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2001Thursday, June 28Dear VTwin Mama,
Dear Mary, I find that it is better to keep a firm grip, but a light touch on the handlebars when steering through gravel, or even a grated road like over some bridges. If you try to "control" every wiggle, it will wiggle you right out of your seat. Concentrate on your hips as the center of gravity, and you might want to practice keeping your knees in around the tank (instead of hanging out loose). This has always helped me keep a feeling of being centered on the bike. A steady hand on the throttle completes this picture, so if you see the bad stuff beforehand, you can enter it with lower speed (but not too slow) and good control. And as soon as I can confirm the absence of gravel in any one or several of our lovely states, you will be the first to know. I'll probably get there before you though! – Mama Tuesday, July 3Dear VTwin Mama,
Dear Linda, And of course, while you are waiting for your turn to get on the bridge, everyone talks about the cars that have plunged over the side, and here I was on my bike facing an uneven surface. Ugh. Maybe that is why they offer a service to have someone else drive (or ride) your vehicle to the other side! – Mama Tuesday, June 4 Dear VTwin Mama, Once I get on the pavement, I have a blast! Have taken several long rides, and feel really comfortable. Have ridden on the interstate, in traffic, even in hail! The reason I'm writing now, besides thanking you for giving me the resources to select a good bike for me to start on, is that I am looking for women to ride with in my area. I found a couple of groups through you, and they seem really nice, but they are so far away! It will take me 2 hours to get to any of their meetings, each way! Can you put out the word for me that I would like to meet individual female riders to ride with that live closer to me? I live in Elizabeth, Colorado, which is close to Parker, or even Aurora. Perhaps someone else has experienced the same thing, that the meetings are too far for them, and would like to go together? I just want someone to ride with that won't take so long to get to. Thank you so much for the wonderful advice. I am now riding with confidence! And, I love my bike! – Sadie McNasty (ada Stacie) Dear Sadie/Stacie, Women riders who live nearby Sadie/Stacie(!) can contact her via email at staciecarlson@yahoo.com. Also, did you hop onto the ShinnySideUp chat room? They have lots of women chatting from all over, so posting a message there might help you find riders in your specific area. You can find the link at the bottom of the home page or on the Links page. Kudos to you! I'm grinning from ear to ear for you! – Mama Tuesday, July 2 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Debbi, But never fear, while practice is the key here, the right kind of practice is the important thing. One of the biggest mistakes made in this situation is to take too tight of a grip on the handlebars and not let the front wheel have some play. This death grip just makes you work harder than necessary -- you're fighting the bike too much. The key is to enter the gravel area, keeping the front wheel straight and a light grip on the handlebars, at a steady speed that can reasonably see you through the area. On a flat stretch, this requires less speed than navigating gravel on an uphill. So look at it this way -- if this section didn't have gravel, what is the lowest speed you could take this hill at to ensure you can make it up? You don't want to be "gunning" the throttle if you find you don't have enough speed -- that just gives the front wheel "permission" to do whatever and will scare you. Steady as she goes is the key. The other part is, never make any sudden turns when in gravel. Envision the path your bike (with you on it of course!) needs to take to get though the section. Then stick with that course. Any sudden moves and oops -- you'll start keeling over or the front wheel will start to take over and has a tendency to want to pull sharp to one side or the other. The other tip I'll mention is to remember that your center of gravity is at your hips and therefore at the center of the bike. On a regular road, somewhere out of the way, and at a slower speed, practice leaning your bike a little to the left and right, keeping the front wheel in a straight line with the bike and feeling your weight shift the whole bike. Now, try this with your knees pressed against the bike, instead of "hanging out." Can you feel a better sense of your balance and control? In this way, the front wheel becomes simply an extension of your center of gravity rather than the nasty ol' beast acting separately from your main center. Give these ideas a try and we'll see if any of the VTwin Mama sisters have more tips for you. – Mama Monday, August 26 Dear VTwin Mama, Friday, July 18 Dear
VTwin Mama, Fortunately my fiancé was right behind me, but he didn't see me go down. He could only guess what I might have done wrong. He thinks that I am improving enough to get used to leaning on curves and turns that he thinks I might have over done it just enough to cause the bike to kick out from under me. I didn't get hurt too bad, a scraped knee and some pretty bruises. I was lucky again. I was not moving that fast, I was already in first gear, but I don't know how I ended up on the ground. There is no way to avoid the gravel road because our house is just 2 tenths of a mile down it. I'm getting a little paranoid about it because this is the second time it has happened in two years in the same place, only that was a left turn. I'm doing fine out on the open road, I'm comfortable and I thought I was doing much better before this happened. I'd appreciate any advice you or anyone else could give me under these circumstances. Thanks again for a really great web site. – Marlene Dear
Marlene, Although you have slowed down and are in first gear when you enter the gravel area, do you also still have either or both of the brakes applied as you round into the gravel road? The application (or release) of brakes on gravel will have a tendency to kick the bike tire out from under you. It's just that unstable and even the smallest of brake use can cause your bike to "skitter" in the gravel. A "death grip" on the handlebar also lessens the bike's ability to negotiate gravel as you are forcing the bike to follow a hard, straight line when it fact it naturally needs to "wiggle" a bit to get through gravel. That's all I can think of now -- readers, any other words of advice? – Mama Monday, August 18 Dear
VTwin Mama, Dear
Dawn, We've had a number of postings on handling gravel which you can review at www.vtwinmama.com/gravel.htm. – Mama Dear
VTwin Mama, One thing that I have tried and it seems to be ok...(though not right, I'm sure) is that I go really slow (1st gear) and kind of drag, kick my feet real close to the ground in case I feel the bike get ready to fall. But I'm not alievating the problem of using my front brake too much. How do I combat this????? I just want to not be so scared of my damn lane!!! I don't have any other problems with my bike. But this fear makes me nearly want to sell it! : ( – Sami Vulcan 500 Dear
Sami, Of course you’re horrified of the
gravel road – it’s eating your bike and your sense of confidence alive.
