Ninja on Gravel Roads

patw · April 26th, 2010, 08:12 PM

I have a sick obsession with gravel roads this year, I recorded a bit of it.

Link to original page on YouTube.

250Rocket · April 27th, 2010, 06:42 AM

You really need to check if your head is screwed on properly.

I joke, to each his own

However that is a light gravel road, don't attempt this

This is the type of road I got lost on that made me dump my bike

You cannot use the brakes or you're done.

patw · April 27th, 2010, 07:14 AM

Hehe, excellent advice.

That road looks excessively difficult, not exactly what I'd be looking for. Great place to take the 4-wheeler though.

ninja250 · April 27th, 2010, 07:22 AM

No drifting?

bdavison · April 27th, 2010, 07:41 AM

Yeah its all fun and games until you go down on that gravel. It feels like going 4 rounds with Tyson. Will bruise you in places you didnt even know you had.

Shano22 · April 27th, 2010, 08:03 AM

you should invest in a dirt bike instead of taking you ninja on gravel. Don't you get a bunch of nicks in the paint from the gravel coming up?

2WheelGuy · April 27th, 2010, 08:14 AM

Remember on low traction surfaces to use the REAR BRAKE ONLY. You need to keep the front wheel spinning to maintain control.

My in-laws have a cabin in the boonies. There are a lot of directions after the one that states "When you turn off the paved road." It is fun to explore on my 250 but the suspension really isn't up to it. All too often the bike is off the ground and my butt is out of the seat. Fire roads are why they make dual sports.

ninja250 · April 27th, 2010, 08:42 AM

<needs a dual sport and a gsxr

patw · April 27th, 2010, 08:45 AM

No new nicks/scratches as far as I could tell (washed it right afterwords), I'm going pretty slow and I'm not hearing rocks being thrown up. I'm guessing these mostly slick-ish tires aren't grabbing much of anything to throw against the fairings.

The desire to do this, for me, is coming from that terror we feel when the rear tire begins to slip. On this type of surface, the rear tire feels like it's floating and has minimal traction, and the front tire will sometimes feel like it's plowing rather than rolling. It's scary as hell, but it's less so the more I try it. Every corner is still way more "adventure" than it should be, you'll see in the video I'm doing them at around 20-30km/hr. The goal here is to build a bit of confidence in adverse road conditions (hopefully).

And yes, there was temptation to start trying to drift the rear tire, but I feel like on the line between crazy and stupid, I'm still on the crazy end of things

One of my early riding experiences (2 weeks into it) I was riding along a country road (exploring really) on the CBR125R and I saw the dreaded construction sign. I had only ever driven on smooth, perfect pavement up to this point and my confidence had extended to "I can take off from a stop sign without stalling, this rocks!". First came the grooved pavement, the narrow tires started throwing me around in a very uncomfortable way and the fear started... then another sign showed pavement ending. I drove that gravel road completely tensed up and terrified that the bike was going to fall out under me at any second. To make things worse, I had a car behind me riding my a$$ the whole time because I was going under the speed limit. The roads were banked badly at the edges right into a 3 foot drop into a ditch, so no chance of pulling over. Honestly, I'm not sure how it could have gotten worse (snow?). Maybe this is my motivation

ninja250 · April 27th, 2010, 09:03 AM

If you are careful and going in a straight line, you can break the back tire free no problem in high RPM to burn out. You'll be aight unless your front loses traction too for some odd reason.

Not trying to egg you on though.

I used to get a kick out of doing burnies in the dirt on my gixxer. Gramma's house had some smoothed dirt roads.

April 26th, 2010, 08:12 PM	#1
patw ninjette.org guru Name: Pat Location: Barrie, Ontario Join Date: Jun 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Ninja 250 SE Posts: 338	Ninja on Gravel Roads I have a sick obsession with gravel roads this year, I recorded a bit of it. Link to original page on YouTube. Link to original page on YouTube. __________________________________________________ 2013 CRF250L 1985 GL1200 Interstate

April 27th, 2010, 06:42 AM	#2
250Rocket ninjette.org member Name: Rob Location: Montreal, Canada Join Date: Apr 2009 Motorcycle(s): '09 Ninja 250R Posts: 171	You really need to check if your head is screwed on properly. I joke, to each his own However that is a light gravel road, don't attempt this This is the type of road I got lost on that made me dump my bike You cannot use the brakes or you're done. __________________________________________________ Back on the road again Season 2010 Dam it feels good!

