Gravel Roads

[Yama Mama]

Since I am the passenger, I tend to keep my eyes on the road especially when we are riding in the country. I watch for gravel that washed out on the road from gravel driveways, gravel in curves and piles of gravel that have fallen on the road from perhaps a passing dump truck. I look for your crushed gravel, your B19 and pea gravel. I can usually spot gravel 75 feet ahead of us. We have been on nicely paved roads that suddenly become gravel. We have had to ride on gravel roads for many miles at a time. I deal with it, but do not especially like it.

When we were in the badlands in SD we went on a short cut on a gravel road to see the sights. While riding a road grader was coming the other direction and almost caused us to go down because we wound up in this heavy loose gravel. It was not a good moment.

Then of course I find out Freebird has a gravel drive.

I am a lot better about gravel now than I was at first.

Point of the thread, do your wives help look for problems laying on the road while you are riding, and if so is it a good thing in your opinion or do you wish we would just set there and be quiet.

No matter what you say, I will keep watching.

Yama Mama

[uncledj]

Sit there and be quiet.

The driver should have at least as good a view as you, and your informing ? him ? of these problems may distract him at a critical moment, when a split second may be all he has to react.

Gravel is a real hazard, much worse on curves than on the straightaways, but is something that we all have to deal with from time to time.

I find my most tense moments are when on gravel, or even a bit of mud, or for that matter, on dry pavement, at slow speeds. My first gen is top heavy and at slow speeds, riding two up, it really keeps me on edge.

Let the driver drive, let him do the worrying, and all you have to do is just enjoy the ride.

 

[myminpins]

I don't watch unless we're in a really tense situation where things are a bit chaotic, which is very rare. I relax, put in my ear plugs/headphones and enjoy my music. If we're on a poker run or something, I help navigate if it's unfamiliar territory but, for the most part, I just let him make all the decisions.

[flb_78]

She's not tall enough to see over me.

[Patrolman46]

My wife & I are both hot air balloon pilots & when we took our training we were taught to tell all of our passengers to help us keep an eye out for anything unusual. Well 20 years later it doesn't matter whose driving the other person helps watch for anything unusual. Now granted on a bike power lines & tall antennas are not of much concern, but gravel & distracted drivers are. We both just feel that two sets of eyes are better than one. Especially now at our age. (Did I say That?) We tend to get distracted more easily than 20 years ago. And a bike isn't very forgiving if you overdrive a corner.

 

C Ya, Patrolamn46 & Babe

[wecruz]

I watch the roads and the watches the ditches for deer and other critters..... works well for us

[bj66]

I ride gravel all the time. I am forced to. The more a guy does it the easier it becomes.

[Yammer Dan]

My wife & I are both hot air balloon pilots & when we took our training we were taught to tell all of our passengers to help us keep an eye out for anything unusual. Well 20 years later it doesn't matter whose driving the other person helps watch for anything unusual. Now granted on a bike power lines & tall antennas are not of much concern, but gravel & distracted drivers are. We both just feel that two sets of eyes are better than one. Especially now at our age. (Did I say That?) We tend to get distracted more easily than 20 years ago. And a bike isn't very forgiving if you overdrive a corner.

 

C Ya, Patrolamn46 & Babe

 

 

Good One. I wish I had had somebody back there to warn me a few times. The last time I got ran overmaybe a passenger would have been looking at those trees he was hiding in or would he have got both of us?? Iwas very lucky in that one. I would hate to think of the Warden being in it but....if you are there and see something SAY SOMETHING!!!

[Bummer]

Yama Mama,

 

I welcome Irene's input. Maybe not the ones that sound panic stricken and startle me, but I definitely appreciate it when she has a warning about a road hazard. Of course it's better when it's a calm "Gravel ahead" than when it's an "AHHHHH we're gonna die!"

 

The unfortunate fact is that the onslaught of maturity isn't all it's cracked up to be. I've missed stuff before that I should have caught. I'll take all the help I can get.

[CalhounWV]

My wife helps watch for hazards, keeps me alert to "spot" it before her, and keeps her sharp when she is riding her bike.

[buddy]

What is it with these back seat drivers? man give me a break......

I might add I have a Peggy as well and she helps watch the roads and she helps with the mirrors as well and at times I really do love her eyes on the road!!!!!!!

