I meant to post this here, but posted it on the Sportster forum instead. No one told me I was a dumba$$ for posting the obvious and several seemed to appreciate it. Since it is of a more general application rather than model specific, I'll re-post it here.

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I'm sure most of you already know this, but when I was a newbie, I got alot of good advice from this forum that has saved my butt (or my bike) on more than one occasion, so thought I would share an experience I had last night.

Anyway, I was riding one of my favorite twisty roads and hit a tight turn at the speed I normally do (i.e. fast enough to be fun, but not out of control). My tires hit a tar strip and slid sideways, like I was on ice. I've put over 3000 miles on this bike since I got it around Memorial Day, so I know the bike well (which probably is what kept me upright). I recovered fine, but it was a reminder that this is something to pay attention to, even when you ride the same road all the time.

These are NOT new tar strips. I'm guessing that the heavy rains of Hurricane Irene washed off whatever sand and grit had been providing traction on them in the past. I've ridden that road a 100 times and at the time I was riding, the road was completely dry. To those that haven't already had this experience, be careful on those tar strips, especially if they are new, or just been washed off. Others on the East Coast may have this experience now that Irene has passed.

Flame away if this is a blinding flash of the obvious.

 

Tar snakes will make ya pucker!!

 

Always good to have a reminder and point out the hazards to the newer riders. The captain obvious finger pointers can move along...

 

Without a doubt. I have learned to slow it down when I get on roads with lots of tar snakes. Slipping once was all it took for me.

 

On my EG the sensation seems worst than other bikes I've ridden probably because of the weight of the fairing on the forks. First time I made a left turn and went over some tar snakes on an uneven road I thought my front tire had gone flat. Really spooky feeling.

 

While you at it watch those painted lines as well! Water and painted lines = Pucker Factor!

 

I always am very careful on those. I think you are right about the rain washing them off though. Just did a poker run over the weekend, and on the way down to the starting point, got caught in some nice rain. Lotta fun, especially since my dum@@ss was in shorts. It was supposed to be nice that day, which it ended up being. Anyway, went around a corner, and was my usual careful self, and felt it slip. Freaked me out, especially having the wife on the back. Saved it okay though.

 

 

Thanks for the heads up.

Never thought about it. We so dry here.

 

Around here (sw PA) the rain seems to bring out the gravel. First dry after previous rain, always look for it and see it.

And some of our roads seem to be MOSTLY tar strip so gotta watch for that too.