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Tips & Training Riders new and old can always learn. Share and experience ideas for making motorcycling safer and more enjoyable here!

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Old 11-03-2009, 01:48 PM   #1 (permalink)
Seat Tester
 
FastCougar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Bike: 2005 Suzuki M50
Location: Martinsburg, WV
Posts: 96
Default Dealing with wet leaves on the road ???

Hey everyone ... I had my first close call the other day. I was in the twisties a few hours after it had rained and the road was mostly dry. Being Autumn, leaves are all over the place on the roads now. Needless to say, the combination of wet road + leaves = slippery mess! I was rounding a corner into a straight when I catch a side road coming up that forks off ... I notice the road sign name and it jogged a map flashback, so I decide to take it. Problem is I wasn't paying attention to the road condition, but more about traffic behind and in front (none) since I was making a last minute direction change. I move my line of sight from the rear view mirror and notice the soggy leaves and standing water at the corner apex of the split. I had already committed my turn, so I simply rolled off throttle, but didn't have time nor the desire to brake ... I ended up having to "stomp" down with my left foot to right the bike as the tail slid out ... a little more than "putting a foot down". Scared the crap out of me! I'm 100% sure it could have been avoided had I known where I was going and taken the time to give a signal and decelerate properly ... or would I have ... how do you deal with wet leaves in the twisties?