Grimy, leafy, hilly hair pin bend - Any advice?

[guitarcarfana...]

Hi guys,

Been riding on my trusty CG since July now and getting on well.

However, ever since a spill on some tractor mud in the wet, my confidence has been knocked a little. I'm finally getting my riding back up to speed and in the dry better than ever. However, when the roads are wet, I tend to get a bit jittery.

Now, thats not too much of a problem when I'm around town as I'm pretty confident and can slow right down where needed. BUT, on my daily 10 mile commute, I have to drive up blagdon hill. Now, during the summer, I was pretty good with it. But now, when the roads are greasy and absolutely caked in rotting leaves, I'm stuggling a little.

For anyone who hasn't seen Blagdon Hill bend, it's a pretty steep left hand almost back on itself bend. The road surface isn't the best in the summer (lots of gravel and the like) but when wet, the leaves just make me feel i'm going to slide despite trying to maintain as much uprightness as possible.

How best should I tackle it?

In the dry, I could do it in second, but I'm having to drop to first and very low speeds due to lack of confidence when it's wet. It isn't great coming down the hill again either as the leaves are scattered up the hill for quite a way (fairly thick covering) and it makes me doubt my braking.

I can go a different route for the sake of an extra 5 mins on my journey which is a little more travelled by cars so the roads tend to be a bit cleaner from leaves. But in doing that, i'm not making myself a better rider.

Any hints on how to ride it?

Help and advice much appreciated.

Cheers,

Rob

Link of Streetview below hopefully

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=corfe&sll=51.164705,-2.80014&sspn=0.662234,1.186523&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Corfe,+Taunton,+United+Kingdom&ll=50.961941,-3.128614&spn=0,0.074158&z=14&layer=c&cbll=50.952507,-3.128644&panoid=Os7uqpK59Eyh_B0PVrznVw&cbp=12,118.72,,0,22.81

[N cee thirty]

looks like the corner on the monaco track lolz


just take it slow
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'00 Aprilia RS50 > '92 Honda CG > '99 Yamaha Fazer > '91 Yamaha RXS > '79 Suzuki X5 > 01' Honda Cg > 07' Honda Cg > 82' Kawasaki Z200 > suzuki gsxr 400 gk73a > honda vfr 400 NC30 Mod 2 Passed 09/06/2011

Jewlio Iglesias wrote: I actually did vote BNP once

[stinkwheel]

[Acemastr]

peg down cranked over! just take it easy, you're doing fine
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2017 KTM 350 XC-F - 2014 Yamaha R6 - 2005 Yamaha YZ125
2016 Toyota Tacoma Limited

[Ol]

Just dont worry about it - there isn't anyone who will think less of you for taking caution and crawling round a corner you not confident riding round... so what if you have to take it slowly???

my SV has got Avons on, and in the dry i find them fantastic - loads and loads of grip and when they start sliding it's very gradual and easy to control, but in the wet they're horrible, feel very twitchy and completely confidence zapping when leaning over - so i just dont, i take corners steady, easing (sp?) the power on coming out of bends / roundabouts etc and take my time.

cant see a point in trying too hard in the wet when i'm not confident - so i dont bother. It also makes me appreciate riding on nice dry days a lot more too!!
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Previous: Cub50, NRG50, TS50, YB100, CB125, NSR125, ZZR600, CBF1000, SV650s, ZX6R B1H, XT250, Mito Powered Crosser, WRF450, , FZ600, VN800, GSXR600 - Currently CB1000R

[Howling TerrorOutOfOffice]

After four years i still have to tell myself to relax as i go through the same corner i'd previously crashed on....So relax grip...drop shoulders...you know the score.

If i were approaching that corner i'd tip-toe round it too. Looks like when going uphill you'd have running water and debris in the gully and across the road, not to mention if a vehicle and trailer were coming downhill.

I presume you use lots more rear brake when going down it? No need to add extra forces on the front.

The more you ride it, the easier it should get...or crash.


Pat
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[Walloper]

***Proverb Alert*** : If in doubt crawl about.

I've suffered serious Orbis Secui Pactum (ring piece pucker) on a few/several occasions whilst Winter riding.

It adds a jab of excitement to the otherwise drab drudgery of the driech.
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W-ireless A-rtificial L-ifeform L-imited to O-bservation P-eacekeeping and E-fficient R-epair

[Mr Hammers]

[The Artist]

You have more grip in the wet than you imagine most of the time.

Leafy corners are not good at all. Slow and upright. Back brake only.

[Rogerborg]

Making an informed decision to take a safer route sounds like the sort of smart thing a "better rider" would do.

There's no Advanced Achievement that you can unlock to put the rubber in contact with the tarmac. If there's no grip, there's no grip. Take the longer route until the roads are clear.

[iooi]

[Dom]

Go and ride a bike in some proper mud if you can, after that you'd be a lot more relaxed about a few leaves.
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Photos and that

[L4Isoside]

Keep a relativity neutral throttle as well, I went for a ride on the ninja on some fun (But wet) back roads, ended up having some rather sharp corners littered in mud/stones/ general crap.

Had the front slip on one corner, and the rear on another.... Really is not a nice feeling.

[lewis87]

Slowly, or back it in on entry with foot out and hammer the throttle wide open on exit.

[Ariel Badger]

It is a good bend but has its dangers. Now logic dictates that the more time you spend on that bend the more danger you will be in so you want to minimise the danger period as much as possible.
Flat out in third and foot down speedway style should do it.
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Bikers make great organ donors, get 115 on your licence today.

[ZRX61]

[Howling TerrorOutOfOffice]

[guitarcarfana...]

Well I took the other route home this evening and have decided at night, it may actually be worse! In the light, it's fine as I know it quite well, but the headlight on the CG is pretty pants meaning I can barely see!

Got home very slowly but safely. I reckon until I pass the test and get something with a decent light, I'm going to hang fire until the roads get a little less slippy. In the dry or light, I'm fine.

Anyhoo, going to grab lifts on wet days for the next few weeks until these leaves clear up.

[HD]

Also looks like this.

You can hardly see it in the picture though as there is no road behind it but it is steeper than it looks. There are leaves there in the summer, think what its like now!

Ill grab a picture if I can remember tomorrow.

And for advise, just creep it round. Who cares if your in first gear? Hammer it out of the corner for all it matters!
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Rusty '02 Vito Camper + CBR600F3

[2wheelsteve]

Hey mate, just looked at the street view, you'll be good on that one mate since the down hill is a r/hander, go easy on it both ways and you will do good, ride safe
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Ride Safe

[delvey91]

I Know this bend fairly well, Used to commute from churchstanton into taunton. It alot worse that it looks on street veiw! Off camber aswell

[guitarcarfana...]

Yeah so you have to ride up and around it because of the camber. Right old bugger.

[MinhDinh]

Go there on a day you are free and practice.

The more you experience something and succeed, the more likely you'll just knee down it.
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Hit the G spot.

[Frost]

Looks like thailand!

[Jodie]