120 KM evening ride including 24 KM of terror East Central Alberta

5692 Views 20 Replies 11 Participants Last post by Quimby, 7 mo ago

WeeAndy

Discussion Starter · 10 mo ago (Edited)

3

It's been at least 20 years since I've had a bike, and 40 since I did any kind of dirt riding. Yeah, I'm that old at 71. Getting back to highway driving was easy; the off or side road stuff... not so much so.

I may not look happy but I've never felt better after getting off of 24 km of loose gravel and seeing pavement again. One thing I seem to remember is that one has to use the throttle more than the brake in the loose stuff. I can't remember how often I felt my rear wheel sliding in those 24 kilometers. I did NOT feel comfortable, but ended up completing that leg without a catastrophe. Yes, I was stressed. A lot.

So, if anyone wants to chime in and give me some hints on what you do in loose gravel. A lot of the routes in my part of the world means I will see more of it, and I want to be able to ride it with confidence.

Hint: if you want to circumnavigate the Rumsey reserve in East Central Alberta, you cannot avoid the gravel. Also, hint #2, you have no idea how grateful I was for my built in sun visor in my helmet.

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drrod

· #2 · 10 mo ago

Loose grip on the bars, stand if necessary (it does not feel near as wiggly when you stand), faster is better than slower as it allows the front to float on top a bit better, let the bike move. The more you fight it, the worse it will get. And.....seat time on gravel does wonders for confidence.
If necessary go very slow,right on the edge where, lots of time, there is less gravel.

Also, if you do not have a fork brace, get one. I found it really helps on gravel and of course tires meant for gravel work wonders.

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WeeAndy

Discussion Starter · #3 · 10 mo ago

drrod said:
Loose grip on the bars, stand if necessary (it does not feel near as wiggly when you stand), faster is better than slower as it allows the front to float on top a bit better, let the bike move. The more you fight it, the worse it will get. And.....seat time on gravel does wonders for confidence.
If necessary go very slow,right on the edge where, lots of time, there is less gravel.

Also, if you do not have a fork brace, get one. I found it really helps on gravel and of course tires meant for gravel work wonders.

Some of that I did... lose grip, and certainly quickly recognized fighting it gets me in more trouble. I tried to follow the areas where traffic had packed gravel down, but the road was recently graded, so that was a challenge. Standing? I'm not so sure of. I'm 6'4" tall, and feel like I am sitting too low for that to be done effectively without me getting into more trouble. I may have to practice that on pavement first.

A fork brace is on my to do list. Seen it mentioned many times.

It's great to get back into the saddle after so many years, but man, I've got some remembering, catching up, or learning to do!!

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drrod

· #4 · 10 mo ago

Take your time and work up to it. Find a road with less gravel and good tracks.
Practice builds confidence. Can't really hurry that.
Maybe get some risers for the bars to make standing more comfortable.

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Rolex

· #5 · 10 mo ago

Relax & build your confidence

Look ahead and look where you want to go not where you don't want to go.

The more you ride with confidence the better things work. (not just in the dirt)

My mates think I'm a maniac on a bike, I don't think I'm a better rider than them I just have more confidence than them.

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PlugnPlay

· #6 · 10 mo ago

WeeAndy said:
So, if anyone wants to chime in and give me some hints on what you do in loose gravel.

What tire pressure were you running?
Many dirt riders reduce tire pressure by as much as 25% off pavement pressure, esp for long runs in loose stuff. Less reduction if you're rolling over logs, hitting ruts, dodging rock, etc., as the bike's too heavy for such obstacles, risk wheel damage. I know, it's a hassle to air down, air up, but for 24+ km runs you might consider

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Dado8

· #7 · 10 mo ago

2

good for you Andy, you are the Champ, your tires are not bad

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but knobby tires do a better job (to me anyway) and lower the air pressure a bit to increase the contact patch, and as already mentioned faster is better, and I mean like 70-80kph in the straights, the centrifugal forces generated by spinning wheels will keep you upright, and tires will just float over pebbles.
Sounds easier said then done, but the idea is to decrease the "time where tire knobs spend to interact with rocks, and be affected by rocks" (if that make any sense)

something like Continental TKC80 is a great tire for asphalt and gravel

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hugo.atx

· #8 · 10 mo ago

I'm glad to see so much advice on how to drive on gravel, but at 42 years old if I see gravel I literally turn around and look for asphalt. I was very mindful when I bought the vstrom that I wanted comfort before anything else.

Reactions: 1

WeeAndy

Discussion Starter · #9 · 10 mo ago

hugo.atx said:
I'm glad to see so much advice on how to drive on gravel, but at 42 years old if I see gravel I literally turn around and look for asphalt. I was very mindful when I bought the vstrom that I wanted comfort before anything else.

Where I drive, there is lots of gravel if you want to see the real scenic stuff. The reason I want to become proficient in that is that my son, my son-in-law and myself are planning a trip up the Dempster next year. It certainly is not paved, but it would be good to dip the tires in the Arctic.

hugo.atx

· #10 · 10 mo ago

WeeAndy said:
Where I drive, there is lots of gravel if you want to see the real scenic stuff. The reason I want to become proficient in that is that my son, my son-in-law and myself are planning a trip up the Dempster next year. It certainly is not paved, but it would be good to dip the tires in the Arctic.

