Downhill, twisty stuff

[Tamsin]

Right, so on Tuesday I've got to take a ride that will see me going down Ditchling Beacon which is an exceptionally steep, twisty and narrow road. I dislike it intently in the car/van but no other choice on this matter

So, hints/tips for downhill, tight, twisty roads?

[wr6133]

Don't fall off.

[Rogerborg]

https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q2hRRcSeDts/Ukzk2m8cPlI/AAAAAAAAZwA/9tavrjnhMIo/s400/imgg.gif

Low gear, make sure your rear brake hasn't seized up from lack of use, and be prepared to pull over or just stop in the road when the mandatory white van materialises 2" off your rear wheel.
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GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[Teflon-Mike]

1/ Shift your bum back on the saddle. Dont push your torso back against the bars; you wont shift as much weight back, or keep it so low; and you will 'lock-out' so you cant steer.
2/ Change down, to go down. - Exploit engine braking.
3/ Use the back brake to aid engine braking and 'steady' the bike.
4/ Keep off the front brake as much as possible; USE IT, but dont over use it; bikes dont steer too well on the front brake.
5/ Gravity is Great. - go with it
6/ USE THE THROTTLE Dont wuss the bends.
Follow advice above, shift bum back, and use engine braking and back brake to steady the bike, so you aren't braced against the bars, you ought to be relaxed and mobile and able to best steer the bike... and 90% of bike steering is in twisting the right wrist at the right time. If you are turning on a hill, gravity will try and pull you straight down. Throttle gives you a force to make you move in other directions than where gravity wants you to go. USE it.
Its ALL in the wrist.
Keep um supple, stay relaxed, RIDE the bike, make it do what YOU want. Be positive, be confident.
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[MC]

Don't go down in too high a gear, you don't want to rely on your brakes, then find they're fading. Enjoy the bends, its what being on a bike is all about, just don't panic & grab at the front brake mid-corner & you'll be alright.
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Yamaha MT-03 '08 (crashed)
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[Teflon-Mike]

[stinkwheel]

If you mean Beacon road, that's NOT a very steep road. It only shows as a single black-arrow on an OS map which means it's no steeper than 1 in 5. That makes it fairly steep but nothing to worry about on a motorbike. A moped might struggle up it and a larger vehicle might need to use a crawler gear.

You will spend most of the way down stuck behind a slow moving car who is making an absolute meal of it, braking unecessarily and generally making hard work of it. This will continue until you get to the jack-knifed caravan at which point you'll be able to do a u-turn and find a different road while everyone else waits for a tow-truck to pull it back up.

Honestly, you wont even bother, just remember if you have to stop across the gradient, lean the bike UPHILL. Take a wide line through the corners. Keep your head up and look where you're going, not at where you want to avoid. Do not coast, stay in gear with the clutch out while you're riding. Once you have a bit more riding experience, that would make a great "ghost run". I'd see how many cars I could overtake with the bike in neutral and the engine off.

Once you've had enough of soft, shandy-drinking southern roads, visit the Lake District and try Hardknott pass which is single track and has three double black arrows on each side (so greater than 1 in 5). Or Yorkshires Chimney Bank in Rosedale Abbey. Once you've done that and survived. Take a trip up to Torridan and do the Bealach na Bar at Applecross which is no steeper but goes on for longer.
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“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.

[Tamsin]

Cheers All.

plans have now changed though, makes the whole purpose of this trip much much easier

[Clanger]

Ditchling Beacon is an iconic bit of road around here, whilst it might not be 'that' steep, it has many twists and corners and doesn't get any decent sunlight...so be careful coming down this road on a frosty morning or when it's been raining.

I actually ride down Ditchling Beacon slower than I drive.

The poor buggers who do the London to Brighton cycle ride have this hill to ride up...jeez!!
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[treeno]

It's a really short stretch, just take it as slow as you need to and do it in a low gear. Hate riding downhill myself, much prefer uphill.

Make the most of the stretch just to the south of it, lovely!
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Current ride: Ninja 500R

[Lone-Wolf]

[Tamsin]

theres loads of visibility there

[Irn-Bru]

[Northern Monkey]

[stinkwheel]

[dydey90]

[davebike]

Must do Hardknott / Wrynose Pass some time
Rode the Devil's Staircase (mid Wales) Yesterday 1:4 and hairpins + woolly chicanes !
Great

Just take your time ride within your vision and Look where you want to go not at wrote you don't want to hit
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Dave
NC750Xdct + others at work !
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