Dealing with black ice...

[S Smith]

It is great to get out and enjoy some winter riding, but be mindful that black ice can be out there when you least expect it. Use Check out weather and traffic reports prior to departure. Install a thermometer on your ride to monitor air temperature.  Be cautious of road conditions where the surface appears wet and is in a shady spot.  Slow down and keep the bike upright without any sudden changes in speed or direction.

What are your tips to minimize the chance of this happening to you...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z88ocWmHM6U

 

[Cap'n Bob]

A great video Steve.   


Black ice scares me. This is why I will rarely ride below freezing (unless I have to for some reason). I make the rare  exception if it's just below freezing, but will warm up quickly. You can deal with cold and such. But IMO, it's the black ice that comes up quickly and without mercy. I would rather leave my bike parked, rather than having it park itself like in that video. Just my opinion!   

 

[axxman]

A great video Steve.   


Black ice scares me. This is why I will rarely ride below freezing (unless I have to for some reason). I make the rare  exception if it's just below freezing, but will warm up quickly. You can deal with cold and such. But IMO, it's the black ice that comes up quickly and without mercy. I would rather leave my bike parked, rather than having it park itself like in that video. Just my opinion!   

Ditto on that Bob, Plus up here in the Northeast if its cold enough for ice there is probably alot of sand on the road already.

 

[BOOTH]

That is a disturbing video. Hope the rider was okay.

I ran across a patch or two of this on Mines Road New Year's Eve. We've got a lot of micro-climes here in NorCal. When I left the house at 6:30 am it was 45F. Thirty minutes later in Livermore it was 38, and by 8 when we running Mines, it was 27. (I was actually using my grip heaters by then.)

I did the same as Steve: Slow Down and keep the bike as upright as possible. It was only a couple of spots, but I never felt any loss of traction.

 

[bergmen]

The last time I went down was on black ice (Christmas, 1978). I was on my Yamaha XS-1100 with wife on back. Luckily, I was only going about 10-15mph at the time. My Dad was right behind me on his Moto Guzzi. He lost control and didn't go down but hit the back of my bike and bent the rear frame. I had a ding on my elbow but no other injuries.

With black ice there is complete loss of control once you are on it. You can't even stand up after the crash, there is no traction for your boots at all. I've hit it in cars before on the way to skiing and there is nothing that can be done until you stop moving (and even then, you may not be able to do anything).

BTW, great video. Brings back memories and chills down the spine.

Dan

 

[2linby]

It is great to get out and enjoy some winter riding, but be mindful that black ice can be out there when you least expect it. Use Check out weather and traffic reports prior to departure. Install a thermometer on your ride to monitor air temperature.  Be cautious of road conditions where the surface appears wet and is in a shady spot.  Slow down and keep the bike upright without any sudden changes in speed or direction.

What are your tips to minimize the chance of this happening to you...

My tips?  Not "my tips" but things that have been passed down through the ages... :

If the temps are below 36 degrees then you have to be assume there WILL be someplace that has frost, or ice. Especially in the shaded darker colder corners.
Stay the heck away from any shiny surface, this includes painted surfaces. This rider was doing fine until their front tire came into contact with double yellow line. A painted surface.
Slow down, reduce lean as much as possible, avoid any sudden changes in speed or direction (as already stated).
Head and eys up. If you are crossing a patch of ice or snow be aware of any oncoming traffic and time your crossing so you are alone over the spot (if possible).
Pull in the clutch to reduce rear wheel spin when crossing these surfaces.

Best tip is to take a four wheel conveyance, if you have one, to your destination and ride in better conditions.

 

[Cap'n Bob]

It is great to get out and enjoy some winter riding, but be mindful that black ice can be out there when you least expect it. Use Check out weather and traffic reports prior to departure. Install a thermometer on your ride to monitor air temperature.  Be cautious of road conditions where the surface appears wet and is in a shady spot.  Slow down and keep the bike upright without any sudden changes in speed or direction.

What are your tips to minimize the chance of this happening to you...

My tips?  Not "my tips" but things that have been passed down through the ages... :

If the temps are below 36 degrees then you have to be assume there WILL be someplace that has frost, or ice. Especially in the shaded darker colder corners.
Stay the heck away from any shiny surface, this includes painted surfaces. This rider was doing fine until their front tire came into contact with double yellow line. A painted surface.
Slow down, reduce lean as much as possible, avoid any sudden changes in speed or direction (as already stated).
Head and eys up. If you are crossing a patch of ice or snow be aware of any oncoming traffic and time your crossing so you are allow over the spot (if possible).
Pull in the clutch to reduce rear wheel spin when crossing these surfaces.

