Noob vs gravel

[Rushiku]

Noob wins by a nose...

I was out a few days ago, feeling good about my improving skills. I was riding 'hard' for my skill level, pushing my limits on some nice twisties I had found.

Came up on a little chicane, right sweeper with an abrupt, tight left...as you've already guessed, much too fast.

Leaned deep into the left, basically defeated myself ('not gonna make this, aw crap, gravel') visually locked on to the gravel (stupid), hit the brakes and popped out of the lean.

The gravel had crept up on to the roadway from the shoulder (a road intersects tangent to the apex, people have been cutting through the gravel to make their right turns), taking up about 2 feet of the outside. Back tire locked up and swung out, silently screaming, I counter steered, rear end came back around, and out to the left now, counter steer again (I've freaked, checked out, and am running on autopilot at this point), slowing down, another couple wobbles and GAH! sign post! Narrowly miss that and back on to the road.

Whew.

[CHEMIKER]

Thanks for sharing your experience. Really glad to hear that you made it through okay!!

[hamslice01]

i had almost the same thing happen to me during my first few weeks of riding but in my case the gravel won. giving me some road rash a huge bruse on my hip and damage to the bike. glad you pulled trough it

[aussiejules]

Close call bet you needed to do some laundry when you got home, but sounds like a good save.

[DefyInertia]

Go buy a lotto ticket...and slow down a little.

[Rushiku]

Originally Posted by DefyInertia

Go buy a lotto ticket...and slow down a little.

Indeed, big reality check for me. I went back the next day to ride it again, at a much reduced speed. And, as one might expect, I've tamed down my riding for the time being, I'm just not able to see things like this coming yet.

Any one of you experienced guys would have said something like "Whoops, a little fast here, hard brake during the transfer" (had you actually let it get that far) and had no problem with it...

[Rocky529]

If you didn't lock your vision on that gravel and followed your head with the turn, you would have most likely been ok.... take it easy out there.

[keira]

I am guilty of this as well. Don't focus on the bad stuff that could happen, focus on the end of the turn. Kepp yourself looking through the turn, and all that bad stuff will go away, or happen, depnding on what was meant for that point in time. It is a bad habit, and one that is really hard to break.

[cv_rider]

Braking or even closing the throttle on a tight turn is a recipe for a low side. Transfers weight to the front wheel, lose traction on the rear, and it slides out. Not too many options when go into a turn too hot.

[steveindenmark]

"I was riding hard for my skill level"

That sounds like an accident waiting to happen.

Sand and gravel even at very slow speeds, including walking pace are the bikers worst enemy, ok, put diesel in there as well.

You need to start taking it easy.

Im glad to hear you survived this one.

Steve