Greasy roads

[stinkwheel]

I was out on the supermoto today doing my crimbo shopping.

Seemed as nice a day for it as we were going to get but bloody hell were the roads greasy?!

I had two front-end slides and the back end was squirming around nearly all the time. Now this is actually quite fun on a motard (and I will admit to doing it on purpose a couple of times) but I could easily have been off a sportsbike numerous times.

The point of the post is just a quick reminder to take it easy with the right hand, especially when moving off. There have been a few posts recently where people have come off due to overenthusiastic throttling away from junctions.

Also a quick note to keep a carefull check on your tyre pressures. Mine were a bit soft when I left and they magnified the slippiness of the road considerably. 5psi too little air in your back tyre can make a huge difference to the handling.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[conpants]

saying that, a corner i have taken nearly everyday on my "pushbike" i was riding on it today and my front wheel just slid, i was riding one handed too ... pretty scary... i put my foot down and was fine, but i found it odd none the less

[Craggles]

Yeah I'd second that - same experience.

Went to try some dealers in Portsmouth (I live in Southampton) today... ended up turning back as I nearly lost it on two consecutive roundabouts... felt I couldn't concentrate on where I was going (A route i'd never done before) and on the road at the same time.

My tyres are also low I suspect (havn't been checked for a number of weeks)

Craig
____________________
If this signature is blue, you're riding too fast

[mchaggis]

The roads just seem incapable of drying out, I could feel the back squirming around all over the place today, in particular getting on the power coming off roundabouts in town. That was with tyres at the right pressures too.

Still, my main achievement today is that I beat a Mondeo up to about 35-40 off the lights, which surprised me a little. That and I managed to lose an M3 on a twisty road, it burnt past me rather quickly once we got to a length of straight stuff, but I kept with it all the way back to town. T'was a pretty good ride, my bike's running sweet as a nut, except for the running light bulb which has blown again and the front brake needing bleeding.

Why does tarmac seem so greasy when it's perpetually damp, is it the grime just not washing away as it's not raining and not drying out?
____________________
I must not be a troll...
Mmmm, Guinness
Discovering the delights of Hammerite and a 3/4" brush.

[conpants]

what bike?

[NickD]

[mchaggis]

[Rob]

[iCraig]

I was just thinking to myself what a lovely day it was today here.

Its been dry and mild here, so great biking weather.

I managed to clean the bike and ride it for a while too, and I hope we have more days like this this winter.

[Josh]

[mchaggis]

[mrchips]

Despite roads being damp here, and my tyres being crap in anything but dry, I managed to take a roundabout at 50 (good going on even a dry day) to pass a Polo driver who aggrivated me.
____________________
Northern Irish? www.nibikers.com

[JonB]

Very weird time of the year, the roads were dry today, we haven't had a spot of rain, the sky is clear and the stars are "out". Yet the road is really wet.
____________________
Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it?s worth.

[tatters]

very greasy


back wheel on my ZZR lost grip and started thrashing about after turning into a juction yesterday, full throttled it and got control.


today took the KR1-S out for a spin, went over kingston bridge quite fast, locked both wheels up trying to brake before the lights and sild down the road (amzaing that l kept the bike up-right).
____________________
Past:NRG50,AF1125(x2),NSR125RR,ZZR250,CX500,VFR400,KR1S,ZZR600(x2),CB400N,YZF1000(x2),KH125,Z200,FX400R,CBR954RR(x2)GPZ500S,GT550,VFR750F(x2),RD350N,XR650R,CBR600F,CB250,KDX250,YZF750R,CRM250,400EXC,KLR650,TTR600RE,DR350S,R100GSPD,RGV250,VMAX1200,DL650,KZ750 Present:G650XC,C12,CRF450X,1190ADV

[Claud 14.7 to 1]

[dandit]

OH YES they are greasy when I leave work I seem to be able to slide a lot easyer and I can back my bandit in theres one corner I like on the way home from work coz I leave work at 6 am get to the corner and nail the throttle as I am straightning up and I can get propper sideways WICKED but I must stop doing it because I can see myself either highsiding or lowsiding or just ending up on my arse and the bandit is not the lightest of bikes is it
____________________
WHAT DO YOU MEAN 100 MPH THATS IMPOSSIBLE I STILL HAD 3 GEARS TO GO OFFICER. Currently riding a naked cbr 600 and driving a 52 plate 2litre tdci mondeo

[Ian (GPX)]

Yes, I've noticed this too

It's time to take it easy out there now while the roads are like this...

What is needed is a good amount of overnight rain to clean them.

I've also noticed that the grit lorries have been out as well, so make sure you wash you bike down after you have been out on it.

[Visitor Q]

Actually id say mainly, watch the revs when you drop down one. Ive only nearly come a cropper when ive snapped into first to high. Rear lock, big fishtail.
____________________
China traffic/travel bike vid - When I make a sweeping statement, please add the word 'statistically' in to the sentence before you bitch...
From September 2014 to January/February 2015 I will not be using any English, nor reading any. As such, I won't be on here. PM at will, but I won't be checking/posting unless in emergencies. Certainly not for the first couple of months. Please berate me savagely if I break that rule...

[Kickstart]

Hi

My theory (which someone else might well shoot down) is that while salt in the damp lowers the freezing point it also greatly slows down the speed with which the water evaporates.

All the best

Keith
____________________
Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Yamaha_AzA]

It's been rubbish weather in westmidlands too, i was waitin at the bus stop and a moped rider put in too much rear brake and slid onto his ass.

Good weather to watch chavs looking silly but its rubbish for us to ride.
____________________
GO!!!!!!!

[instigator]

Strangely enough, the roads are bone dry up here in glasgow today.

Pity I don't feel like taking the bike out though, I'm paranoid that some drunk took the cover off last nigh and sat on it, scratching the tankprotector.....

[mchaggis]

[instigator]

damn straight...just the principle of the matter. I don't want no drunk fecker sitting on my bike !!!!

If thats what indeed happened. Probably just the cover blew off and some body deliberately scrathced it, I dunno.

[JonB]

[dandit]

slippidy slidey it excelent at the moment I nearly lost the back end a few minutes ago whilst coming back from my mates bloody good fun even though it scared the sh1t out of me
____________________
WHAT DO YOU MEAN 100 MPH THATS IMPOSSIBLE I STILL HAD 3 GEARS TO GO OFFICER. Currently riding a naked cbr 600 and driving a 52 plate 2litre tdci mondeo