26-02-13, 04:31 AM
Firstly, congratulations - you lived to tell the tale; many don't unfortunately. We all get things wrong from time to time, even the best of us. We can only hope for a good outcome when things go pear-shaped.
Secondly (and I'm going slightly off topic here) - I've always been a believer in the 2-wheels before 4 idea; it'll help car drivers understand why bikers sometimes take up seemingly strange road positions.
Anyhow, I personally always "plan" for gravel / fuel / mud etc (as much as is possible) - that way, if I do come across it, it's less of a surprise, which reduces the panic factor.
If you do need to do anything (brake / steer / change gear etc) on a dubious surface - keep it smooth. Last minute, rushed adjustments due to panic will almost certainly see you going down the road, because it'll de-stabilise and unsettle the bike - unsettling the bike will unsettle you and increase the panic factor.
As stated by someone else, most bikes ultimately are more capable than the riders on top - so trust it.
In this weather, you won't get much tyre heat (thus reducing grip), but ensuring your tyres are in decent nick and at the right pressures make quite a big difference too.
When all said and done, it's mostly road mileage that helps - there's just no substitute for it. As summed up by a mate at work a few years ago (and has stuck with me since) "it's not diesel, or rain, or gravel or stupid car drivers that causes accidents, it's not knowing how to deal with it that does".
Secondly (and I'm going slightly off topic here) - I've always been a believer in the 2-wheels before 4 idea; it'll help car drivers understand why bikers sometimes take up seemingly strange road positions.
Anyhow, I personally always "plan" for gravel / fuel / mud etc (as much as is possible) - that way, if I do come across it, it's less of a surprise, which reduces the panic factor.
If you do need to do anything (brake / steer / change gear etc) on a dubious surface - keep it smooth. Last minute, rushed adjustments due to panic will almost certainly see you going down the road, because it'll de-stabilise and unsettle the bike - unsettling the bike will unsettle you and increase the panic factor.
As stated by someone else, most bikes ultimately are more capable than the riders on top - so trust it.
In this weather, you won't get much tyre heat (thus reducing grip), but ensuring your tyres are in decent nick and at the right pressures make quite a big difference too.
When all said and done, it's mostly road mileage that helps - there's just no substitute for it. As summed up by a mate at work a few years ago (and has stuck with me since) "it's not diesel, or rain, or gravel or stupid car drivers that causes accidents, it's not knowing how to deal with it that does".