Ok I know I am stupid

[Dropkick_pride]

i dont go down gravel lanes..... too dangerous.


unfortunately for me, my mother-in-law's driveway is gravel.

[PitbullStubborn]

not stupid, lady. just put it in first, get it going, and roll it down the damn hill, feather the back brakes to a comfortable speed. being in first will help slow it down a bit. the hardest part is going to be to stop looking at some little hill like its a mountain. its a road. on a hill. with some gravel on it. dont evel keneivel it and youll be fine

[CrazyDave]

Originally Posted by Dropkick_pride

i dont go down gravel lanes..... too dangerous.


unfortunately for me, my mother-in-law's driveway is gravel.

Gravel is no more or less dangerous then many other roads/ surfaces. Me I don't like grooved road surfaces during construction, but they are perfectly doable, even banked sharp exit ramps. The thing is, long before there were modern roads, riders dealt with some pretty harsh excuses for "roads".. and those of us in NH still do at times

[Shadow Mom]

I think that was a mother-in-law joke?

[Eldorado]

Take a shovel and a rake and clear a track down the middle of the driveway, eliminate the hazard that you are worried about, this way you can go down and up with out sliding on the gravel.............

[craig s.]

Originally Posted by CrazyDave

Gravel is no more or less dangerous then many other roads/ surfaces. Me I don't like grooved road surfaces during construction, but they are perfectly doable, even banked sharp exit ramps. The thing is, long before there were modern roads, riders dealt with some pretty harsh excuses for "roads".. and those of us in NH still do at times

come to wv and drive/ride on our roads..lol..especially our side streets and back roads..our highways and interstates are nice compared to oh say..PA.lol...but still most of our back roads are dirt,chipped (which is small aggregate based rock with a layer of tar on it) or just rocked,or full of potholes and debris coming off the sides of hills or out of ditches cause they need cleaned out..either way,we have some really bad roads.

[Vetlady]

Originally Posted by DragonGal

Even though it's been a very nice winter I haven't been able to ride first I was sick, then I hurt my back. Last fall my bike was at my son's house and I was riding from there. I brought the bike home now comes the problem. I live on a hill and the driveway is gravel with a slight curve in the middle. I am terrified to ride down this hill and it's really not that steep. The what if game has played in my head all winter. What if I drop it, if I get it up is it going to just run off and leave me? If the road was straight I might could deal better. There is NO flat place here where I ride out of my yard. (I am sick to death of this place) Everyone doubting me doesn't help either. It's like everything I knew last fall has gone out the window. My son keeps telling me "yes you can, look how far you were riding by yourself last fall. This is the only gravel road that terrifies me. HELP!

Nope your not stupid.......I had the same fear, it took some practice but I'm over it know.......there is only one way to get over it you need to get at it....some good advice here.....STAY OFF THE FRONT BRAKE, at all costs! You have mail, I hope it helps........let us know!
Your truly will not know freedom until you have master the art of feathering the clutch and the brake, IMHO!
I KNOW YOU CAN DO THIS......now get out there and practice!

Di

[Dropkick_pride]

Originally Posted by Shadow Mom

I think that was a mother-in-law joke?

haha, yes definitely... but dont tell my mother-in-law.

[Bro Eddie]

My driveway is grass, gravel , loose sand and ruts. I just take it easy and stay away from the front brake. It used to be a real pain, now it's a piece of cake. Take it easy and you can conquer it.

[DragonGal]

Number 1 I haven't responded because I have had some family problems and haven't been online. My bike is in a building in the back yard so I have to go down hill in the grass before I even get to the driveway. I can't pave it because it is a right of way that I don't own. The right of way is suppose to be 20 ft wide. But the man who owns it has cut it down to about half that. The road is a mess!!!! I learned to ride on a 96 250 Rebel. My ex husband was "helping" me before I got my license. He sent me off the hill dragging my feet, using the front brake. The man who owns the road had made this high place where he had dug out and put in metal pipes around his well. (why is his well in the right of way?) I hit it, was using the front brake. I ended up with the entire bike on top of me still running. At least I had the mind to hit the kill switch. If he hadn't picked the bike up I would probably still be there. I couldn't get out. When I got the bike my ex bf rode it home it was only a couple houses down from me and I didn't have a helmet in my car. This is also the jerk who went I went to ride it across my personal driveway to get the feel of the weight difference pulled the bike out from under me and living on the hillside once again I ended up under the bike. I rode through gravel in the fall, on the road and through parking lots. I'll try to post a pic of the driveway. Oh and one of the neighbors stuck a 4x4 in the middle of the driveway. Let's top all this off... my mother lives beside me who hates my guts. I am sure everytime she sees me on the bike she asks God to take me down. (NOT KIDDING) I need to change the oil before I take it out. And the new tire is not as slick as the one on it right now. Just having a hard time getting any help to change the oil or get the bike and the tire to the Honda dealership. I haven't figured out how to haul a new tire on the bike. If someone shows me how to change the oil once I can do it next time. And as for the roads in W.Va lol I live in an area that has roads that can compete with you. Thanks everyone for the advice and those who have given me support. Right now I really don't need to hear just sell the bike. I have enough people in my life who put me down. The way it looks I may be riding on a slick tire since my car died this week.