to help, but it was still scary.

Yeah big wobbly gravel does suck... when the wheels feel more like plough's

I am glad you got through it and more than impressed that you went back over it to get a better feel for it!

[Lucy]

Yeah big wobbly gravel does suck... when the wheels feel more like plough's

I am glad you got through it and more than impressed that you went back over it to get a better feel for it!

Oh ta, well, it wasn't really by choice - I had passed a learner just at Owhango and after getting through myself I thought I'd better stick around to make sure they made it through ok, then I thought that if they did have trouble it would be before I could see them so went back. But they must have been on a practice pootle from Taumarunui cos they didn't show up. It did seem fairly random to see someone with a high vis vest, white helmet, L plate and no luggage out there on SH4.

[FROSTY:Me]

next time you find some loose stuff try focussing on staying relaxed. On gravel particualarly being stiff n tense makes matters heaps worse

[pc220]

Dont get put off by gravel roads. Some of the most interesting places i have stumbled upon have been at the arse end of nowhere down a gravel road. You will miss most of the best scenery if your limited to sealed roads only.

[Lucy]

next time you find some loose stuff try focussing on staying relaxed. On gravel particualarly being stiff n tense makes matters heaps worse

Yes! It's hard to force yourself to relax, but I managed it, which is pretty much the only reason I made it through.

[Lucy]

Dont get put off by gravel roads. Some of the most interesting places i have stumbled upon have been at the arse end of nowhere down a gravel road. You will miss most of the best scenery if your limited to sealed roads only.

I hope to ride a lot more gravel roads, (lot easier now I have a bike again ha ha), this just took me by surprise as it was so thick and big rocks too. And I was horrilby out of practice.