F3- Thoughts on a packed gravel road

[diverd]

I am taking a trip with a group of friends who are wanting to ride Hell's Backbone in Utah.
I am told it's a tight packed gravel road and wanted to get others thoughts on doing this on my F3.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCvsYNMKrsM

[RayBJ]

It's risky at best. Way too much loose stone. Bring a spare belt and tools to make the change.

[ChicagoSpyder]

I am taking a trip with a group of friends who are wanting to ride Hell's Backbone in CO.
I am told it's a tight packed gravel road and wanted to get others thoughts on doing this on my F3.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCvsYNMKrsM

The dust isn't bad on that road, when you said packed gravel I was thinking like Illinois/Indiana gravel farm roads that are dusty as hell.

After watching that vid you posted I'd run that Devils Backbone on my F3 in a heartbeat.

[Hoginedgewood]

I saw plenty of stones big enough to damage a belt. Are you willing to deal with the consequences? Time/money? Its a video of dual sport riding. I think I took my electraglide and pulled a trailer on that road.

[ARtraveler]

Mr. Conservative says he would not drive his F3L's there.

I have already been burned by loose rocks breaking belts twice. Once on a campground road, and once in my driveway because I was to eager to get out at winter layover. About a thousand dollars later, I think I learned my lessons.

I am much better doing that with the new Mule we bought.

[old Timer]

Is there any type of protection or shield or ?????? that will help protect the belt. I am seriously considering selling my R1250 GS, keeping my littler 310GS and getting a new F3L or RT. Had a Botched Gallbladder operation in October just after buying a brand new BMW R1250GS......Spent 27 days in the hospital......and my life has taken a big change, My Beemer now has only 2,100 miles on it. No plans to ride a new Spyder on the occasional Forrest service rd...........but.......

Still plan to be out in the wind.

[fatboy]

i would ride it also

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Is there any type of protection or shield or ?????? that will help protect the belt. I am seriously considering selling my R1250 GS, keeping my littler 310GS and getting a new F3L or RT. Had a Botched Gallbladder operation in October just after buying a brand new BMW R1250GS......Spent 27 days in the hospital......and my life has taken a big change, My Beemer now has only 2,100 miles on it. No plans to ride a new Spyder on the occasional Forrest service rd...........but.......

Still plan to be out in the wind.

I know they make them for the RT ( I made my own ) .... check the vendors on the forum for F-3 application .... Mike

[UtahPete]

Is there any type of protection or shield or ?????? that will help protect the belt. I am seriously considering selling my R1250 GS, keeping my littler 310GS and getting a new F3L or RT. Had a Botched Gallbladder operation in October just after buying a brand new BMW R1250GS......Spent 27 days in the hospital......and my life has taken a big change, My Beemer now has only 2,100 miles on it. No plans to ride a new Spyder on the occasional Forrest service rd...........but.......

Still plan to be out in the wind.

Yes, there are belt guards to reduce the risk of stones in the belt, but you might be better off with a shaft drive Ryker.

Sorry about your botched operation. That sucks.

[BajaRon]

I'd go. Yes, there is risk to the belt. You might want to get a belt guard. But I live on a 900 ft. loose gravel driveway. Been up and down it many times. Much worse that anything I saw on this video. Only 900 feet, but I've ridden it, at pretty good speeds, hundreds of times. Could be a bit of luck involved. But life is a risk. And I'd say this road is low risk.

You can reduce the risk by how you place your Spyder in the roadway. Try to keep your tires from running on any windrowed gravel. I think the chances are high that you'll be fine.

[motoswami]

My quick $.02 regarding the possibility of damage:

I had run up and down my gravel drive a number of times, and ridden other gravel roads out in the boonies with my earlier RT and F3 with no issue. Fortunately, where my damage experience happened was just as I rounded the circle in front of my garage- maybe 50' from reaching the pavement - and a rock popped up and caught between the belt and the sprocket. Rather than break either belt or sprocket, I only broke an adjuster bolt, but I was dead in the water since the belt was instantly too loose to create forward propulsion. I had to push it into the garage, where the fix was simple and cheap.

Out in the boonies, it wudda been an entirely different issue.

YMMV

[ChicagoSpyder]

It's risky at best. Way too much loose stone. Bring a spare belt and tools to make the change.

A must out in the boonies, being a sledder I'm used to spare belts and spinning wrenches in no mans land. Oh and don't forget a tow rope LOL

I'd go. Yes, there is risk to the belt. You might want to get a belt guard. But I live on a 900 ft. loose gravel driveway. Been up and down it many times. Much worse that anything I saw on this video. Only 900 feet, but I've ridden it, at pretty good speeds, hundreds of times. Could be a bit of luck involved. But life is a risk. And I'd say this road is low risk.

You can reduce the risk by how you place your Spyder in the roadway. Try to keep your tires from running on any windrowed gravel. I think the chances are high that you'll be fine.

Agree on the bold, and combined with moderate speed it should all be good.

[McRuss]

I am taking a trip with a group of friends who are wanting to ride Hell's Backbone in CO.
I am told it's a tight packed gravel road and wanted to get others thoughts on doing this on my F3.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCvsYNMKrsM

Umm, not to be a nit picker but THIS Hell's Backbone is in Utah, not Colorado. The closest road I can think of in Colorado that would honor that name is Skyline Drive near Canon City. And it is paved.

