mfletch69
Well-known member
So the Garmin says turn right and follow this road in the Georgia mountains. OK.
Thank you Zumo
- Thread starter mfletch69
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BwanaDik
Well-known member
WOW!!! Nice save though! Ya gotta love those jokers at the Georga DOT
mfletch69
Well-known member
one word - ABS
bramfrank
BramFrank
mfletch69
Well-known member
it was supposed a joke. See, the humor in that is calling a three word acronym one word. Now you can laugh. :lol:
FJRBandit
Well-known member
As I was trailing mfletch at the time, encountered the same situation at roughly the same speed and happened to have been fortunate enough to save it as well, I would also have to add another acronym, AE.
There is no question the AE shifter, coupled with the ABS, allowed both of us to maintain full control of our bikes and down shift much quicker and safer than if we had to work a clutch and foot shifter. Not only could we not have downshifted at near the rate in which we were able to do with the AE, but also we were not forced to work the left hand and left foot, at a vital time in which balance was key in keeping the bike upright. As you can see in the video, all of this occurred in a split second. Somehow, our AE's stayed upright and I submit that it likely could not have been accomplished but for both of us being on an AE.
My AE will roll 30,000 miles today and it continues to amaze me how truly awesome this bike really is.
There is no question the AE shifter, coupled with the ABS, allowed both of us to maintain full control of our bikes and down shift much quicker and safer than if we had to work a clutch and foot shifter. Not only could we not have downshifted at near the rate in which we were able to do with the AE, but also we were not forced to work the left hand and left foot, at a vital time in which balance was key in keeping the bike upright. As you can see in the video, all of this occurred in a split second. Somehow, our AE's stayed upright and I submit that it likely could not have been accomplished but for both of us being on an AE.
My AE will roll 30,000 miles today and it continues to amaze me how truly awesome this bike really is.
mfletch69
Well-known member
I think I would agree. Just did not want an "A" vs. "AE" thing happening. At least one of us should have crashed, if not both. It is quite a machine.
fjrchooser
Well-known member
A Gen1'er would have stood on the pegs and DS'sd it until the pavement resumed without batting an eye. 
Nice save on those Gen 11's though !
Nice save on those Gen 11's though !weekend rider
Well-known member
No that canbe saved with a standard shift witha clutch. I did it cutting accross a route I wanted to take on the Oregon border going onto Idaho a couple years back runing about 70mph. Requires a lot of experience and skill along with a lot of praying..
JimNtexas
Well-known member
Well, that was sure a sphincter-tightening moment! Great saves!
Yup - sadly, this has happened to me as well - with a Gen 1 non-ABS machine. All you can do is try to keep a cool head, not jam on the breaks, and look for the line with the best traction until she gets "whoa'd" down to a more manageble speed. Can be scary as sh*t.
I don't mind riding on dirt roads from time to time - it is the unmarked transitions as shown that get you.
Way to keep the shiny side up!
Hudson
Well-known member
I think if you had a blue Gen 2 running Rotella T Synth, you could have stopped faster. NEPRT here we come!
jmdaniel
Has A Well Known Member
What's a Gen 11? :huh:A Gen1'er would have stood on the pegs and DS'sd it until the pavement resumed without batting an eye.
fjrchooser
Well-known member
Spatial disorientation from the Mr. Fusion on the Gen 1, sorry. Gen 11 is the next time Yamaha will have an auto-clutch. Oh, yeah- Buy Microsoft ! er, um...never mind.
Tree Doc
Well-known member
Just curious, how fast do you think you guys were rolling when you first caught glimpse of the bad road?
mfletch69
Well-known member
I would say 45 to 50mph at the time I spotted it, just based on how fast I would be going on a back road that I didn't know and through a section with a church and a paved turn off road. I would have slowed a bit for that.
The thing about this that made it so treacherous is that the surface change occurred just after the top of a rise...so you cannot see it until you are 25 feet away. On top of that , gravel road bends to the right immediately and there is a deep trench on either side. Typical gravel road but with the BIG, sharp chunks.
I am going to email the Georgia DOT about it because someone will get killed with no sign.
And that is the 10th time the Zumo has sent me to an unpaved road.
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Huh? I'm not getting the big deal here.
You had a perfectly good 2-track road of firm dirt. Just stay out of the gravel mound in the middle and all will be well. Why did you even stop? Nothing to freak out about.
Going ~ 50 when you see a dirt road ahead should not be a life threatening experience. Just slow down to ~30 before you go off road and keep rollin...
BTW, I intentionally seek out roads just like that one. And yeah, on my FJR.
You had a perfectly good 2-track road of firm dirt. Just stay out of the gravel mound in the middle and all will be well. Why did you even stop? Nothing to freak out about.
Going ~ 50 when you see a dirt road ahead should not be a life threatening experience. Just slow down to ~30 before you go off road and keep rollin...
BTW, I intentionally seek out roads just like that one. And yeah, on my FJR.
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mfletch69
Well-known member
No, I'm not a "stud". Far from it. (but you are welcome to think that if you want)
There's really nothing to be "afraid of" on a dirt road. Yeah things move around a little bit but you aren't moving too fast so you can compensate.
Ride some (dirt roads) intentionally for a while and you'll see what I mean. You get the feel for it.
Probably helps if you have some dirt biking experience, though there aren't many 600 lb dirt bikes out there...
There's really nothing to be "afraid of" on a dirt road. Yeah things move around a little bit but you aren't moving too fast so you can compensate.
Ride some (dirt roads) intentionally for a while and you'll see what I mean. You get the feel for it.
Probably helps if you have some dirt biking experience, though there aren't many 600 lb dirt bikes out there...
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