The Totality of Times we Tend to Test, or Toss Tyre Traction

[David W]

How often do you let one or both of your motorbike's tyres lose traction and/or slip or slide?

How often do you intentionally test your tyre traction by running the risk of having a tyre slip or slide?

In any of those cases, which tyre is it?
Or is it both?

(I predict that the situations described above are rare enough that we can list them ALL here in this one thread.)

[alans1100]

Never - at least on purpose.

In nearly eleven years the rear end has skipped a little sidewise on some rough (corrugations) sections of dirt/gravel roads otherwise the traction control would prevent loss of traction. I can turn the TCS off but never have.

[David W]

Never - at least on purpose. ...

I can almost agree with that when it comes to the front tyre.

But one time, I was riding a 1982 Honda Gold Wing GL1100 in town, in light traffic, moving in a straight path. I perceived some kind of hazard ahead and grabbed the brake lever (on that bike that had standard, triple disc brakes). The worn front tire slid forward making a skidding sound, and I quickly let off of that lever before I had any significant, dreaded loss of balance. My rider training had taught me to release that lever immediately if the front tyre skids. That training did not include field testing of the principle. That was the first time that I had to apply the principle. Because I did not have so much as a close call, I am glad it happened but have not since repeated the experiment. That street was entirely level and dry, which is why there were no dire effects. IMO.
I might repeat the experiment under similar conditions riding solo, just for the practice. (But I would make sure that I could hear the tyre squeal before attempting it. And I would not try it in traffic.)

I had to think hard to find that single exception to Alan's message.

The rear tyre is probably something else, IMO, and I hope to comment on that rear later.

Reminder for the Reader: No one here is responsible in any way for your riding safety, or lack thereof.
Skidding of tyres is a practice that is NOT recommended (except maybe the rear one, under very controlled conditions to be discussed here later).

[mbrST1100]

Over their wide safety envelope, I realy like my Bridgestone Exedra G547/548 in this...

Skidding front can happen, like when making a quick(er) turn into an alley and crossing the white pedestrian X-ing paint there, dust, diesel spill, etc... or when entering a back-sweep/hairpin a little too ambitious and it turns out that the tarmac had been pretty "polished" by coaches, trucks and general high traffic load...
So you gently feel the front starting to move/slide out, as described, don't "react", don't startle, just ease on the handle, if not disturbed the bike straightens itself out all by itself there.

Quick cornering is another specialty, here front and rear tire show the same, calm feedback, inviting to "play": open the throttle -> front and rear gently drift out alike, close throttle and the bike just goes steady in the intended track/line...

Again, with Exedras it ain't a sudden loss of grip, as well as there is not a sudden gain of it either...

[alans1100]

I don't think anyone out here uses the Exerda

Most use PR4 or PR3 even though it means putting the 1300 rear on the 1100.

[mbrST1100]

I don't think anyone out here uses the Exerda

Yeah... right...
There several things about those oh so modern tires I don't like...
Like the sudden loss of traction, without much of a warning...
Same for sudden gain of traction, provoking a high-sider...
TLGO, but would go off topic here...


... transmitted from a CAT S60 thing ...

[WJBertrand]

On a dirt bike I've deliberately slid the front and rear, usually the rear either by throttle or brake. I've never slid the front wheel on the street on purpose but have had it happen accidentally whilst turning on occasion. Sometimes on wet pavement at low speed and when perfectly straight and vertical I'll purposely skid the rear briefly as a traction test. These days with ABS, I can't purposely do that anymore so I will instead deliberately engage the rear ABS as a test. I have also inadvertently engaged the front ABS when I didn't notice a spill of some kind (coolant or fuel) when approaching a stop. The bike stopped normally except that I observed that the ABS was cycling. Wonder what would have happened without the ABS?

[mbrST1100]

Wonder what would have happened without the ABS?

You'd feel the steering turn to one side due the wheel skidding, so you'll react by briefly release & apply the (front) brakes till you've stopped...
And then nearly loose your footing over the boot slipping in that pool of bloody diesel spill you're in...
(managed to stop safely, but tore something in left thigh, sore for a while...)

... transmitted from a CAT S60 thing ...

[alans1100]

These days with ABS, I can't purposely do that anymore so I will instead deliberately engage the rear ABS as a test. I have also inadvertently engaged the front ABS when I didn't notice a spill of some kind (coolant or fuel) when approaching a stop.

Not sure if that's possible with the CBS on my 1100A. I am aware the ABS will activate the wheel that is losing traction regardless of which brake (foot, hand or both together)

[PeterPan]

It wasn’t on purpose but I lost the rear end that caused me to use the whole road on the Isle of Arron. Scotland.
I came around a corner on a damp road and lost the rear end one way then corrected it and lost it the other. I then managed to get myself back on track.

I remember two things. The first one was if I go off the road into that gorse I will never be found. Nobody knew I was even on the island. The second was that it came to me in a flash of why/how I managed to sort it out. Sadly 5 seconds later I had forgotten.

The tyre were probably O2’s



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