Unpaved roads in the Smoky Mountains

[WisconsinDavid]

We hit it on the northside, between thunder bay and schreiber and then over on the northeast between Wawa and Sault Ste Marie. Glad you saw that scenery too, It is a beautiful ride. Our trip was a four mooser... we measured in moose and not in miles! Thanks for the advice. I'm still new to Spyders. I have Lamont's highway pegs to put on and Spyderpops heat deflector, when the heart of WI winter has gone past. My group of four amigos will ride again in early June.

 

[Clayvis]

Ok, so this thread has migrated from dirt roads in the Smoky Mountains to riding around Lake Superior! Not a problem for me since I grew up in the U.P. of Michigan, AND own a small home and property in the Smoky's! I have ridden extensively in both areas. There are so many absolutely beautiful paved roads in NC and TN, that I have never felt the need to venture off road on my motorcycle. I do have friends who have done the trip to Townsend on the unpaved road, but they were in a 4 X 4....not sure when, if ever, I will get bored with the paved roads...but that's just me...

 

[ARtraveler]

I think the thread is still on subject...if we consider that all have mentioned driving on dirt or construction type roads.

 

[Fatcycledaddy]

What do you do when...?
During a ride around Lake Superior, there were several sections that were torn up and graveled due to road construction. Some of these stretches were miles in length. One in a blasting zone looked more like a goat path than a road, but only for a short distance. I felt white knuckled on my Harley, but really felt badly for the bike rider on the 10 speed trying to find a way through with his little tires. The Harley was belt driven and never encountered a problem with it... owned 3 of them - Sportster, Low Rider, Ultra Classic.
Have any of you encountered roads like that and what did you do? There were no other roads to side-track to. There was really only one way to loop around the Lake. This summer we are planning to go back, but this time from Sault Ste Marie, across the top of Huron and out into Eastern Ontario, CA. It almost sounds like I should leave the Spyder in the garage for fear of the belt and trouble if we encounter gravel, which there is a lot of up there ... or find another ride. That will be my first long ride since purchasing the RS last fall at the end of the riding season here in WI.

Thanks, Dave

I do not have the belt guard, or the bumpskid (yet). But in all of our riding we have had many many roads under construction, and out west it could be many miles at a time. Most of these are nothing but sand and gravel, and one time on ND I was driving slow, so the brine truck watering to reduce dust, pulled onto the road in front of me. He proceeded to dump brine on the high clay content gravel, it became greasy slick, and the Spyder got COVERED in slime.
The next stop after getting out of the construction was a good car wash.
In all of these trips down gravel roads, I have never had a problem with a belt. A couple of large ridges and boulders did drag under the front, I saw them in advance, moved what I could, and went over them VERY slowly. If you drive carefully paying attention, you should not have a problem.

I however, do not drive down those types of roads by choice or trip planning, but only when that is the only way to get to where I need to go.

 

[WisconsinDavid]

Yes, my point throwing in the Lake Superior loop was riding some pretty long expanses of gravel up there in road construction areas, but that trip was on a belt driven harley ultra. I haven't had experience with my Spyder RS on graveled construction, as it is as new to me as I am to it. I don't know the reason the harley belt drive is not a problem in gravel compared to the sypder... but am concerned about a potentional belt problem out in the boonies. What then? I did buy the Spyderpops missing belt guard and will install it before the summer season, but hear even with it, gravel is a problem. It sounds like the Ryker's shaft drive is a huge improvement because of that issue. Thanks for the information everyone!

 

[WisconsinDavid]

Thinking my post through a little more... my question really I guess is this: Are Spyders more prone to belt/sprocket damage than other belt driven cycles? Like I said, I've traveled my fair share of gravel through construction zones (miles) on Harleys and never had an issue. Is there something engineered differently with Spyders that makes this more of a hazard for them? If they are no more prone to damage that other belt driven bikes, then I guess not so big a concern to me to head out on any regular road. The one comment I read of damage from just heading down a graveled drive has me a bit concerned, though, as a newbie. Interested to hear your ideas. Thanks.

 

[Alabamacrussr]

here is a link to the Dragon https://tailofthedragon.com/ open the dragon brochure to see a map of some great rides in the area. No need for gravel roads when there are so many paved roads just waiting for you and your Spyder ! here is the map link which is page 2 of brochure. Enjoy the area it is one of our favorites. https://tailofthedragon.cld.bz/Tail-of-the-Dragon-Brochure/2/

 

[ARtraveler]

Thinking my post through a little more... my question really I guess is this: Are Spyders more prone to belt/sprocket damage than other belt driven cycles? Like I said, I've traveled my fair share of gravel through construction zones (miles) on Harleys and never had an issue. Is there something engineered differently with Spyders that makes this more of a hazard for them? If they are no more prone to damage that other belt driven bikes, then I guess not so big a concern to me to head out on any regular road. The one comment I read of damage from just heading down a graveled drive has me a bit concerned, though, as a newbie. Interested to hear your ideas. Thanks.

I would say no. Maybe Spyder Ann will give us some information. She has driven at least two high mileage spyders.

 

[Peter Aawen]

We have HEAPS of unpaved roads around my neck of the woods, and we have almost as much black-top that's only chip-seal stuff instead of full on bitumen surfaces.... and I bought my Spyder to ryde wherever & whenever I could!! There are more than just a couple of Spyders here in Aus that rarely get to see bitumen or paved surfaces outside their driveways, and those don't seem to have major belt issues. While I don't spend THAT much time off the black-top, I'd guess that something like half of the miles my 2013 RT has up (about 60k) will have been on unpaved or chip seal surfaces. I don't have & never have had an add-on belt guard, and I don't tip toe thru the loose stuff either (a little drifting every now & then IS possible & IS a barrel of fun) and I've never had a belt issue, altho I do generally ride a little more sedately on the loose stuff. Still, this Spyder isn't my first belt driven bike, but it's a lot more fun than any of the others & it gets ridden that way. Sure, I might be a touch more careful & a little more restrained than I'd be on a Multi-Strada, but there's not really that much in it. I think many worry waaaay too much about belts vs chains vs shafts - it's a bike, ride it how you want & where you want & accept the wear & consequences.

Belts have been around for ages, they aren't really all that more susceptible to damage than anything else, altho they do probably have a slightly shorter life for a similar style chain driven bike ridden in the same places & in much the same manner. If you want to be sure to be sure, then fit the belt guard. And if you are really THAT WORRIED about ryding your Spyder on those sorts of roads, then either don't, or maybe get a different machine.... but honestly, IMHO most Spyders probably run more risk of belt damage from main highway road debris than they do from riding reasonably sedately on a good un-paved road. :thumbup: