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Water crossing FAIL

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That crossing has taken out many riders, some of them pretty good riders. I avoid it on the BMW, basically wait until I hear that crossing is dry. I've ridden it when wet several times, but once is was so slick my whole group ended up walking our bikes across.

Basically, I use second gear and pretty much idle across when it is that slick. Feather clutch if need, but the idea is to keep the inputs to the rear wheel very smooth. I keep my feet up and lock my knees to the tank. I want to be one with the bike and it naturally stay up. If you are loose on the bike it will wiggle and lean. My bikes are tall enough that feet down was no help. I just wouldn't have enough leverage to do anything that way.
 
I agree with Woodbutcher on feet up and knees in. I see others very successfully riding acoss the James site with legs out as outriggers. My worry is that the bike slides or goes over and you reach out with that leg to "dab" and your boot slides on the algae and the bike goes over anyway. However now you have an extremely injured groin and leg muscle.

The slick crossings just dont hurt motorcyclists. Ive spoken with bicycle riders that have taken nasty falls and saw a pick-up almost slide off the main ford site on the James also. A horse could probably break a leg on them. My DR650 spun around at least two times on the slime in Junction when I fell and I recall crossing at about 15 mph if that. I cannot say enough for elbow CE armor and Moose Racing knee guards.
 
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On those longer stretches of low water bridge crossings, one should consider starting on the up current edge. When crossing the Buffalo river in AR, I always start on the extreme upriver edge, so the current doesn't wash me off the thing. Not uncommon to start off with 4-6" of pavement to the upriver side, and finish the crossing with about 5" 0f pavement left on the down river side. Glad that crossing isn't another 50' longer!
 
Yesterday I took a little 100 mile loop south and west of where I live, and made about 7 water crossings. I'll admit that I was a bit nervous each time. I agree with the advice of picking a straight line, in one of the automobile tire tracks, and stay in it. Low gear, a bit faster than walking speed, just enough throttle to maintain speed, no braking.

The most interesting crossing yesterday was on 2766 ( or Pedernales Falls, or 201 or Robinson Road...it keeps changing names).

I stopped and watched three adventure bikes cross going east to west. A couple of them got out out of the auto tire tracks a squiggled a bit but didn't fall down. I crossed from west to east without any squiggle.
 
I responded to the PM. All good advice, I have one riding buddie that CAN NOT get across a low water crossing, I ride my bike across then walk back to get his (it is a KLR). He is old and can not control the throttle!!!! For those that know me....that was funny.

I may try to find a low water crossing for the next Roll The Bones Clinic.

Brad
 
ulybrad said:
I responded to the PM. All good advice, I have one riding buddie that CAN NOT get across a low water crossing, I ride my bike across then walk back to get his (it is a KLR). He is old and can not control the throttle!!!! For those that know me....that was funny.

I may try to find a low water crossing for the next Roll The Bones Clinic.

Brad
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WE have plenty:trust: My arch nemesis is Bosque CR 4180... I have about a 50/50 track record on that sucker. I often ride alone...the last time I fell on that sucker, I could not even stand myself back up...literally had better traction in an ice rink. I had to drag myself on my elbows and knees to get back to algae free road to stand up. I then gently walked back out and tried to pick the bike up, falling again:headbang: Opened my pannier grabbed a tie down strap and hooked it to my crash guards, then drug my bike out of the slime and remounted:chug:
 
TheD-Man said:
or maybe pick up a used entry level dual sport that is light enough for me to right alone!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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That's the best idea yet. If you're riding alone and attempting new surfaces, best to do so on a bike you can pick up by yourself. You can find used DR650s for <$3K, ride for a couple of years, and sell with very little out of pocket. Plus it's suitable for mild off-road rides where you can really practice bike-handling skills.
 
ghostrider1964 said:
WE have plenty:trust: My arch nemesis is Bosque CR 4180... I have about a 50/50 track record on that sucker. I often ride alone...the last time I fell on that sucker, I could not even stand myself back up...literally had better traction in an ice rink. I had to drag myself on my elbows and knees to get back to algae free road to stand up. I then gently walked back out and tried to pick the bike up, falling again:headbang: Opened my pannier grabbed a tie down strap and hooked it to my crash guards, then drug my bike out of the slime and remounted:chug:
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I was following one of the guys from a pie run the last year and was shocked how that tiny slither of water crossing the road could be soooo slick - like Teflon with oil on the surface! I was going about 5 mph....any faster it would have been a crash.

