'seal coating'-Lucky me... advice anyone

[sassyninja]

So apparently they decided to start seal coating the highway I take to work, they're doing about '60km' of my 140km journey... The thing is, its gonna be awesome weather for the next couple weeks and I thought it d be perfect to save on the gas money and take out the ninja for a couple trips... Until I saw how much gravel is on the road. Should I just leave the bike at home or is this not a scary as I've built myself up to be...

[fishdip]

Originally Posted by sassyninja

So apparently they decided to start seal coating the highway I take to work, they're doing about '60km' of my 140km journey... The thing is, its gonna be awesome weather for the next couple weeks and I thought it d be perfect to save on the gas money and take out the ninja for a couple trips... Until I saw how much gravel is on the road. Should I just leave the bike at home or is this not a scary as I've built myself up to be...

My 3 year old has been on a bike on gravel/dirt

[sassyninja]

Originally Posted by fishdip

My 3 year old has been on a bike on gravel/dirt

Awesome advice!

[fishdip]

Originally Posted by sassyninja

or is this not a scary as I've built myself up to be...

I think it was good advice.

[sassyninja]

Originally Posted by fishdip

I think it was good advice.

Your '3 yr old' probably also eats bugs and thinks its a good idea... I ll pass on an advice guru whos main source is a 3 yr old!

[alex.s]

i know a 70 year old that eats bugs. really enjoys the crickets.

[fishdip]

Originally Posted by sassyninja

Your '3 yr old' probably also eats bugs and thinks its a good idea... I ll pass on an advice guru whos main source is a 3 yr old!

Its call don't be a puss if a 3 year old can do it so can you.

[alex.s]

when you are new and not used to the wheels being out of alignment with each other from sliding or gravel, its easy to get startled or scared and do something you shouldn't. just keep riding. keep putting the correct input in. remember its the sack of meat ontop that crashes the bike, not the bike itself.

[fishdip]

Originally Posted by fishdip

Its called don't be a puss if a 3 year old can do it so can you.

Sorry just noticed your a girl. its called don't be worry if a 3 year old can do it so can you. SR will get you every time a 3 year old dose not have any so he rides it on dirt with out a care.

[Daks]

it's probably wise not to heed the advice of someone who uses "dose" and "puss" in sentences.

I'd say if you're not comfortable and the leans are bad, then drive it and if you have time, take the bike on some non chipsealy roads to enjoy the weather.

[Alex]

For me it would depend on how they do the chip seal. I've been on some where it was exactly like an inch deep of loose gravel. Doable at low speeds, but butt-puckering at higher (anywhere near highway) speeds. Other times, the chip seal is tamped down enough that it just felt a bit slippy, more like a wet road rather than deep gravel. Alex.s is right in either case; the best way through is to trust the bike and not over-correct with more forceful steering inputs than necessary.

[adouglas]

I would point out that the 3-year-old in the above posts is not traveling at highway speeds. If the little blighter goes down the consequences are likely to be a skinned knee and crying. If we go down it's more like a visit to the ER.

I hate chip seal. If it were me I'd leave the bike home, or go far out of my way to avoid it for awhile.

A few reasons:

1) The 3-year-old's expertise notwithstanding, loose surfaces are a road hazard. Riders can and do go down when they hit sand or gravel while riding. If it were as safe as riding on solid dry pavement then this would not happen. Yes you can ride in gravel successfully… it's not a guaranteed crash. Doesn't mean it's particularly fun or preferable.

2) The biggest hazard with loose sand and gravel is when you hit it unexpectedly. With chip seal this is bound to happen at some point, because during the process of it bedding in it often rains. What then occurs is that whatever gravel hasn't gotten mashed into the tar has a habit of collecting in low spots (apexes of corners, center of T intersections). The mechanism is exactly the same one that makes riding in early spring dangerous… the previous winter's sand has yet to clear.

So you'll be whistling along a nice fresh smooth surface and then BAM-- you hit a nice-sized patch of gravel that acts just like ball bearings. I did exactly this on a bicycle some years back going about 30 mph and I was down before I had any time to react. The road rash was not fun.

3) During the bedding-in process the gravel is still loose and apt to be kicked up by car tires. So you'll be subjecting your bike (and you) to occasional showers of sticky, filthy, tar-coated pebbles. For that matter, your own tire will kick it up and if you've removed your rear fender it's going to wind up on your back.* Sounds like fun, doesn't it?

*The street near my house is crumbling and in need of repair, so there are tiny bits of asphalt/rocks etc on the surface. I pass over it at about 35-40 mph immediately before pulling into my driveway. Every day I find a few bits of this stuff sitting on my pillion seat.

[sassyninja]

Obv the 3 yr old comment wasn't thought out very well and if his 3 yr old is playing with traffic going 70km on gravel well ... Sorry your dads such a di*k!! Anyways yes the gravel is about an inch thick (still pretty loose). I've never seen a highway done like this before and it seems pretty stupid! Sounds like it e safer to just leave it at home till this is all done! I'm not a 'pussy' I'm just new, don't trust myself with new things and want to live to ride the next awesome bike I get!

