Riding Hairpin Bends on the Grossglockner

While away touring, Mark talks about negotiating hairpin bends while riding the famous Grossglckner!
If you liked the video, remember to give us a thumbs up as it helps a ton, and don't forget to subscribe too, so you don't miss anything!
--------- Our Social Media & Website info ---------
RiderCamTV
ridercamtv
riderrcamtv
www.ridercamtv.com
--------- Our Camera Equipment ---------
GoPro 4 Black - goo.gl/qnh2kn
GoPro Hero 4 Session - goo.gl/lMAbtz
HD Ghost - goo.gl/t7AeDx
HD Ghost S - goo.gl/TcLfTP
Canon 60D - goo.gl/xVC3j2
Canon G7X - goo.gl/l7N0Ac
--------- Where we got our bikes --------
www.oceanbmwbikesfalmouth.co.uk
*we are not sponsored by BMW or any other company and our views are our own.

[@stevengwilliam8096]

I know zero about motorbikes but came across your video as we love the area. Actually taught me a fair bit about bikes on mountain roads as a car driver to many thanks.

[@RiderCamTV]

thats fab, thanks for the kind words Steven. :)

[@chevrogers]

The Audi at 4:57 is what we call an ‚Erlkönig‘. It’s a prototype for an upcoming Audi model. The paintjob disrupts the Geometric lines and makes it impossible for people to figure out what the vehicle will look like before the official release. Great Video and funny you saw one!

[@TMAX500WHITEMAX]

the successor to the first e-tron electric car. 😁

[@guitounours]

Great memory, the Grossglockner (did it 2015 together with the Italian Alps, with the Stelvio and so on, a harder nut to crack)... Easy wide corners that you can take quite fast and the road is just about perfect (being privately run and maintained, as is often the case in Austria). Thanks for the ride and keep enjoying yourself! Greetings from Belgium

[@mrgari189]

The tricky bit is when a car in front of you stops or stalls mid-bend and remembering to put your foot down on the high side of the bend...especially with a heavily laden touring bike

[@Volgaman21]

Been there a couple of years ago as well. I remember when I came down from the Edelweissspitze, there was a very long queue of cars uphill near the top (in the video from 1:50), so going downhill I had only my half of the road so I couldn't go nice and wide as you did. Spent almost a day there, practicing my skills and enjoying the scenery. Great memories!

[@reljoy]

That was really helpful. All the hairpins I've seen here in Australia are narrower roads and the inside rises up very steeply. The corners on your video looked much gentler and smoother than what I've encountered.

[@malcellison8831]

Absolutely. The hairpins in this video are not the problem. The problem, as you say, are those on narrow roads with really tight bends. I came across a few in southern France where on tight right hand uphill hairpins there were some seriously testing moments. For example, on one such hairpin, the inside of the bend was unrideable due to crumbling asphalt and debris, there was a car behind me and a tractor with trailer was coming down the other way!

[@inlovewithgoats1092]

Thanks so much for this video. I'm not a motorcyclist, I ride a rode bike and recently crashed in a hairpin turn. Unfortunately, most cycling related videos are just about how to get through hairpins as fast as possible, so this gave me so much more confidence again. Thanks so much

[@thetravellingtriumph920]

Sweet jesus, that's some unbelievable scenery!.

[@RiderCamTV]

truly amazing

[@thumbnailhq]

Great tutorial. We were on the same pass a week ago and also did a lot of the others (susten, splurgan, furka, st Bernardino etc). What an amazing place. We did Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, chech republic but my bike broke down on the way to the Netherlands. Also had a slipping clutch and only 3 cylinders firing so I have to go back and have another go. Stay safe buddy.

[@SirMountainpass]

Splügen😉

[@1Markyparky]

This is perfectly timed. Just ridden down to The Alps for a week of lone exploring so well done and I'll be putting this into practice.

[@The33JAYJAY]

Nicely done, very smooth and good to see speed & gear as I thought you were travelling faster than you actually were. I kept turning in too early on left hand bends but I shall keep practising 👍

[@thedarrendasher8134]

Good advice about not using brakes on the decent, last year fully laden with the wifey on our FJR we lost pretty much all brakes descending the Timmeljosch, my brakes did recover after letting them cool but it stood me in good stead for our Spanish trip this year.

[@RiderCamTV]

engine breaking is great indeed

[@TMAX500WHITEMAX]

@@RiderCamTV That's right, you can do almost anything with the engine brake. with the disc brakes you never brake uphill, downhill only short and powerful and very, very rarely. then the brake can cool down and the engine brake takes over the job. before a hairpin bend, the disc brakes are used, in between only for support. if you do it like this, your brakes will never overheat.

[@theheroblob5036]

Thanks for the heads up.... a very informative video. I'll be riding this road in September. 👍

[@RiderCamTV]

no probs, glad you enjoyed it :)

[@gsmad9738]

The first time I did all the passes I was on a Honda Blackbird - then went back a few years later on a GS. The GS rocks on those roads. Good vid.

[@GigiCas62]

Brilliant thank you. I’m a lady rider living in the Pyrenees France. Needed this advice 😊

[@ianmills35]

Great vid cheers Mark, really useful, I find sometimes you just have to wait for the bend and don’t be tempted to turn in too early. Scenery is stunning you are a lucky man. Ride safe buddy 👍🏍

[@horspiste]

When I was there on my Norton Atlas in 1978 the glacier extended down the valley to at least where that shiny new bike park building is. Now you can just about see its nose from that location. Terrifying how far the ice has retreated in just a few years.

[@horspiste]

Yeah, and if you ride in a straight line for long enough you fall off the edge of the world.....

[@jonathanchan564]

Thanks for the great video, lots of good scenery and riding tips. Looking forward to practicing the techniques you mentioned!

[@russelllocke7180]

Great ride. Like the style of start wide finish tight, with the occasional dab on rear brake, under power, to tighten the slow turn around the real tight ones. Have an escarpment just behind where I live. The strong smell of burning brakes, mainly from cars, trucks, is a little disconcerting as the descent steepens. Stay safe Mark. 👍😎🏍🇦🇺

[@markholroyd5365]

Russell Locke no rear braking for me matey.

[@TheMilkybarkid69]

Doing this road next year so found this video a massive help, thank you.

[@TheMilkybarkid69]

Great video, looking forward to doing this myself,

[@jo-justjo]

Very well explained I will be riding the Grossglockner in a week's time and I really needed something like this. Thank you 😊

[@ydarbg]

Great advice with stunning Vista's...cheers

[@keithprentice2100]

Great video ... lots of good advice and stunning scenery too👍🏻

[@markhandley3259]

Interesting, Thanks, will be up there in September

[@Roy_Godiksen]

Awesome video👏. This is very helpful for beginners and even some seasoned riders👍. I do a triple, super tight hairpin every week or so (even tighter then these hairpins, and a bit steeper. But on ok asfalt, not bridge stones😰). I love it, but i've almost tipped over twice😂. Worst part is that they are on an 80 kph road right after a 90+ degree bend trough a this forrest (highest speed i've had through the hairpins is probably 15 kph). How i don't see people ride/drive right of the cliff there every time i ride through is a small miracle 🙏

[@RiderCamTV]

thanks buddy. Blimey, glad miracles happen especially on the road you describe :)

[@motoventure_6938]

Awesome and informative video. Well timed too as I'm off to the Alps in two weeks and I have been a bit anxious about negotiating some of the real tight hairpins! Thanks for sharing.

[@deanshaw2128]

The hard bit is when you get a steep camber on the road right on the bend; especially on a heavy [and fully laden] bike, with a pillion. Had to negotiate a couple [I think it was] on the road up to Arthur's Chair in Victoria, Australia

[@malcellison8831]

That’s funny. I’m sure I wrote a reply agreeing with this and saying that the hairpins in this video are the easier ones. Seems to have disappeared...

[@stevengrindrod2002]

One of the great European rides imo. Did it way back in 1970 on a Triumph Bonneville. Continued on into Yugoslavia, as it was then and down the Adriatic coast as far as Albania. 😁

[@Mikethebike721]

Excellent video as always

[@RiderCamTV]

thanks buddy

[@mikedignum1868]

Nice video, i always seem to tense up with the mention of hairpins, so looking at how you deal with them helps a lot.

[@markholroyd5365]

Mike Dignum lots in Norway....

[@31276965lmm]

Excellent advice... 👌

[@stephenhoward9796]

Excellent video again off to Switzerland in two weeks still feel a bit twitchy fully loaded and pillion on.

[@markholroyd5365]

Stephen Howard you will love the passes in Switzerland. I have just ridden the Furka, Grimsel, Nuefenan, Susten and the cobbled Gottard passes. There is a video to follow soon. Enjoy the ride the views are awesome.

