Do you let the motorcycle do its job? Road Surfaces

[@MCrider]

If you are a new rider or a rider who wants to continue to grow (That should be all of us ;) ) and you are not a Member at MCrider you are missing out on the best part of MCrider. Go to www.MCrider.com/Member and get access to the Forums and Field Guide. - The Forum is an active, friendly place where riders share riding tips, ideas, travel photos, and show off their new motorcycles. Riders and instructors from all over the world are active on the forums and ready to share in the adventure with you. - The Field Guide is a section of the forums that have very specific training exercises that you can work on in any open parking lot to develop your riding skills. In addition to these resources, you can discuss every MCrider video, suggest future training videos, read and share gear reviews, and more. By becoming a member you help support MCrider and keep the weekly videos coming but you also get access to a world of riders who share tips and techniques to help us all enjoy the ride and increase our skills. www.MCrider.com/Member

[@mikebarker5783]

Early on in my riding I was doing about 70mph on a county road with some tires that I had neglected to put air in. Needless to say the motorcycle did some bucking and my stoic nature allowed me to not react, the motorcycle didn't fail to keep me up, I did turn around and get air in those tires and I learned two important lessons: Trust the motorcycle and Don't be in a hurry to get on the road.

[@fubyoyo7763]

Been riding for 20+ years and have learned much from your videos. Just returned last weekend from an 11 day 5k mile trip with my wife, and your knowledge went with us. I felt like a much more confident rider and it was re assuring knowing your techniques helped keep my wife and myself safe on our journey. God bless you, Sir

[@MCrider]

Awesome, love comments like this! It's why I do this.

[@roarkshsha]

Very helpful video. Nice, grownup motorcycle channel. This includes the individuals leaving the comments. Thank you.

[@blue04mx53]

I agree it's a nice change to see respectful comments isn't it? Cheers mate.

[@ronaldjohnson7905]

Agree. I would guess the less mature would find this channel less appealing than I do.

[@maxbreemer]

Kevin, one technique that helped really good on gravel is relax the arms, but grip the tank with your knees. The bars may shake a bit, but the bike just goes where you want it to go.

[@TRW-13]

Hans Breemer Thanks for the tips...I'm new at riding so I'll try that. 😉

[@Supernova12034]

this works everywhere, not just the gravel. Even when going through corners, push your ass back , and grip the tank hard with the knees, and watch your entire upper body relax and lose all tightness and tension

[@cwbaldwin61]

Thanks for sharing this. I'll give it a try next time I'm out.

[@rtogurl]

Hans Breemer Knees to the tank was drilled into my head when I took the safety course.

[@maxbreemer]

Me too :-) However we tend to forget stuff over time (just like how using the rear brake can help your stability at slow speed for instance). When I started riding offroad 10-15 years ago I relearned how gripping the tank can great improve bike stability. In sand, in the mud, and on course gravel like in Kevin's video here.

[@afterburner2869]

Railroad tracks running at a 45 degree angle across the road can cause problems if not address properly. The grooves on each side of the rails can grab your front tire and cause huge problems for you. Square up on the tracks as much as possible before you cross is the best technique for that situation.

[@Lars1157]

Ever since my Dad told me about someone that crashed because of hitting the centerline on a cold damp morning, I practice avoidance of all painted lines no matter the weather. By staying off crosswalk paint and all road lines as much as possible, I believe I can make it something I do without thinking and take that problem out of play as much as possible.

[@gregoriousgilbert519]

Road markings paint? Why are they slippery? Same with other road surfaces, Why are they so slippery smooth? Its crazy that road surfaces are not always safe for bikers. Why have we not developed good road surfaces that are safe?? One other problem that I have is Lights! Why do they dazzle? I road thru the nite, it was very dark an wet, I went really slow coz' of on coming lights dazzled me an I could not see the road until they had moved past me. We are not smart having slippery roads an lights that dazzle....

[@cwbaldwin61]

Good topic - great video. I try to keep in mind that due to inertia my bike WANTS to keep going forward, and the gyroscopic effect of the wheels turning means it WANTS to stay up. The laws of physics are in my favor. The faster I go, the more pronounced these effects are! So we do ourselves no favors by hitting the brakes or chopping the throttle - it diminishes these effects and introduces instability. I seek to keep at speed or better, and repeat in my head "trust the bike, trust the bike".

[@K2CTC]

This is what I remind myself when the gusts are gnarly.

[@philipspencer1834]

Kevin, fantastic advice. Looking through corners and allowing the bike to find its way is exactly what you need to do. You have revolutionised my riding. Looking through the corner is the key. God bless you. Spence

[@exjazzer]

Thank you for your videos sir. I'm 63 and trying to ride my Sportster safely.

