What would you do in this situation?

[cincybuelltp]

Ok, so I wouldn't call myself a new rider but it's been about 8 yrs since my last bike. I picked up a xb12 a few weeks ago and also just to make sure I don't keep any bad habits I've already attended the MSF course. Anyway years ago I had a front tire slide out in gravel bascially because of lack of experience and just a little to much speed on the right hand turn. Anyway my question is just the other day I was on a ride on the buell and while on a two lane road (35mph zone) I was going to make a left hand turn on a side road, anyway I'm familar with this intersection and knew there was fine gravel around the turn, so even knowing this I took the turn slow, mind you there was no on coming traffic so I was in no rush or anything and during my turn once I got on to the side road my front tire had to go through just a small amount of loose sand/gravel about 8 inches wide and I was shock/scared when the front tire slid about 3-5 inches. Didn't go down but it really shocked me. I was even expecting the gravel and it still happend. I don't think my speed was a factor. After that happened I even turned around and came back to that very spot and looked at it and really couldn't figure out how that could have happened. Only thing is maybe I was setup a little to far in the left part of the lane before I turned and my lean was just a bit much. Not sure but my question to everyone is how do you or would you have dealt with this situation?

 

[cincybuelltp]

Oh, forgot to add, if turning left from a 35mph zone to a back road that's 35 and the turn is a perfect 90* turn what kind of speed do most of you take the turn at? Obviously depends on road conditions and I'm sure extra slow when sand or gravel is there.

 

[dave_xb12r]

I always go really slow around corners that I question their cleanliness. You just never know when it will slide. Tire type is a factor, and air pressure is a big factor. I run around at about 32lbs all the time(unless I'm doing a long straight ride)

Having faith in your tires is a big contributing factor as well. Normally, when you're nervous and you doubt your tires or bike(or yourself), you'll end up having more problems than you would if you have full faith in them. As long as they're warm, they grip a lot better than you'd think.

In a situation like that, just assume you're riding on oil. Don't lean it, go slow around the turn and don't goose the throttle.

 

[agfish18]

I did some maintenance on my old XB a while back and took it for a test drive after just to make sure things were A-OK, and I took a left turn into some gravel, but my rear tire slid, I ended up slamming my left foot down to brace for the crash, but it ended up bouncing myself back up and regaining traction. Loose sand and gravel suck... they were the cause of my first ever motorcycle accident when I was 17 on my old Blast. My advice is if you know there is loose sand, take it slow and try not to lean too much.

 

[cincybuelltp]

If it's an unfamiliar area then this situation maybe hard to avoid. I knew the sand/gravel was there and slowed up. So lets say I had no idea and I was riding in a new place. Would it be best practice to start my left hand turn from the right most part of my lane, do a quick lean and then be straight before entering the new road? There has to be a way to avoid this situation.

 

[BuellerPilot]

Would it be best practice to start my left hand turn from the right most part of my lane, do a quick lean and then be straight before entering the new road?

Thats what I try to do, granted I'm not the most experianced on a street bike either. But left handers you have more road to make the turn on a known good surface and get the bike upright and straight as possible going over the loose stuff. Right handers are different, you have less road. Just hug the line and make as much of the turn as possible before getting to loose stuff too.

~Mike........

 

[NOMORE4s4ME]

you just have to always be prepared. you can take all the precautions you want with different turning radius, but being prepared and loosening your grip does wonders. gravel isnt always on one particular part of the road. if you are that concerned go drop a little sand in a parking lot and run through it. But dont crash on it. you'll never live it down

 

[NOMORE4s4ME]

Or...try and get some dirt or supermoto experience somewhere. after i got my supermoto and raced it a little in the dirt and on dirty roads, my confidence in recovering with little slips shot up. but its all about being loose. dont have a death grip on those bars.

 

[batman6669]

Yep I'd say get a dirtbike. I personally think that all my years in the dirt made me a better rider on the street. I'm 42 and I rip my RM 250 every chance I get.

 

[fwkapaun]

I'm with you, I busted my ass about 6 years ago riding a HD Nighttrain on pinestraw in my front yard. It happened so fast, I didn't have time to react. Scared the ever lovin' **** out of me.

 

[fireinxb]

I live down a long dirt road which I always travel at a swift pace. I even like to get the rear end loose on the turns by throttling out of them.

Imho this has really helped me understand the concept of riding in limited traction. A lot of it has to do with which way you lean, you actually have to lean the opposite way you normally would when you are riding in loose dirt.

So basically +1 on getting a dirt bike and learning to ride dirt. Or take your street bike and practice on dirt roads. Be careful!

 

[anrkizm95]

[up][up] on dirt riding making you a much better rider.

 

[JJsXB9Sx]

Learned a ton about falling/crashing/sliding on dirt. Best recommendation...
Become one with the road[cool]

3rd day on buell was too scared to even pull the front brake when a light turned yellow and I was going way too fast. Locked the back into a 100ft+ skid to almost complete stop in the middle of the intersection,hard down from 4th to 1st and jetted..5pm rush hour. 10 years since last motorcycle, 1st street bike. Didn't use the front much on dirt

 

[Macbuell]

If I am headed for loose dirt or gravel, I brake as hard as I can while I am on the clean road, straighten it up for the area of lesser traction, and then lean ASAP to complete to turn. Nothing is going to be able to help much if you are going too fast for road conditions.

This is coming from someone who has 2 seasons riding experience total. About 8,000 miles on my xb12. 1st bike, no accidents or drops. With that said, I probably wouldn't listen to me.

 

[delta one]

Counter lean also referred to as pushing the bike down

Lean the bike under you and let your torso stay upright, you should have more weight on the outside peg as opposed to the inside when you do this.

 

[IYAOYAS]

Great advice on the dirt experience. Not strangling the bars when it gets squirly is a must. It will only get you thrown from the bike.

 

[fireinxb]

Thanks Delta One for clearing that up. Counter leaning was what I was referring to in my earlier post.

 

[delta one]

No problem

I figured I would try and explain dirt riding from a different approach
I too started on the dirt, best way to learn to ride IMO

Learn to control your bike modulate BOTH brakes shift your weight and the bikes around learn what to do when it all gies wrong (and it does so frequently in the dirt) and with it going wrong so often make you more and more comfortable each time it happens
Not panicking is key
The other key is muscle memory, saddle time and experience(s) will build that

 

[chrispudd]

Hmmm. Don t look at the dirt is all I can say.
Quote" my tire slides when I do this."
"Don't do that."[smirk]

 

[delta one]

Hmmm. Don t eat the dirt is all I can say.

there fixed it for ya [up]