It might feel like the entire world is paved, but I can’t reach town or the freeway without transitioning a gravel driveway and two miles of dirt road. Riding on dirt and gravel roads sparked a recent conversation with some friends new to riding, so I though I’d dedicate this latest Ienatsch Tuesday to helping those who are “gravel nervous.” Step 1: Relax. That’s easy to say. And in fact, saying “relax” out loud is a terrific habit to adopt in this sport, especially when traversing a gravel road on a street-based motorcycle. Say it now: Relax. Here’s why: As the front tire gets pushed around by the gravel, rigid arms on the handlebar will often be a “cycle” of movement behind what the steering system is trying to do. Those rigid arms often make the movement of the handlebar worse, and the tighter we hold, the more the bike wallows and wobbles and complains and misbehaves. The front tire needs to be able to move freely as it encounters the loose surface and the rider must let it move.
You can’t always “get there” on pavement in Colorado. Not sweating the dirt parts makes the trip much more possible and enjoyable.
Whisper out loud, relax, and start with soft hands on the handlebar. Loosen those arm muscles. Let the front tire track and find its way through the loose stuff, and hold on enough to support the bike and keep the throttle open. Yep, try to keep the bike on-throttle, gently driving through the gravel, the weight transferred to the rear tire. If you must close the throttle and apply the brakes, do so early and easily. Sneak open the throttle; sneak closed the throttle. It’s the initial openings and closings that get people in trouble, so do your best to eliminate the grabs and jabs. That’s good advice for riding on any surface, so practice it on every ride. Right about now you’re saying, “I hate dirt roads; thank God I never ride on them.” Oh yeah? How about next Sunday’s ride that is interrupted by road construction and detours onto two miles of dirt frontage road? How about going to visit your in-laws and finding a half-mile gravel driveway? How about the dirt parking lot at the campground? Relax. Let’s add a couple additional techniques that will make dirt-road riding easy. Use your upper body to help the bike steer with less lean angle, hanging off the bike like a roadracer. This is especially handy on off-camber roads or if you get surprised by a tight corner and don’t feel comfortable leaning more. All Yamaha Champions Riding School grads know “we hang off to run less lean angle at the same radius” no matter what the bike or traction situation.
Start small: How did my wife Judy finally get comfortable riding her 750 on a gravel driveway and dirt county road? She rode her Honda XR100, then her Yamaha XT250…oh, and she read this article.
Keep your eyes way out front and scanning so you will be smoother with your inputs. Learn to look beside the huge boulder, not at the huge boulder. Master both brakes so you can slow your bike with balanced, light braking. Ride in the right or left car wheel track to avoid the thickest gravel. If you’re approaching an apparently deep section of gravel, accelerate through it. Don’t be shy about putting your feet down during U-turns or slow going. And here’s a final technique that might sound a little goofy. Try this: Next time you encounter a gravel road, gently but quickly push and pull your bars, moving each hand no more than an inch or two, intentionally steering the front tire right and left in a fairly-quick cadence for a few yards. If you try this right away, it gives you a feel for the grip and gets you in the habit of allowing the front tire and handlebars to move slightly.
More next Tuesday! 
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