[@wendyfitting6440]

Also just found this information from another fb site: Whether it’s gravel, dirt, sand, grass, or any slick surface, the same rules apply. You want to minimize the motorcycle’s lean and abstain from any sudden input such as braking, accelerating, or swerving. Minimize the motorcycle’s lean and abstain from any sudden input such as braking, accelerating, or swerving. There are all types of gravel conditions. Part of deciding to ride through gravel is assessing the kind of terrain you’re faced with. Hard packed gravel is best. Loose sand is the worst. Terrain like this can be deceiving. It’s mostly packed dirt and sand, but this kind of gravel requires constant scanning for mounds of sand and stones that have formed which can be more difficult to ride through because of the lack of traction, and possibly have you experience a rear tire spin out. When we lose traction, defined as the “grip of a tire on a road,” it’s easy to lose control of the motorcycle. But don’t lose your head. If your motorcycle is already in motion and you come up to a patch of gravel in the road, don’t panic. It’s best to maintain the momentum the motorcycle already has and slow down gradually, with very light use of both brakes. Your tires will slide easily, even on a light gravel surface, so if you brake too hard too fast you’ll likely produce a skid, lose control of the motorcycle and you may go down. how to ride your street motorcycle in deep gravel Roadside pullouts laden with gravel are actually a good place to practice your gravel riding skills because, so long as there’s no drop or gap between the pavement and gravel, you can stay headed in one direction as you enter and exit the pullout while practicing smooth throttle control. When the road ahead promises miles of gravel, you can turn around and find another route, or you can use these techniques to get through it. Physically: Keep your arms and shoulders relaxed, and steer the bike without fighting against it. Use a gradual throttle roll-on to accelerate and maintain a steady speed, which will most likely be a reduced speed. Try not to stop, but if you have to, start out again by using very light, gradual acceleration, so your tires don't spin out. Keep the motorcycle as straight up as possible, that is minimize lean, which may mean taking wide turns and using most of the road. Keep as much distance between you and other vehicles as possible to allow yourself a lot of extra room to gradually slow down to a stop. Remember the rule that you go where you’re looking, so avoid looking down. Stay focused on where you want to ride to, but continually scanning near and far, checking the road surface conditions so you’re aware of any big rocks or potholes to avoid. Looking far ahead will keep you heading in the right direction.

[@johncoe6304]

Very nice brother. Yep, treat it like u would ice or packed snow in a car, just roll thru..good thought.

[@laurenml1222]

Just this past weekend I found myself having to ride a 7 mile gravel road with a steep grade in upstate NY. I located the most well worn hard pathways, stayed in low gear and kept the clutch in the friction zone. I was nervous going downhill that’s for sure! But I stayed relaxed and took my time while employing these techniques. But dang I breathed a big sigh of relief when my front tire rolled onto the pavement!!!!! Thank you for this video!

[@IAM-zb3jy]

A helpful thing I've learned is to note "changes in color or texture " as indicators of surface changes. Thanks for the complete explanations that help us see the whys. Take care.

[@scottkessler186]

On gravel roads there are 2 rules. #1 GAS IS GOOD. #2 BRAKES ARE BAD. Use the throttle to PULL THROUGH the bad bits and use the REAR BRAKE instead on the front.

[@MrPotatochips4]

This channel is what I need, being 64 and just getting back after almost 40 yrs. I'm just about starting over from scratch. I live on a gravel road, with hills, and I went out far enough to know I got deceleration back fire, and I'm about to go see if I got the mix rich enough. I'm gonna watch a few more of these first though, 'cause I can see I've forgotton alot, and I didn't know that much 40 yrs ago either. I do remember having alot of fun on a '74 Norton. Yeah, I need to have a bit of fun, and not crash. In short, thanks, and bless you heart dude, do sound like hard work ;D

[@ianriggs]

One thing I would add is when looking for hazards in the road like tar snakes while in a corner, once you see something and identify that u want to avoid it, dont look at it anymore. Staring at the hazard will make you run right over it even if you are meaning to steer around it.

