Ok I know I am stupid

[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!

[Ed-ramsay]

if not that steep try rolling down the hill feet on ground hand on brake with the engine off. start it up when you feel safe. ride back up and try again eventually it should seem easy.

[old dad]

Originally Posted by Ed-ramsay

if not that steep try rolling down the hill feet on ground hand on brake with the engine off. start it up when you feel safe. ride back up and try again eventually it should seem easy.

Wrong, wrong,,no front brake going slowly down a Gravel drive..feather the foot brake(rear) you're going down hill so coast in neutral.

If you over brake with the front by error the gravel may shift the direction of your front tire,,thus tipping over..

The family house in boone has a horrendous gravel drive and very steep, what I recommended is how I negotiate that steep driveway. Haven't tipped over yet on it.

[gat803]

Even the very worst thing that you imagine happening, isn't that bad.
You wanted to ride a motorcycle, this is part of it. Butch up, and ride the damn thing, or sell it and move on.

Oh and, on gravel going down hill, stay off the front brake...

[walker311]

Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.
Dale Carnegie

[CBH]

I live on top of a hill on a dead end gravel road. Me and my daughter both ride our bikes up and down the hill with no problems.
NEVER NEVER use your front brake on gravel!
You can do it. It just takes a few times to gain confidence. Stay in the tire tracks. One other key thing is to keep some speed up. If you go too slow, the bike gets squirrely.
Coming up the hill, even with my wife on the back of the bike, I keep my speed between 15 and 20 MPH. Going down hill is easy. Just keep it rolling, use the back brake if you need to.
You can do it.

[GiveItToMikey]

I don't mean to be condescending but when in doubt just walk it down. (which will probably be more difficult than riding it) I don't know how long your driveway is but eventually you'll get tired of walking it and start riding it.

Do as the others have suggested, except perhaps for the front brake. Eventually if you ride enough you're going to encounter gravel. Better to practice on your driveway then plowing through 25 miles of it out in the middle of nowhere.

BTW: When you brought your bike home how did you get it up the driveway? If you rode just reverse the process going down (Okay, now I am being condescending

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[Lukeduck]

Gotta get some positive thoughts going. You can do this thing. Worse thing that can happen is you fall down, I bet I'm not the only one here that has done that. Got a friend that says "You ain't done s@#t till you pick up your brand new Gold Wing from the dealer, ride to the coffee shop (where you hang out and everybody knows you), get off, step away from the bike, and it follows you cause the side stand is still up." Do this thing. Stay safe, have fun.

[nixer]

Just pop the clutch in the garage and continue through the gears not letting the front tire touch the ground lol J/k
naw don't grab the front brake in a panic and you'll be OK. If your that nervous about it don't pick your feet up all the way and stick to a low gear.

I got the chance to ride a nice large curb on my first trip. Now i know why trains don't turn so well

[oblivion_twister]

first time I rode in 20 years was my ss750, 3/4 miles of dirt with dips, washouts, steep hill and if wet it was gumbo clay. Never had a problem