Nasty little gravel devils live just under the surface, waiting for a chance
to throw you down! All three of me (me, myself, and I)
support the “drag your feet on the ground in case the devils are going to
dump you” method of riding gravel. One step up from that is adopting a
more “skim your feet really near to the surface trailing slightly behind
you” ‘cause it looks more like you’re on a dirt bike or motocross
track. And you look cooler. My guess is that you’ve probably got a
death grip on the handlebar controls. The problem with this, besides
permanently cutting off the blood supply to your fingers, is that every
little wobble of the front end becomes bigger because you’re not giving it
any wiggle room. Trying to maintain a truly straight course on gravel is
like asking a hungry bear to dinner when there’s no other food in the
house. You just don’t want to do it! Now comes the sticky wicket in the whole
equation. How to maintain speed, but not too much. and not use the brakes to
slow yourself down?! Best place to practice is in an empty parking lot.
You’ve got to get into 1st gear, than ease off the throttle,
and just when the bike is going to die, pull the clutch lever in half way
and give the throttle a little nod. Keep practicing slipping the clutch
lever into various engage/disengage points with minor combinations of
throttle to find the exact combination needed to keep the bike moving
forward without gaining any real speed. Voila! You are ready for gravel. Saturday, June 26 For Sami and her tussle with that rotten ol' gravel (!): Not that I am any expert with gravel, but I too live on a gravel road with a circle driveway also of gravel. So I can relate with Sami on her fears on gravel. When I first started riding, which was 8 years ago, my husband gave me some wonderful advice. First, he told me “never use the front brake on gravel”. The front end is so light and the fact that the gravel is so movable, the front brake locks up “very” easily. Once the front brake locks up the front end washes out to one side causing the bike to go down. Second, he told me is if the bike feels unstable (wobbly from going over the gravel) to put some weight “on” the foot pegs. I think that lowers your center of gravity and helps the bike from being top heavy, I happen to ride a Sportster. I have always followed these two rules, no front brake and weight on pegs, and I have never dropped my bike on gravel (pavement yes, : ( ). I hope this helps. Thanks for a great site. – Sue in Poplar Grove, IL (note from Mama: thanks for the tips -- it's greatly appreciated and glad you're enjoying your time visiting the VTwin Mama site! You may not be an "expert," but you've figured out your solution set and that's worth a lot!) I'm lazy, so I'm not re-checking all the other gravel road comments (well, not lazy, but my dissertation is due on Tuesday - gack! I haven't been reading the Internet or anything lately, but I needed a little break today). Anyways, I am terrified of gravel myself. Lucky for me, the main place I encounter it is at rally sites (so not so often)! Still, just when I'm getting really excited about an upcoming campout, the little voice comes in... "I bet you have to ride a gravel road in the campground..." And of course I do, every time I want to leave and return to the site. Every time I've been to a Moto Guzzi rally, I've nearly (!) eaten it. Last time, my friend Nicole (who is not an experienced passenger; I gave her a short test ride the week before) came along for the ride, and I totally almost ate it coming back from dinner in town. I hit the deepest gravel pocket available and the Stone started that shimmy. With Nicole on the back, it made the sensation about 20 times worse! She was good though, and sat still. I yelled at myself (in my head) to keep my eyes up and keep the throttle steady. Of course, what you want to do is look down at the ground you are about to hit and start estimating how much damage you're going to do to your bike and self. Suddenly, we were through it, the rear wheel caught, and we spurted ahead as thought I had gunned it! The story ends happily with us making it to the nice dirt part of the road and over the grass to our tent site. Well, let me tell you, I was SO PROUD of myself and of Nicole (I still can't believe she didn't try to hop off!). I only felt stupid that I hadn't done some risk assessment ahead of time. The next morning, while visiting the bathroom, I nonchalantly wandered around the campground entrance and noted where the gravel was the most shallow. I mapped out two "best routes" and used them for the rest of the weekend without even a wobble. So, my advice is: 1) keep your grip light on the bars (or, grip tight and arms loose if you're too nervous), 2) keep your head and eyes up and looking where you want to go (even if you have to tilt your head back to force your eyes into the right place), 3) don't even touch the brakes (you shouldn't need them in 1st gear, feathering the clutch as VTwin Mama advises), 4) keep the throttle input uniform and if you have to alter speeds you must do it SMOOTHLY, 5) don't get startled if you're in a shimmy and then the rear wheel catches - yes, you will spurt forward, 5) take a walk down the lane and check out where the deepest gravel pockets are - then remember and avoid them, 6) set up any turns and curves early so they can be as wide as possible, and aim for those shallow zones in the gravel, 7) if you're going to ride on gravel with your legs stuck out (feet down - which I see all the time at Moto Guzzi rallies so it's totally normal), get some practice in this position on solid road - otherwise, this position can completely change your geometry and in itself destroy some of the comfort you normally feel on that great Vulcan! Good luck and don't give up!