[@johncoe6304]

Kevin, great advice as usual. Couple things I'll mention, in the past 3 months, I've driven 1200 miles. Maybe its just me, but riding my bike is far too nice, to take it on dirt or gravel. . my bike is a cruiser, 1312 cc, long and lean. Man, I'm not gonna take my bike on a dirt road. I dont think I've even been on a gravel road. And I've been on some great back roads in and around Nashville. I keep my bike clean, little OCD I guess, but I'm simply not gonna try on purpose to get it dirty. I Wipe it down after each ride. And one more thing, taking the cool factor into consideration, and always being cautious as I can be, But I'm not gonna load my bike up with 3 big metal boxes, my hard leather saddle bags are ample. Again I paid too much , enjoy it too much to make my bike out to be a pack mule. That's just me, yes my bike was designed for the long haul. But I'm not even getting on a freeway, except maybe a few miles, then reconnect with the back roads. Everyone is different I guess , but again I want my bike to be clean, sharp and cool. No dirt road for me. Picked up my gf just yesterday, lives with a gravel drive. She walked to the mailbox. .rain, mud, no thanks. If I want to get on a trail, I'll get on a dirt bike.

[@ronhinds6257]

From having the experience in desert racing for many years. I recently road my Goldwing to X country race to watch. I had to ride 3 and half miles off road to get there. One thing I found was ride it like my dirt bike stand up over the front lots of throttle control and grip the bike with your knees not your arms. The biggest battle was the weight of the bike in the turns. But sitting down I found can get you in a lot of trouble in the off road, even when I was running 75 mph to what ever down a fast fire road I would stand up.

[@mariiismile9237]

You know..just your face and style you approach to audience is all it takes to truly keep interest till the last minute. Not to mention you truly have great knowledge. Been following you for a while now. Thank you, you make my day...lot's off support from Croatia.

[@MCrider]

Thanks Martina! I tend to think I come across dry with little personality, good to hear some see it differently. 😉

[@Philibusting]

Since you asked. When you compared the performance of your Tenere to a cruiser on unpaved roads you're leaving out one very important factor Mr. MC. The tires are crucial for the various surfaces. If I ride a cruiser (say my Valkyrie) with the proper tires off road I'd feel more comfortable than if I rode your Tenere with dedicated street tires off the road. The video is great and as usual, very informative and valuable. And I (we), appreciate the time and effort you put forth on all these educational videos for the sake of us all. God bless you.

[@JayShermanFJC]

Great timing, this beginner rider is hitting the backroads today.

[@coverttwenty]

Looking ahead through the corners is probably the best advice you can give. It is safer, and enhances your cornering skills and ability. I taught someone to drive and they kept over steering in the corners until I told them to look well ahead and suddenly they cornered perfectly. Thanks for the video.

[@blueshere4u]

Hey Kevin. Just wanted to thank you for posting the motorcycle training videos on KZbin. This past weekend I successfully completed the MSF course. Many of the skills test I had to pass, I had already been practicing by watching your videos. As a result I completed the course and now hold my motorcycle endorsement license. Many thanks to you. God bless you.

[@MCrider]

+Rodney Strickland Awesome Rodney, welcome to the club. 🏍🏍🏍

[@buddyobuddy1]

Hi Kevin I live on a gravel road and have owned several big bikes, goldwings and Yamaha royal star venture and the best thing you can do is stay relaxed like when riding in the rain and be very smooth when accelerating and turning as well as stopping. Love your videos and I watch them all the time.

[@Mark716085]

Excellent video! As a rider who took about a 25 year break, your information has been very helpful. Keep up the “hard work” as you seek out other cool & interesting places.

[@CanukWoodChuck]

Excellent Kevin. Great information as always. Thank you

[@emmanuelong2754]

great information help a lot for a rider even me who ride a motorcycle for a longer time tanks

[@NoLChefoTSM]

3 months ago I slid on sand in a left corner and broke my right arm. I made every mistake in the book - grabbed the front brake and locked the rear wheel, target-fixated on the ditch rather than trying to exit the corner, tried frantically to correct the steering rather than letting the bike do its thing. I've mostly recovered now, but it was a sore reminder that what you read and watch isn't necessarily what you'll do in a real life situation. I knew the correct response to losing traction and I fucked up anyway. Thanks for making these videos, and thanks for telling bikers the importance of practising the things you teach.

[@MCrider]

It is hard not to react in the instance for sure.

[@norsefalconer]

I was out for a country ride on a "new" road that was riddled with tar snakes. I came up on a corner that also had the most extreme "wash boarding" I had even experienced on a paved road. I'm a returning rider, relearning. By using the techniques talked about here, I was able to negotiate that turn without issue. Good stuff here on MC Rider, to be sure.

[@walcott423]

Most informative,instructive,complete, and mature motorcycle channel on the tube. Thank you for everything. Even the stuff inalready know, its great to have a refresher and you explain everything very thoroughly. Keep up the good work.

[@AO1YinYang]

Thank you once again for a informative and helpful instruction video. In reply to your ending comments, riding for discovery is a big part to me what motorcycling is about. Over and above transportation and/or "weekend" riding. discovering that out of way burger shop, interesting places or sights one would not ordinarily go to in a car.

