Feel for the road

[caddman11]

Just looking for others experiences about road surfaces. When riding any roads, you always have the road striping and sometimes tar patches where they fill in cracks. These tar patches can run in all sorts of directions and it seems like lately, they have a lot more effect on the handling of the bike, like it slides.

I also think it keeps getting worst as my bike ages. I didn't notice them near as much when the bike was new as I do now. Only have 3000 miles, but I'm really starting to look out for these obstacles.

[schoeney]

Good points. I also notice the rain grooves in concrete (usually an overpass).

Of course there is the ultimate pain in the butt....metal grids on bridges. I did metal grids on a bridge with my 120lb sister on the back...I was on a Honda 100 in a driving rain storm in downtown Portland. Of course that was back in 1976 when I could handle it and was too stupid to realize the risk.

You may want to double check your tire pressure cadd. Sometimes I notice the cracks more and sometimes less. Don't know if its my mood or what.

[blowndodge]

I've noticed the same phenomenon.. My Nomad is starting to move a lot on bad roads. When I'm in the car pool lane and hit the painted "car pool" reminders my bike feels like it slides a little and scares the crap out of me!

[socwkbiker]

I've noticed the same phenominom.. My Nomad is starting to move a lot on bad roads. When I'm in the car pool lane and hit the painted "car pool" reminders my bike feels like it slides a little and scares the crap out of me!

That's because you're not used to riding anymore fair weather boy. http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif

I've felt that too though and it can be a bit unnerving.

[dantama]

There is usually a lot of grip, even when you hit a pucker section. But there are still places that catch my attention when leaned over and acceleration. For example, those big blocky crosswalk paint sections. Straight up I don't give them a second thought, leaned over they look pretty unnerving; though I've never actually had a problem with them.

I come through this curve on my way home. Coming through fast and leaned over makes those big blocks of white paint look bad. I usually try to hit a line in between them. I doubt that I'd really have a problem unless they were wet.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y237/dantama/eb61b590.gif

[caddman11]

Well Dan, everyone here knows that your the wild No-Man guy who will ride an 800 lb. bike on anything, anywhere and then take movies so all know you have at least one screw lose.

And yes, this is the kind of stuff I'm talking about. It is rather un-nerving when hitting this crap. I glad to see I'm not alone with these road issues.

[Netnorske]

Those big blocks of white in crosswalks are not paint, but thermoplastic. It is a compound that is heated then applied while molten....hardening as it cools.

This stuff can be really slick, especially when wet. I always try to hit the space between the "blocks" whenever possible! Why chance it....??

Kris

[blowndodge]

[quote="Blowndodge "Darksider"":qjd8nbul]I've noticed the same phenominom.. My Nomad is starting to move a lot on bad roads. When I'm in the car pool lane and hit the painted "car pool" reminders my bike feels like it slides a little and scares the crap out of me!

That's because you're a far better rider than me. http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif

I've felt that too though and it can be a bit unnerving.[/quote:qjd8nbul]

I know i am SWB http://s2.images.proboards.com/shocked.gif http://s2.images.proboards.com/shocked.gif

[rksaw]

We always need to be concerned about the surfaces we come across...that's one of the reasons why I brought up a new surface on a major bridge in my area. There is a lot of new technology going into road surfaces and paint stripes and everything else, and most of the time, the Department of Transportation is thinking about how a cager will read the road, but fails to take into account someone on 2 wheels not 4.
Rich

[josh]

Chip seal patches are the worst, not only are they sketchy at the spot of the patch, but for a long distance in either direction.

[rb]

I used to feel the tar snakes and cracks in the road a lot when the bike had the OEM Bridgestone tires on it, but when I switched to the dunlop Elite III's most of it went away. The painted strips are still slick and always will be, but the cracks and tar snakes are much better to navigate over now.

[flavor]

IMPO

Those tar strips in the road alwasy made me feel uncomfortable when I was in any kind of turn no matter what tire I had. I guess the heat plays tricks on that stuff and makes it worse. I'm always extra carefull when I see that crap all over the road. Mix a little oil if you're near the city and I really don't like it.

[Netnorske]

I work for a local Public Works Dept. as the Foreman in the Street/Storm Division...so i know a little somethin'-somethin' about those patches.... ::).

The tar used to seal cracks is also applied hot and molten. When the sun bakes on it for awhile...it tries to melt back into its liquid state. Thats why is feels mushy on hot days, because it is...!!
We've all stepped in it somewhere on a hot day and ended up with it on our boots.... :(.

Chip sealed roads do suck, because they are basically just pea gravel packed with oil to make is bind.

Patches themselves are hard to make as smooth as the original surface...so I always try to slalom though them when possible. Ditch lines are bad too...like where a sewer line has been dug.

Nothing...but nothing, is as bad as those little triangles of gravel where two intersections meet. I was riding with a friend years ago when we entered a turn and his front wheel rolled into that stuff. His bike went right out from under him and he rolled like a Texas Tumbleweed... http://s2.images.proboards.com/shocked.gif.

Be aware! Be very aware...!!!

Kris

[gghost]

Thanks for the info netnorske. I thought that I was a lousy rider...

Dropped a bike in '72 on a freshly painted crosswalk. Couldn't see the water running across it as I took my normal hill climb up to work. Glad I had a beard at the time as I shaved off a few hairs.

[hollywood]

If the tread on your tires is starting to wear out - you will feel the road snakes a lot more. I need new tires bad and it sure is squirrley on the road snakes annd grooves in the pavement. Every little thing seem to pull the bike around.

[cactusjack]

The road in front of my office building is a freeway frontage road. If I need to go south from work (such as going home), it's the fastest way. There's 2 freeway exit lanes coming up the ramp that merges with the frontage road traffic, then it's about 300 feet to a 4-lane intersection. The road surface is grooved concrete, and they have 2 big arrows in each lane indicating which way you're allowed to go. Those arrows are big and slick, especially on a hot afternoon. I come in there a little hot sometimes, and the light goes yellow on me, and I have to brake hard and I've hit those arrows and slid until I hit concrete again. That wakes you up real quick!

I switched from Metzler 880s to Dunlop Elite 3s about 7K ago. I noticed right away they handled tar snakes and other irregularities better than the Metzs when new. The tar snakes are bad in the heat as they turn molten as netnorske said.
The Dunlops have a very stiff sidewall and I would think don't have as much flex as other tires. I don't think the Dunlops are as soft as the Metzs, I'd give the Metzs a tad advantage in the cornering dept.

[bosko]

If the tread on your tires is starting to wear out - you will feel the road snakes a lot more. I need new tires bad and it sure is squirrelly on the road snakes and grooves in the pavement. Every little thing seem to pull the bike around.

+1
After 3000 miles your tire definitely has some wear and the profile has changed. Squirrelly yes, unsafe no. I just love the feel of a new tire no matter what brand.

[caddman11]

I here so much bad info about the stock stones, well I still have them and I'm really starting to dislike them. After reading some of the postings, maybe the skiddish feeling with the bike is those stones. The front end wobble and the (like the term) tar snakes. Can't afford them know but it will be on the list for next season.