instant rear wheel slip and recovery

[happycommuter]

I took a brief ride through a somewhat unfamiliar unlit area this evening and while gently negotiating a turn the bike abruptly increased lean angle and just as quickly everything was pretty close to normal.  I never saw what the slippery thing was that caused the momentary rear wheel slip, but I can assure you that the only thing I did to stay upright was nothing (no stupid attempt at compensating).  Had I the time for conscious analysis, I presume I'd also have handled it the same way, but this was a blip that didn't allow the slightest adrenaline pump to begin.

Anyway, is this happening to other people, or am I the only boob that has these problems/blessings?

[drdubb]

Sewer cover....street markings?

[ariwhiteboy]

Well if you'd quit armor all-ing those tires...

[happycommuter]

Sewer cover....street markings?

I'm thinking wet leaves or maybe loose gravel.  Not like I was going to go back and walk around to find out.

Well if you'd quit armor all-ing those tires...

These were new tires with under 200 miles on them, but the occurrence seemed too instantaneous to be solely attributable to the rubber.

The main thing that I'm talking about is the evanescence of the terror, how in a blink of an eye things are taking a tragic turn and then before there is time to react it's over and back on track.  Surely this  happens to you guys at times too, sometimes?

[ariwhiteboy]

Surely this  happens to you guys at times too, sometimes?

Yep!

[luckylindy]

Has happened to me a few times also.  Loose gravel has been the most frequent cause. 

[Burgi]

Yup, non-medical stress test. Let's you know you heart is still beating. 

[marriedman]

Wet leaves seem to be the one that gets me most often.

[hppants]

Surely this  happens to you guys at times too, sometimes?


Yep!

Yep +1

http://nighthawk-forums.com/index.php/topic,9543.0/highlight,ground.html

[Poligrafovich]

In general I strive not for the thrill of taking the machine to the edge of the envelope, but for an uneventful arrival at my destination. But stuff still happens and I do know the feeling.

The good news is that while it's heart-stopping as it happens, it's actually reassuring in calm retrospect: the bike CAN recover from loss of traction, and it can often do so without the rider doing just the right thing instantly without thinking or error.

[Option13]

Just so we are all clear, scrubbing in tires is no longer applicable to any tire sold. Tire makers no longer use release compound on the tread and the tire is basically good to go the moment you put it on the bike.


I've had the loss of traction before. Once when I was doing it during a turn while slowing it made my heart jump a bit but I was fine, and once it was on accelerating out of a turn after it just started to rain. I didn't even flinch and it felt awesome.  

[nhk750]

I have had pine needles and pine straw give me a slippery time out there lately. Pine needles are hard to see and can be slippery.

[cjbear11]

I've slipped on gravel and rain before. Gravel took me down once when I was first learning how to ride. After that, I learned how to handle the wheel breaking loose. It's talked about in the book "total control". Basically, you have to throttle on so the wheel maintains it momentum. If you freak, and throttle down, which is the natural reaction, as soon as the wheel grabs pavement again its going to cause you to go down.

[LOKi]

I have had that happen a few times. For me it's usually at the beginning of a ride. Most of the time the first leaning turn. I have learned that cold tires do not have the grip of warm tires. Mid turn laying on the throttle a little too much will break the rear free. Then I'm like....

 

[cmyers]

tires slipping is going to happen. I have had the front tire slip more times than the rear, most times it is painted lines that get me. And yes it happens so fast that rarely do I even have time for my brain to register what is happening before i am exiting the corner.

[cjbear11]

I have had that happen a few times. For me it's usually at the beginning of a ride. Most of the time the first leaning turn. I have learned that cold tires do not have the grip of warm tires. Mid turn laying on the throttle a little too much will break the rear free. Then I'm like....

 

Woohoo! 

[HawkinSinCity]

Had my rear tire slip out from under on a right turn yesterday....I did nothing but stay steady on the throttle, hooked solid asphalt again and made it with only a minimal palpitation and didn't even wet myself. Found new road construction a half block further on...one of the trucks must have dropped a little gravel. I seldom have any front tire slip, but lots and lots of "slithering" with vertical grooves in the road...it's weird how many Vegas streets have splits length-wise throughout the lanes... Be safe!

[Bumblebee]

Just so we are all clear, scrubbing in tires is no longer applicable to any tire sold. Tire makers no longer use release compound on the tread and the tire is basically good to go the moment you put it on the bike.

Is there a valid verifiable reference source for that which shows the traction is the same and that all tire manufacturers use the same practices?

(new counter slime rumor or solid fact; The ground is too hard for me to be the test pilot if the information is wrong)

Besides, 100 miles is nothing. It takes that long to get use to the behavior of new tires anyway.

[Option13]

The Ninja 250 wiki article on scrubbing in tires.

And the article in Sport Rider that it references.

[coffee_brake]

Huh...well I guess I learned something.

But a new tire still feels slippery to me. And I still run a wire brush on the outer third of each side of a new tire, for that first hard lean. 'Cause it feels more slick than a broken in tire....

[LOKi]

Option13. Next tire change go out and rail it around some corners straight off the bat and let us know how it turns out.

1,000,000+ articles on scrubbing in tires. 2 articles opposed.  

That is great news. I'm mounting a new tire today. First turn out the driveway is a 35mph freeway on ramp. I'm taking that turn at no less than 70mph in the morning.  

I ride pretty hard and put lots of miles on my bike (16,000+ miles this year). I go through at least 2 rear tires a year if not more. I can tell you without hesitation that new tires are slipper than broke in ones. I'm not afraid to push my bike and I have felt the rear break free more than once sense I started riding. This happens much easier with new tires than "scrubbed in" tires.

[Option13]

All I can say is that you should trust the educated opinion of tire engineers over the old habits and superstitions of even the best racers.

 

[LOKi]

If the educated opinion of tire engineers said take it easy for a 100 miles or so then yes trust it. Nothing bad will happen by taking it easy. However if said tire engineer says flog it from mile one then the only person that is hurt if he is wrong is you the rider.

You have two options. Ignore the scrub in and take your chances or take it easy for a 100 miles or so and get used to the new skins. Personally I'm going to take it easy until the tire is scrubbed in. Let me know how the flogging it from mile one goes. 

[Option13]

Let me know how the flogging it from mile one goes. 

I don't flog the bike until after about 10 miles of riding, no matter the condition of the tires. I like to let the engine warm up and all.

After ten miles of tooling around to let the bike warm up I went to my favorite practicing corner and did laps at a fast pace. No problems encountered whatsoever.

[Bumblebee]

1,000,000+ articles on scrubbing in tires. 2 articles opposed. 

and:
2 reference notes attached to the new tires I bought last year saying something along the lines of "warning take it easy on new tires until they're scrubbed in properly lest you find yourself sliding along the ground on your nose." I can't remember if older tires I got said that or not however the BT45's did. Now whether the tire manufacturer or the dealer attaches that tag, I don't know.