[miss_syn]

Took me a while to figure out what the hell that was. We call it tar'n'chip around here.

Honestly, it's okay. I happened upon a tar/chipped road when I first started riding and my back wheel almost washed out from under me. While I have done riding on those types of roads, it's really not enjoyable and despite three year olds, not really worth the risk of going down at like 70kmh. Consider sudden braking or any need to suddenly change direction (e.g. swerving) could mean you're sliding around with little rocks plinking at you the entire way down.

[fishdip]

Originally Posted by sassyninja

Obv the 3 yr old comment wasn't thought out very well and if his 3 yr old is playing with traffic going 70km on gravel well ... Sorry your dads such a di*k!! Anyways yes the gravel is about an inch thick (still pretty loose). I've never seen a highway done like this before and it seems pretty stupid! Sounds like it e safer to just leave it at home till this is all done! I'm not a 'pussy' I'm just new, don't trust myself with new things and want to live to ride the next awesome bike I get!

never mind Alex may get mad ........

[OCMagnum]

At least for me, I find a lot of things related to my motorcycling greatly depend on my confidence level, i.e. how comfortable I am with a given situation.

Just looking at sassy's avatar info, it would appear that she is a fairly new rider (apologies if that is a wrong assumption) and I think it is perfectly understandable that she is not yet comfortable riding extended periods of time on gravel. Therefore I don't think it is wise to tell her to "man up"and get with it, especially not when the section she is concerned about is traveled at high speeds and presumably fairly busy. I find it always best to build confidence in any skill in a somewhat controlled environment, so that you are as prepared as you can be when encountering a situation in "the wild". Isn't that also why we practice (or at least advise people to ) emergency stops in a parking lot, etc?

Sometimes it is better to loose the battle and live to fight the war.

Just my

[Lychee]

No one can make the better decision when it comes to risking your well being than yourself.

It would probably be less stressful for you to simply ignore the 3 year old comment and wait for advice that works for you to be posted. Welcome to the internet.

[Jiggles]

I've come across it unexpectedly in the twisties. I just slow way the **** down and leave myself a huge stopping distance, then I don't come back to that particular road for a month or two. Not because I'm afraid of riding on the chip seal but because I go to the twisties to ride fast

[Jiggles]

Originally Posted by fishdip

Its call don't be a puss if a 3 year old can do it so can you.

Originally Posted by fishdip

Sorry just noticed your a girl. its called don't be worry if a 3 year old can do it so can you.

Misogynist

[fishdip]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

Misogynist

I am not. after calling her a puss I noticed she was a girl not a guy so calling some one what they "all ready have" is no fun. Don't you have a ugly new bike to go play with jiggles.

[Jiggles]

Originally Posted by fishdip

I am not. after calling her a puss I noticed she was a girl not a guy so calling some one what they "all ready have" is no fun. Don't you have some ugly new bike to go play with jiggles.

Hey man, if you're going to be a dick, be a dick to everyone

[fishdip]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

Hey man, if you're going to be a dick, be a dick to everyone

I am nice to every one. If I was a dick id told her "You're a girl go back to the kitchen"

[massacremasses]

" You're" but close enough.

[fishdip]

Originally Posted by massacremasses

" You're" but close enough.

Thanks for the help.

[massacremasses]

Originally Posted by fishdip

Thanks for the help.

You are very welcome.

[dfox]

seriously, wtf is this stuff you guys are talking about?

when they re-pave the road everywhere I've ever lived, it's asphalt (or concrete in some instances). no gravel. maybe I don't venture far enough out into the boonies?

[massacremasses]

Im assuming its that weird black tar and gravel mix

[fishdip]

Originally Posted by dfox

seriously, wtf is this stuff you guys are talking about?

when they re-pave the road everywhere I've ever lived, it's asphalt (or concrete in some instances). no gravel. maybe I don't venture far enough out into the boonies?

It's when they just put a layer on top. Not remove and re-pave It's faster.

[Alex]

Originally Posted by dfox

when they re-pave the road everywhere I've ever lived, it's asphalt (or concrete in some instances). no gravel. maybe I don't venture far enough out into the boonies?

Chipseal isn't usually a way to pave a new road that is being built. Instead it's used to extend the life of a road cheaply without repaving it entirely. It's pretty common out here for more rural roads. As long as the right amount is used, and the sweepers are good about getting rid of any of the loose gravel that doesn't get attached properly, the road is usually in decent condition after a few days of car traffic.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chipseal

[dfox]

I looked it up. I have also never driven on a freshly "chipsealed" road in the 13 years I have been driving. When they repave a road, they repave it... with asphalt. They repave roads ALL THE TIME in new england, and they don't look like this. they don't just throw a thick layer of tar and then a ton of gravel on it and call it done. Again, maybe I don't venture far enough out into the boonies, but I've never once seen this in my entire life, and I have lived in multiple cities on the east and west coast. I think I've seen these roads before, and driven on them well after they were put down, but it seems to be an old technology that seems to be phased out in most civilized locations. Seems crazy that it was used on a highway.

edit... this stuff seems to be what they fill potholes with around here... definitely not entire roads.