[@1stcarver]

Wow! I really did not think much of this topic, boy was I wrong! Keep em coming Kevin! God bless you!

[@trort2714]

Dirt roads are great for taking the new tire sheen right off. 🤘I too hate the tar snakes on a 90 degree sunny day. One county near me has epic proportions of those buggers.

[@gfunk63901]

I’m in your beautiful state of Texas. Flew into Dallas and been spending last week riding around and heading back on Friday. Today I was coming from luckenbach to San Antonio. The FM road was being worked on and it went from paved to gravel and uneven and muddy. I handled that well but fishtailed when getting back onto good pavement and then it said pavement ends and it got more gravelly and major potholes. Just stayed calm. No chopping and no brakes but tried keeping enough following distance so I could slow and not have to brake. Thank goodness I was back on food road and then onto I 10 which was almost worse with everyone flying by. Beautiful state!!!

[@mrchowmoto744]

Good job again.... and an adventure thrown in for good measure

[@antman5474]

Anothe informative piece of instruction, thanks. By the way, we don't have tar snakes here in the UK, instead we've got pot holes, manhole covers and plenty of painted lines, both of which require care, especially the latter two in the wet, and the other day an experienced motorcyclist warned me of another danger facing two wheels, crisp packets (potato chip bags), he said its effectively like hitting two well oiled sheets of slippery plastic.

[@afterburner2869]

Ant Laud Crisp packets! I love your vernacular . I don't think I could ever get used to riding on the left side of the road, I would likely perish in no time!

[@davidninnis5832]

I live in Cornwall. Penwith council must have done this to at least 9 long sections of our roads this summer. It drives me mad. LETHAL!

[@antman5474]

Steve H good point, I forgot about loose chippings. I've been caught out but so far have managed to stay upright.

[@antman5474]

David Ninnis I'm near Newquay so I know exactly what you mean, at least the roads here are generally pot hole free compared to other counties but its the sh*t tractors leave behind that gets me, thankfully its not clay soil though.

[@jefflewis7468]

I enjoyed the video and agree with everything you said. The only thing I might add is on gravel I try to ride up a gear. So if I normally would ride a hard surface road at the speed I am traveling at in 3rd gear I will ride the gravel surface is 4th gear. This helps prevent loss of traction when applying more or less throttle.

[@afterburner2869]

Jeff Lewis Great tip, makes sense. Thank you sir.

[@TRW-13]

Jeff Lewis Thanks for that tip. I never thought to go up a gear. I'm a new rider so if I may ask, on a hard top road, my little 300 bike struggles on going up steep hills. I've tried going up a gear for that and it still seems to struggle. Haven't tried gearing down yet. Would gearing down to climb steep hills help or am I right to gear up? Thanks for any advise you have to offer. Take care.

[@johnblade7161]

Tonya. It will depend on how steep and how long the hill is. If you see the hill coming and it is just a short hill then a little more speed approaching the bottom will give you a bit more momentum to overcome the rise (assuming you have a clear road ahead to do so). If not then as soon as you hear the revs start to drop, go down a gear and increase the revs and you should be OK. If the revs continue to fall away go down one more gear and carry on. Hope this helps. Good luck and ride safe.

[@afterburner2869]

Tonya Williamson Do you live in San Francisco?

[@cwbaldwin61]

Interesting thought there. Often I will ride in a lower gear, in traffic for example, in order to have more torque (response) in case I have to "get outa the way". But on gravel that could work against me if I goose it a bit too much and lose traction.

[@jered2177]

I have learned A lot the past few months watching your channel,I'm a beginner rider.Thanks

[@tomyoung3087]

Thanks,Kevin,I review your videos each spring before riding season , they are a great way to get my head into the proper frame of mind to ride safely,keep up the great work. Tom from Moncton Canada

[@greggschnelker4445]

Great video on riding on gravel roads. Love the way Kevin explains unpredictable situations when riding a motorcycle!

[@PapaMGTOW]

MCRider Your The Greatest!

[@452Rob]

Now I'm gonna have to set out to find that Greenwood Grocery and abandoned hotel! I'm in DFW myself. Really enjoy your videos.

[@452Rob]

Found it...in Decatur...bike trip planned!

[@MCrider]

+452Rob It's worth it for the burger. They have catfish Saturday's from 5 pm till 7 pm.

[@452Rob]

Awesome...I'm gonna make it happen:)

[@petercivitello3587]

Here in New England we get the dredded pot holes. Then the patches put in place to fill the pot holes. During the winter and fall you get the frost heaves. Also I have noted that the tires are hard and have less grip 40 degrees and lower. All these things make you keep aware and adjust your riding.

