Gravel Pit Driving?????

Freightbusters

Supercharged
Joined
Jun 24, 2007
Messages
263
Location
Florida
How to drive on gravel roads...speed?? etc....one up two up ???

Well I have to ask!!!! I dont have enough knowledge to know all the ins and outs , have my own ideas but want to hear from others that have some ideas!!!! safe not sorry???

Thanks as I try for 300 miles a day.......:roll:
 
First of all it depends on how deep the gravel is. If there is just a little bit on the 2 driving lanes and you can stay in your lane you should not have much problem. Just don't stray out of the lane the gravel is usually much thicker on each side. In this situation, you can usually go as fast as is safe. If the gravel is deeper, say 2-3 inches it can get hairy in a hurry. I just let the bike go and just steer it a little bit. It is very important not to tense up, but to relax your grip and upper body and let the bike steer itself. I would not advise driving in thick gravel it is very dangerous and you can't go very fast at all.
Take it for what it is worth.
Dave
 
2 up

Two up is horrible on loose gravel. Its all about knowing your bike and feeling the situation on gravel which is much more difficult with a rider. The rider will usually sense you are uncomfortable and be more prown to compensate when you slide. Not good.
 
Put a sidecar on that bike. My other Triumph has a chair (look at my alblum pictures). It's a gas on gravel and dirt roads. You can powerslide the whole outfit sideways or even apply the sidecar brake and cut a doughnut. Try that with your 2 wheels....not.

Actually, avoid deep coarse gravel at all costs. If you must traverse it, go slow, very slow and allow the bike to have it's head, don't fight the bars. You may look like a drunken sailor but you'll get through it. Light gravel and dirt pose little problems other than your bike gets dirty fast. Light gravel and dirt can be ridden at moderate speed so long as you don't try abrupt direction changes or you'll for sure bust your butt and damage your bike as well as your ego.
 
Gravel input Thanks

Good ideas and their seems to be some constant messages here -on gravel-----I also ....notice a much different feeling with the larger tire on the back unlike the 140s on the fat boy or custom softtail I had....I notice that that big back tire is more sensitive to a vaiation in the surface ...esp at low speeds...maybe just thats its bigger and picks up more road surface a good thing but a different feeling....its me that has to get use to this.

Enjoy have fun ride with Respect!
 
Use your front brake as little as possible. Always use the rear brake in gravel, sand, etc. If you lock up the front wheel in sand or gravel, it's gonna slide, usually jerking the bars right or left before you can do anything.. you will have no steering and you ARE going down. If you lock the rear brake, the rear tire will slide, but most likely straight.. and you still have steering..
 
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