So I was on a ride today with four buddys out on a road with lots of blind twisties down by a lake. I came around one to find that much of the lane had a layer of sand. Luckily there were two clear tracks (from car tires) to chose from. I chose the outside (poor decision) but it seemed like the best choice at the time. I was able to make it through but I did slide a little. Very scary.

Which brings me to a question, if I feel my bike starting to slide (rear tire), should I ease of the throttle? I feel like I was really close to a low side.
Other than "always check the road before riding it fast", is anything else I could have done?

Yes ease the throttle but do not brake unless you know what you are doing.
Welcome to the wonderful world of motorcycles.

DO NOTHING TO THE THROTTLE! Hang off the bike and stand it up as much as possible.

Any change in throttle can effect the balance of the bike, if the weight shifts forward (letting off the throttle) it can cause the back tire to lose traction. Also the engine can brake the tire and cause it to break traction.

This could be debated like all the little kids do on a you tube clip off some one lowsiding to no end.

Should you "ease" off the the throttle mid slide? Yeh right. Very few could just ease the throttle off. The natural thing to do is chop the throttle right away when they feel the back wheel sliding. This can be a bad thing. Depending on your speed you have now got out of your lowside situation left yourself open for the dreaded highside.

It is so hard to say what to do but what you did was pretty good imo. You chose your line and committed to it. Try not to fixate on the sand even though it is so hard not to do. Try not to touch the brakes especially the front.  Ideally try and just keep on the throttle and ride through the corner trusting the bike and hoping you find grip. Remember a lowside is probably gonna be less painful than a highside.

Quote from: crzydood17 on March 04, 2013, 12:14:18 AM
DO NOTHING TO THE THROTTLE!

Well I have been in the same situation and easing off the throttle saved my ass but all situations are different so I would also state you should hold on and pray to the motorcycle gods to be kind.

Would any of you guys lock the rear brake if the bike kept slipping out?

Quote from: slipperymongoose on March 04, 2013, 01:26:20 AM
Would any of you guys lock the rear brake if the bike kept slipping out?

Lock it on purpose? Why? If the bike is sliding you would only be contributing to it more?

Quote from: Twisted on March 04, 2013, 01:45:02 AM

Quote from: slipperymongoose on March 04, 2013, 01:26:20 AM
Would any of you guys lock the rear brake if the bike kept slipping out?

Lock it on purpose? Why? If the bike is sliding you would only be contributing to it more?

Yea plus 1 on that?
Locking the brakes is asking for it?

I rode dirt for a number of years before I rode street, when my '79 GS750 was full lock sideways after hitting some anti freeze I chopped the throttle abruptly and rode it out (in that particular case). Truth is when that kind of thing happens you don't have any time to think about what your going to do, muscle memory takes over..in my case years of dirt riding kicked in and saved my ass. So my official answer is smooth on the throttle usually wins.     

In most cases, checking the throttle is the best default reaction. Maintain current throttle - don't add, don't let go.

If you kept it up with lean angle and sand, you did fine. Good job!

Quote from: codajastal on March 04, 2013, 01:52:03 AM

Quote from: Twisted on March 04, 2013, 01:45:02 AM

Quote from: slipperymongoose on March 04, 2013, 01:26:20 AM
Would any of you guys lock the rear brake if the bike kept slipping out?

Lock it on purpose? Why? If the bike is sliding you would only be contributing to it more?

Yea plus 1 on that?
Locking the brakes is asking for it?

I'm talking locking the back and doing a skid like on a pushy. Cause if your mid slide back is out soon as that back tyre regains grip and its not inline with your front wheels it's game over.

Quote from: slipperymongoose on March 04, 2013, 04:03:44 AM

Quote from: codajastal on March 04, 2013, 01:52:03 AM

Quote from: Twisted on March 04, 2013, 01:45:02 AM

Quote from: slipperymongoose on March 04, 2013, 01:26:20 AM
Would any of you guys lock the rear brake if the bike kept slipping out?

