[Suzuki new guy!]

Please advise best reaction to your front tire being caught in those annoying and sometimes dangerous highway grooves. Your tooling along at highway speeds when you hit a groove that immediately moves your front wheel right or left. Depending on the depth of the groove do you go with it or counter steer against and out of it?
Any experienced riders out there who can offer some advice?
Thanks

 

[mikesvsix50]

What kind of grooves are you talking about...? The strip between tire marks where oil and antifreeze drips from passing cars...?

 

[Trapper]

Let the bike go where it wants to go and slow down until you can take it out of the groove. "Proficient Motorcycling" has a good section on edge traps.

 

[Suzuki new guy!]

Going where it wants to go is a good idea unless that takes you off the road.
Incidentally I'm talking about grooves caused by gouging of the road surface at an angle.
Not the kind caused by the dot. for rain and traction purposes.

 

[JES883]

Let the bike go where it wants to go and slow down until you can take it out of the groove. "Proficient Motorcycling" has a good section on edge traps.

Agreed. With the skinny front tire on my Harley, these are sometimes scary. When I first started riding, I remember soiling myself a couple of times. You kind of have to ignore it and let the bike ride out of it. Don't force it, just keep control.

 

[JES883]

Going where it wants to go is a good idea unless that takes you off the road.
Incidentally I'm talking about grooves caused by gouging of the road surface at an angle.
Not the kind caused by the dot. for rain and traction purposes.

This sounds more like train tracks. Ride into them as perpendicularly as you can.

 

[Nexus242]

When I read the title i was thinking you were talking about Orange Groves along side the highways. Guess not.

 

[Gixxerdale]

Just hold a steady line. Like a car with a bad front end, it'll settle down and come back in line. A steering damper is a big help in settling the bike back down at speed.

 

[chrisan]

dont panic and don't steer it abruptly, just relax and probably moove your body to where you want to go and also weight the food pegs. Oh and try not to targetfixate on curbs or other dangerous objects on your path.

 

[Clint]

do you go with it or counter steer against and out of it?

Check this out... when the groove grabs your wheel and pulls it to one side, you've experienced the same effect as though you had countersteered it yourself. The bike is leaned, the rear tire initiates a turn, and you're automatically driven out of the rut. The bike's natural stability tends to bring it back upright then, and you're on your way!

Honest, I'm not making this up. Read Hough. He'll tell you.

 

[Nexus242]

weight the food pegs.

Groves??? Food Pegs??? I'm like so lost right now.

:|

 

[chrisan]

french fries

 

[mikesvsix50]

where am I??? Yeah new guy, I've never come accross em' out here on illinois highways...

 

[inspiron]

Food pegs or road pizza ... all you can eat :twisted:

 

[87gsxrnut]

Just gas it, bike will correct.

- Nut

 

[KAOS]

i was on the highway yesterday(1st time with my GSXR). i was doing about 70 and i hit those cracks/grooves. and i kinda panic'd and let off the gas. then it got worse. i then was about to sh!t my pants when an 18 wheelier was passing me as i was in this groove. man my hands went numb from holding on for dear life!!!

most of the back roads up here. are filled with the grooves and cracks oh and pot holes too. and some reason my GSXR loves to head right for them all. and once i'm in 'em it is hard to get out of 'em. but now from reading all the responses i'm going to try to "give it some gas" vs letting off the gas. which seems to make it worse!!

 

[SuzukiGirl1]

and some reason my GSXR loves to head right for them all. and once i'm in 'em it is hard to get out of 'em.

That's because you're looking straight at them! You should practice your swerving techiniques. I frequently practice swerving while riding down my street...I swerve around all the man hole covers for practice. It helps a lot when you're riding on the highway and you see a big pothole...you can swerve right around it.

 

[Jammer]

In my riding I go with it. Hold on to the bars tightly and slide. Never when the bike hits something like that do I ever brake. Another thing that has helped me is to power up through it.

 

[KAOS]

That's because you're looking straight at them! You should practice your swerving techiniques. I frequently practice swerving while riding down my street...I swerve around all the man hole covers for practice. It helps a lot when you're riding on the highway and you see a big pothole...you can swerve right around it.

i do alil' bit of that. well as much as i can anyway. the tires i have on my bike right now are the worst i could have. and my rear tire is smaller then what i should have on there!! so i try not to do any high speed swerving. i do have tires on the way :smile: .

 

[87gsxrnut]

Hold on to the bars tightly

Bad idea. Grip tank with legs and LOOSEN your grip on the bars.

- Nut