Touring Models Road King, Road King Custom, Road King Classic, Road Glide, Street Glide, Electra Glide, Electra Glide Classic, and Electra Glide Ultra Classic bikes.
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

tar snakes

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jun 15, 2013 | 12:25 AM
  #21  
Firewoman's Avatar
Firewoman
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 10,784
Likes: 57
From: In The Corn, Illinois
Default

They use that stuff here too. It makes it feel like the back of the bike is going to slide out from under you. I try to steer around them as much as possible.
 
Reply
Old Jun 15, 2013 | 01:07 AM
  #22  
ocezam's Avatar
ocezam
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,145
Likes: 98
From: Colorado Springs
Default

Originally Posted by T_Dogg80
Everytime I hit them it gets real squirrely. That being said, I have never heard of anyone ever going down because of them.
Yeah, 41 years and I've never heard of anyone either.
 
Reply
Old Jun 15, 2013 | 01:55 AM
  #23  
mike5511's Avatar
mike5511
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,873
Likes: 13
From: NW Arkansas
Default

Originally Posted by T Dogg80;
Everytime I hit them it gets real squirrely. That being said, I have never heard of anyone ever going down because of them.
Originally Posted by ocezam
Yeah, 41 years and I've never heard of anyone either.


They are only a factor if you get skeered and go to over-correcting something that needs no correcting. Just stay smooth and ride right through them.........or put more wheels under you. You are gonna see more and more of that instead of new overlays because of the economy. We have some of the best riding roads in the country here, and they have been using "chip and seal" instead of new asphalt on a lot of them because money is tight......! (I'd rather have the tar snakes on old asphalt than the potential loose gravel issues on a new "chip and seal" road!!!)
 

Last edited by mike5511; Jun 15, 2013 at 02:04 AM.
Reply
Old Jun 15, 2013 | 05:46 AM
  #24  
Hex41's Avatar
Hex41
Novice
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: Idaho
Default

They do a lot of chip seal here in Idaho too. All that small gravel sitting on top can make you feel like you're in a shooting gallery. We also get the tar snakes. Guess we're just lucky like that.
 
Reply
Old Jun 15, 2013 | 06:04 AM
  #25  
Notgrownup's Avatar
Notgrownup
Seasoned HDF Member
15 Year Member
Loved
Top Answer: 1
Top Answer: 3
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 24,650
Likes: 9,112
From: Snow Hill, NC
Default

They will give you some pucker factor for sure....i try to make myself ride through them but it's hard...
 
Reply
Old Jun 15, 2013 | 06:34 AM
  #26  
runnhrd's Avatar
runnhrd
Road Master
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,028
Likes: 64
From: Southern Maryland
Default

Yep they use that stuff here in Maryland. Main road towards my house they used that way to patch the road three years ago,,, they are just now getting the the point when warm where to you dont get that little wiggle when I turn into my neighborhood. NO FRONT BRAKE!! Friend forgot that and went down good!!!
 
Reply
Old Jun 15, 2013 | 06:55 AM
  #27  
cass's Avatar
cass
Road Warrior
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,833
Likes: 35
From: Southern Maryland
Default

Originally Posted by runnhrd
Yep they use that stuff here in Maryland. Main road towards my house they used that way to patch the road three years ago,,, they are just now getting the the point when warm where to you dont get that little wiggle when I turn into my neighborhood. NO FRONT BRAKE!! Friend forgot that and went down good!!!
yeah, i run southern maryland route 4 and the beltway. lots of times they are rotating their paving locations so it seems like the longest an area goes without paving is about a couple of years. in the mean time, they tar them up. they are even slick in cold weather, just not as bad. add a couple shakes of rain and yeah, its fun. not panicing is the key, and if you happen to be riding one when it happens, get off of it as smoothly as you can. ride safe
 
Reply
Old Jun 15, 2013 | 03:30 PM
  #28  
glenalt's Avatar
glenalt
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 945
Likes: 7
Default

I was out yesterday afternoon, temp about 90, and in a turn at a red light I almost lost it due to some tar snakes. Slick as snot.
 
Reply
HD Forum Stories

The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders

story-0

8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-1

10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-2

Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

 Verdad Gallardo
story-3

Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

 Verdad Gallardo
story-4

Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

 Joe Kucinski
story-7

10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

Southpaw Super Glide: A Left-Hand-Drive 1979 Harley FXE Built to Fit the Rider

 Verdad Gallardo
story-9

The Best and Worst Harley-Davidson Moves of 2025

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Jun 15, 2013 | 10:05 PM
  #29  
Fishrrman's Avatar
Fishrrman
Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,510
Likes: 23
From: Connecticut
Default

I've also seen that same kind of tar used on the ends of bridges, where the end of the bridge meets the asphalt street. They put down a strip about 10-12" wide. Same as with the snakes, they can be very slippery.

There's a bridge like this on a road I ride now and then. Right after the bridge, there's a 90-degree right turn. No matter what you do, makes the bike very unsteady making that right turn over the tar strip...
 
Reply
Old Jun 15, 2013 | 10:16 PM
  #30  
cobaltt's Avatar
cobaltt
Road Captain
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 501
Likes: 136
Default

Originally Posted by 12hdrk
Yea but almost as bad is crapping your pants and having to ride home in them:-) some roads in CT have so many snakes it would be cheaper to repave.
nothing worse than riding through tar snakes, then riding home with one in your underwear.
 
Reply



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:51 AM.

story-0
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: Not every Harley gets it right, but these are the ones that genuinely earned their reputation.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-15 14:23:21


VIEW MORE
story-1
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-01 20:01:09


VIEW MORE
story-2
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

Slideshow: Killer Custom's "Jail Breaker" build focuses more on stance and visual aggression than mechanical overhaul.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-18 19:20:32


VIEW MORE
story-3
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-07 16:15:30


VIEW MORE
story-4
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's new RMCR concept revives the café racer formula with modern hardware-and it may be exactly the reset the company needs.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-04 12:23:37


VIEW MORE
story-5
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-02-24 18:19:44


VIEW MORE
story-6
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There is no shortage of great motorcycles to buy, but we would avoid these ten.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-02-19 14:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-7
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-13 18:33:17


VIEW MORE
story-8
Southpaw Super Glide: A Left-Hand-Drive 1979 Harley FXE Built to Fit the Rider

Slideshow: Graeme Billington's left-hand-drive Shovelhead is as much about problem-solving as it is about classic Harley form.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2025-12-30 11:27:08


VIEW MORE
story-9
The Best and Worst Harley-Davidson Moves of 2025

Slideshow: A clear-eyed look at what actually worked for Harley this year, and what quietly undermined its progress.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2025-12-29 17:10:48


VIEW MORE