Best tip is to take a four wheel conveyance, if you have one, to your destination and ride in better conditions.

I agree on all points! great tips.

 

[Jorge]

Good tips guys. On my 2nd year back on 2 wheels, I'm still figuring out my "limits".
Went to shop in Indy to buy colder weather gloves, and when I told the sales guy (really nice, and knowledgeable) my comfort limit was around 37F, he told me about better gear. When I told him my fear of ice, he shared with me how he's ridden as low as -22F, and in the snow, up to 6" deep!!!  Then he told me how the falls don't hurt as much because you slide easily--- I again told him for the second time he was nuts; he just smiled. To each his own I suppose.
My limit stays at 37F. Call me chicken if you want. Looking out for sand, spilled oil and gravel is enough for me.
Jorge

 

[ron203]

Gives me chills thinking of the time I was looking up under a '76 Nova while my bike slides away and that was just greasy road.

It's going to be mid 20's here in N.Ga in the am. It's also been very humid and for some reason, the concrete in the driveway just suddenly appears wet without rain. I'm thinking water is coming up through the concrete and see no  reason it won't do it on the road as well. Roads here often have two types of asphalt. One is for water evacuation over top of another for durability. It usually works well, but you can imagine that it'll trap moisture. Voila. Ice. Truck and I go to work tomorrow. Connie stays home. Mid 30's and rising is my limit.

 

[davemuir]

My tip...... Move to FL!  :nananana:

 

[bergmen]

It would be more fun to reach for this:

So you could do this:

But be very careful you don't do this:

That is all...

Dan

 

[2linby]

It would be more fun to reach for this:

So you could do this:

But be very careful you don't do this:

That is all...

Dan

Can we can asume you have no "personal" experieince with the last photograph?  :nananana:

 

[oldsawfiler]

he shared with me how he's ridden as low as -22F, and in the snow, up to 6" deep!!! 

Actualy when it gets that cold the ice starts to get sticky and you will have much more control.  I would much rather drive in snow than Ice any day. 

 

[Gypsy JR]

I agree, having driven in snow and on ice most of my winters, I'd much rather drive on snow than ice.

If I have to drive on ice, I'd much rather it be rough or coated with snow frozen on top, because at least I can see it and there is better traction.

How do I deal with black ice on a motorcycle?

My motorcycle is in the garage, on the float charger, under a blanket.

That is how I deal with black ice on a motorcycle.

 

[bergmen]

It would be more fun to reach for this:

So you could do this:

But be very careful you don't do this:

That is all...

Dan

Can we can asume you have no "personal" experieince with the last photograph?  :nananana:

No experience with the last photograph but I sure have thought about the first two on many occasions. It's probably due my experiences with counting on parachutes rather than airplanes to get to the ground safely (for a variety of reasons).

Dan

 

[Sport rider]

Thanks for the reminder Steve, but did anyone else notice in the video how close the guy was to the center stripe?  I wonder if he didn't lose the front due to slipping on that as opposed to the ice.  Either way, let's be careful out there during the cold season!

 

[Cap'n Bob]

He does slide over close to the line. But I think it's becuase he is sliding already on the ice. It looks to me like he was sliding over the line. He then tryed to make a slight correction to avoid the on coming lane. And that's all she wrote. As soon as he used that steering imput. Down he went like a sack of potatoes. I personally don't think the center line made any differance. That was a bad situation with no good outcome. I think the only way he could have avoided this was to not be out riding there that day.

 

[oldsawfiler]

Agree with C'Bob.  You can never stear out of a skid.  If you start to skid, you have to go with it. clutch in and no breaks.  If you manage to ride it out, good on you.  Any correction from the bars or brakes would have put you down anyway.

 

[S Smith]

It appears the rider high-sided almost immediately after touching the painted line. The movement of the front wheel seems to imply a loss of traction as the tire hit the painted line.

 

[2linby]

It appears the rider high-sided almost immediately after touching the painted line. The movement of the front wheel seems to imply a loss of traction as the tire hit the painted line.

:iagree:  Yup!  As I already commented, this is exactly what happened. Painted surfaces, metal surfaces all "non" pavement" surfaces have lwer traction attribuites. This guy lost it when hs front tire crossed or at least touched the center line and he over reacted and with little ot no available traction on the "wet" surface he lost it. Thats all.

Stay away from shiny surfaces in low traction conditions.