A question for fellow riders?

  • April 10, 2013 1:46 AM PDT

    Some times after a heavy or prolonged rains  or a bad storm there can be a mix of sand and gravel or small stones on low points of the road or in a low points of curves and turns. Sometimes where water might have pooled and have later drained or evaporated off.

    My question how many of us have wiped out because of riding over or turning on such a mix on the road? Because of most of these spills like this usually happen at low speed or while turning, and most often don’t involve another vehicle most if not all of these go unreported and the cost for repairs comes out of pocket.

    I know that I have had a spill while making a turn because of something like this. Has the same thing ever happen to you???

    • Moderator
    • 19034 posts
    April 10, 2013 3:32 AM PDT
    Came close a couple times and once ran into a pasture to avoid going down on the road. MY FAULT... Never assume the turn is clear of hazards.
    • 3006 posts
    April 10, 2013 4:12 AM PDT
    The one time I did dump a bike, while riding, was into a gravel parking area on the shoulder of a road.Came in too fast braked too hard,n out went my front tire.
    Usually my fears are with wet patches of leaves left on the roadbed settin in any sort of curve.
  • April 10, 2013 4:48 AM PDT
    Absolutely has happened. Turning left from a busy street right into gravel. Had no time to react, and it took my tires out from under me. Luckily I was going slow and no damaged happened to the bike. Still gets your heart beat going!
    • 284 posts
    April 12, 2013 12:09 AM PDT
    Not yet, hope not.
    Down here you get so use to watchin for sand a gravel in the roads it is like second nature. Low Coastal is always like that.
    • 2 posts
    April 12, 2013 1:09 AM PDT
    donnmartie wrote...

    .   .   .   .   .

    My question how many of us have wiped out because of riding over or turning on ... a mix on the road? .   .   .  .

    I know that I have had a spill while making a turn because of something like this. Has the same thing ever happen to you???

    Yup, was making a right on to a gravel path, gravel had been tracked up on to the paved road, brain was still in pavement mode when I hit the gravel, went down, minor damage but still have gravel in my hand.

    HOWEVER, riding on dirt, sand and gravel is another story entirely

    • 1855 posts
    April 14, 2013 1:43 AM PDT
    I forgot to put kickstand down once.LOL. Came close on a nasty road once but never went down that way.
  • April 14, 2013 4:59 AM PDT
    Way back in my youth, A friend and I were rounding a lefthand curve at a fairly high rate of speed. He was on the inside track and I was on the outside track. Suddenly I noticed a patch of sand ahead of me. I had to make a choice, either move to the inside and take my friend out, try to hold the line and risk dumping my bike or straighten the bike and take the ditch. I chose the ditch. I managed to keep control and ended up in some guy's backyard. I had to drive across his lawn to the front yard in order to get back on the street. After I got back on the street, I just sat there for a coupe seconds to calm down and gather my wits. Then ths guy comes out of the house madder then hell. He was just sreaming at me about calling the police and other things. At the time, the only thing I could think of doing was crack the throttle and pop the clutch. Gravel flew and I was out of there. I didn't feel like trying to explain to a raging lunatic how lucky I was and how he didn't have to call an ambulance. To this day, I like to leave plenty of room between me and other bikes and always look for sand on curves.
  • April 14, 2013 8:22 PM PDT
    Never dumped in loose gravel out on the hwy but in parking lots up in the high desert near our house I have slid in sideways and dumped several times. Usually because I'm not paying attention and then have to stop in a hurry. My wife fails to see the humor when my friends give me the umpire safe sign, I'm not sure why?
  • April 14, 2013 11:32 PM PDT
    Oh, yeah, on my first bike. Very sharp corner, lots of loose gravel, going way too fast. I actually didn't lose it in the gravel, thank God. But I slid into the grassy swale along the road, and it was still slick with morning dew. I ended up sliding into a mailbox just around the corner. No structural damage to the bike, but I needed a new front fender and the fairing was destroyed. Nothing like riding back into town with a fairing dangling off the front of your bike to show the world that you just dropped your ride.
  • April 15, 2013 12:21 AM PDT
    This very topic is why I haven't stretched my Street Bob's legs yet this year. There is still so much sand and gravel out there from the snow storms and I'm terrified of hitting some of it on our windy New England back roads. Just when I though maybe this past weekend hubby and I could go out, it snowed an inch on Thursday. Hopefully "April showers" will help us out.
  • April 15, 2013 12:36 AM PDT
    got to learn not to use the front brakes while making such turns .