[@lynsmith1096]

Good video Mark. Great tips

[@RiderCamTV]

thanks Lyn

[@johnh.4510]

Great video!

[@lpete531]

Great information, thank you 👍🏽

[@luislizard2626]

Amazing thank you Good to know which gear to use

[@johnmasson6155]

Thanks for putting this up really enjoyed It

[@craiyohn]

How do you go down a steep downhill without speeding too much due to gravity? Do you just hold the brakes lightly?

[@calatoriile-lui-adam]

Hello! Nice view at the montains.. When ride down/or up the hills at the corners in 1st/2st gear you use clutch to?

[@chasinglightandtrails]

That was awesome. I appreciate the coaching.

[@stalbansbiker]

Good advise

[@yorkshiremonster1200]

My arse was twitching just watching this. Good advice and skills.

[@RiderCamTV]

John Adams you could be sat on the saddle wrong then....

[@johnmacdonald1878]

Spectacular, I’d love to ride there one day, I like engine braking, I find it just works, so well. Often criticized for it,

[@Grateful4Today]

Learn to use counter stirring just so you can increase the speed, that's a nice feeling if you get it right

[@stags-gr8to]

Hello Mark, and thanks for the video, I found it really useful! Can I ask you please, are you putting a small amount of drive on even in the sharpest, steepest bends?

[@markholroyd4308]

stags7075 yes it helps to ‘drive’ round the bends.

[@michaelswift6995]

Ride to fast and you'll miss the wonderful scenery , I'v been up and down many times, it's awesome

[@RiderCamTV]

very very true

[@bikerintheblood]

I would hope that riders would hit the car parks at home first. Get the cones out and ensure regular practice so they can complete full lock turns, 90 degree turns from a stop and sections of offset cones. Then pick a country lane with approximately 18 feet width and practice doing u turns. Then change locations and repeat. If you can do these basic handling exercises and enjoy them, you’ll have far less trouble in the mountains 👍😎. Also, grow a pair with your mates and drop your bikes on to old carpet. Then you can practice getting them back on the side stand. I’ve seen so many people struggle with this ad it never happens at the right time or in the right place. 😅

[@louisdelossantos6827]

Are you using the friction zone at all as you make your slow speed turn, or is it not necessary?

[@MrRazvansogodel]

Hi ! What is that red thing on the clutch reservoir ?

[@markholroyd4308]

Razvan R1200GS hiya it’s a controller for my camera.

[@leechamberlain1273]

Nice on Mark very usefu Cheers Bro

[@zaccariabeniaminoprofeta1541]

How do you take a right hand bend if a car is coming upwards in the same bend?you cannot aproceh it wide like you have shown in your video.

[@RiderCamTV]

you could slow down and. wait for the. car to go past :)

[@stocks7765]

Aren't you tipping in way to early with the result of comming out wide from time to time?If you don't come out so wide(by tipping in later)you will not get surprised by a car or bus from the other direction,and you don't have to stop if a vehicle passes you.Just a question....

[@markholroyd5365]

Bart Ingels I’ve not had that problem. Im riding the Grossglockner again in two weeks so will check.

[@marksimpson5218]

The GS has loads of engine braking, a four cylinder bike would need a bit more brake to slow down.

[@colvilletitus1020]

I love the video. It’s an awesome video but once you don’t do any target fixation, it can be an exciting ride. Love the views.

[@dmail00]

I think a big problem a rider can have for bends, is not being in the "appropriate" rev range so as not to need brakes unless they are necessary. The first time this clicked for me was on a Bike Safe course on the Horseshoe pass, when I was asked to try and not to use my brakes either going up or down it; my riding almost instantly became smoother.

[@Lily-Anzor]

Do you pull the clutch during turns?

[@hejakma4682]

Usually in videos it doesn't look as steep as it is but man, this looks scary steep!!😱

[@RiderCamTV]

Awesome fun though 😜

[@chrisbrown4396]

Great, informative vid 👍🏻 I've seen vids were guys travel the world on 125s and even lower cc.. So, question is, what's the smallest bike you've seen doing this road? Personally, hoping to do it this summer on my Honda cb500f. Any thoughts on how you guys think it will do? Cheers.

[@RiderCamTV]

we had a Honda 125 do this tour and others, without any issue. in fact he left last and always arrived near to the front of the bunch and had a brilliant time.

