Can You Ride a Cruiser Motorcycle on Gravel? – (5 Important Tips)

If you often ride in hilly areas, you sometimes encounter gravel roads. That’s why you must be prepared and practice for such a situation. Several tips help you easily pass gravel road conditions.

So, can you ride a cruiser motorcycle on gravel? Taking a heavyweight cruiser motorcycle on gravel roads is not safe for beginners. Because there are chances of an accident when you lose control of the bike, it’s better to find an alternative road if you’re not confident enough. But, an expert motorcyclist can ride a cruiser motorcycle on gravel roads without any issue. So, riding a motorcycle on gravel and dirt depends on your driving skills.

Can Cruiser Motorcycles Go on Gravel?

Cruiser motorcycles are generally heavyweight, giving excellent stability when riding on good roads. But riding it on gravel roads can be unsafe for someone who never rides on such roads. You can ride your cruiser motorcycle in bad road conditions at a slow speed.

What Kind Of Bike Should I Ride On Gravel?

Mountain and dirt bikes are typically lightweight and run perfectly on gravel and sand. If you’re looking to adventure on gravel roads, go with dirt bikes instead of cruiser or sports bikes because these bikes are designed for cruising and racing on normal roads.

How To Ride Motorcycle on Gravel?

Street motorcyclists generally avoid riding into gravels, but turning around is not always an option. So, practice riding in such bad road conditions. Practice makes a man perfect! But some universal laws of physics can save you from accidents.

Here are a few tips you should follow to ride a motorcycle on gravel roads:

1. Don’t Accelerate

Whenever you accelerate your motorcycle, a traction force applies on the road, and the frictional force between your tire and the road pushes the motorcycle forward.

But if you accelerate your bike while riding on a gravel road, the traction force will change its direction if the stone slips from the tire, and you’ll lose your balance.

So, when riding on gravel, dirt, or sand, ensure you don’t accelerate your motorcycle. Also, don’t accelerate your motorcycle if you suddenly see gravel or stones because of damaged roads.

2. Don’t Press The Brake

You’ll not notice any imbalances if you continue riding at contact speed. If you press the brake, a retardation force will apply between the wheel and the road, and due to the absence of friction, you’ll lose control.

So, if you’re riding your cruiser motorcycle on gravel or sand, don’t try to stop your vehicle suddenly. You can leave the accelerator to stop your motorcycle.

3. Ride At a Slow Speed

Creating balance at higher speeds is difficult, especially when road conditions are not good. So, if you’re driving on gravel, don’t ride at a higher speed. Once the bad road condition passes, you can increase your riding speed to your choice.

4. Don’t Swerve

Your heavyweight motorcycle will be stable if the center of mass is properly balanced. If you swerve while riding, the center of mass will shift, and your bike may slip on the gravel. So, avoid swerving and ride straight when riding on a gravel road.

5. Be Relaxed

Your mental strength is equally important as your physical strength. So, relax your shoulders and handlebar grip when driving in dust, gravel, or sand. The more relaxed you are, the less you overreact to the bike movement, which helps create more balance while riding.

Conclusion

It’s better to avoid riding heavyweight motorcycles in gravel, dirt, and sand. Because the center of mass always shifts and due to being weight, it became hard to control and create balance. If there is no option, follow the tips above to ride a cruiser motorcycle on gravel and sand safely.