Bad Roads: Grooves
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 7,773
Likes: 7
From: Central Oklahoma
A couple of years ago, I rode from Glenwood Springs to Dillon, Colorado in a cold heavy rain on I-70. The interstate had been grooved in preparation for a new asphalt surface and there are lots of sweeping turns and high mountain mountain passes. It really sucked riding in that with trucks on your *** at 70 mph.
Club Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 10,959
Likes: 2
From: Back in Oz M8
The narrower profile front tires are more susceptible to wander over the milled roads as they tend to "train track" in a groove. Wider tired bikes are a little easier as they don't tend to get stuck tracking the groove as much.
Best advice is to let the bike go where she wants and don't fight her.
Best advice is to let the bike go where she wants and don't fight her.
Big Kahuna HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 35,506
Likes: 27
From: Calgary eh
That's easier said than done. I have the stock dunlops on my Road Glide. Hitting those groves in the road is a down right scary, and dangerous. the tires tend to follow different paths, feels up several inches different. In otherwords the bike is literally going down the highway partly sidewise, until suddenly it will correct and you receive a tremendous wobble.
My friend has a Fat bob, can't remember the brand or size of tires, his bike tracks perfectly straight and isn't effected by the road grooves.
Speaking with the Pirelli rep in sturgis, he explained it's the tread pattern. If there are too many groves in the tire parallel with the direction of rotation they will grab the road grooves.
It's all in the tread pattern folks, take a look at the Metzlers and the Pirelli's, they both have aggressive deep grooves but don't have any groves parallel with the rotation direction.
Next set of tires, which are due now, I will be trying something else. I like the Pirelli's, I think the Met's are too soft and one wouldn't get the longevity out of them.
Big Kahuna HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 35,506
Likes: 27
From: Calgary eh
I rest my case. My point exactly, a good set of tires and presto, problem resolved.
Hey, ps, I-am-wut-I-ams (good screen name
): What kind of Michelins do you have?
Hey, ps, I-am-wut-I-ams (good screen name
): What kind of Michelins do you have?
Last edited by zeus33; Nov 3, 2009 at 01:32 PM.
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 592
Likes: 0
From: Southside CT
or you can do what I do, find another route. They've been tearing up the roads around MA and laying new asphalt for a while now. I've noticed that people tend to tailgate even worse on those "groomed" roads. Nothing like dodging raised structures and worrying a bout the reroy behind you at the same time as the bike skates all over the lane.
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 421
Likes: 2
From: United Socialist Republic of Massachusetts
Where I live they're not satisfied with just grooving the pavement, they have to weave back and forth as the chew up the road, it can be a little disconcerting to have the bike decide it wants to go straight when the road goes left 
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,074
Likes: 1
From: Baltimore, MD
+1 on Metzlers. You'll still feel them but more muted. Better in the rain also. This comes from past experiences in switching, not speculation.
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