Gravel Roads?

Dose anyone here ever hit a gravel road on their VFR? I feel a bit skechey on mine. The wierd thing is i can haul ass on gravel with my harley.

 

Avoid em Like a plague, to heavy to be any good snd trust worthy ben down short stretches due to construction then its all senses on full alert. Besides we know what gravel does to a bike not made for it right? I mean a VFR is not the SUV of bikes, now a Buel Ulysses, BMW GS Ducati Mutiastrada maybe? those's are bikes for the back roads

 

Well I live on a gravel road so I don't have a lot of choice but to ride on it. And yeah my old Beemer is more comfortable in the gravel than the VFR. I assume it's because the steering is so much heavier. The gravel's not so bad, but any places that are sandy are treacherous. Slow and steady...

 

And our tires don't like gravel either.

 

Thanks guys its just that i have quite a few friends and famly down those kind of roads

 

I live on a dirt road myself as well. I avoid all others like the plague.

 

If you must travel on the gravel path, proceed with caution and care. Above all, young VFR padawan, be patient while on the gravel path.

 

All sportbikes are pretty nasty on gravel roads....not 100% sure but I contribute that to the tire profiles we have.

Hence why your HD is easier to ride on a gravel road.

 

Intresting i always seem some cruisers out at the cabin but it is down a long gravel road and thus i have not gone there on the vfr(that and it can't take a cooler and the wife does not want to)
I don't mind "firm" gravel that is packed down and does not move.

the stuff i hate(and the cabin road is) is the soft stuff that moves around on you, i have a hard time with it. Even in a car it pulls you around.

 

Not fun.
More so when you have to go thru one and is 3 miles of downhill.
At least you get to practice gently application of the brakes. lol.

Damn Zumo.

 

I ride gravel roads and least more than once on a outting with my VFR. And there are several types of gravel roads. Gravel on pavement - is the worst to negotiate so....What I do is simple: Never touch the front brake - ever (it will dive the nose down and you'll bite it.) Keep a slow steady pace - but NOT too slow. 40 to 50kph (40 kilometres per hour -what does that translate to in mph?) is what I normally do. Focus on the road ahead - not under you. And no serious turns.
On normal gravel roads - I just keep it simple - it depends on the terrain. But - I never touch that front brake. On the road to Skagway - I've done 80+kph on gravel. But - you decide what works for you.
(Maybe I should get a dirtbike up here???) Nah - the 2009 Street Glide is on order.

 

Oh Yeah Baby! Go ride the gravel Stuke and kick ass. Call me next time you go and I will join you. We will have to see how big of a dust tail we can raise.
Besides, if you don't do the gravel, you can't see sights like this:

 

Also it is not a matter of if you will hit gravel but when.
Most riders her tour, and touring means unknown area's.
Riding through new area's there are aften consstruction detoure's and such and they will be gravel.

The most we can do is get tips.

1) No front break...trust them when they say it. I learned that riding in snow(don't ask)
2) Don't speed, it's easier to speed up than slow down. would suck to hit a corner relise your going to fast and skid attempting to slow down.
3) be smooth, go slow into corners, dont slam on breaks don't over compinsate. Just relax(ass pucker is okay)
4) look ahead not at the ground or you will end up there.
5) I find it more stable at above 35km/h, depends on the road tho.
6)If your not comfortable turn around.

 

You must learn this from herding the long-horns out on the ranges of Alberta. Do you know JR? Humour me. I have a lot of time on my hands.

 

One thing that works for me is to hold the bars tight in my hands but keep my arms loose, especially my elbows. The steering wants to do the right thing, and keeping my arms loose lets it correct itself, if that makes any sense...

 

I'll have to wait until you finish your latte.

 

On my second Heinekin between chats

 

I'll add some of my tips:

1. If the road has a cliff on one side, get as far away as you can from the cliff because if you slip you won't be careening off
2. On really loose surfaces get your feet off the footpegs and just hover the road in case your bike starts slipping
3. Go REALLLLY SLOW!!!! It's not a race and your objective is to get there in one piece.
4. If you have to go uphill at more than 45 degrees feather the clutch and just go slow enough that you're moving. It is NOT fun stalling out while aiming for the sky.
5. If you are feeling really scared start "walking" the bike, that is stay on the bike but use your legs to push it around.

 

It must be the Canadian roads....I've ridden in snow as well....