Descending steep hills (with bends!)

[ThunderGuts]

Morning all,

So I have done my background reading on this but it still feels a little counter-intuitive . . . how does everyone tackle descending steep (e.g. 10%+) roads where there are tight turns on it?

General advice seems to be to slow down as much as possible before the corner then apply positive throttle through the bend to keep the bike settled, but on really steep roads this seems crazy as to get positive throttle (and I realise it only needs to be a tiny bit) initiates very fast acceleration due to the gradient at a time that really I want to be maintaining a really slow speed. This is even more of an issue where a series of tight/hairpins are linked up with little space between them. I have tended towards using a low gear and engine braking to generally control descent speed, with a dab of front brake as needed (but obviously not on the bends themselves).

This situation is often exacerbated by the fact that mountain area roads tend to have worn/scabby surfaces which don't exactly inspire trust!

Cheers
____________________
TG.

[Skudd]

I usually is engine baring in a low gear, alternate clutch to let the bike speed up, i.e. Pull in clutch bike speeds up, let out clutch bike slows down with rear brake and slight front brake. It feels right for me and my riding style.
____________________
Famous last words of Humpty Dumpty. " Stop pushing me "
Petty Anarchists look at "1984".............. The Visionary looks at "Animal Farm".

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

[chickenstrip]

[MarJay]

Positive throttle, steady with the rear brake. There is probably some argument that positive throttle makes naff all difference at 10mph though...
____________________
British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[ThunderGuts]

Thanks all. The engine braking effect is really pronounced on my ER5 (in 2nd gear it comfortably held me at 20mph when I needed it to going down the Winnats Pass yesterday) so that's pretty similar to using the rear brake I guess, but without the overheating risk!
____________________
TG.

[chickenstrip]

Depending on the gradient, engine braking alone isn't always enough with my bike (IL4), so it's necessary to use a combination of the two.
____________________
Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
THERE'S MILLIONS OF CHICKENSTRIPS OUT THERE!

[Hong Kong Phooey]

Rear brake, engine braking, would avoid front brake if possible.
Off camber? Well that's never going to inspire confidence.

A lot will depend on the bike.

Slowly, relax, eyes on the inside of the bend, repeat. The more you do it the easier it gets they say.
Too slow and you'll be wobbling though.

Sometimes it helps to follow an experienced rider on a similar bike, you get a feeling of what's possible.
____________________
'81 CG125, '97 FZS600 : '99 CBR600F4, '09 KTM RC8

[stinkwheel]

Ghost run. All line up in a row at the top. Engines off. You are allowed three pushes with your feet then it's feet up and last one to the bottom is a sheep shagger. Kudos for first down and furthest travelled before rolling to a halt.

Do that on the Rattagan pass with half a dozen other bikes a few times and you'll learn how to descend like a madman. The look on car drivers faces as they get overtaken by multiple, totally silent sportsbikes with the riders tucked in behind the fairing is worth the effort.

More seriously, learn to use both brakes while cornering. It is not the instadeath move most people think it is. Generally people who do are taking too much weight through the bars and not enough through their legs which makes them sit the bike up when they brake.

I thought it was what bikes did for a long time myself until I got one with really long travel, very well damped suspension. It taught me that you CAN brake while leaned over without the bike sitting up providing you don't feed in adverse steering input. In fact, the braking will cause fork dive, sharpening the rake angle and causing the bike to turn in even more. Remember, legs and arse are for taking your weight, handlebars are for steering.

Obviously, don't practice this for the first time on a 10% gradient and do be aware that the more combined braking and cornering force you put through the tyre, the more likely it is to lose traction.
____________________
“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.

[flearider]

MAKE SURE YOUR BUTT PLUG IS INSTALLED AND JUST RIDE IT OUT WITH A SMILE

[Courier265]

[ThunderGuts]

Thanks all, appreciate the input.
____________________
TG.