V E N G E A N C E M O T O R C Y C L E S O W N E R S M A N U A L
- 16 -
Vengeance Motorcycles, Mira Loma, CA USA • 866-483-6432 • www.VengeanceMotorcycles.com
© 2004 Vengeance Performance Products, LLC All Rights Reserved • VOM 2nd Edition Rev 2.0 11/03
You might be in one of those two-mile-per-hour parking lot scenarios, a mild, low-speed skid when your front wheel
starts to go out from under you. A foot on the ground may keep the bike upright and the rubber side down. This is not
an easy thing to do, and should only be done if all else fails.
Riding Across Poor Road Surfaces
Here are a few simple rules you should follow when you anticipate coping with sand, mud, water or any loose surface
or obstruction in the road:
Downshift and slow before you reach the problem area.
If there is traffic in the area, make sure that the drivers are aware you are slowing.
Try to cross the bad surface in a straight line, or at least do not change direction or speed abruptly.
Stay ready to maintain the balance of the motorcycle.
If you are moving along and have to go over an obstruction that is lying across the road, like a 2-inch x 4-inch piece of
wood, rise up on the footpegs and shift your weight toward the back of the saddle as your front wheel comes up to the
obstacle. This will make it easier for the front wheel to bounce up and over. Then move your weight forward to help
your rear wheel get over.
Do not accelerate until your bike is completely over the obstacle.
Steel Bridge Gratings and Rain Grooves
Steel-mesh bridges can be extremely unnerving. Keep an even throttle and keep the bike straight. Don’t grip the
handlebars too hard. If there is a vibration in the handlebars, do not fight it. This is a natural feedback from your tires
going over these thousands of little squares.
Some parts of the country have rain grooves in the highways. They’re not very popular among motorcyclists. This is
when the road surface, usually concrete, has several dozen grooves running lengthwise down each lane. The
purpose of the grooves is to prevent cars and trucks from losing traction when it rains.
The reaction of the bike to these grooves often has to do with the tread pattern on the tires. Sometimes it feels as
though the motorcycle is getting a flat tire, with a squishy back-and-forth sideways motion. Don’t worry, just keep
going straight. Don’t fight the handlebars. There is nothing dangerous about these rain grooves - it just feels funny to
ride on them.
Rain
Haul out the rain gear you’ve stowed in a handy spot. Make sure your rain gloves and rain boots fit properly. Poorly
fitted ones can lessen your ability to brake and shift.
Be most cautious when it first starts to rain. That is when the water goes into all the dimples in the road, and the oil
residue from passing vehicles floats to the top. That gets slippery! A wise motorcyclist will stop for a cup of coffee
when it starts to rain; who knows, it could all be over in 15 minutes, and you won’t even have to put on the rain suit.
After a while the oil will be washed off to the side of the road. However, traction on a wet surface may not be as good
as on a dry road. Be careful.
Wind
Strong winds can create problems for a motorcyclist. A constant 25-mph wind from the side can make for less-than-
happy riding. Gusty wind is the worst. You might have to lean a bit into the wind to maintain your position. Keep the
motorcycle on the side of the lane that the wind is coming from. This is in case a big blast moves you over a bit.
Expect it and be ready to react.
