[rreffner]

So, I have the Wing lightly loaded with the wife aboard and the Aluma MCTXL fully loaded. We are in the North Georgia mountains and are heading up a paved road which had quite a bit of loose gravel on top. We are heading up a road we have never been on with thirty degree incline. I approach a spot where I see a sharp switchback turn up and to the left. I decide to STOP and access my approach. I just stopped, holding with both front and rear brakes when the bike starts sliding backward down the road, gaining speed. I could not stop and keep the Wing from sliding. I tried to start back up but could not get traction because of the gravel and the bike/trailer weight distribution. I had to lay the Wing down in order to stop sliding down the hill and crashing. The wife got off OK and the bike was OK except the right ****-O-Peg rotated up and left hardly any space for my foot to access the brake pedal.

Righting the bike and with the wife off, I was able to make it up the hill and make the turn into the driveway.

I went back down the hill by myself with the Aluma unloaded ( a chase car had what was inside the trailer) after sweeping some loose gravel in spots with a push broom. I reloaded the trailer at the bottom of the hill, got the wife aboard and continued our journey.

In the end I learned not to stop on a hill in such a situation. I don't know what else I could have done? Any comments or suggestions will be appreciated.

Rich

 

[Rustydust]

Wait- am I reading that right? Were you pulling a trailer with a automobile in it with your Wing? I re-read it twice and that is what it looks like to me.
:shrug:

 

[tfdeputydawg]

Glad things turned out OK.
Not sure I'd want much of a 30deg incline on a bike, let along pulling a trailer4:
RUSTYDUST
Read it again-He unloaded his trailer putting items in a CHASE car that followed him back down the hill or at least that's how I read it.

 

[Blanco Tom]

Misread,Overlooked the gravel part Comment deleted.

 

[Paddy O'Dailey]

"Come to the DARKSIDE luke" Sounds more like a negative MT event to me. Like a "my tractor ain't get'in no traction" event.

 

[NJREF]

That will happen..Brakes are not designed on cars or Motorcycles to hold REAL good going backwards.Thats why in the mountains on backroads,(Jeep roads) the vehicle going up has the right of way.Glad you are OK.

Ummm.....this is a new one on me....intrinsic brake capacity based on direction of wheel rotation..... wheels rotate either way...do not understand how direction of wheel rotation affects braking ability???

Besides...the motorcycle was sliding on loose gravel....it appears wheels were not turning.

As for the Jeep thing.....uphill has the right of way to prevent out of control backward slides, rolls etc...downhill one can use brakes and engine to maintain control...once you start sliding backwards you are generally pretty much hosed

 

[tfdeputydawg]

Ummm.....this is a new one on me....intrinsic brake capacity based on direction of wheel rotation..... wheels rotate either way...do not understand how direction of wheel rotation affects braking ability???

:thumbup::agree:

 

[Paddy O'Dailey]

Ummm.....this is a new one on me....intrinsic brake capacity based on direction of wheel rotation..... wheels rotate either way...do not understand how direction of wheel rotation affects braking ability???

Besides...the motorcycle was sliding on loose gravel....it appears wheels were not turning.

As for the Jeep thing.....uphill has the right of way to prevent out of control backward slides, rolls etc...downhill one can use brakes and engine to maintain control...once you start sliding backwards you are generally pretty much hosed

It ain't rocket science. Its just gravel.

 

[Bobalou]

The better tire contact, CT in this case, would/may have helped, I agree.

Way back I was on my GL1200, fully loaded, two up, pulling a Bunkhouse UP Mt. Nebo. Came to a hairpin and stopped just like you. Only my front tire came off the ground (case for the CT). I about jumped on the handlebars, regained control and made it to the top.

Never again have I stopped to check things out! Experience?

 

[louieg]

30% incline! I believe that is the problem.

I don't see how you got traction with one tire, while climbing, and couldn't have traction with both while braking. Maybe you got a little backward momentum before applying brakes hard and started a skid.

Probably need a dirt/mountain type bike for those 30% inclines in the future, without trailer.

..louie

 

[rreffner]

Yes, it was quite an event. Occurred on the last 200 yards or so of a 400 mile trip, 2-up, loaded cargo trailer.

When I stopped. BOTH wheels did not move and then I started to slide backwards. Gave it some gas and the rear tire would not bite. Continued to slide. Too much weight pulling me backwards down the hill and the trailer began turning. 4: Oh, what a mess.

BTW, there was no other way to get to our vacation mountain home. We left the Wing at the house and rented, yes rented, a car for the week's stay. Oh well, at least we were cool (car AC) and dry from afternoon showers.

 

[TravelinLite]

Man you guys must pull some pretty heavy loads.4:

 

[The Captain]

We were just in the north Georgia mountains last week. We stayed in a rented house in Morganton, GA. There were sure some nice roads in that area.

 

[Scratch]

Note to self: bring push broom along on rides.

 

[artmann]

Sounds like the road going up to Brasstown Bald?

 

[trialsman]

Don't know that I've ever seen a road anywhere in N. Ga. with a 30 degree incline. Maybe a couple of paved driveways that were approaching 30 degrees.

First, Could you tell me where it is? I want to ride it, really. :evil:

Second: You shouldn't have stopped. You "stopped to access your approach"? :shrug: Not sure what that means.

Third: Sounds like a you could have used a wider tire with a lot more bite. I think you can guess what I'm talking about.

 

[Zackybilly1]

Never get out of the boat. Absolutely GD right! Unless you were goin' all the way...

Should have just kept moving. More times than any, your throttle is your friend.

Trialsman...assess the approach....he was having a bad day.

Your survival instincts are counterproductive and usually have you doing the exact opposite of what you should be doing on a motorcycle....Keith Code.

Z

 

[mr. scootinn]

Don't know that I've ever seen a road anywhere in N. Ga. with a 30 degree incline. Maybe a couple of paved driveways that were approaching 30 degrees.

First, Could you tell me where it is? I want to ride it, really. :evil:

Second: You shouldn't have stopped. You "stopped to access your approach"? :shrug: Not sure what that means.

Third: Sounds like a you could have used a wider tire with a lot more bite. I think you can guess what I'm talking about.

:agree:.I would like to ride that road also..I might have to head up there this weekend..

 

[MN Mike]

Sorry to hear about your incident. I am never so worried as when I am backing down a hill with the trailer and the wife.
Lots of good suggestions about not stopping once committed. Think of it as going up an icy hill in a car. Don't stop cause you might start going backwards and will not get the traction to start going forward.

For you riders looking for a trip up a steep gravel road try the Mokie Dugway which climbs 1100 feet in three miles of gravel road. Its on UT-261 in southeast Utah. It felt great -- once I was at the top. Wife took photos of the trip up.

 

[jtmc1]

Glad you are both well and thanks for sharing. I would not have thought of that but it makes sense.