The HILL

[Coffeejunkie]

Well it looks like my wife and I are on the cusp of buying our first home, and while it has a lot of perks there's one minor detail. The drive to this particular home is one massive steep hill. Since I have a 150 up is certainly not a problem, but down is a whole different unnerving issue. The first 30 yds of this hills slops at a slightly steeper grade than the rest.

So in short I'm looking for a little advice on how to handle steep grades at a lower speeds. (San Fran people I'm looking at you.)

I did look around in the forum but I couldn't find what I was looking for. So if there is a thread for this already please let me know.

[Taz]

Keep your weight to the rear. Be more cautious with the brakes. Heavy usage of the front brake could potentially cause you to endo (the opposite of a wheelie). I doubt this is likely to happen. The rear brake WILL be easier to lock up due to the increased weight transfer to the front.

I likely doubt you'll need much time to adapt. Just be careful the first few times and ALWAYS when it is slick.

[TVB]

Well it looks like my wife and I are on the cusp of buying our first home, and while it has a lot of perks there's one minor detail. The drive to this particular home is one massive steep hill.

Isn't there a cable car to/from the top of Stone Mountain?

[Coffeejunkie]

Well it looks like my wife and I are on the cusp of buying our first home, and while it has a lot of perks there's one minor detail. The drive to this particular home is one massive steep hill.

Isn't there a cable car to/from the top of Stone Mountain?

There is but it won't help me in Brookwood .

[k1dude]

Use both brakes evenly. Use engine braking as well (hands off the throttle - obviously). If you use too much front brake you will pitch over the front of the scooter (endo - like Taz said). If you use too much rear brake it will skid (depending on how steep, how slick the pavement is, and how much rear brake is applied). Scoot back on the seat more to keep your weight as far back as comfortable. If you scoot back too far you won't be able to steer as well because your arms are too extended.

Keep in mind about 70% of your stopping power comes from your front brake. But use it smoothly and carefully so you don't endo.

[alienmeatsack]

I occassionally ride up and down the hill at Turkey Mountain here. It's pretty steep and going down is very unnerving.

I typically take it slow, use the rear brake to keep me slowed and do not go much over 30 till I get to the part near the bottom where it starts to level out.

On one occassion I just let it go and rolled down and hit 55 with no gas (clutch in on the Stella) and that kinda freaked me out for some reason.

[Coffeejunkie]

On one occassion I just let it go and rolled down and hit 55 with no gas (clutch in on the Stella) and that kinda freaked me out for some reason.

I think it has to do with what I'm calling the roller coaster effect. You're riding a small vehicle pulling towards the top, and then you get to the end and you can see all the way down. The only thing that is different is that you have control on how fast you go, but for me it's that same feeling of seeing all the way down knowing that's where I'm going like it or not.

[thehypercube]

first ride up to the top of the hill to a point where it flattens out, then continue on about 100 ft. next, do a u-turn and go wot towards the beginning of the drop-off. if you do it right you'll land at the bottom of the hill and won't need to worry about any of this.

i live on a steep hill and encounter a few to and from my workplace. just take it slow going down - applying brakes evenly. it's probably more mental than anything and you'll get used to it.

[Taz]

Warning- if you find the following content humorous and injure yourself from laughter, I am not responsible for your injuries. What I am about to relate is a true story. The names have been changed to protect the innocent and guilty. This got me thinking about a somewhat related situation I once encountered while trail riding in the N. Georgia mountains. I was on my race ATV (Quadzilla) and had done some pretty steep hill climbs that were really scary. The were especially scary since they were really slick after some serious rainfall the preceding days.

My buddy and I stopped at the top of a particularly steep climb. The last 20 feet where pretty much vertical. You had to a carry sufficient speed to sort of coast that last 20 feet to clear it without flipping over backward but not so much as to launch up too high and not land on the ledge where we were parked waiting for one of the less seasoned (and more timid) riders of our group.

He sat at the bottom building up his courage to make the banzai run up the hill that it required. I preferred to use more finesse but he felt brute force was the only way he was going to make it. I heard the revs go up and then he launched. He was definitely carrying some real speed. Whoaaaaa buddy now. Wayyyy too much speed. Holy doo doo batman! Better back her off a bit there son.

OMFG! He needs to let off RIGHT NOW! I am staring at my friend next to me and he seems to be thinking what I’m thinking. This is going to be the first “Good ol’ boy space launch” from Georgia if he doesn’t get off the throttle. Apparently he took our advice way too seriously about carrying enough speed to make the last 20 feet. I’ll just call him Goober for the rest of this tale.

Mission control this is the Shuttle Columbia, we have a Yamaha Banshee in low orbit below us is how I figured the headlines would read or something akin to that. Well Goober cleared the last 20 feet with about 20-30 mph to spare. He launches up wayyyyy over our heads. For a moment he blocked out the sun above us as he launched. While flying past I couldn’t help but notice where he got that nice new ding on his skidplate.