– Marina (note from Mama: what a wonderful, entertaining letter about the gravel devils! Lots of helpful tips to try out here. Hope your dissertation is just as successful!) Sunday, July 4 For Sami and everyone else who does battle with gravel roads: I live in the country. There is 2.5 miles of dirt to get to the nearest paved road. My first posting to this site was about this very thing... my ex-husband was trying to teach me to ride on these dirt roads, before I took the MSF course. Quick summary: He told me to drive, and he jumped on back. Mistake #1. I got about 2 miles, when I got nervous going into a turn, and barely touched the front brake. Mistake #2. The bike did a slow mo sideways slide, tires going out from under us. He jumped off, I tried to "save the bike" with my left leg. Mistake #3. I busted up my leg, and was terrified to get back on a bike, once my leg healed. I took the MSF course, during which I was gripped with fear, but I told the instructors before we got started, and they helped me work through the fear. I have been riding now for over 2 years, and have not dumped a bike since. But I'll tell you what... I NEVER, EVER touch that front brake on dirt/gravel/sand/etc.! Instead, I use the clutch and get into the friction zone to take power out of the wheel when I need to. I go slow, and at least out here, I try to stay on the marks I see car tires have recently left (not ruts), because the car tires tend to pack down the loose stuff, making it more stable for me to ride. When I get to the entrance to my driveway, it is ALWAYS very deep sand... the road graders pile that stuff up right in front of my gate. And this deep sand and turn into my driveway, is at the bottom of a long hill. I come over the hill already slowing down, use the clutch to slow further, use a slight bit of rear brake, downshift (carefully!), and just before I hit the really deep stuff, I put both of my feet out like skis. I actually almost walk the bike through the deepest part. Coming up my driveway is a kick, because it is rutted, dirt, and there are rocks scattered all over the place. Then the fun part begins! The lip from the dirt to the concrete pad in front of the garage, is about 3-4 inches high from settling... so I use a 2x6 piece of wood as a ramp, which is actually fun! I have to hit it just right so I don't fall off... but I never have! It's just a personal challenge each time I come home... too much gas, and I'll go flying into the garage and hit all the other bikes.. too little gas and I'll kill the engine right in the middle of the ramp. Never a dull moment around here! It's a challenge just to get in and out of here, to begin the ride!– Martin (note from Mama: thank God I'm a city girl! Lots of good do's and don'ts here -- which I'm sure will come in handy for riders struggling with the gravel/loose sand beasties!) Monday, July 19 From Sami who was battling gravel devils and got input from the VTM sisters: I have already begun some of the techniques I've read here. I don't "hood" my front brake anymore. Coming out of the lane, I keep my feet on the pegs-with my grip looser. Coming down the lane (it's downhill) I skim my feet above the large gravel. I use my clutch primarily, not the front brake. It will take time to get comfortable with this. And no... even with a pending "wheel tax", no hope for asphalt anytime soon. : ( Thanks to everyone for their help!! – Sami (note from Mama: on behalf of all the Sisters who wrote in with advice -- you are welcome and glad to hear you're forming your own battle plan to safely navigate!) Dear
VTwin Mama, Anyway, I was off on Veterans Day and it was gorgeous out, so I decided to spend the day (solo) riding. In central Maryland we are BLESSED with a state park that is a biker's paradise. My favorite road is virtually a motorcycle roller coaster. It has curves and hills that leave you feeling like the bottom of your stomach is falling out when you crest them. At the end of this road it winds into a beautiful historic (and haunted) little mill town. As you leave town, you come into an open country like area with another historic community off to the left. I wanted to explore that community so I headed into the wide intersection, which continues on into a curve at about 30mph. What I didn't see, because a truck was at that intersection, was a nasty patch of gravel across the entire road. I didn't see it until it was too late. I couldn't stop because cars were coming down the main road I had just turned from. I had no choice but to follow that curve over the gravel. As my back tire crossed the gravel, the back of the bike started sliding out from under me. In my head I was thinking "OH NO, they didn't teach us this in MSF class!!!!" I knew I needed to stop, yet the road was acting like a giant magnet, pulling the bike down. The bike was now leaning at more than 90 degree angle and still sliding. I knew if I used that front brake, the bike would go all the way down. Then I started hearing the words I had read on these pages, I *think* by Hammerlady [yes, her words of wisdom have chronicled correct procedure many times!], describing how to brake in a curve by feathering the rear brake (they don't teach that in MSF class either). I wasn't sure if it would work because the back was out of control, but it was that or nothing so I began feathering the rear brake. At the same time, although it was the most un-natural feeling in the world because my body wanted to go straight up, I also remembered to lean my body more into the direction I was falling and press firmly on the opposite handle bar (counter steering technique) while keeping my head level. It was like a puppet master had magically straightened the bike up!! I was back in control, but I was not out of danger yet. Because I was no longer leaning, the bike was now going straight, and the road was still curving. I had to decide whether to give it more throttle and make that curve or do a sudden stop. The curve seemed just too sharp and there was nothing directly ahead of me to slam into so I decided on the emergency stop. Remembering that you are NEVER supposed to grab the front brake, I quickly but gently went for all 4, the clutch, front brake, rear brake and down shift (I know I didn't have to do the down shift but it was easier to do all 4 at the same time). When I finally stopped, as expected, the bike left the curve and stopped 6" into the shoulder on the grass, but UPRIGHT! I was not even shaking!! In my helmet I was screaming "YESSS!!!!" My baby didn't fall! Anyone who witnessed what had just happened and saw the joy on my face probably thought I was a loony. Happy, but a loony (an escapee from the nearby mental asylum????) So Petra, here's my kudos to you for these pages. I don't know if I did it right, but it worked. You have inspired me, then rescued me. We read these pages mentally packing away what we read and hopefully, as in my case, they become part of instinct. Thank you again!!!! – Debbie T. in Baltimore Dear
Debbie, I think a quick countersteer again would have gotten you around what was left of the curve, but acknowledge that straightening out from the gravel was enough for one maneuver! So, you weighed your options and chose what you thought best, and did it well, with control. Whew! If it was me, I'd be grinning like an idiot too! Now for new riders reading this, I want to reiterate that these techniques can be practiced without a gravel hazard! Get yourself to an empty parking lot with lots of clearance. In a straight line and low speed, practice pressing your hand/palm on each side of the handlebar (one side at a time!) to understand how the bike reacts (this is countersteering). You'll note the bike begins to move easily in the direction you're pressing. Once you've got a feel, do the same with the slightest of rear brake pressure, and then little bits more. How does the bike react now? It should still move in the direction, but stay/feel more upright. Then, add some body lean to the equation and once again note the difference. This is now a three point combination between your body, handlebar and rear brake. Learning the handling characteristics of your specific bike is an important lesson that requires this type of practice until it becomes "one with your brain," so should you encounter a situation like Debbie's or something similar that requires fast action, you KNOW how your bike will react using various techniques. Debbie, I agree that we can read a lot on the VTwin Mama site, and some it simply gets filed away for future use. I'm glad that previous material posted here was useful to you in a potentially nasty situation! YAHOO! It made a difference! – Mama Thursday, November 18 For Debbie T. who saved her butt (and the bike!) on a gravel/curve slide out: Girl? If something I might have written about riding techniques was helpful to you in savin’ your cookies out on the road, I couldn’t be more pleased. As a matter of fact, as I was reading your tale, I teared up when I read my name. To know I might have, in some way helped you, makes me so proud (and humbles me A LOT!) to have been even a small part of your successful riding. HOWEVER, all the coaching, knowledge and practice in the world will never replace a level head when those situations arise and it’s time to call on all you know (and some things you don’t) to pull you out safely. I hope you give yourself ALL the credit you're due for getting yourself (and your bike) out of an event that could have been totally disastrous had you not kept your head. With as few miles as you have, it sounds to me like you are well on your way to becoming an Expert Motorcyclist. And the definition of an Expert Rider? A rider who uses expert Judgment to avoid using Expert skill. Congratulations on your success. – Hammerlady (note from Mama: we plod along, don't we Hammerlady(?!), in our mission to educate . . . and then, a letter like Debbie's appears to help us realize that we make a difference. I agree that Debbie gets ALL the credit for pulling herself out of a mess, but am glad that our messages were lodged in her brain to help her along. I feel a BIG HUGFEST coming on, electronically, of course!) Thursday, December 2 Dear
VTwin Mama, She is a light rider at 110 pounds and I had set the rear shocks to the number 4 (80% hard) of the 5 possible settings. Tire pressure was at 32 PSI, higher than the 29 recommended by Honda. Both of these changes were made by due to the condition of the local roads and the fact that I ride the bike sometimes. After the incident, I set the shocks to the 1 (full soft) position and this seemed to eliminate the problem, although some conditions changed after the incident: 1.) she was so spooked that she may have been taking some actions to avoid these kinds of bumps, and 2.) the wind was blowing like hell and we both slowed down on the return trip to 40 to 45mph. Any ideas on this? Was the cause of the wobble a light rider on the hard suspension? Or, is this normal with Honda suspension? – No Name Dear