[@mifsudm80]

Thanks Kevin for the tips and great work. When discussing road surfaces Diesel spills come to mind. I dropped and wrote off my 1st Ninja a couple years back. It is now habit to keep a look out for oil or diesel on the road. In particular on tight bends where trucks fuel seems to spill out. In Australia (probably UK too) around roundabouts - again a place where trucks need to lean over and tend to spill fuel.

[@spikey2740]

Great advice. Keep up the good work. I'd like to add a couple, one self-inflicted and the other practically unavoidable. I was riding on the Coast Highway north of San Clemente CA. There had been lots of rain (yes folks, it does rain - sometimes lots of it - in CA) and part of the highway was covered in mud from it. I ignored the "Keep out - this means YOU" signs and decided to ride through. It was very slippery, and I was fortunate enough to not take a spill. Thanks goodness for carwashes afterward. The advice on such comes from Tennessee Ernie Ford to his buddies on Hee-Haw "[Dummy] Stay out of there:" The other time, I was on a trip to visit friends in PA. There was a bridge over the river in WV or PA, and it would have been several miles in either direction to avoid it. The surface was steel grating worn smooth, oriented vertically, about 1/8" or 1/4" wide with spacing in between of about 1" x 6". Needless to say it was very unnerving, even though it was dry. And I got through it okay, both ways. Ride to live and live to ride. And use the big head when making decisions.

[@CKale-nj2az]

Driving a street bike now, but came from a dual sport. Along with giving it some gas in the loose dirt it is important to get back on your seat giving the front even more lift. Good videos!

[@baldandbiking]

An old rider told me many years ago "the time you try to avoid it is the time you will have a problem. Roll over it and move on" This applies to most minor road hazards like small potholes, tar snakes, cracks, even a small piece of wood.

[@soap6939]

I just started riding, seems like staying relaxed is key for riding. I ran into uneven pavement that was at like a 10 degree angle on the way home and was pretty unnerved by it, but I clamped my legs on the tank, stayed pretty upright, and loosened up on the bars. It definitely feels weird when your bike starts correcting itself, but it seems like trusting your tires and the gyroscopic force of the wheels, letting the bike do its thing -- is the way to go.

[@gbenother8755]

Wow Kevin. You should subtitle your channel something like Practical Physics Fully Explained. I love you man.

[@romulusmayer1223]

I couldn't agree more. Thankyou Kevin and u all Patreons and suporters

[@andrewdomenitzdmd]

Steel gratings are fun. I once slid down the downside of one on the NYC 59th street bridge in the rain in a car. It was like an ice rink. Traffic was stopped at the bottom of it and I thought it was no problem until I touched, not stomped the brakes. I WAS WRONG. The car immediately tried to go sideways. Immediately began a machine gun hitting on and off the brakes like a human ABS system, and counter steering the slides. Learned this practicing on ice and snow in parking lots long before. At the very end of it all, I hit a late 60s Dodge Polara in its huge metal bumper at a very slow speed which punched the nose of my Ford just hard enough to pop the lights and nick the radiator. The Polara had no damage, I limped off to later start overheating. Wearing my belt so I had no injuries. Nor a real bad result for a true big surprise. The point being, surprises are what will get you. If you have your actions already ingrained into your brain, you just do them without thinking like a cat jumps when it hears a noise. I have extensive experience sliding out bicycles. We had a driveway that was sloped and made of gravel. It was perfect for going fast down to the bottom and hitting the brake and sliding out. Eventually, sliding out my bicycle was natural on dry pavement. It becomes something you do without thinking. You just do it. I would not suggest taking your 600 lb motorcycle and going out to practice this. What I have done is do this on mini bikes and very small motorcycles as a teenager. Being young, I thought nothing of this. It must have been the reason I did not drop my Kawasaki Vulcan 1600 when crossing 2 double yellow lines making a left out of a parking lot. Not really thinking about the 2 double yellows I was crossing, the rear of the bike came out from under me while under power. Without thinking at all, I cut power and it steered into the direction the rear was going. The left turn was completed and the bike was standing up straight in the direction I wanted to go, and still going forward, almost like it was what I intended to do. So this must have been a combination of what you were talking about human input and letting the bike do its job. Egotistical me thought I must be good rider, and now that I thought about it, it was the natural reaction of the machine in the circumstances. I know I did not wrestle that 650 pound bike into doing what I wanted. It did what it wanted to do, and I was along for the ride. Just saying.

