Bonneville America Forums Forums Rider Safety Forums Riding Technique Road Surface

I was riding on a road that I had never been on before when I hit a stretch of road that caused some concern. The entire road, all three lanes, had grooves dug into the surface going in the direction of travel. They were not extremely deep, but they were an inch or so apart and an inch or so thick. While it wasn't a rough ride at all it did cause the front end to feel a little squirly. Kind of like the front in was sliding back and forth. Has anyone experienced this before? Any tips on riding on a surface like this? I just slowed way down, and slid over into the slow lane. It only lasted a couple of miles, but I never did feel real comfortable.

We get that sort of thing up here when the roads are being re-surfaced. I do exactly what you did, except that I usually add expletives and profanity directed at some unknown roads crew.

In Aust that's called "stripping" the road surface... it's a preparation for resurfacing. It's also a pain in the rear to ride on... best suggestion is to treat it like riding in a cross wind - remain relaxed, don't get a death-grip on the handlebars, let the bike correct itself, and slow down & get out of it as soon as you can for your comfort's sake. The bike's not actually going to jump out from under you, it just feels like it might.

Matt

We get miles of that here when they prep the roads too. What I normally do is to slowly go from one side to the other side, sort of constantly back and forth. This totally removes the groove slip issue.

Here in America, that's called "milling". You will also experience that same "mashed potato tires" effect if you ever drive across a steel grate bridge.
Here in PA, at one time, we had an entire stretch of highway that they had cut grooves in the concrete surface in an attempt to channel rain water away. All you can do is relax and ride it out....

Sounds like rain grooves. Nearly every inch of freeway and a lot of highways here in the peoples demokratik republik have those. Best is to just relax and let the bike take care if it, as it will when you don't tense up and interfere with the stability engineering.

Milling, rain grooves what ever, there is also riding across a metal mesh bridge. All lots of fun. One area not mentioned is where the blacktop has been milled off, road usually a highway, not resurfaced and the old very worn and smooth cement is the surface.
My list of OH S^&T surfaces.
1. Metal mesh bridge, glad it was only 100 yards, Thrilling.
2. Newly milled black top, it happens a lot in the North East, most recent Rt 202 in MA went for 5 miles it was no fun. Just SLOW down and take it easy.
3. Blacktop has been milled off, very smoooooth concrete surface, feels very awkward, kind of sailing along, worst part is if you get in a lower milled area or grove and bounce around in the grove.
4. Blacktop patching is some crap that cracks in blacktop are filled with, some roads in CT are almost all this very smooth black stuff.
Please if you have more suggestions please update the list.

Milling, rain grooves what ever, there is also riding across a metal mesh bridge. All lots of fun. One area not mentioned is where the blacktop has been milled off, road usually a highway, not resurfaced and the old very worn and smooth cement is the surface.
My list of OH S^&T surfaces.
1. Metal mesh bridge, glad it was only 100 yards, Thrilling.
2. Newly milled black top, it happens a lot in the North East, most recent Rt 202 in MA went for 5 miles it was no fun. Just SLOW down and take it easy.
3. Blacktop has been milled off, very smoooooth concrete surface, feels very awkward, kind of sailing along, worst part is if you get in a lower milled area or grove and bounce around in the grove.
4. Blacktop patching which is some crap that cracks in blacktop is filled with, some roads in CT are almost all this very smooth black stuff.
Please if you have more suggestions please update the list.

Hang on tight, and don't look down

Oh no hanging on tight is the worst thing that can be done. Just relax, and see how far ahead the good old black top is.

We have several of those metal mesh bridges here. For some reason they dont bother me much, except when it is raining. I just take it smooth and easy.

Milled roads are another story. It's almost like putting a gravel road in the middle of the freeway. Ususally it will be repaved within the next 48 hours or so. But at the time, especialy at freeway speeds, it sucks.

Soren

Way back when I had my Shooting Star in Ft. Lauderdale(worked construction 1 summer there),I'd put most of my wt. on the pegs so as to lower CG and stayed "active" with the handle bars going over metal mesh drawbridges.Only slight movement of bars needed but it sure felt better and bike only drifted slightly due to induced vib. from mesh.PS: Did they renew the 100 year building moratorium in Ft. L. to protect that great shoreline along A1A?

Soren, In New England it may take upto two to three weeks b4 the milled surface is replaced. Often there are very long lengths of highway milled. Its like the entire length to be resurfaced in milled, not in segments. Another problem, the BUMP b4 and after the milled area. Three weeks ago I did a little Triumph bronco riding. THERE WAS NO BUMP SIGN, HIT IT AT 50 MPH. Hold on Nelly.

With something as short as a bridge, angling across your lane will stop the wiggle. Also, Metzler ME33 Laser front tires seem to wiggle much less. Maybe because the tread runs
at an angle across the tire.

The thing I HATE is tunnels - those that go under rivers for example. At the bottom they usually have drains in the middle of the road and over time the road has been resurfaced - except, of course, the drain. Which now sits down in an impression that is 1~4" deep - and the tunnel, being dark to some extent, and the rider wearing sunglasses, well... BUMP! And not a single sign on the side of the tunnel warning bikers to expect that dip in progression.

My 2¢.