No Name, Heck, I endured the same set of conditions this past summer and found myself gritting my teeth, but not locking the handlebar up, and flashing my rear brake so cage drivers could see that I was moving much more slowly than they were. Then I chose different routes (I was riding to and from work when road construction was underway)! And I've been riding since 1979! I do not have enough technical knowledge to know if the shock settings make that much difference in these conditions, but would council that they should be set for "normal" road conditions because this is 99% of the riding time. We also know that over inflating a tire causes a tire to have less contact with the road and does impact the bike's handling characteristics. In this case I would note that it would be better to follow Honda's tire inflation recommendations as even a few PSI makes a difference. – Mama Dear
VTwin Mama, Dear
Pittysbad, I'm scratching my head on this one . . . we know the basics of handling gravel at low speeds going forward, but backing up . . . huh. Footing is not so hot, front wheel likes to stick to a path once you start turning it . . . my only conclusion is to always anticipate where you and the bike are going to end up on gravel and negotiate a u-turn so that you're able to pull away from the gravel spot going forward again. Ok, maybe that's not right because you still might need to back up! Hmmmm . . . is there such a thing as big pieces of rubber matting that could be laid down in your usual spots so you could negotiate the turn onto the matting and then you would be on matting to back up a bit as needed?! Not sure on that one either. Would be slick when wet from rain. Retractable spikes on your boots for better traction? Gadzooks, Mama is stumped! Calling all readers for creative solutions! – Mama Wednesday, June 1 For Pittysbad who is battling nasty ol' gravel and back-up techniques: My only suggestion is to wear shoes that have a good sole on them, if they are worn out in anyway it allows your feet to slip or wearing athletic shoes that just doesn’t work well on any surface. I currently wear riding boots from Harley Davidson and don’t have too many issues, my yard is dirt and gravel. Good Luck. – LM1400 in NM (note from Mama: good point about the shoes . . . guess retractable spikes really wouldn't work, huh?!) I think she should lean forward and stand up a little, off the seat, to change the center of gravity on the bike and "walk it back", knowing and believing that it will never fall over again. The work-out will also help as you must pull the bike back into position. Anyway I hope it helps, found your web site by accident and have been riveted by the ladies out there who ride. Just returned to the trip after many years, and the last time I rode, most women didn't, Would love to share a ride with anyone riding through or around Cornelius, NC. Best, – bigknine (note from Mama: I like this suggestion . . . you've got your whole body to work with standing up . . . and I know I've used this technique before! Welcome back to riding . . . I see you are near Charlotte, NC . . . don't forget to check in with local dealers to see what type of riding club they might have going on!) Monday, June 20 More for Pittysbad who is battling nasty ol' gravel and back-up techniques: I just wanted to share a few thoughts on backing on gravel. My husband tells me just back out of the garage onto the small cement apron and then turn the bike and let the slight grade take you back. I feel as though it starts going to fast and then tend to hit the brake. If he was there and ready to help it was ok . But I was very nervous to do it alone. He still made me try it. Then one day I backed out the Honda Magna 750 to take it to work . It seemed to be going ok and then I dropped it. I could not pick up 600 lbs. and it was caught on the edge of the garage apron. He said "cover it with a sheet and put the van across the driveway to block it and I will stop by in an hour to pick it up. After that I started pricing paved driveways and cement. We did solve the problem by putting in a 12 x 20 cement slab. Now I can back up and do a k turn before heading down the long gravel driveway. When I was a new rider I laid down my new bike on gravel once again. There was a group of riders we were meeting for the first time for an ice cream run. I turned carefully into the driveway and swung wider than my husband trying to do a u turn and park heading out . I made it part way around and saw a patch of looser gravel piled up. Slight panic set in and I slowed as I turned and gently set the bike down. I hit the kill switch and waited. My husband was in a panic hit his kick stand but not fully and his bike went down. He came to my aid and then picked up his too. By then everyone was around us. The helped us feel better when they admitted they had all dropped bikes. For my husband it was his first in 20 years. I switched back to my smaller 250 bike to regain confidence again. I now ride a Honda Shadow 600 VLX and love it. My advice to all riders is start small and work your way up. It is safer and more fun. Out of 5 of us women that took the Rider Education course, the 3 that started on small 250's first all like riding. Those 2 that went right to the bigger bikes and have dropped them , have stopped riding or ride very little. – Mary T. (note from Mama: thanks for sharing your gravel realities, some solutions, and reassuring riders that gravel gremlins are always with us! Make sure to visit my Pick Up the Bike page, where there are links to site that show you the proper way to pick up a bike . . . I know it's heavy, but with these techniques, you can do it! ) Friday, July 15 Dear
VTwin Mama, I know that you are suppose to feather the brake on a dirt rode - that is all I know... do you have any suggestions as I HATE gravel roads. – Angela Kosar Dear