...I have also come up on a bicyclist who hit a slimy water crossing at full speed. He face was lacerated and bloody. He was disoriented sitting by the side of the road as I approached him. He called his friend to pick him up. This happened on CR302 otherwise known as Old Spicewood Road just south of Lake Travis.

RB
 
All this talk makes me glad I'm tall enough to paddle-walk my Vstrom, of course, that probably wouldn't help!
 
tricepilot said:
If it makes you feel any better, every single one of us has been there

Take heart: there are those who have gone down on that stuff and those who are going to. All others aren't riding enough.
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True for me at least. I try to stay in the wheel tracks of other cars, and use my legs as outriggers. Don't know if it would actually work, but makes me feel better.
 
If I remember correctly, that is the crossing where either Tourmeister or Irondawg dropped their 1150GS near the end. It didn't stall and it slowly pivoted on the head as the back wheel was still touching the ground. Maybe TM wasn't there, but Irondawg was and told me the story.
 
WoodButcher said:
If I remember correctly, that is the crossing where either Tourmeister or Irondawg dropped their 1150GS near the end. It didn't stall and it slowly pivoted on the head as the back wheel was still touching the ground. Maybe TM wasn't there, but Irondawg was and told me the story.
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Merry go round GS?
 
What I could never understand is why so many of these low water crossings have a smooth concrete surface? TX DOT likes to rain groove the freeways but doesn't do anything on many of these. From the OP's photo this crossing appears to have a rough aggregate surface but can't tell for sure.

_
 
How soft is it offroad? looks like you could blast though that creek bed?? Can't tell for sure.
 
woodsguy said:
How soft is it offroad? looks like you could blast though that creek bed?? Can't tell for sure.
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You talking about the D-man's original crossing? Nope, you'd sink in up to your axles and have to get your friends to help you out of the wet crushed granite...not that I have any direct experience with that. :roll::duck:
 
WoodButcher said:
You talking about the D-man's original crossing? Nope, you'd sink in up to your axles and have to get your friends to help you out of the wet crushed granite...not that I have any direct experience with that. :roll::duck:
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Plus, you may get a stern look from the land owner if he comes along. :argh:

When he stopped by, after I had made it to the dry side, he was adamant in reinforcing users of the road were not to venture onto the adjacent land. Though repetitive, he was very nice about it.
 
MotoTex said:
Plus, you may get a stern look from the land owner if he comes along. :argh:

When he stopped by, after I had made it to the dry side, he was adamant in reinforcing users of the road were not to venture onto the adjacent land. Though repetitive, he was very nice about it.
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Figures! lol
 
SilverBullet said:
What I could never understand is why so many of these low water crossings have a smooth concrete surface? TX DOT likes to rain groove the freeways but doesn't do anything on many of these. From the OP's photo this crossing appears to have a rough aggregate surface but can't tell for sure. _
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Highways are TX DOT, county roads are county DOT
 
I've been down there too, fortunately a buddy caught a picture as I was sliding to a stop, the black thing toward the center of the bike is my arm and fist in the air as I slid with the bike.
LLOdMpf.jpg



I got a little too cocky on my XR250L and thought I could scoot across at 25mph standing on the pegs. I was fortunate enough to only get some bruised ribs and a mangled bark buster.

Beautiful crossing though
 
Somewhere there's an inventor with an idea to solve this water crossing problem and who'll take it to Shark Tank
 
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