Lock it on purpose? Why? If the bike is sliding you would only be contributing to it more?

Yea plus 1 on that?
Locking the brakes is asking for it?

I'm talking locking the back and doing a skid like on a pushy. Cause if your mid slide back is out soon as that back tyre regains grip and its not inline with your front wheels it's game over.

Yeh I don't think it would work quite the same on a motorcycle with increased speed and weight over a pushbike

Food for thought. But a puckering moment none the less

When I felt my ass end go sliding when my rear tire decided it wanted to blow out getting on I-75's on ramp, I chopped the throttle, dropped a foot to the ground, and counter steered like you would a truck in mud (aka my experience) to get it straight and then just let the engine do all the braking.

That's probably all the wrong things to do in that situation, eh? It worked though!

Works for me on a normal road surface, a quick throttle chop and countersteer catches it. Years ago I tried a Dunlop touring tire on the back of my 97 GS like I had used on my old Hondas for long tire life and in the 18k miles I had it on I did that chop/c'steer movement a lot.  After my 1st trip to the Smoky mtns following JP on his GS1100E over the Dragon and up the Blue Ridge Pky on that K491 I had a pair of Z4/Z2 radials on before a return trip to the Smokys and also to the upper NY mtns next year.

On the other hand ice is different.  Hold everything steady and don't even breath until your off the ice.    In all the years I rode winters here in NE OH I only hit black ice once in a 35-40 mph left hand curve on a 2 lane.  I was riding in the left tire lane and caught the center ice between the tire lanes and just held it motionless until I slid across and caught again on the other side of the road.  Likewise, coming straight over a hill crest at about 45 mph another time I saw a 15-20 foot sheet of ice ahead covering the road.  Steady as she goes and right straight across.

This will be debated, and debated...also hindsight is always 20/20.

Whenever I'm on a road or corner or hill that's blind, I proceed with caution.  99% it's OK, but that one time that it's not you'll thank yourself for it.

Quote from: slipperymongoose on March 04, 2013, 01:26:20 AM
Would any of you guys lock the rear brake if the bike kept slipping out?

speed, it depends on the speed.

if it was parking lot speed, i'd spin up the rear and jump up on the tank, cut a shaZam! ton of counter steer. what happens next ? the rear regains (hope!) traction at some point, slings the bike back up, and the heavy counter steer will self-correct, and before you know it, you're going straight again. that's if you want to keep going.

if you want to STOP at parking lot speeds, same thing, just use the rear brake. you'll end up stopped, with no momentum, and the bike vertical.

if it was 30 mph, hell no ! locking the rear will almost guarantee a highside in this case.

if it was 60 mph, hell no !

Quote from: gsJack on March 04, 2013, 08:40:06 AM
Works for me on a normal road surface, a quick throttle chop and countersteer catches it. Years ago I tried a Dunlop touring tire on the back of my 97 GS like I had used on my old Hondas for long tire life and in the 18k miles I had it on I did that chop/c'steer movement a lot.  After my 1st trip to the Smoky mtns following JP on his GS1100E over the Dragon and up the Blue Ridge Pky on that K491 I had a pair of Z4/Z2 radials on before a return trip to the Smokys and also to the upper NY mtns next year.

On the other hand ice is different.  Hold everything steady and don't even breath until your off the ice.    In all the years I rode winters here in NE OH I only hit black ice once in a 35-40 mph left hand curve on a 2 lane.  I was riding in the left tire lane and caught the center ice between the tire lanes and just held it motionless until I slid across and caught again on the other side of the road.  Likewise, coming straight over a hill crest at about 45 mph another time I saw a 15-20 foot sheet of ice ahead covering the road.  Steady as she goes and right straight across.

shaZam!, did you ever get your seat out of your ass ? (pucker)

No pucker, I was a kid of around 70 back then.    I've grown up a little and grown old a lot since then and am thru with the mountain years and not going out in weather as cold as I used to.  From 70-80 is all downhill but downhill is still better stopping.