Total Motorcycle Community Forums

I'd go to the dirt bike forum, but I'd rather have you experienced street bike riders tell me how you get out of those situations in the loose dirt/gravel/mud, etc that you should never have gotten into in the first place.
So far, when I've traveled down that nasty dirt road that I shouldn't have on a street bike with street tires, I've managed to just power out and occasionally put my feet down for balance/stability.
You know those tempting roads that are all nice hard packed dirt until you round that corner up the hill and have to turn around?
Any tips that dirt bike riders use that can be used for heavier bikes...video references on UTube for instance? No dirt bike experience here.
Yeah, I know somebody is going to say..."stay on the pavement"...but what if you are run off the road and have to get out of the soft stuff?
Be nice.

Be smooth and practice. The best practice is taking those roads on a dirt bike to build confidence then take your road bike on the same surfaces.

I did about 1,000 miles of road with the following surface on my street bike with street tires:



Any bike can do it, you just need practice.

I just take longer to do things like brake/slow down.

Be careful about using front brake especially going downhill. Front end will wash out using brakes like on the macadam. Keep up the revs so bike is in power band.

There is an old dirt bike saying "when in doubt crank it out" meaning that cracking the throttle will often get you out of hairy situations better than brakes, a controlled spin is better than a un-controlled slide.

Almost nothing reacts the same on dirt as on pavement, gravel is yet another thing entirely.

KNOW YOUR SKILL LEVEL, you're not Malcolm Smith or Chris Blas so don't try to ride like them, If you were that good you would already be a pro.

Take the MSF Dirt Bike School

http://www.dirtbikeschool.org/

http://www.dirtbikeschool.org/downloads/MSF_TnPG.pdf

Try reading up on off-road techniques and of course PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE

http://http.vitalstreamcdn.com/msfusa_v ... 604-21.wmv

slimcolo wrote:Be careful about using front brake especially going downhill. Front end will wash out using brakes like on the macadam. Keep up the revs so bike is in power band.

There is an old dirt bike saying "when in doubt crank it out" meaning that cracking the throttle will often get you out of hairy situations better than brakes, a controlled spin is better than a un-controlled slide.

Almost nothing reacts the same on dirt as on pavement, gravel is yet another thing entirely.

KNOW YOUR SKILL LEVEL, you're not Malcolm Smith or Chris Blas so don't try to ride like them, If you were that good you would already be a pro.

Take the MSF Dirt Bike School

http://www.dirtbikeschool.org/

http://www.dirtbikeschool.org/downloads/MSF_TnPG.pdf

Try reading up on off-road techniques and of course PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE

http://http.vitalstreamcdn.com/msfusa_v ... 604-21.wmv

Lot of good info here, but remember to be careful about using the front brake, but don't avoid it.

Thanks for all the info and tips.
A little "schooling" sounds like a good idea.
And the neighbor owes me a favor and owns a dirt bike that he has offered to loan me.

You see no one gave you a hard time....I happen to know alot of people who live down dirt roads, so taking a bike to visit or for them to just get home in enevitable.......Like slim said easy on the front brakes, I also find going too slow can cause issues. have fun!!

Do things slow and easy. If your going straight, not too slow...a little speed will give you a bit more stability than going too slow....kinda ride over the gravel rather than through it.
If you are turning, do it slow and easy and maybe even keep your feet down or at least ready to be put down quickly as stabilizers.... and dont even think about using the front brake!...back brake only!... Grabbing front brake in gravel will drop you like a hot potato.

Zagnut wrote:Do things slow and easy. If your going straight, not too slow...a little speed will give you a bit more stability than going too slow....kinda ride over the gravel rather than through it.
If you are turning, do it slow and easy and maybe even keep your feet down or at least ready to be put down quickly as stabilizers.... and dont even think about using the front brake!...back brake only!... Grabbing front brake in gravel will drop you like a hot potato.

If your tires don't have enough traction to keep the motorcycle upright, how will your feet? Do you have the leg strength to counteract both gravity and the momentum the bike has developed before you can react to it falling?

Avoiding the front brake is silly. Grabbing the front brake on any surface will "drop you like a hot potato." Use it but use it properly.

Zagnut wrote:Do things slow and easy. If your going straight, not too slow...a little speed will give you a bit more stability than going too slow....kinda ride over the gravel rather than through it.
If you are turning, do it slow and easy and maybe even keep your feet down or at least ready to be put down quickly as stabilizers.... and dont even think about using the front brake!...back brake only!... Grabbing front brake in gravel will drop you like a hot potato.

Like skier said NOT using the front brake on any surface is stupid. using only the back brake can drop you like a hot potato as well.