I was on I-40 riding along when I ran up on a traffic jam due to road construction. The cars just stopped and I had to hit the brakes fairly hard. I was a little worried about being rear ended so I decided to pull the bike into the emergency lane just in case. I hit the rumble strips at about 20 mph and the bike wobbled so bad I nearly lost it before I got it back on the highway. I also twisted my ankle when I tried to stop the bike from going over. I had always thought the rumble strips were made of raised asphalt but I looked a little closer and they are made just the opposite. The small strips are made by lowering the asphalt like small ditches. These ditches collect water, oil, sand, etc. I don't know if that was the cause or if the smaller surfade area upset the balance but I do know as soon as my tires touched the rumble strips, I almost went down.

Mark

 

Chances are you freaked a bit when you hit the rumble strips and that is what caused your problems. You said you hurt your ankle trying to stop the bike going over. I am guesing you through your feet out way before you were stopped which meant you were front braking only which is a bad thing at slow or unstable surface. Next time squeeze your tank with your knees and keep on the back brake less to no front brake as you slow down under 10 mph.

 

The roads crew grinds those strips out after it's paved.

 

Its possible, but I really don't think so. I use both brakes when stopping and when I decided to move to the emergency lane I wasn't using much brakes at all. I've ridden alot of miles over all types of road surfaces, tar snakes, steel bridge grates, and even been run off the road a few times. This was something I have never felt before. Like I said. it is possible I freaked abit but I knew they were there and was expecting a rough ride.

Mark

 

I have run over those strips, never a problem. Something loose on the scoot maybe?

 

NEVER,EVER put your feet down unless you are coming to a stop...I see riders who drag their feet while doing a 180 degree turn...throttle and brake guys..throttle and brake!!!...:>)

 

What matters is that you are ok. I have never had any dirriculty with the rumble strips but I will be more cautious next time.

 

man, that sure is a beautiful bike that you would have ended up dropping. glad you kept it up and didn't hurt you or your bike. no front brake when you're going slow. if you've ever taken a motorcycle on a railroad track, it's very bumpy till you hit about fifty or sixty mph, then it's smooth as glass from there on up. cause your're riding only on the ties, but it's also like riding on ice because your tires are floating on nothing between the ties, and it's very loud too. cause your tires, both of them are slapping the hell out of the surface of the ties. i certainly don't suggest this on a dresser, nor when you're old enough to have any sense either for that fact.

 

At least you did not drop it those lines get slippery if you are forced to brake on them. As for the old feet up thing reminds me of my instructor when I was learning to ride, funny old boy rode a massive BMW he would drop now and again as he was so damn short. He would always scream at you "get your feet up' he hated feet dragging, no matter how tight it was you better have those feet up or he would be along side you screaming...funny. I loved learning to ride with those guys.

 

Think you went through what we call a Slick ***** in the South.. As long as didn't go down... No Worries