What's your approach to new roads?

[Doppleganger3814]

What's up KR? Last Friday I got about 250 miles of riding in which was fantastic! Hit some back roads in northern Kentucky and had a blast. This was my first time on these roads, and I took them pretty tame not exceeding 60mph on average I would say, and was just curious of your approach on new roads? Blind corners and drop offs had me slowing up a bit. I know experience weighs into how you ride, but I wanted to get thoughts from you all that have been riding for years. Are you able to ride new roads, like roads that you ride daily?

[edromero]

I would say that if you're going to try to push it a little, it'd be better to become more familiar with the turns. Scout them out ahead of time for debris, sand, leaves...make a few passes and a plan of attack first, and then go back.

I would guess the more experienced guys on here would say that unfamiliar roads are ones you'd want to be more conservative on

[Doppleganger3814]

^^^ That's pretty much what I was doing on Friday. Getting a feel for the roads, and looking at the condition of them. I was still able to have fun though, and I don't think I'm at the skill level to even begin to take those roads at Moto GP speeds even with more passes. Was just curious to see if seasoned riders are able to go all out on roads on their first pass.

[Kreylyn]

[QUOTE=Doppleganger3814;2284377Was just curious to see if seasoned riders are able to go all out on roads on their first pass.[/QUOTE]


That would be a very poor decision regardless of their abilities, I think.

Krey

[skjeflo]

While I haven't been riding for years I can say that no matter how much experience I have this is one thing that will never change.

If I can't see all the way through a corner, or have never been on that road before, I will ALWAYS go slower. Leaving space in my skill set and allowing time for a correction/mistake/event in the turn is only sensible.

It would be flat out crazy to trust that the road is going to do exactly what you think it will every time (i.e. decreasing radius turns). To trust that you'll not find sand scattered across the road, mid-turn in a blind corner. Or worse, all of the previous, along with one of those drop offs on the outside edge of the corner....

[Slofuze]

That would be a very poor decision regardless of their abilities, I think.

Krey

+ 1

[soulpatch]

That would be a very poor decision regardless of their abilities, I think.

Krey

+1. I will rail it on the track and will hammer behind people who know a road like Tim here as he will brake for decreasing turns (sometimes...). I think one huge difference between road and track is that I do not know what is potentially on the road and as such I always leave a bit in the tank so to speak to dip harder to turn or be able to stand up and brake if needed.

The more experience you get the more you can speed up a bit but you will always have to hold back on the roadways. You never know what is around a corner.

Perfect example. Last year at the rally a bunch of us decided to go riding down rt 28. We were all hauling and eventually decided to turn around knowing that the road was clear of debris. We stepped it up a bit more on a few turns for those of us in the lead. Came around a corner most likely around 80mph and came face to face with a truck and trailer stopped in the middle of the road with on coming traffic. The 4 of us in the lead were able to stop in time. Rider behind me could not stop in time (I run grippier track brakes and can stop pretty fast...) and had to ditch. It could have been MUCH worse had one of us slammed into the trailer.

Yes some roads you can push your limits on if you know them well but you only will know the road and not what is potentially on it. If you really want to hammer it then go to a track where you always know the road is clean and normally absent of widelife...

[JIB]

I was just talking about that today at work. That guy was about as much a dumbazz as they come.

Even on roads that I do know, there can always be debris on the road or as Soulpatch points out, as big azz truck and trailer just sitting around the corner.

[Slofuze]

Scarey is when you've chosen the proper line.....and the cager coming at you hasn't.

[rockat]

Yeah...I never push my limits. Too much fear of going down, over or into...

[soulpatch]

Scarey is when you've chosen the proper line.....and the cager coming at you hasn't.

No scarey is riding with Ron (Sky's husband) in Montreal and chugging along on a road at around 120 when it suddenly turns into a dirt road ATV trail with a few mild jumps thrown in. That was an interesting ride. Nothing like catching air at 100+ on a dirt track on a practically new bike.

[Doppleganger3814]

Thanks for the insight everyone! Again, I was still able to really enjoy the new roads for the first time while riding within my limits, and will continue to and gain experience over the years. It was frustrating near dusk when I was going the speed limit and had a cager continue to ride up on me...finally I just found a spot to pull over to let them pass. I was not going to risk trying to further the distance on a road known for tight turns and blinds. Also had a few cagers crossing the yellow as well!

[Slofuze]

No scarey is riding with Ron (Sky's husband) in Montreal and chugging along on a road at around 120 when it suddenly turns into a dirt road ATV trail with a few mild jumps thrown in. That was an interesting ride. Nothing like catching air at 100+ on a dirt track on a practically new bike.

Boomer (Ian) mentioned that as well....... maybe it's a good thing I didn't hook up last summer on my way East.......crazy Canucks. ...... I blame it on long winters.

[Blackdog]

I like new roads but do leave plenty of reserve for the unexpected.

My biggest pucker moment was on a daily traveled right hand sweeper when there was a garbage truck stopped on the road and an on-coming car.

[ratgti]

im a timid rider all the time . call it safe or scared or whatever ,... I call it self preservation . a good ride to me is one that I can walk away from when its over.