stones

[moon]

no, not the beer, but the stuff they surface some trails with.

What's the technique for riding a trail with a deep surface of stones the size of big cherries?

I all I managed was dead slow, 1st gear & it was really unstable. I eventually turned round & came back out of it cosbeing alone & on road tyres I could see myself going down on that lot & getting in trouble. I didn't dare try gunning it to see if it was any better a bit faster...

[YEN_POWELL]

Well this would be on my DR, big bikes seems to make their own way.

I would stand up, lean back and accelerate gently on large rocks, gravel, small stones etc, even if it means closing the throttle then reopening occasionally to keep the speed down to the average you want, this also works on horsehoofed goopy clay and ruts.

Use your weight to the left and right to counteract the direction the bike slides rather than trying to steer with the handlebars, which you turn more to keep balance than direction.

This always works for me, although I have heard people talk of getting the weight over the front wheel.

[africajim]

I was on smaller grade stuff last weekend, around 5mm diameter and tried "gunning it" end result was bent brake pedal, scratched belly pan and plastics and scratched crashbars!
Maybe I should consider the difference between "gunning it" and powersliding on soft chips? LOL!
I'd say keep the weight off the front wheel and keep the power on, the rear wheel digging in isn't too bad but the front sinking or washing out is bad news!

[btbloke]

Stand up, keep the power steady and steer where you're going, keep the speed to what your comfortable with and increase with practice, if anything is going to go astray it will be the back end so steer into the direction you are going and the back end will follow if you need to give it a bit more power to correct or if you need to back off a little will depend on the tyre fitted. Also if it's a long stretch of really loose smaller stuff sometimes helps to sit on the back of the saddle so the weight is on the back wheel and the front will sort of float over the loose stones and the back will get a bit more bite with the added weight.
You'll probably get a few differing opinions, this is just how I find it works for me, best to just keep practicing and find what works for you and your style of riding. Like they say, practice makes perfect. Walk before you run and so on and so on.......................you may go down but it's how we all learn't the way not to do it.

[shack]

This is where practise and then confidence comes to the fore, I know a lot of material (paper and online) is being produced about different techniques, and siple things like tyre tread and bike weight etc all play a factor.
Personally (and it's all I'd plum for as it's not me who will be paying to fix your bike) I'd want second gear as it's smoother than first, so you need will need a bit of momentum, and be ready to dip your clutch if the front goes awry (get that old foot down before the whole bike keels over)
Up on your pegs and keep looking a good 8-10' in front.
You can't beat practise, and if your pushing yourself I'd say a good call to go with a mate and share the giggles.

[moon]

and if your pushing yourself I'd say a good call to go with a mate and share the giggles.

um... Billy no mates, me! at least as far as off road stuff is concerned...

[Sambamboo]

Weight back, keep on the gas and stay loose.

Try and keep it in your head that the bike would make it over the stuff no probs if you weren't on it. The only effect you want to have on the bike is to keep it going in the right direction. Let the bike keep itself stable and upright, and only make small soft inputs on the controls. HTH

[paulc]

It's all easier said than done on a Varadero, the damn thing is to heavy on gravel and the front keeps trying to dive ,as to keeping the weight over the back wheel I only weigh 12 stone and cant stick me liccle ass out that far to make any differance