April 27th, 2010, 07:14 AM	#3
patw ninjette.org guru Name: Pat Location: Barrie, Ontario Join Date: Jun 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Ninja 250 SE Posts: 338	Hehe, excellent advice. That road looks excessively difficult, not exactly what I'd be looking for. Great place to take the 4-wheeler though. __________________________________________________ 2013 CRF250L 1985 GL1200 Interstate

April 27th, 2010, 07:22 AM	#4
ninja250 You are sleeping Name: Casey Location: LMFAO!!! Join Date: Nov 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2 Posts: A lot.	No drifting? __________________________________________________ <Yeah, it's a 250. LMFAO! Weaksauce

April 27th, 2010, 08:03 AM	#6
Shano22 ninjette.org member Name: Shane Location: Pittsburgh Join Date: Jan 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2005 Kawi Ninja 250, 2004 Honda CBR600 F4I, 1999 Yamaha TTR225(dirtbike) Posts: 103	you should invest in a dirt bike instead of taking you ninja on gravel. Don't you get a bunch of nicks in the paint from the gravel coming up? __________________________________________________ Sportbike riding, because activities like football, baseball, and basketball require only one ball.

April 27th, 2010, 07:41 AM	#5
bdavison Wartown, USA Name: Bryan Location: Warner Robins, GA Join Date: Nov 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Ninja 250R SE, 2007 Ninja 650R, and assorted other bikes Posts: A lot.	Yeah its all fun and games until you go down on that gravel. It feels like going 4 rounds with Tyson. Will bruise you in places you didnt even know you had.

April 27th, 2010, 08:14 AM	#7
2WheelGuy ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Craig Location: Silicon Valley, CA USA Join Date: May 2009 Motorcycle(s): '98 EX250, '02 EX250, '08 250r, '03 SV650, '98 GSXR750 '03 Hayabusa, '87 YSR50, '84 ZX900, +MORE Posts: A lot.	Remember on low traction surfaces to use the REAR BRAKE ONLY. You need to keep the front wheel spinning to maintain control. My in-laws have a cabin in the boonies. There are a lot of directions after the one that states "When you turn off the paved road." It is fun to explore on my 250 but the suspension really isn't up to it. All too often the bike is off the ground and my butt is out of the seat. Fire roads are why they make dual sports. __________________________________________________ CraigHarris.org Pacific Track Time CraigsWeb See you at 2014 MotoGP Laguna Seca! We'll be camping on Fox Hill. AFM #278

April 27th, 2010, 08:42 AM	#8
ninja250 You are sleeping Name: Casey Location: LMFAO!!! Join Date: Nov 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2 Posts: A lot.	<needs a dual sport and a gsxr __________________________________________________ <Yeah, it's a 250. LMFAO! Weaksauce

April 27th, 2010, 08:45 AM	#9
patw ninjette.org guru Name: Pat Location: Barrie, Ontario Join Date: Jun 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Ninja 250 SE Posts: 338	No new nicks/scratches as far as I could tell (washed it right afterwords), I'm going pretty slow and I'm not hearing rocks being thrown up. I'm guessing these mostly slick-ish tires aren't grabbing much of anything to throw against the fairings. The desire to do this, for me, is coming from that terror we feel when the rear tire begins to slip. On this type of surface, the rear tire feels like it's floating and has minimal traction, and the front tire will sometimes feel like it's plowing rather than rolling. It's scary as hell, but it's less so the more I try it. Every corner is still way more "adventure" than it should be, you'll see in the video I'm doing them at around 20-30km/hr. The goal here is to build a bit of confidence in adverse road conditions (hopefully). And yes, there was temptation to start trying to drift the rear tire, but I feel like on the line between crazy and stupid, I'm still on the crazy end of things One of my early riding experiences (2 weeks into it) I was riding along a country road (exploring really) on the CBR125R and I saw the dreaded construction sign. I had only ever driven on smooth, perfect pavement up to this point and my confidence had extended to "I can take off from a stop sign without stalling, this rocks!". First came the grooved pavement, the narrow tires started throwing me around in a very uncomfortable way and the fear started... then another sign showed pavement ending. I drove that gravel road completely tensed up and terrified that the bike was going to fall out under me at any second. To make things worse, I had a car behind me riding my a$$ the whole time because I was going under the speed limit. The roads were banked badly at the edges right into a 3 foot drop into a ditch, so no chance of pulling over. Honestly, I'm not sure how it could have gotten worse (snow?). Maybe this is my motivation __________________________________________________ 2013 CRF250L 1985 GL1200 Interstate

April 27th, 2010, 09:03 AM	#10
ninja250 You are sleeping Name: Casey Location: LMFAO!!! Join Date: Nov 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2 Posts: A lot.	If you are careful and going in a straight line, you can break the back tire free no problem in high RPM to burn out. You'll be aight unless your front loses traction too for some odd reason. Not trying to egg you on though. I used to get a kick out of doing burnies in the dirt on my gixxer. Gramma's house had some smoothed dirt roads. __________________________________________________ <Yeah, it's a 250. LMFAO! Weaksauce

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