Fresh Gravel

[sleepy2]

I apologize ahead of time for the long post!!

Went for 2 day ride to Niece's Tuesday around Port Elgin Ontario with Phantom Wife. Had trailer also. Nice ride until we got about 15klm from their house in country and wife had to used facilities so stopped at a Tim Horton's then were ready to leave it started to rain.(FIRST time for her to ride in rain). Stopped in a small town and had breakfast -got rain suits on and continued on. Made it 10klm's and saw that the road we had to take was fresh gravel which was usually not a problem as I have ridden on them alot before. BUT when we started down THIS road I realized that this was going to be an adventure. There was so much gravel that bike started to swerve and float over the top of it . Wasn't bad until wife grabbed ahold of my coat sleaves and hands were slipping on grips. Got so bad that front was making almost 80degree turns and almost dumped over 4 or 5 times. Finally got to next turn and was packed until we went 500ft. and had to make a right onto fresh gravel again. Thankfully it was only 1.3klm to her house so wife walked while I rode there. Neice went to pick her up. Went to town next day and even without wife and trailer it was a FUN ride on these roads. Never that bad around here when it is fresh.Thurs. morning to make matters worse graders went by at least 4-5 times so when we were ready to leave she got a ride out to main road.Was fairly loose but managed to make it with no mishaps. Ride home was not that bad except for a few people pulling out in-front of us. Next time will call ahead to see what roads are like. All in all not a bad few days.

[Yammer Dan]

If I were to come onto a gravel road with that 2nd Gen I think I would turn around.

[sleepy2]

I don't usually go down if freshly graded BUT they were the only roads to get to Niece's house. The other 2 roads were also fresh gravel.

[uncledj]

Towards the end of last riding season, I was on a paved country road, travelling about 50mph. I crested a hill and right at the top the paved road turned to fresh gravel...and deep..... Instant case of puckered butt......I slowed gradually, until I was going fast enough to retain control, but slow enough to handle the gravel...maybe 15mph. I did that for about 3 miles until I got back to a paved road, but, especially on my second gen, I think I'll turn around the next time I get in a similar situation. Scary.

[stickhandle2]

We have the same with a couple of roads to get to my brothers place, but it isnt nearly as bad as the road you were on sounds.

[Sailor]

We went to Telegraph Cove and came around a corner right into fresh gravel. How fresh? The dump truck still had its back up. How deep? 6-8 inches. I went down to low gear and powered through it. Just barely made it before stalling out.They are doing gravel work here patching cracks and holes. Lots of loose gravel on top of the pavement. Like riding on ball bearings.

[MikeWa]

Fresh gravel is very scary. Glad you guys made it ok.

 

Mike

[XV1100SE]

Good thing Carl has given us practice on gravel roads during group rides. You should have tried a u-turn too !!

 

Glad you got thru it!

[Condor]

I hate any gravel.....

[cowpuc]

I hate any gravel.....

 

Oh yea,, I hate snow even worse,,,, and am beginning to not think to highly of grass either..

 

Hey Sleepy,, sounds to me like you done did a GREAT job of keeping it all together!! GOOD ON YA BRO!!

[Illinois]

Yikes!! You do what ya gotta do. Wouldn't intentionally tackle gravel on the RSTD. Can actually be fun riding the pegs on the Strom. Congrats on keeping the rubber side down.

[sleepy2]

Gravel had to be at-least 6-8" deep and like I said as soon as the tractors went by to tramp it down the graders seemed to show up again and again. At least 8 times in the 2 days so there was never any time to get firmed up. There was NO chance to turn around on the first section as there were NO laneways so we were committed and the second section we HAD to go down as they were on that section. This was the first time in all the years they lived there that they did this to the road.

[XV1100SE]

Worst road we've ridden is coming into Saskatchewan from Montana (Montana State 191 to Saskatchewan 4 from Malta to Swift Current).

 

Worst potholes I've seen, and where there was asphalt it was 4" thick, fresh, and not compacted. Could feel the bike sinking into the asphalt. Road was great in Montana, terrible in Saskatchewan. For a border crossing, something should be done !

[bj66]

I live out in the country, and my county highways are in bad disrepair due to flooding in past years. The county had patched pothles in the asphalt with gravel to save some cost. In certain places they would do a complete section of highway with gravel on top. Thats even worse, gravel doesnt stick and it turns to marbles. This year with new highway commisioner they are starting to patch properly. But right now going to my house I have 3 places where asphalt is completely covered in a half mile distance. I just go fast enough to keep a good balance (maybe 10 mph). Im getting pretty good at driving on those marbles. And of course being in the country I am used to gravel roads as well. On those I just look at both edges of the road. Usually one of them is scraped clean a foot or so wide as a result of the blades last pass where he is feathering the gravel to the middle to make a crown. If I see the smooth edge I head for it immediately...