[Jdr00ejr]

My Victory Vision is Belt Drive. I've ridden it down many gravel roads. My F3S is Belt Drive - I've ridden it down many gravel roads. There are many many motorcycles made that are belt drive but it seems the Spyder in particular are the group I see with the most concerned people about rocks and belts. I wonder if it has anything to do with the wider tire?

I know there are some who have had a rock/belt issue - looks like some in this post. I know there are many many many who are scared to death of ever driving on rocks for that very reason.

Me - I'd take that road no problem. Would I carry I spare belt? I don't know - depends on how I felt before that trip and how much extra room I had. But I'm not one to fear rocks and belts. Everyone is different.

[BajaRon]

My Victory Vision is Belt Drive. I've ridden it down many gravel roads. My F3S is Belt Drive - I've ridden it down many gravel roads. There are many many motorcycles made that are belt drive but it seems the Spyder in particular are the group I see with the most concerned people about rocks and belts. I wonder if it has anything to do with the wider tire?

I know there are some who have had a rock/belt issue - looks like some in this post. I know there are many many many who are scared to death of ever driving on rocks for that very reason.

Me - I'd take that road no problem. Would I carry I spare belt? I don't know - depends on how I felt before that trip and how much extra room I had. But I'm not one to fear rocks and belts. Everyone is different.

Not only much wider tires with a much bigger footprint. But 3 of them instead of 2. Still, adventure and risk are just part of life. How much and when is just a choice. Trying to avoid all risk is a waste of time. Being reasonable and smart about how to approach it is the better way to go.

[RayBJ]

By no means am I a Spyder guru but I see the difference in risk between 2-wheels & the Spyder being the 2 front wheels kicking up stones that can find themselves lodged in the belt. A single front radiused wheel will likely kick the stones away from the rear on a bike. The front, flat tire profile of the Spyder will create much more debris that will get thrown under the Spyder - adding to the risk. Same physics with the rear, flat tire surface. Cornering in the loose stuff will only add to the chance. AGAIN, just my technical background opinion, not based on Spyder knowledge. I've ridden my RT about 5 miles on that kind of loose crap without damage but I would avoid doing it if possible.

[UtahPete]

I am taking a trip with a group of friends who are wanting to ride Hell's Backbone in CO. I am told it's a tight packed gravel road and wanted to get others thoughts on doing this on my F3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCvsYNMKrsM

I agree with another post that this road is in Utah. Central Utah, actually. It is a scenic detour off a very scenic Highway 12, that itself was a gravel road until about 20 years ago. A beautiful area of mostly paved roads. I don't remember just how long the Devil's Backbone detour is, but it's never too far from the main Highway 12, so if by some calamity you do have a problem with your bike out there, help is not too far away - an adventure, not a disaster.

Since you're riding with others, I'd say go for it, enjoy the ride and don't worry about it. The road is packed dirt, not that much gravel at all. The ride out to Escalante and Boulder is spectacular in itself and not to be missed. If you want to eliminate all risk, stay on Highway 12 while your friends take the back road detour and meet them at the other end back on Hwy 12.

The road to avoid is Burr Trail through the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. You'll want an off road vehicle for that.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell%27s_Backbone_Road

[Rattlebars]

I'd go. Yes, there is risk to the belt. You might want to get a belt guard. But I live on a 900 ft. loose gravel driveway. Been up and down it many times. Much worse that anything I saw on this video. Only 900 feet, but I've ridden it, at pretty good speeds, hundreds of times. Could be a bit of luck involved. But life is a risk. And I'd say this road is low risk.

You can reduce the risk by how you place your Spyder in the roadway. Try to keep your tires from running on any windrowed gravel. I think the chances are high that you'll be fine.

I know there are some who have had a rock/belt issue - looks like some in this post. I know there are many many many who are scared to death of ever driving on rocks for that very reason.

Me - I'd take that road no problem. Would I carry I spare belt? I don't know - depends on how I felt before that trip and how much extra room I had. But I'm not one to fear rocks and belts. Everyone is different.

I'd follow you! I would just make sure I had my rear fender extension screwed on.

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[whodat]

If I couldn't run my spyder down dirt roads I wouldn't be able to drive it at all. I also have a long dirt/gravel driveway, and half the roads around me are unpaved. I mash the front into the ground regularly, but I have the F3S which is a bit lower anyway. No problems so far.

[diverd]

Thank you everyone for the great feedback. I corrected my original post, I meant Utah not Co.
Been weighing the risks vs what could be an amazing reward and have decided to do it, taking it slow.

[frj322]

I have to agree with whodat. We wouldn’t be able to ride if we didn’t go down the dirt roads. My wife and I each have a 2018 F3s and we live down a mile of dirt and gravel. We take it slow and easy and no problems so far. Now this infernal DUST… that’s a whole other issue. Since you are in much the same situation whodat, what do you do to keep yours clean?

[rjinaz86323]

.... what do you do to keep yours clean?

I too live on a dirt road (not as long as yours), but these things are dust magnets.

[whodat]

"The Original California Car Duster" (as seen on TV)
Seriously, the thing works great for taking dust off. Get the two pack that has the big one and the dash duster.

[frj322]

Great minds think alike! That’s what we’ve been using since moving out here, just a couple of minutes every time we get home and they are presentable. Not clean, but presentable so it works. I wonder if there’s a better way?

[BajaRon]

Thank you everyone for the great feedback. I corrected my original post, I meant Utah not Co.
Been weighing the risks vs what could be an amazing reward and have decided to do it, taking it slow.

My prediction. You'll go slow at first. But you'll find yourself picking up the speed as you gain confidence and get tired of going slow. Let me know if I'm right!