Yes. I am aware that if you want to travel and visit many places, it is inevitable to travel on bad roads.

Lucky you! To be able to go with your son on a trip, what an envy!

Good luck and enjoy your trip.

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blaustrom

· #11 · 10 mo ago

WeeAndy, for your type of riding consider the Dunlop Mission 50/50 tires. They are not truly 50/50 but will give you better grip in the loose stuff and thus more confidence since they will slide around a little less. Plus they have good longevity, much better than the TKC80's. But they are not as cheap as the Shinkos ;-)

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WeeAndy

Discussion Starter · #12 · 10 mo ago

blaustrom said:
WeeAndy, for your type of riding consider the Dunlop Mission 50/50 tires. They are not truly 50/50 but will give you better grip in the loose stuff and thus more confidence since they will slide around a little less. Plus they have good longevity, much better than the TKC80's. But they are not as cheap as the Shinkos ;-)

Thanks for the tip. These tires were put on just before I bought the bike, but I will be changing tires next in Dawson City just before we hit the Dempster. Your suggestion just went on my list.

Macdoc

· #13 · 10 mo ago (Edited)

consider Heidis k60s - no tire change mid ride needed and get them from home. Tires make a huge difference. Gravel is always a challenge, I'm 74 and my off pavement riding is pretty much done but you do keep the skills tho they get rusty.
Doing gravel on street tires is a nightmare....the difference Heidis or other 50/50 will make is enormous.
Watch Itchy Boots for inspiration as she progresses from "okay" double track rider to doing the gnarly stuff over the years. Only girl to finish the Kalahari Rally which is a lead in event for the Dakar. Last day was 700 km on a 250 Honda that got retired at the end. She's tall as well.
Standing will be critical for the construction going to Alaska - very hard to handle sitting down.
Do it on pavement first.
I wish I could stand on my CB300F but geometry is all wrong - the Vstrom is much easier. and my KLR was better yet. You want to keep your knees bent a bit, power on in sand and leaning back a bit and don't touch the brakes.
I was for sure white knuckle on my last long KLR ride of 500 km of which half was off pavement and some very tricky sand on pavement riding...and the KLR far more capable than the Strom.
The Strom is a heavy pig for that kind of stuff tho. You really want to spend some time on these skills before trying the Dempster and don't even think of it in the wet.
There 's lots to see and do in the rest of BC and Alaska without the Dempster......and mind the critters.
The Strom is a good bike for your Alaska trip - I took mine across Canada with my son in 2018 ( glad we did ) - had Heidis on and they passed safety when I got home.

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Mitas e07 also good.

Tho not as long wearing as Heidis, better on pavement

Did you put crash bars on the Strom yet ?

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WeeAndy

Discussion Starter · #14 · 10 mo ago

Macdoc said:
.......Snip for brevity....

Did you put crash bars on the Strom yet ?

Yes, definitely have crash bars.

Reactions: 1

Macdoc

· #15 · 10 mo ago

okay - practice practice and just find roads to ride but deep gravel is hard period,

Dado8

· #16 · 10 mo ago

Stay away from mud it's slippery as Hell, like ice

...and freshly graded gravel roads where the grader leaves 3 inches of loose round aggregate, it's almost like deep sand...which you should also avoid

Macdoc

· #17 · 10 mo ago

He will have to handle mud even getting to Alaska let alone the Dempster which should not be tackled in the wet by a new rider....there are simply horror stories. However there will be mud on the extensive construction zones some of which are many km long and very slippery and no "alternate route". Mud with 50/50 is not so bad, a horror with street tires.
Deep gravel should not be present tho they tend to use large chunky gravel.
Make sure you get the 2023 Milepost as soon as available as it will give you super good info.

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Dado8

· #18 · 10 mo ago

There is another great alternative to enjoy challenging Alaska roads and gravel/mud/sand/snow off roading without the "fears and horror", ...still a motorcycle "wind in hair" experience, some loved, some hate it, I know I'll be getting one of these before I completely hang my helmet

And now there is an Adventure model with more ground clearance, underbody and belt protection etc:

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booghotfoot

· #19 · 7 mo ago

WeeAndy said:
Standing? I'm not so sure of. I'm 6'4" tall, and feel like I am sitting too low for that to be done effectively without me getting into more trouble....

I'm 6'4" too and it's mostly in my torso. When I stand on my pegs the bars are a long ways away. Even when bending my knees I have to lean forward so much I feel very heavy on the handle bar. Seems exactly the opposite of what is desired.

I've got bar risers and the bars tilted up as far as possible. Light throttle control is really tough. Maybe I'm just doing it all wrong. But I wonder if I was a half a foot shorter if it would be easier.

So I general ride the tough stuff saddle bound.

Sent from my Tab 11 using Tapatalk

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jathkajoe

· #20 · 7 mo ago

WeeAndy,
Look up Brent Tkacs on YouTube. He has some excellent videos on riding off pavement. He even has one on tips for tall riders.

I ran Mitas E-07 Dakar front and rear on my DL1000 to AK and back, a7500 mile trip. After 10,000 miles they still had some life left when I replaced them.

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