[@richardmourdock2719]

Kevin, Good advice, as always. I now own a Super Tenere I bought for NE canada and desert roads. But in 2016 I road my Goldwing up the Dempster Highway in the Yukon to the Arctic Circle. 275 miles each way on "packed dirt and loose gravel" and in some rain. Don't want to do it again on the wing just for the vibration and wear and tear, but to your point, the technique is the same. Relaxing is the biggest challenge and the most beneficial thing to do.

[@ddownbond]

8:20 Tar-snakes in the summertime are the worst! Your videos are life saving. Thanks for sharing your knowledge :-)

[@michaelrmanley]

Yes, even if it's perfectly dry out. I can't believe how slippery they are on my stock rubber.

[@monkstang67]

Great stuff!! Been riding 30 years and have learned much from your videos. The gravel road advise works great on metal bridge grating as well, relax the bars and let them wobble.

[@richklares3849]

Can't thank you enough for all you have done for my riding.

[@Wooley689]

Years of riding on motocross/dirt bikes helped me on pavement more than I ever thought about. Off road gets you used to the squirrely twitches from different terrains. That said, riding in the mountains on cruisers we came to the dirt/gravel and root exposed one lane road to a friends far in the woods mountain retreat, the rider in front of me had never been off road on his heavy cruiser; I was trying to keep moderate speed up but he was nervous and going so slow getting pitched back and forth, feet down and it was annoying. I remember thinking "Just go". I tried to hang back so I could get a run at it, afraid to pass because he might dump it into me. Thankfully he is much better riding those sort of roads now.

[@blue04mx53]

Little hint from me if you are riding your cruiser on gravel roads very often. I took the fenders off and painted the underside with a rubberized rocker panel coating. It prevents chipping the inside of your fenders and lessens that noise of the stones and rocks pinging of the metal fenders. .

[@nickfowler2995]

Thanks Kevin for your wisdom and instructions! I’m a new rider and look forward to watching as often as I can to develop into a safe and responsible rider who plans to enjoy motorcycles for years to come! Also I really appreciated your testimony. It’s refreshing to hear men of God standing up for their faith and being Bold for Jesus! Matthew 5:16

[@andyostertag]

Late to the party as I am on most videos I guess. Thanks for the great information of fighting survival instincts and staying relaxed. Something that applies to more situations than you think. Let me also add that looking through the corner is good but also squaring shoulders toward your destination also eases the ability to give proper lean and weight distribution through the corners for me in my preferred standard riding position. Very seldom people talk about shoulders, something I've learned to be really an important allie toward very smooth and relaxing corners in the twisties

[@johncoe6304]

Dude. One lesson at a time, ok?

[@amirfmaster2515]

Thank you for all the good information and handwork Kevin , i just bought a motorcycle and your material is what i practice every time i get on my bike.

[@SweetartistacademyAuPerth]

As always, great video, you will never know how many lives you are saving with all your video. You are a silent hero.Nothing to do with the tar snake, but I wanted to share with you one of my 2 cents tip. I placed a piece of white tape (My helmet is white) at the bottom of my visor, when the sun is in my face or traffic at night I can lift it and stop the light blinding me. Looking forward for more video, the more I watch them the more I am surprise that I am still alive ;)

[@aquaticpa]

Thanks for addressing tar snakes. I recently experienced this for the first time on a curved entrance ramp to the highway and felt slippage. Definitely an uncomfortable feeling but now I know it's "normal" to feel this and do my best to avoid them.,

[@danclark3042]

Kevin love all your videos. It's not the gravel roads that bother me as much as the gravel on the asphalt roads, especially in corners that scares me.

[@b_aleman]

As new rider, my tip on handling gravel roads is simple. I pick up my motorcycle, put it on my shoulders, and I carry it till the gravel ends. Then I put my motorcycle down, and I continue to ride. Haha! Thanks for the tips Bud. I will Put these tips into practice.

[@andydawson2070]

Thanks for the video Kevin, I really enjoy your instructional information and the calm and relaxed way in which you deliver it and your dry sense of humour, clearly it must have been a tough time riding out looking for appropriate roads to use in your video. It's reassuring to hear the kind of information and instructions you convey from someone like myself of a more muture age rather than some young lad fresh out of school. Keep up the great work. I'm learning a lot.

[@geoffhunter1383]

Great video, some great points to think about when riding on different surfaces, I like the tips on keeping a loose grip and not backing off on the throttle in deeper gravel.

[@Exodia72]

Oh man this is so true. Wasn't paying enough attention to the road and I very quickly found myself on loose stones....slowing and gearing down was very tricky...did it though and managed to get off of that death trap! Was very scary!!!

