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Iron Butt
Posts: 804
Perry Hall, MD | Earlier Teach had mentioned that Pennsylvania had changed the compound used to patch the roads as a direct result of motorcycle safety issues with tar snakes.
I can't speak from a ton of riding experience, and I'm not saying that tar snakes are not a problem, but I do think that a lot has to do with the anticipation of the rider. I never considered riding in the rain to be any different then any other time until I slid across the center line one day on a curve in a light rain at near freezing. I can't tell you how many times since then I have felt like the bike was starting to slide on a wet curve. If I can overcome the anticipation and test my traction there really is no issue. The mind is a dangerous thing. Then again maybe it's just mine. |
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Visionary
Posts: 2118
Pitt Meadows, BC Canada | Boots - 2010-06-21 6:19 PM donetracey - 2010-06-21 2:30 PM Your reaction can make the situation worse - like a 'tank slapper'..... Uh Oh. Just bought the 'tank slapper', but have not yet installed. Is there a problem? All bikers know what a "tank slapper" is, right? That's when your front wheel turns past the max and the handlebars hit the tank on one side, then the wheel goes to the max in the other direction and the bars hit the other side of the tank. I have had occasions where I have had several 'slaps' - left - right - left - and stayed upright..... |
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Tourer
Posts: 599
New Mexico | donetracey - 2010-06-21 8:14 PM
All bikers know what a "tank slapper" is, right?
Guess I do now...
Edited by Boots 2010-06-21 9:34 PM
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Cruiser
Posts: 247
| i didn't know what a tar snakes were until someone posted a picture. these are things i usually avoid when i can. went out on an 80 degree day and ran about 5 miles on purpose. didn't notice anything funny. |
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Tourer
Posts: 374
Tucson, AZ | It all depends on where you ride. Different states us different crack sealers, the more change in weather the heavier the filler. Here in southern Az. I never had a problem, but last week in Colorado and Utah I encountered some that made me think WTF....sometimes you can position yourself to miss most of them, others the road is more cracked. So as stated, be aware but to the point of going white knuckled...
mike |
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Cruiser
Posts: 132
Durango, Colorado | donetracey - 2010-06-21 8:14 PM Boots - 2010-06-21 6:19 PM donetracey - 2010-06-21 2:30 PM Your reaction can make the situation worse - like a 'tank slapper'..... Uh Oh. Just bought the 'tank slapper', but have not yet installed. Is there a problem? All bikers know what a "tank slapper" is, right? That's when your front wheel turns past the max and the handlebars hit the tank on one side, then the wheel goes to the max in the other direction and the bars hit the other side of the tank. I have had occasions where I have had several 'slaps' - left - right - left - and stayed upright..... Keep my tank slapper safely tucked away in my pants. |
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Visionary
Posts: 2300
Georgia, west of Atlanta | I ran over a real snake the other day, copperhead killed the hell out of it.................ha............ |
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Cruiser
Posts: 162
Northern NJ | donetracey - 2010-06-21 10:14 PM
Boots - 2010-06-21 6:19 PM donetracey - 2010-06-21 2:30 PM Your reaction can make the situation worse - like a 'tank slapper'..... Uh Oh. Just bought the 'tank slapper', but have not yet installed. Is there a problem? All bikers know what a "tank slapper" is, right? That's when your front wheel turns past the max and the handlebars hit the tank on one side, then the wheel goes to the max in the other direction and the bars hit the other side of the tank. I have had occasions where I have had several 'slaps' - left - right - left -?and stayed upright.....
I gotta say, I hope I never experience a tank slapper. That sounds like it's going to leave skid marks in multiple locations.
Ride safe guys. |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | I've never done the tank slapper yet, but I've suffered through many of helmet slappers.... |
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Cruiser
Posts: 154
Cabot Arkansas | My wife and I rode our Vision's on a multi-state trip out west last year and I will say that Colorado had the WORST tar snakes for making you go WTF of any state I've ridden in. (29 and counting) 
Edited by Maverick 2010-06-22 2:27 PM
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Cruiser
Posts: 284
mansfield, MA United States | It's all over. nothing new and not just the Vision that has the problem. Here is a video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQZp0AGEr3g |
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Cruiser
Posts: 271
Belding Michigan | I hit a tar snake in the mountians in CA a few years back on my 1800 wing the bike moved 10 feet sideways or at least a few inches scared the pee out of me and my wife. I never looked at a curvey mountian road on a hot days the same. I have not had that problem with the Vision but don't live int mountians anymore. Michigan has a notable lack of mountians. Archie |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 1117
Northeast Ohio | A couple of comments. The BAD tar snakes are the ones that protrude up from the road. You can actually feel these on the suspension when you run them over. The ones that roundtwig posted look flat / older. I typically don't feel these, wet, dry, hot or cold. I personally think the Dunlop E3s are the problem. The E3s have wide, wave style grooves in them. Can't remember the tire my Kingpin had, but I remember that it did have a lot of grooves and was more box cut from a tread perspective. I think this would help to bite into the tar better than the E3 racing slicks we have. There aren't any tires in our rear tire size that have a more aggressive tread pattern to them (at least not significant enough). |
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Cruiser
Posts: 266
Hartland, , WI | kodonnell1 - 2010-06-08 6:51 AM
Hello All
While out riding i ran over a bunch of Tar Snakes on the road and it was a good thing that I had both hands on the sterring wheel at the time. The front end of the bike felt like it was woobbling off. It happened so fast that I barley had time to think before it was over. Has anybody else experienced this problem with stock tires. 
The tar snakes I deal with that get me nervy is when it is hot enough up that when you go over them...they are so soft that the tar snake moves...not the tire loosing grip on the tar. I hate them! That feeling during the micro-second when you loose control sucks! |
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Tourer
Posts: 432
Gettysburg, 2008 Tour Premium | I had a rattlesnake coil and strike my boot on the road going to the Badlands park just outside on Wall SD while riding just after dark. THAT scared the shit out of me. Mean snake that was. |
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Tar Snakes and Tire Slippage
