Author Topic: Gravel Roads  (Read 5225 times)

Offline twowheeladdict

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Re: Gravel Roads
« Reply #30 on: April 08, 2019, 12:39:33 PM »
About 50% of all the roads in the US are unpaved.  The single biggest disappointment with my California 1400 is how horrendous it handles gravel.  I'm thinking about buying a cheap Stone and throwing a set of knobbies on it to get back some of the riding I'm missing..   

That's the reason I ended up with the Himalayan.  With its low CG it feels a lot lighter than my V7. 

I did consider getting a V7 Rough or green stone, but I like to try new bikes for new experiences.  The Himalayan is about half the cost of a properly set up V7.
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Offline yellowheader

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Re: Gravel Roads
« Reply #31 on: April 08, 2019, 02:46:26 PM »
I'm thinking about buying a cheap Stone and throwing a set of knobbies on it to get back some of the riding I'm missing..   
As a teenager I learned to ride on the gravel roads that surrounded our farm for several miles. My bike was a CJ360 complete with ribbed front tire and drum brakes. I can appreciate both Nick's and Knuckle's assessments of gravel riding.  The first time I took my Cali Stone off the highway I was surprised how stable it is. For me, the decent ground clearance, 18 inch wheels and neutral seating position make it a pretty good gravel sled. Who knows, maybe when my current tires are worn out, I'll replace them with some dual-sports. :azn:

Offline twowheeladdict

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Re: Gravel Roads
« Reply #32 on: April 08, 2019, 06:04:53 PM »
As a teenager I learned to ride on the gravel roads that surrounded our farm for several miles. My bike was a CJ360 complete with ribbed front tire and drum brakes. I can appreciate both Nick's and Knuckle's assessments of gravel riding.  The first time I took my Cali Stone off the highway I was surprised how stable it is. For me, the decent ground clearance, 18 inch wheels and neutral seating position make it a pretty good gravel sled. Who knows, maybe when my current tires are worn out, I'll replace them with some dual-sports. :azn:

Once you stand up while riding gravel roads you will be open to a whole new experience as you become the weightless rider. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWgfA6no5k4&list=LLxK8DeRJ56SmAikOfvQBIwg&index=2&t=0s
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canuck750

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Re: Gravel Roads
« Reply #33 on: April 08, 2019, 07:01:03 PM »
Once you stand up while riding gravel roads you will be open to a whole new experience as you become the weightless rider. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWgfA6no5k4&list=LLxK8DeRJ56SmAikOfvQBIwg&index=2&t=0s

As the intro to the video says; standing up alone only improves your vision.
I road enduro bikes off road until I was 39 then got my 1st street bike. I agree completely with the video presenter for trail riding, especially rocky, hill climbing etc. For gravel roads I disagree with the endure / trail standing default. I rode 2000 km of gravel last summer to Tuktoyuktuk and back on he Dempster hwy. mostly sitting and leaning back to keep the rear tire digging in and the front making as little contact as possible. Three of us on KLR 650's sat back, cruised at 65 ~ 75 mph all day and passed all the GS and KTM riders struggling to hold 45 mph on the gravel standing up.

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Re: Gravel Roads
« Reply #33 on: April 08, 2019, 07:01:03 PM »

Offline Matteo

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Re: Gravel Roads
« Reply #34 on: April 08, 2019, 07:25:22 PM »



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Offline JohninVT

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Re: Gravel Roads
« Reply #35 on: April 09, 2019, 05:04:02 AM »
As a teenager I learned to ride on the gravel roads that surrounded our farm for several miles. My bike was a CJ360 complete with ribbed front tire and drum brakes. I can appreciate both Nick's and Knuckle's assessments of gravel riding.  The first time I took my Cali Stone off the highway I was surprised how stable it is. For me, the decent ground clearance, 18 inch wheels and neutral seating position make it a pretty good gravel sled. Who knows, maybe when my current tires are worn out, I'll replace them with some dual-sports. :azn:

I learned to ride on dirt too.  Every motorcycle I’ve ever owned has been ridden on gravel at some point.  With the stock Dunlop’s and the stupid 200 width rear tire the 1400 is truly bad. 

Offline Cam3512

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Re: Gravel Roads
« Reply #36 on: April 09, 2019, 02:56:13 PM »
Not much gravel in the S. Jersey pine barrens.  Mostly sand and dirt.  The little Storney Scrambler is about perfect.  However, riding the paved roads with other cars to get to the dirt is a bit challenging with its 8-10HP!





« Last Edit: April 09, 2019, 02:57:01 PM by Cam3512 »
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Offline twowheeladdict

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Re: Gravel Roads
« Reply #37 on: April 09, 2019, 04:59:35 PM »
As the intro to the video says; standing up alone only improves your vision.


Yep, that is what he said. 

It is what you do while standing up that matters.  Too many guys grab the bike with their legs instead of keeping the CG low by only contacting the bike at the pegs and being loose on the grips.  Separating yourself from the movements of the bike underneath you. 

Where I ride improving your vision is very important because of the limited vision cresting rises and making yourself more visible to oncoming traffic on the 1 1/2 lane wide roads that everyone is using the middle until they meet an oncoming vehicle.

70 mph on gravel is very impressive until you have to emergency stop for that truck in the middle of the road coming over a rise.  I suspect that the roads you speak of are wide and relatively flat and straight. 
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Offline Knuckle Dragger

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Re: Gravel Roads
« Reply #38 on: April 10, 2019, 01:46:21 AM »
As the intro to the video says; standing up alone only improves your vision.
I road enduro bikes off road until I was 39 then got my 1st street bike. I agree completely with the video presenter for trail riding, especially rocky, hill climbing etc. For gravel roads I disagree with the endure / trail standing default. I rode 2000 km of gravel last summer to Tuktoyuktuk and back on he Dempster hwy. mostly sitting and leaning back to keep the rear tire digging in and the front making as little contact as possible. Three of us on KLR 650's sat back, cruised at 65 ~ 75 mph all day and passed all the GS and KTM riders struggling to hold 45 mph on the gravel standing up.

I agree.  My bum's pretty well cushioned too.  You'd have to be a way fitter fellow than I to ride long distance/s on your feet.  The 'weightless rider' technique is really best suited to when the going becomes rough, sandy or pebbly.  Those Dakar jockeys, Finke & Baja racers are just supreme athletes by comparison:  insane speeds over the worst terrain!  Calves like a weightlifter & the thighs & achilles tendons of a kangaroo.

Those big singles will eat dirt roads like no other.  A fabulous combo of light weight, easy handling in dirt  and supreme ground clearance/suspension travel.  Great for shorter distances, but a bit too limited in luggage capacity for longer term camping/touring.  I'd always be concerned about cracking a sub-frame if well-laden.
« Last Edit: April 10, 2019, 08:01:54 AM by Knuckle Dragger »
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Offline Different Spokes TV

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Re: Gravel Roads
« Reply #39 on: April 10, 2019, 09:54:34 AM »
I love gravel roads which is one of the reasons I just bought a 2014 Stelvio. I have a cottage up in the Madawaska Valley and all the best roads up there are gravel. Really looking forward to taking the bike up there and exploring the region as well as the numerous roads running through Algonquin Park. Now a Stelvio may be an 'Adventure Bike' but it's still a handful off the pavement. I made a video of my first gravel ride here:

https://youtu.be/PpsBRQuCROQ

It was fun but I was definitely tentative on gravel.

 

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