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Tar Snakes

19K views 24 replies 17 participants last post by  Voltar 
#1 ·
I just got my 07' wee in January and have put just over 3,300 miles on it so far. So I'm still very new. On my first Ride/Camp weekend, I had my first, "OMG, I'm goin' down moment."

The guys I was with were all on sport-touring bikes except one who was on an 11' Wee. They have been riding for years (very skilled/safe riders) and were keeping a much faster pace than I or my buddy Nick on the 11' Wee. So while we weren't lighting fires with our pace, we were riding "spirited" as I call it. :thumbup:

The weather was perfect, high in low 70's and clear skies and the roads were very clean. Nick and I were humming along (I was in front) and then all of a sudden the road surface changed and was covered in tar snakes. The first turn I hit a tar snake, the rear wheel snapped out from under me faster than I could imagine. I was in a decent lean, the bike leaned more, foot hit the ground but I was able to stand the bike back up and keep on.

I chimed in on the Sena to warn Nick but he experienced the same slide. We both slowed our pace. But even riding at the posted speed, the rear was still snapping out on the tar snakes, both bikes.

So my questions are:

What is the best method of riding through these damn things? Just sak up and power through them?

Also, is the Metzler/Wee just not happy on these things? Because my buddies on the sport touring bikes sure whipped over them without much thought. Don't get me wrong, they noticed them and felt them but they seem to upset the Wee a bit more. I don't want to dismiss that me being new I may just need to get used to it. As it was the first real pucker moment. But Nick also felt a whole lot of sqirm on his Wee.
 
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#2 ·
Been there! There are a few roads in N GA that are nearly ruined thanks to those tar snakes. I was sliding around on them last weekend just trying to come to a stop. And they just get worse as they get hotter.
About the only thing you can do, unless you are a bonzai sport bike guy who prizes speed over life and limb, is to slow down and try to stay more upright. They are still pretty treacherous though. Sometimes they will catch you by surprise and about the only thing you can do is hold on and trust that you will get traction back after a brief slide.
On a related note, I found that the Conti Trail Attacks I had on my Vee originally handled tar snakes a million times better than the Tourance EXPs that I put on it later. I hated those Tourances if I'm being honest - they just never inspired any kind of confidence on the road for me. Just my opinion however.
 
#5 ·
I found that the Conti Trail Attacks I had on my Vee originally handled tar snakes a million times better than the Tourance EXPs that I put on it later. I hated those Tourances if I'm being honest - they just never inspired any kind of confidence on the road for me. Just my opinion however.
This is good to know, as the front will need to be replaced very soon. The rear was new when I bought the bike. I haven't decided on sticking with the Metzler or not.

I need to check the GPS data but I think the road was Unicoi Turnpike just north of Helen. We were heading south to get on to Richard B Russell.
 
#3 ·
Had this experience this weekend with Shinko 705's.
Dont remember ever feeling that with the Conti Trailattacks.
But I had never ridden this particular road before.
Mike
 
#8 ·
Correction on the road, it was a section of Hwy 28 North of Franklin, NC.

...

I will deff look harder at the Conti. Thanks.

We are planning a ride/camp weekend up The Blue Ridge Pkwy in June so I will prob need a new tire before that trip.
 
#9 ·
I don't like tar snakes whatever the tire. I have found that staying loose on the handlebars will make the bike ride better over them. That and slowing some after the first ones.

I know this from a friends reaction to them (he found out about them his first year of riding) he tightened up on his grips after he first hit some. He tells me that it made for a wild ride. We talked about it (with me trying to figure out why I didn't have the same ride as he and decided that is was because I stayed loose on my handlebars during this section) and went back and re-rode the same route the next day. He concentrated on staying loose on his bars and told me that it was a big difference. They still scared the crap out of him but he didn't feel like he was going to loose it any more.
 
#10 ·
Tar snakes do that regardless of the state you are riding in. Scary at higher speeds and worse when they are newer snakes. Only tires I ever had that didn't care were Pirellis.
One of the guys at the Havasu rally was complaining about the snakes with his new 705's. I have new Battlewings on the bike and they don't still so well on snakes either.
Just a fact of the road, like cow poop!
 
#11 ·
That was me complaining:biggrinjester:
Something I will get to used to.
After these tires are toast who knows what direction I will go.
Mike
 
#13 ·
There are numerous roads that I ride locally that are covered in tar snakes. I can honestly say regardless of the bike or tires that your running, they'll definitly make you pucker (expecting it or not). I've ran these road when I had my FZ1 and my R6 for years with a ton of different tires hopeing that I could find some resolution. The end result was always the same . . . . I had a chuck of the seat stuck in my ass when I would get to the stop sign at the end of the road. :yikes: The only advice I can offer is to try and find a good line and allow room for error . . . . which we all should do anyway.

P.S. I'm getting my first K8 Wee tomorrow!! :hurray: :thumbup:
 
#14 ·
You can keep the bike more upright at the same cornering speeds, and thus give yourself some more traction and margin for correction, by leaning your upper body to the inside of the turn. A good way to think about it is trying to kiss the inside mirror.
 
#15 ·
+1 on hanging off the bike, and turning it more upright, if you haven't already slowed enough, cornering...

I find them worse in the summer, here on Ga roads, when they move like mud, with the tire. Problem is that it's just as poor a strategy to brake going over them, than cornering at speed, since some can behave like black ice.

Kudos for keeping upright with a leg out, playing dirt rider... (as risky as that strategy is on pavement).
 
#16 ·
I never complained about tar snakes until.....

About two years ago on a hot Texas day near Bastrop. All 6 of us had to slow to under 45MPH. It was almost like hitting ice! :jawdrop:

I'm much more aware of tar snakes now.
 
#20 ·
My experience of Tar Snakes and your Stinky Shinkys was on the ride to Havasu for the Gathering 2 years ago, it was 105 that day.
Hated the Shinko's that day, but have not had an issue since and Im on the second set for that bike.
Mike
 
#19 ·
Relax your grip, loosen and drop your shoulders, lean forward and toward the inside mirror.
Maintain your line and try to not react to the bikes 'wiggle'. Let the bike handle it... (much easier said than done) if you react you will just add to the instability.

Like riding in a cross wind, if you don't get tense it will go much better.
 
#21 ·
Although tar snakes require a extra care, they are worse on a lighter bike with the kind of tires most Wees have. Much better on a lower, heavier sport touring bike like my FJR, but still, never trust them. I agree that it's worse when you start squeezing the grips too tight and tensing up........
 
#23 ·
LOL

So here I am closing in on two years since I started this thread. I have gotten much more comfortable with these F*ers... to the point of when I saw this thread on the "New Posts" I forgot that it was a thread I started.

So how am I 13k+ miles later? Much more relaxed and tar snakes while they are still an annoyance, its now a subconscious action and awareness. I don't "think" about them to the point of worry or loss of focus, I simply adjust.
 
#24 ·
I went to visit my brother in Georgia this May... I have never had any traction issue with Tar Snakes in California. However, in the Northern part of Georgia we took the SR60 coming back from Helen, the road turned into 70% tar snakes in spots and it was incredibly slick. It had been noticeably slick on the previous roads, but they were infrequent.

A little more than 2/3rds of the way down the 60, my brother ended up going into a guard rail because he entered a corner poorly due to him wanting to avoid the tar snakes. He ended up breaking his collarbone and elbow, and did 4k worth of damage to his bike.

State Route 60, Georgia - a great motorcycle road

The sheriff who responded seemed to think they get slick from the direct sunlight and humidity, which would explain why they usually aren't an issue in California... we have the sunlight, but not the humidity.
 
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