Angela, Yes, on occasion, street bikes need to make their way through unpaved roads. One of the most important tips is that you have to give your front tire "wiggle" room . . . meaning, don't keep a death grip on the handlebars and try to force the bike to maintain a perfect straight line pathway. That is actually more tiring than letting your handlebar/tire wiggle through the mess. Feathering the back brake helps keep a bike upright at slow speeds. This is done in conjunction with using the friction zone of the clutch (between full engage and full disengage point) and the throttle to keep you going. Using the front brake will have the affect of wanting to tip you over. An added feeling of stability can be gained by taking your feet off the pegs and semi duck walking the bike (meaning your feet are skimming the ground at the ready). All of this works, but is very tiring when the distance is longer. Most riders simply grit their teeth and get on with it. There is no magic solution here. – Mama Hi
Petra! Anyway, I am having a wonderful time on my new bike, every weekend, and try to get a short ride in every other day or so. I've found that other bikers are very friendly, great people, no matter what KIND of bike you ride. My MSF instructors were having a new class last weekend, so I rode right up on my new bike on their lunch break, and they were happy to see me, both had a big grin. They told the class I was new, and had only just taken the class. Out of 12 students in this class, 9 were women! The worst thing I have to bitch about is gravel. I am in Iowa, and live 1 mile down a gravel road, so getting in and out is tough, and slow. And as soon as the road gets slightly passable, they come along a dump new gravel and tree sap. Even the businesses here have gravel parking lots! I know, I'm really in the boonies! Yesterday I got totally stuck at a Dairy Queen. Pulled right up and around to back it in, and the gravel was so big and loose, the front turned around clear to the tank, and I could not move it! I was trying to keep from dropping it (haven't yet) and there was no way I could back it up. Luckily, my husband was with me and helped. Other than that, it is so much fun, I can't believe it, and I get so many thumbs up. I do notice that women riding pillion stare a lot, hope it's because they're thinking "I wonder". Thanks so much, Petra, you're a peach! – Penney from Iowa Dear
Penney, Have you ever noticed that when you're a passenger in a car (I know, far and few times between, but it probably does happen now and again!) that you've got all this delicious time to really look around as you go flying by and that you get to notice all sorts of things you otherwise you wouldn't see! So, that gal riding pillion (and yes, men do ride pillion too) has time to look around and observe . . . and if they are staring, it's maybe because they do want to ride their own, or they really like looking at bikes, or the decision of what to get for lunch is sooooo overwhelming that they've gone into a dreamlike zen state and just happen to be glancing towards you! Smile, nod, wave, and if appropriate say hi, how's your ride going?! After all, they are riders too! – Mama For Penney who has to deal with gravel on a regular basis: Just so Penney knows, I am in Southwest Minnesota and I have 2.5 miles of gravel to go in and out on. I can feel her pain. But even though it was the gravel that got the worst of me originally, I have to say that I am really starting to get the hang of the gravel. It really is like you said VTwin Mama, give it some wiggle room. Dare I almost say, the challenge is "fun." And if I could have a dollar for every time I wanted to jump out in front of the road grader and tell him not fix the road, my path is finally just the way I like it, I could have a shinny new bike!!!!!!! It might be just a rumor, but I hear that Indiana has all paved roads! : ) So if Penney is anywhere near the Northwest corner of Iowa, I could meet up with her sometime. Thanks again Mama for all the encouragement!! The Suzuki 650 GL Savage is building my confidence like a charm. By the way, I took my cocky husband and his big Road King Custom to the training parking lot to practice (just like you suggested), and he couldn't do much of the skills. We practiced until both of us could do them well and now I feel much better. Still am going to leave that Volusia parked until next year. This is my "building my skills and confidence" time. And that really seems to be the key, doesn't it? Not everybody can get on a bike and just go..... Thanks for keepin' us all on the road!!! – Heidi in MN, aka angeleyes1213 (note from Mama: I am sooooo proud of you and thanks for letting Penney know that continued practice on gravel does help! Kudos to your hubby for going to the practice lot with you, realizing that his skills could be honed, and then working on them with you . . . that's a big hug to him!) Thursday, September 8 Dear
VTwin Mama, Dear
Finally Legal, Friday, September 9 For Heidi and gravel road handling: Thanks to Heidi from MN on her comments on gravel roads. Unfortunately, I am located in SE Iowa, or would love to meet with her. For all you riders who live in the boonies, Wal-Mart has a great product for gravel grime and tree sap removal, just spray it on and wipe it off, can be used on the entire bike, leaves it gloriously clean! It's called "Pig Spit." Works like a charm! – Penney from Iowa (note from Mama: you've GOT to be kidding . . . right?!?!?! Ok, not, so for those who want to read more about this product, here's the manufacturer's web page!) Tuesday, September 27 Dear