Whats funny is Yama mama's Hubby & me share the same name as well

two Ron's two Peggy's go figure........

That's why I pick on Yama Mama .......

Buddy

[Yammer Dan]

Whats this Maturity thing??:think: Is that when you buy a 2nd Gen??

[scotty]

I average about 3000 Km of gravel a year. So some tips:

RELAX! - there is nothing worse than a tense passenger on a gravel road.

pivot at the hips.

 

For the driver: when you get up against a ridge and the bike starts to fall to the right, the best course of action is to throw weight to the right. I know it sounds wrong but so dose counter steering. What you are doing is setting up the bike in a left turn, The more weight of the machine +passenger + gear = more weight you have to throw around.

BTW my missis hates the gravel too.

 

In answer to the other part: yes, she point out hazards when she sees them but is usually too busy taking pics.

[SilvrT]

I watch the roads and she watches the ditches for deer and other critters..... works well for us

 

DITTO!

[BuddyRich]

She really can't see in front better than I can. But if she yells about something I listen. There's a lot more out there than just gravel. An off camber turn can get an inexperienced or experienced rider just as fast if they misjudge it and hit it too fast. In fact I'd be willing to bet it gets more bikers in trouble than gravel does.

[bongobobny]

She's not tall enough to see over me.

Ditto!!

[Cougar]

Three wheels makes it FUN now !

[wannarsv]

My wife drives EVERYWHERE we go..........I just hold the steering wheel/handlebars.

 

Melvin

[Venturous Randy]

Linda is a wonderful passenger and is very perceptive. She doesn't say much about road hazards, but if she thinks I am not noticing something important, she will speak up and I welcome it. We are on this ride together, both for the enjoyment and the possible bad and I want her comfortable in commenting on something I should know about.

RandyA

[FreezyRider]

Yama Mama,

 

I welcome Irene's input. Maybe not the ones that sound panic stricken and startle me, but I definitely appreciate it when she has a warning about a road hazard. Of course it's better when it's a calm "Gravel ahead" than when it's an "AHHHHH we're gonna die!"

 

The unfortunate fact is that the onslaught of maturity isn't all it's cracked up to be. I've missed stuff before that I should have caught. I'll take all the help I can get.

 

Well said!

[JoeKanuck]

Gravel is pretty much assured to freak out a passenger since there will be lots of movement that is abrupt, unexpected and will feel dangerous...but probably isn't.

 

The trick to gravel is to relax...let the bike find its own way...and that results in an unstable feeling for the passenger. After all, the bike is essentially riding on ball bearings.

 

Odds are, you're probably going somewhat slower than on hardtop, so the driver will probably see most things well ahead of when they could potentially be trouble...but, since you are on gravel, if something unexpected comes up that the driver may have missed but the passenger sees, there probably isn't anything either can do about it because any abrupt movement on gravel will probably dump a heavy machine like a venture.

 

So, the best thing is sit back, relax and enjoy the view. If you're going to go down, there isn't much you can do about it...so why worry...?

[Drreb]

I don't have a wife, thought about asking for the loan of a wife, but had a thought I might be offer way too many......

[Wolf]

What is it with these back seat drivers? man give me a break......

 

I might add I have a Peggy as well and she helps watch the roads and she helps with the mirrors as well and at times I really do love her eyes on the road!!!!!!!

Whats funny is Yama mama's Hubby & me share the same name as well

two Ron's two Peggy's go figure........

 

That's why I pick on Yama Mama .......

 

Buddy

 

That's why I'm riding solo....

[Flyinfool]

It has been about 25 years since I have had a passenger on the bike.

Way back then my wife never said much of anything to me about the driving.

I think I would welcome if someone were to let me know about something that I might have missed like a deer or car coming from the side.

Fortunately I do not miss much of anything in front of me. It may be part of why I never really got into long distance rides, I tend to be fully focused on the road at all times and do not see much scenery at all, just pavement.

[Stache]

My wife is still very nervous about riding as a passenger with me. Probably rightly so as I am still fairly new to riding.

 

She sits back against the backrest, holds on to the armrests, closes her eyes, and waits for it to be over.

 

It's really quite peaceful. I should take her riding more often.