ha ha wow I didn't even notice!

 

I have a reasonable amount of experience riding small bikes. I was one of those guys that would go between the cars on congested freeways in Los Angeles. However, now I live in the country and ride a belt-driven Sporster 1200 custom. I ride a lot of windy backroads, and gravel is a constant threat. Twice, I found out the hard way how easy it is to lay it down in gravel. Luckily, it was in my buddie's unpaved driveway, so I was moving slow. The bike suffered no damage, but I got some decent bruises to remind me how much heavier a sportster is than my last bike. I've decided to change out my Dunlop tires for some Metzeler's because they're supposed to be more sure-footed. I'm hoping they will give me a little more confidence in turns, but I'm really craving some sound advice from some experienced riders. Is it possible to be too cautious about gravel in the road? My problem is that I don't really know the threshold of safety, and I think I'm being a serious wuss in the corners. I see other riders taking corners, and I'm thinking to myself, if that were me, and there happened to be a handful of gravel in the road, I'd go down for sure.

 

Drive slow and don't remove your belt guard for a cool factor, it's there for a reason.

 

I live up a gravel road. I've gotten a rock hole through the middle of my Sportster's belt. Since it had about 50k mi. on it, was changed with the next rear tire.

 

i try an avoid gravel roads if i can. i had a chunk of asphalt get caught in my belt and couldn't figure out why my belt was running loose and tight. i got lucky as the asphalt was soft and i just dug it out of the belt. i have seen belts damaged by rocks before, so it can and does happen

 

I go on gravel and dirt roads all the time it's fine just take your time and don't let your air cleaner suck up a lot of dust

 

Years ago while traveling in Colorado, they used, probably still do, some kind of small pea size gravel and sticky black goop to seal their roads. In the course of 40 miles on that crap, and yes the road was opened to traffic, my belt picked up 4 pieces of this gravel and 3 of them went all the way through the belt. Had to get a new belt installed at a dealer up the road. Now I like to avoid that state like the plague.

 

The OP asked this question back in 2007.

I wonder if he got the Sporty!

Thread has been revived from the dead...TWICE!

 

have lost a belt to gravel road.

 

I think I'd be more concerned about if the little Sportster suspension could handle it More than the belt.