[@HighCoup333]

When you love it doing hard work comes easy. Thanks Kevin the vids keep getting better too. See ya on the road.

[@andyhind5365]

Great stuff, Kevin. Simple & practical tips to help us all continuously improve as riders. Keep them coming!

[@billwyatt2449]

I grew up on gravel. Many of my friends fear gravel. You are absolutely correct in your assessment. Relax arms and pressure on grips. Keep power even and let the front tire float through the gravel like a boat does through water. One thing that does have the greatest effect on gravel is the weight of the bike. Back in the day when 650cc was a big bike gravel roads were much more prevalent. Today's 800 pound motorcycles were built for pavement and I can feel the weight of the bike on gravel much more than my 500 pound bike. Thanks for this topic.

[@tdplumer]

When on gravel/sand, etc., in addition to Kevin's many fine points, stand up on the pegs while maintaining a bit of bend in both knees so as to establish a lower center of gravity thereby further stabilizing the motorcycle. See "Long Way Round" and "Long Way Down" with Charley Boorman and Ewan McGregor to see great examples of how to handle such off-road conditions. Damn fine series in their own rights as well. Happy trails, all!

[@chrishartgrove2179]

I know you're in Texas and probably don't encounter frost on the road, but if you do, I'd like to hear your advice on how much traction the tires have as compared with dry and rain surfaces and any techniques you have for addressing these conditions. Thanks for a great series, it's a pleasure to support what you do. Keep up the good work !

[@haroldbevins393]

Kevin, you are breaking my heart about having to ride 4 hours to find a gravel road and then get the benefits of a "Great hamburger" and abandon motel..... It is about to snow here in Ohio as I watch this on Nov. 20 2017... Great video...

[@shrederduck]

Great advice on all the listed surfaces and "letting the bike adjust itself" is solid on gravel and tar snakes. There's something else that I was hoping you might could touch on... Uneven PAVED road surfaces. My biggest fear when riding is when a construction crew has been doing resurfacing and they have finished one lane of traffic, then leave a "shelf" while they are working on the other lane sometimes 2-3 inches high. I want to be able to switch lanes while I'm riding in case something comes into the road where I need to get out of the way quickly, but having to make a parallel/vertical jump into the other lane doesn't even feel as safe as just keeping in that same lane. Just in general, construction areas I feel are more high stress for bikers because of cones (sometimes hit by cars and thrown into the lane), barrels, concrete barricades that narrow down to one lane, massive potholes. Usually I just cut my speed and navigate on through just at a slower pace to make sure I've got enough wiggle room to get through. A vid on common construction hazards might be an interesting one to tackle for you. Thanks for all you do!!

[@TRW-13]

This vid is most helpful. Very informative. Thank you for making this one. Loved it.

[@milosdad1]

Had a dual sport with a 21 inch tire, done well. Ride a Road King, gravel is scary as hell. Great videos

[@DavesGuitars777]

Good stuff as always! I don't post enough but know that you are doing a great job! One of these days when I get some money I'll become a patron.

[@04harley]

In southern California , as in Texas we have rattle snakes. A couple of ears ago I ran over a big fat one, on a curve at about 50 mph. It was at about a 30 degree angle to my direction, and it was like rolling over a big sock full of ball bearings. I just used the technique you described, and by the time my butt puckered I was safely beyond it.

[@johnhoffman3598]

As always another great video. I read this in the comments already but I'll put in my 2 cents anyway. I hate metal graded bridge surfaces always makes the bike do the death wobble I just learned to stay straight and loose on the handle bars. No brakes or gas just maintain. Riding in dirt mud gravel I pick the lowest spots on the road now. I was staying in the center to stay out of the water puddle but I went down picking the center high spot the front wheel slide off into the tire track I lived but scraped knee bad.Keep up the good work.

[@darrellmount7020]

I've always favored a bike you stand up on the pegs with, it gives you a little more control when things get squirrelly on the road especially on gravel and dirt roads or when you get run off the road . I wish I could do it on my V Star but the pegs way to far forward.

[@2wheelingman]

Great video Kevin. I watch your series all the time . You pass on some really informative information to all riders and thank you

[@Lokey_8664]

Excellent info glad I found you, You are a walking bike encyclopedia. I wish there was a way to find out how many lives you have saved with your knowledge and experience.

[@jamesmccrindle1022]

You've saved my life with your technique s. So thank you from the heart

[@Stan1156a]

The paved road from my house has been scarified (motorcycles use caution) for about a mile. I took that road on my ride out yesterday and sure had to use caution. The groves grab the front tire and try to lead it astray. On my ride back I used the gravel road home and it was easy in comparison.