VTwin Mama, I know, it's safer than being rear-ended!!! I have to learn not to panic when I see a perceived threat! Should I go back and make myself do that turn or just avoid sand until I'm more confident??? Thank you for your insight. I feel like such a chicken sometimes! Also hard is turning a corner while going down a hill. Help. – Joy Dear Joy, Although you did have a car behind you, I think you did well to slow the bike down and stop at the road edge instead of trying to negotiate a situation you were not ready for. It's always better to gain control of a bike on "good tar," i.e. a clear road portion. However, the fact is that you did have control of the bike on "good" road and could have proceeded. First gear, no brakes, ready to slip clutch in and out of the friction zone to control engagement of power. This can be practiced. If you do feel the back end sliding out, then it's time to gently feather (an on/off tapping engagement) the rear brake as the tendency of the bike is to right itself. Shifting your weight more to the footpegs also helps. Me, myself, and I (all three of us!), would also be ready to consider taking my feet off the pegs and skimming them to the side ready to duck walk while using the friction zone action if necessary. Key to all of this is to maintain good centered body position, choose the lightest sand area, and don't look down once you've decided to proceed through (look through the turn/curve with both head and eyes). Since this sand issue has got you into some jitters, I'd make a point of addressing the issue. Obviously, not at this intersection if traffic tends to be heavy, but perhaps you can identify another sandy area that is distraction-free for some practice time. First, just ride through the sand in a straight line to get the feel, then try slow turns through it. As to your downhill turns, I too have a more natural "concern" about downhills for some reason. It feels like you're going to go wide, but again, you've got to look through the turn to where you want to go. I'd again go to a practice area and work on turns on flat ground to get that "looking where you are going" technique down pat. Set up cones or tennis balls cut in half to "force" yourself to "make" a specific turn. At first, lots of room, then tighten up the markers and keep working on it. Remember, the rear brake feather technique helps keep a bike upright is you feel that you are about to put your foot down during the turn. Ok, off you go for some practice time! We conquer our fears by learning how to correctly command the bike controls as best as possible! – Mama Dear VTwin Mama, Do you have any suggestions to help me conquer this scary downhill part of my ride? Thank you. – Mary B. Dear
Mary, There is nothing fun about gravel unless you're ten years old, fully geared up, and on a dirtbike! For the rest of us, it's about management. That means you have to completely slow down before reaching this section (so you don't need to brake any more) and then start the turn in a coast from the far left side of the lane so that you'll have maximum room for the bike to "roam" as you sweep right. It's not unusual, given the jitters that gravel always induces, to take a deathgrip on the handlebar. But, by doing so, you actually hinder the bike's ability to traverse the uneven surface. Let that front end wiggle a bit . . . something I'm sure you understand because you're handling the level part ok. If you're trying to force that front wheel to "stay put" in the line you've chosen, it simply is going to try to throw you. I'm not surprised that even duckwalking is a challenge. You've got all the worst case scenarios built into one section. So, get out and there and go up and down that hill until you've got the best possible solution figured out. It's no fun riding home knowing that something is ahead of you that you're dreading. Practice is the key. If that gravel is the big chunky kind, perhaps you're up for paying for a load of small pebbled gravel to fill in that area a bit and give you a more manageable ride. Smaller, finer gravel will be more spongy instead of your front wheel hitting bigger chunks and making the whole thing miserable. – Mama Monday, August 6 For Mary who has to navigate 1.5 miles of gravel to go riding: To help our skills-learning process, I booked my husband and I on a one day off-road training course near the start of this, our first full season. My idea was to get used to having a bike moving around and sliding, without risking our faired street bikes. We never intended to ride anywhere rough on our street bikes. We both had a blast, and learnt about standing on/weighting the pegs, pushing the pegs to help anchor us into a turn, use of speed to get through problem spots, different seating positions and bracing the bike with our knees, emergency braking with front, back and both brakes on dirt etc. We visited a friend's cottage 2 weeks later. He completely omitted to tell us of about his long, very steep drive that was a mix of ruts, gravel, stones and roots complete with 2 turns. There is just no way I could have contemplated it without the course. However with the course behind me, I launched slowly down the slope with my foot firmly on the back brake and my hands lightly on the grips. I didn't fuss about my Suzuki 500GS street bike slithering, which it did with enthusiasm. No problemo! Same on the way up: stuck it in 2nd and kept the revs very high and insisted it imitate a mountain goat. Aced it (husband dropped his, is it evil to feel glad that it was him and not me?). So, my suggestion to anyone worried about gravel is to do the opposite -- wallow in it by taking an off-road training course, and have some fun at the same time. I am happy that gravel, dirt, roots, stones, sand, grass etc. are not off-putting for me now. All the best, – Alexa (note from Mama: what a SUPER