Then it hit my buddy Jerry and I, what goes up, must come down. Apparently that Banshee had some serious hang time and Goober was wailing louder than his Banshee. I could hear “Lord-a-mighty” combined with some other expletives unfit to print here coming out of his mouth. Jerry and I jam our quads in gear to get the heck out. Nobody wants to be around when Goober lands (hopefully not on top of us).

Too late, here comes the ICBM Goober on re-entry into our atmosphere. He lands with a surprisingly solid rumble. SURPRISINGLY SOLID RUMBLE. OMG! We are in some serious trouble now. I’ve just realized the true magnitude of the situation.

GOB Goober has just created a mini-avalanche upon re-entry. His impact was so hard that it broke the support of the rain-soaked ledge. We are now all starting to rapidly slide down hill on a giant clod of dirt. It is picking up speed very quickly. Jerry hasn’t really realized what is happening and I see him mashing the brakes. Not going to work there buddy! He thinks he has started to “roll” down the hill not realizing we are about to be in a world of hurt in a matter of seconds if we don’t get things under control.

After my initial moment of stupor, I nail the gas and dump the clutch launching off the clod of dirt. Ooooppps, maybe out of the frying pan and into the fire but at least I have more control other than “gravity sucks!” I have just launched myself off of what remained of our ledge and now have two very bewildered looking friends chasing me on a gigantic clod of dirt. One of the best things I ever learned about riding in the dirt was “When in doubt, GAS IT!

Boy did I gas it. WFO down an incredibly steep hill. Jerry decided to get while the gettin’ was good and launched off the clod. He did the same little side to side bunny hop I did when landing as the tires quickly caught up with the ground speed.

Sadly for Goober he had that Whyle E. Coyote look on his face when he realizes he has just been tricked by the Roadrunner. This was about the time that the dirt clod decided to imitate the continents in its best imitation of “continental drift”. Yes, this was NOT going to be a good day for Goober. It wasn’t looking that good for Jerry or me either. I hauled tail down through the trees at probably close to 80 mph. I got my butt over the rear fender and tried to slow my descent while keep my rear from passing my front. Gerry was doing the same thing and trying to stay one the good side of the ragged edge of control equation.

Goober finally got his stuff together and launched all too timidly off the clod. Keep in mind this all transpired in a manner of seconds and Goober was still a little punch drunk from the impact of his landing. To his credit though he gave it a go. Unfortunately Goober wasn’t really pointed the right way things to his original landing though the separation of the continents did help him out a bit. Suffice to say Goober had a very hard landing and didn’t ride it out as successfully as we did.

Problem was he was using too much front brake and lost steering control. He then let off and used more rear brake which didn’t have any weight on the rear wheels. Rear end started to pass the front. I am sure some of you know the drill…

Goober let of the rear brake. Too late! Goober did his best imitation of the Six Million Dollar Man crash scene at the opening of the show. Goober was ejected. I didn’t know Banshees had ejection seats until then. Then parts were flung into the air about as fast as a tornado hits a Georgia trailer park. About 1 minute later and we found Goober’s body. No, it wasn’t lifeless but he was unconscious. First thing Goober said when he came to was “That was a hell of a ride! Where’s my scooter?”

That was the bad ending to Goober’s day. He amazing escaped pretty much unscathed even after rag-dolling the last 150 feet down the hill. His Banshee was pretty much toast though. Amazing thing was Goober probably could have survived all of it without a scratch if he hadn’t over-used his brakes. Hope you all enjoyed the little tale. It is a true story as I said.

[adameg]

Well it looks like my wife and I are on the cusp of buying our first home, and while it has a lot of perks there's one minor detail. The drive to this particular home is one massive steep hill. Since I have a 150 up is certainly not a problem, but down is a whole different unnerving issue. The first 30 yds of this hills slops at a slightly steeper grade than the rest.

So in short I'm looking for a little advice on how to handle steep grades at a lower speeds. (San Fran people I'm looking at you.)

I did look around in the forum but I couldn't find what I was looking for. So if there is a thread for this already please let me know.

I'd strap on a pair of wings and do it up hang gliding style!!!

[louie]

wow Taz! that's some story...


Coffeejunkie, keep your driveway clean. wet leaves, mud, and gravel suck.

[Cheshire]

Depending on how long the hill is, don't ride your brakes the whole way down. You'll run the risk of overheating them and glazing the disc pads. Engine braking, get your speed down lower than you think you need to so you can let off them to cool for a couple seconds. And yeah...keep your weight back so both tires keep traction.

[Coffeejunkie]

Thanks guys this is all good advice. Soon (as long as our bid is accepted) I'll be humping that hill like a pro.

[ScootStevie]

Thanks guys this is all good advice. Soon (as long as our bid is accepted) I'll be humping that hill like a pro.

Good luck on the house. The wifey and bought ours in Oct. It's a great time to buy as long as those banks will free up the $$$$

[kmtscoot]

I tend to freak out when cresting over a hill and you can't see the road down the other side. It feels like you're launching out into space.