[@georgeashley9826]

Kevin, hey i live in michigan and we are infested with tar snakes they are over populating our roads but im glad you made this video i know know how to deal with those road snakes now So thank you and keep up the good work with the videos i have only been riding 3 months so i watch all your videos a lot of good information

[@houdinicustoms4112]

Headed out on a 4-day ride with my husband next week around the shores of the "mitten" here in Mich and I'm prepping for it by revisiting your video library. Thanks for this one, Kevin, it's a great lesson! Sorry you hadda do all that research for it though, man that stinks ;-)

[@hughkeith9185]

Thank you for your great work Kevin. It's true... we ride to eat and eat to ride. Glad your adventure included a food reward. Lol!

[@seth_iwant_toride]

I have totaled a bike because of tar snakes and my poor reaction to the situation. Could have handled it better and would not have had a totaled bike as a result. Good video and thank you

[@speedbuggy16v]

rumble strips in the center line when passing, Those unnerve me more than gravel or the sealant snakes. Passing at uh, slightly higher than legal speeds they cause a light headshake that scared the crud out of me till I learned to relax and let it happen, traction is a mere 10th of a second away.....

[@itzed]

So glad I found this channel!

[@jeffamrine5869]

Really appreciate these videos. I haven't seen any mention of the COW (chin over wrist) technique for reducing the amount of lean angle required in a curve (when it is needed or desired), and wondered if that might be mentioned in an upcoming video. I shared it with others and they were amazed at how confident they felt since using it.

[@barrie942]

bril ! cant wait until next week for another session,thanks Kevin

[@jorgeserra5391]

Thank you 🙏 for your service and for what you are doing me particularly learned a lot with all the tips that you show us and I apply everything you teach in this Chanel is very helpful thanks and keep it doing it for the good of the motorcycle community 🙏

[@Liggettable]

Thank you for your videos sir...you have such a relaxed soothing voice also...keep em coming dude!

[@erso3302]

My biggest worry is bumps in a curve like bridge seams on a flyover junction. Some drop several inches.

[@scothunter3221]

Haven't been subscribed long and just found this video. Great one, but I'd also like one on rough roads, with potholes, lots of bumps, and generally poorly maintained asphalt roads. Lots of them around the cities here in AZ and it's hard to look ahead when you're trying to maneuver the hazards, particularly when cornering.

[@chevyon37s]

Working on a farm, with a .25mi gravel drive and I ride to work as much as possible and I don't mind gravel at all. And we have baseball sized rocks in a few areas that really throw the bike around. So I guess I've learned at lot just riding on gravel and I've never had trouble with it.

[@Rikenglebert7558]

Ok, 2 things 1. Gravel on tarmac - I am terrified of these stinky thin deposits of gravel on the tarmac in the corners that are left over from winter or thrown up onto the blacktop by cars that cut the corners too close. Thoughts? 2. Tea Pot One went around the world on a Suzuki GXR. He took that sport bike on some CRAZY roads that more closely resembled a mud pit! You say the type of bike doesn’t matter on gravel the Tea Pot road his sport bike on crazy roads... so why to they manufacture adventure bikes? Just to pick the pockets of people like me who believe you need the “right” tool for the job??? Kevin, you are amazing & thank you. Rik

[@trobmj1]

I despise Tar snakes. With cuts to highway spending here in Wisconsin, they often put off real repairs. We were on a road last year that we had not ridden before. We came to a corner and, I kid you not, it was more snake than asphalt. It was crazy. I wish i had gotten a picture. Ride safe out there!

[@tonyc2854]

I was just doing a ride after watching this, looking for the Seattle equivalent. On this ride there were lots of cement sections of road with uneven joints leaving a 1" "curb" that could cause real problems if crossed at 0 degrees. Also this summer we've had very light rain twice in the last two months or more, just mist on the roads. That doesn't wash the engine oils from the roads at all, so the first day of rain, or even two days will be extremely slippery, like have your foot slide out from under you at a stop slippery, corners will be deadly. Finally, something I haven't seen mentioned on cycle blogs is tight corners on the downhill. Gravity makes you accelerate more than you think, coming into corners faster than one might be planning. I found myself in the wrong lane edging for the ditch in a heartbeat when I tapped on the breaks on the hill 1/2 block from my house once. For a long time I completely moved my hand away from the break lever when approaching corners. . .

[@grzegorzgzyl6121]

love your tips and am enjoying the videos a great deal. i am putting all this in practice in Poland, Europe

[@pottasium7117]

I have to drive though gravel, and horrible asphalt (tar snakes and holes everywhere) i can agree with the tips