From Wiki...
"This typically is not a major concern at very low operating speeds, moreover, chipseals are typically used on low volume rural and urban roadways."

That's the only spot I've ever come across them... mountain roads leading to hiking trails, etc. The types of roads you wouldn't want a motorcycle on. Not a freaking highway.

[sassyninja]

The chip seal here is overtop of the old asphalt. They put a heavy layer of tar, then cover it with a few inches of pea gravel. Whatever sticks, sticks, and whatever doesen't gets blown off the road eventually.
Right now they've just started, so its thick, loose gravel with lots of dust and lots of traffic following a pilot car. I guess it saves money, but it makes for a very poor and rough surface for us bikes. Heaven help you if you go down, it will tear your hide off, lol.
I can't just go slow due to the long line of cars, any advice for riding in the heavy loose gravel? It's about a 60 km stretch and eventually I will take my bike once they're done with the "paving".

[sassyninja]

Originally Posted by dfox

I looked it up. I have also never driven on a freshly "chipsealed" road in the 13 years I have been driving. When they repave a road, they repave it... with asphalt. They repave roads ALL THE TIME in new england, and they don't look like this. they don't just throw a thick layer of tar and then a ton of gravel on it and call it done. Again, maybe I don't venture far enough out into the boonies, but I've never once seen this in my entire life, and I have lived in multiple cities on the east and west coast. I think I've seen these roads before, and driven on them well after they were put down, but it seems to be an old technology that seems to be phased out in most civilized locations. Seems crazy that it was used on a highway.

edit... this stuff seems to be what they fill potholes with around here... definitely not entire roads.

From Wiki...
"This typically is not a major concern at very low operating speeds, moreover, chipseals are typically used on low volume rural and urban roadways."

That's the only spot I've ever come across them... mountain roads leading to hiking trails, etc. The types of roads you wouldn't want a motorcycle on. Not a freaking highway.

I live in northern BC, Canada... its civilized just no huge cities nearby.

[fishdip]

Originally Posted by sassyninja

The chip seal here is overtop of the old asphalt. They put a heavy layer of tar, then cover it with a few inches of pea gravel. Whatever sticks, sticks, and whatever doesen't gets blown off the road eventually.
Right now they've just started, so its thick, loose gravel with lots of dust and lots of traffic following a pilot car. I guess it saves money, but it makes for a very poor and rough surface for us bikes. Heaven help you if you go down, it will tear your hide off, lol.
I can't just go slow due to the long line of cars, any advice for riding in the heavy loose gravel? It's about a 60 km stretch and eventually I will take my bike once they're done with the "paving".

I have found riding in gravel is like riding in the snow. I use one gear up then i normally use so if I was in 3rd normally I'd go to 4th. I don't use much front brake its harder I think to save the front if it starts to slide out. Be smooth with the brake and gas and let out the cluch slower then normal.

[dfox]

Originally Posted by sassyninja

I live in northern BC, Canada... its civilized just no huge cities nearby.

Ahh.. that makes sense then. Careful on that stuff then! Even when worn in, its quite rough.

[voidrider]

I found it seems to have "stages".

Really fresh, the gravel on top is just like riding offroad in fine gravel...its nasty, and you just go easy, slow inputs, no sudden turns, acceleration, or braking. It seems that even the tar layer under the gravel is still an ooze that moves around a bit.

A bit older most of the loose gravel has been swept clear by traffic, but watch out for loose gravel in the usual locations - in corners where the odd car actually pushes it back into the traffic lanes.

When it is older and really settled in, the only issue I find is that locally they tend to use REALLY sharp ground gravel, and it does seem to wear tires out faster.

I understand why it is done, but I still call chip-seal "the devil's catbox".

[headshrink]

My 3 year old like to ride motorcycles.

[Daks]

Originally Posted by fishdip

I am not. after calling her a puss I noticed she was a girl not a guy so calling some one what they "all ready have" is no fun. Don't you have a ugly new bike to go play with jiggles.

In the words of Betty White:
“Why do people say 'grow some balls'? Balls are weak and sensitive. If you wanna be tough, grow a vagina. Those things can take a pounding.”


That's right
don't be a nutsack

[Jiggles]

Originally Posted by Daks

In the words of Betty White:
“Why do people say 'grow some balls'? Balls are weak and sensitive. If you wanna be tough, grow a vagina. Those things can take a pounding.”


That's right
don't be a nutsack

Lmfao that's awesome

[sLick415]

Lmao you gotta love Betty White!

[sassyninja]

Bahahaha!!! I ll think that everytime someone calls me a pussy from now on!!! Best comment by far!!!