[@chrisbrown4396]

@@RiderCamTV cheers for the reply. Looking forward to this road, and the B500 thru the Black Forest along the way. 👍🏻

[@Just4FunBiker]

@ Speed King. I´ve been there 4 Weeks ago in June. Greetings - Just4FunBiker

[@SsiolisP]

The tank. Yes, Austria has strict rules against wild camping, and as you can tell, they really go to extreme lengths in enforcing those rules. (:D) ...€35 fee to ride the Grossglockner once and basically outrageous fee's for every other road, and that's not including any accommodation... pfff... and then you see the Austrians complaining about the €8/10 per day All-inclusive in 5 star Hotels in the Mediterranean.

[@stevealperstein8836]

One thing I thought you missed was using some rear brake on the very sharp hairpins.

[@RiderCamTV]

you dont need a rear break on them

[@xontheweb2376]

RiderCam, in the safety of 1st and 2nd gears, have you reached the bottom of that mountain yet??🤣

[@RiderCamTV]

hahhahhahahahaha

[@maximusmiles8435]

The big trick here, is to look where your goin.

[@mariohanzek712]

You should ride theth albania and make a video :-)

[@chrissmith7669]

That gives me sphincter lock! Wow

[@AmbaMerlinson]

Question: @2:45 ie, how´d you vanish if a collegue comes uphill? Stay on your lane. For your sake an the sake of oncoming traffic.

[@RiderCamTV]

simply by leaning in tighter to the corner. The camera very often makes it appear that the bike is in a different position but also on these roads most people are respectful and provide forbearance to each other, but as Mark showed on the camera he had checked the view and there was nothing coming. If there was the corner would have been completed different and would have been planned for and negotiated around tighter.

[@rohansingh9040]

Wow that's scarily steep

[@georgerodriguez4572]

Awesome videos being that I just crashedddd my brand new streetglide Harley on a tight left off cambered turn.😢

[@RiderCamTV]

thanks for the kind words buddy. hope your bike and you are ok

[@georgerodriguez4572]

Thx brother Iam ok

[@michalrybinski3233]

The Audi at 4:56 - isn't it some new electric Audi smaller than E-Tron?

[@SegerGiesbers]

Might be! They often drive with new tech under normal previous-gen models

[@RiderCamTV]

It looked like one of their big ones Q7?

[@richedwards4752]

I missed the female inline ski team training run 😆

[@markholroyd5365]

rich edwards thats on a special video....

[@gadgetgaz66]

To say there’s no place for race suits and sliders is just wrong. You don’t have to be riding fast to get your knee down. It’s a different approach that’s all. Plus at your speeds of 18mph through the bends.. you probably don’t even need a helmet.

[@GadgetMart]

Downs easy What about up?

[@Voltomess]

Shitting my pants while watching this video...

[@thomasmckechnie3907]

omg to scary for me

[@Ukmongoose3]

I feel dizzy

[@janra8653]

Is probably a good video for a total beginner . And yes, I'm an old fart, was driving this road 35 years ago on my Pantah...

[@RiderCamTV]

Jan RA every day is a school day regardless of how long you have been riding imo. Ride safe

[@beartrader_redartraeb]

Well, hope you meanwhile improved your cornering technique, no matter whether you're on tarmac or cobble road, going uphill or downhill, through wide bends or hairpins, no matter which kind of bike is under your butt 😊. Get inspired by tons of YT clips how to master bends and hairpins, here's just one I like because of the flipchart and the didactics: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bYOkZIGJpLSZqtE What you recommend (gearing down, just using engine break, rolling in a passive way through bends, not using brakes) is doable - but not a riding technique. Happy riding!

[@RiderCamTV]

Whatever works for you but it is a technique as engine breaking and planing your ride along the principles of road craft in the Uk works extremely well

[@mehrdadmithra9591]

What a nightmare this is !

[@jasondavies6220]

No disrespect but I would be bored following you no rush I get it but I could go faster on push bike

[@RiderCamTV]

you could of course go faster, and overtake, its all about the journey, however and whatever that journey means to you..... ride safe

[@TMAX500WHITEMAX]

The main mistake is the low speed. 😁 the big hairpin bends can be driven at 60 km/h in good conditions. the narrow bends between 35-40km/h. if conditions are not so good, 5km/h slower. the ones with cobblestones are slippery, slow speed suits them quite well. If you have the cheapest, worst, and most worn tire on the bike, you'd better cut the speed in half. 😁