Ruff or bumpy pavement turns me into a biatch!

tached1000rr · 10-20-2009, 10:14 PM

Ok, we have some roads we ride pretty regularly, one of which is pretty darn rough, my buddy Travis will take these corners just as he would on a smooth as a baby's bottom surface. For the life of me, I have yet to have that type of confidence in a corner on that road or similar surfaces. Two questions:

1) How do I increase my confidence level on ruff/bumpy pavement?

2)Does it affect you the same way? If not how did you get over that hump?

Particle Man · 10-20-2009, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tached1000rr

Ok, we have some roads we ride pretty regularly, one of which is pretty darn rough, my buddy Travis will take these corners just as he would on a smooth as a baby's bottom surface. For the life of me, I have yet to have that type of confidence in a corner on that road or similar surfaces. Two questions:

1) How do I increase my confidence level on ruff/bumpy pavement? Check your suspension settings...

2)Does it affect you the same way? If not how did you get over that hump?

Yep and by adjusting my suspension settings...

Quick281 · 10-20-2009, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tached1000rr

Ok, we have some roads we ride pretty regularly, one of which is pretty darn rough, my buddy Travis will take these corners just as he would on a smooth as a baby's bottom surface. For the life of me, I have yet to have that type of confidence in a corner on that road or similar surfaces. Two questions:

1) How do I increase my confidence level on ruff/bumpy pavement?

2)Does it affect you the same way? If not how did you get over that hump?

I can understand your pain on that. Ever since I low sided in some gravel, I choke up hard on the handle bars any time I see pebble like debris. I practically lose all focus and worry about the small pebbles on the ground. I tried ridding a couple more times on those roads and ended up getting rear ended by a lady on her cell phone. Now I am just paranoid!

tached1000rr · 10-20-2009, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quick281

I can understand your pain on that. Ever since I low sided in some gravel, I choke up hard on the handle bars any time I see pebble like debris. I practically lose all focus and worry about the small pebbles on the ground. I tried ridding a couple more times on those roads and ended up getting rear ended by a lady on her cell phone. Now I am just paranoid!

There is so much gravel around here that it does not bother me really unless it's a broken patch of road that's now gravel-like...

101lifts2 · 10-20-2009, 11:29 PM

As said previously, good suspension that is properly setup will do wonders for confidence.

You cannot ride faster on a bumpy road vs. a smooth one. You can, however, be slow on both. lol

Homeslice · 10-20-2009, 10:26 PM

Just take every ounce of weight off the bars, and onto your pegs. Let the suspension do its work instead of fighting it.

tached1000rr · 10-20-2009, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Homeslice

Just take every ounce of weight off the bars, and onto your pegs. Let the suspension do its work instead of fighting it.

I do fight the natural tendency to tense up and will mentally tell myself to stay loose, I think it's a mental roadblock I need to burst though I just unconsciously slow down, not a chop the throttle type of slowing though.

'73 H1 Triple · 10-20-2009, 11:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Homeslice

Just take every ounce of weight off the bars, and onto your pegs. Let the suspension do its work instead of fighting it.

It's like riding dirtbike in the sand. Relax and let the bike do the work. ( as particle man stated, your suspension has to be working WITH you )

FT BSTRD · 10-21-2009, 02:23 AM

One of the best things to do is practice with limited traction situations.

Ride your bike IN GRAVEL. Your tires will slip, but you will get used to the feeling and how to control it.

I ride with a buddy who HATES limited traction situations, rain, gravel, sand, bumpy road surfaces.

I don't mind them because I used to ride dirt bikes. I kind of like the feeling sometimes of breaking the rear loose.

There are plenty of gravel roads in NC. Find one that has a minimal amount of large rocks in it (likely to puncture a tire) and work on it.

azoomm · 10-21-2009, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Homeslice

Just take every ounce of weight off the bars, and onto your pegs. Let the suspension do its work instead of fighting it.

That's the answer right there.

Most instruction on a trackday is trying to get people to move where they *hold on* to a bike. Well, that and getting people to breathe rather than taking that quick draw of breath and holding it like they just stubbed their toe.

Breathe

Relax

Loosen that death grip on the bars...

10-20-2009, 10:14 PM	#1
tached1000rr WERA White Plate Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: NC Moto: 2009 GSXR 1300 Posts: 2,448	Ruff or bumpy pavement turns me into a biatch! Ok, we have some roads we ride pretty regularly, one of which is pretty darn rough, my buddy Travis will take these corners just as he would on a smooth as a baby's bottom surface. For the life of me, I have yet to have that type of confidence in a corner on that road or similar surfaces. Two questions: 1) How do I increase my confidence level on ruff/bumpy pavement? 2)Does it affect you the same way? If not how did you get over that hump?

10-20-2009, 11:29 PM	#5
101lifts2 WSB Champion Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Anaheim, CA Moto: 2009 Kawi ZX6R Posts: 5,570	As said previously, good suspension that is properly setup will do wonders for confidence. You cannot ride faster on a bumpy road vs. a smooth one. You can, however, be slow on both. lol __________________ Train Hard Ron Paul - 2012 Mark of Excellence GM

10-21-2009, 02:23 AM	#9
FT BSTRD Tractor Driver Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Franklin, TN Moto: Buell XB12X Ulysses Posts: 1,007	One of the best things to do is practice with limited traction situations. Ride your bike IN GRAVEL. Your tires will slip, but you will get used to the feeling and how to control it. I ride with a buddy who HATES limited traction situations, rain, gravel, sand, bumpy road surfaces. I don't mind them because I used to ride dirt bikes. I kind of like the feeling sometimes of breaking the rear loose. There are plenty of gravel roads in NC. Find one that has a minimal amount of large rocks in it (likely to puncture a tire) and work on it. __________________ "I do get tired of reading,'my buddy is a racer and says the Buell will never work' I always want to say 'Who the FCK is your buddy and is he faster than Shawn Higbee?" --Erik Buell*

10-20-2009, 10:26 PM	#6
Homeslice Elitist Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: SF Bay Area Moto: Gix 750 Posts: 11,351	Just take every ounce of weight off the bars, and onto your pegs. Let the suspension do its work instead of fighting it.