idea!) 8Monday, March 10 For Donna who is learning to ride and has a gravel driveway to manage: I have a scary driveway too. It's long, and SUPER steep, has a cliff on the left side, and ends with a very sharp left-hand turn! Experienced drivers in CARS hate our driveway! LOL When I got my bike (a VStar 650, which happens to be an awesome first bike!) I said it was too cold to ride, so I didn't. Then one day the Minnesota weather turned and I couldn't make any excuses. Finally I got up the guts to ask my husband if he would please get the bike down the driveway for me. I know he was trying really hard not to laugh and make fun of me. I know he didn't mean to smirk as he bent to light his cigarette. But he did tell me this, "I'm only going to do it once. You're going to have to learn to do it yourself, and you won't learn if I keep doing it for you." It took me a couple weeks to get up the guts to do it, but eventually I did. I rode my 650 for a couple of months then bought myself the VStar 1100 which is exactly the same bike, just more power. I love my VStar, and yes it is a very popular bike for women. My first summer riding I put on over 8,000 miles. I did write an article about learning to ride alone that you might be interested in. Keep on keeping on. – Leah (note from Mama: an inspirational letter that shows it can be done!) Friday, August 15 Even more for Pittysbad who is battling nasty ol' gravel and back-up techniques: Whew, can I relate to this thread! Not only do I live on a gravel driveway, so do all of our relatives and friends (the downside of living the country). If the scenery here wasn't so breathtaking and the twisty roads so fun to ride, I'd move just to avoid all of the country gravel roads! Our driveway is horrible. It's soft sandy dirt, with deep pockets of gravel that you can get stuck or slide in and steeply sloped soft shoulders. (My hubby and I have spent too much on motorcycles to work on it right now, lol.) It's narrow, sloped, and is crowded with two vehicles and two motorcycles. So I don't have a lot of room to manuever. My bike's a Honda 919; not too heavy but I'm not very strong either, and even with the suspension lowered and good boots I can just barely touch my heels to the ground. I have found that I really had to practice to be able to back it up on that gravel and turn it around smoothly. It's a wrestling match to get my bike to both move and stay upright. (But it's a great workout - better than going to the gym!) I can't count how many times I have almost dropped it when I get it backed up enough and start turning it around. I have thought a lot about the times that I have almost dropped it and what I might be doing wrong, and I realized that I was putting myself in the same situation almost every time. Here's what happens: I start into the backwards turn too slowly, and the bike gets stuck in the gravel or a rut. I give it a good rock and tug backwards to get moving again. It breaks free of the spot and moves too fast or in the wrong direction, and I panic and grab hard on the front brake (afraid that it will get away from me and roll backwards off the shoulder into the woods). This throws both me and the bike off balance, and my feet slip on the gravel. We nearly go over. Yikes! The best method that I have found is to do a very tight full-lock turn (the handlebars turned as far as they will go), with the bike leaned into the turn a little, so you can brace firmly with your foot. The front wheel will act as another brace and help you hold the bike steady. The front wheel can't twist unexpectedly and throw you off balance if it is slammed up against the tank (as it might in a wider turn, since it has a lot of "play" on gravel). There are no surprises that way - you know exactly where the bike will go. Then you just keep your foot planted on the ground, hold the handlebar firmly in the full-lock position, and let the bike pivot around your leg until it is facing the direction that it want it to go. It is much easier if you can maintain a steady slow speed and use momentum to keep it moving through the sticky spots, only letting it stop if it is on level ground. Use the back brake lightly if you need to slow or stop during this maneuver (or VERY light and smooth feathering of the front, if you can't put your foot on the rear brake while turning your bike). Remember: front brake + gravel + panic = bad. It took lots and lots of practice, patience, and confidence-building for me to learn to let it roll and trust my balance on that hard turn. I have found that practicing the manuever in a paved parking lot helps if the gravel is just too scary to face at first. Every day it gets a little easier, and now I can do it without really thinking about it. Don't let people rush you (or rush yourself) when it comes to situations that you are unsure of. Take as long as you need to, be proud that you are still trying and will succeed, and don't worry about how goofy you might look doing things in the way that you feel most comfortable with. Trust yourself to keep a cool head and use the things that you have learned to help you, and trust your bike (and your guardian angels) to take good care of you. It's great to see so many people who love wind, sun, and adventure as much as my hubby and I do. Safe riding, and keep two wheels down and the shiny side up! Hugs, – Mairi (note from Mama: whew ... gravel is such a pill for any rider, so sharing a technique that has worked out is always appreciated ... will help the next person noodle out if that will work for them as well. ) 9Thursday, February 26 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Barbara,
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