Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Gravel is fun. Good way to learn to kick out the rear wheel. Done it on the ninja a few times

But anyway, it's not THAT big of a deal if it's packed, and it IS a driveway, so it's not like you're blasting down it WOT in 3rd gear slapping redline. Go easy. And you can use both brakes, just be gentle, moreso than even when riding in rain. Try riding through a bit of area that's just stones the size of dice to the size of a golf ball. Now THAT'S a pain in the "O Ring". Definatly a power walking situation.

My very first "unexpected dismounting experience" was the result of gravel.

I had only been riding about 2 months and did absolutely EVERYTHING wrong. I was going really fast. I turned suddenly. I grabbed the front brake ... This basicly turned my motorcycle into a catapult.

Needless to say, since then I've become quite wary of gravel. All the advice given is true - go slow, no sudden movements, stay OFF the front brake. Keeping THOSE guidelines in mind, I've been over plenty of gravel with no mishaps.