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Old 2nd August 2021, 06:13   #1
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How to handle my motorcycle tramlining on the road's continuous vertical lines

I have acquired a pre-worshipped Thunderbird twin spark 500, 2016 model recently and back to highway after a long time (Last 5 years I have been using only car for highways). The vibrator (Ahem...!) is in good shape, 21k done when i bought 4 months back and now it is 25K. Now that I have started using the bike for solo highway rides I am facing few issues in my driving (a lot to unlearn and re-learn). Below is one of the issue. See the pics below.

How to handle my motorcycle tramlining on the road's continuous vertical lines-road1.jpeg

How to handle my motorcycle tramlining on the road's continuous vertical lines-road2.jpeg

These are vertical lines (It is like the road authorities knowingly mowed the road like lawn, Just exactly opposite of rumble strips but very closer lines) normally seen on the bridges some times, my erstwhile Getz tyres used to make noises when we cross them and i have visibly sensed getting less road grip while crossing them.

With Thunderbird twin spark, it becomes extremely difficult for the first time to control the bike, I wasn't able to move the tyres If i go along the lines, If i have used break or clutch i am sure I would have kissed an accident. Next time when i saw the road like this, I lowed the gears and when suddenly rpm goes to 3.5 - 4.5 K RPM (around 70-80 kmph) or when i hug the tank with my legs I kind of re-gain the control but not fully. May be I have to learn. May be tyres are not good (It is stock tyre at front and tubeless at the back driven around 10k kms also the previous owner changed to alloy wheels ). I can see people crossing these lines without much fuss, But still they do clung to the tank hard in-order to do so. Doesn't seem to be a tyre issue, Because mine has visible tread lines even now. Also, no wetness in the road due to rain or anything.

What am I doing wrong ? How do I manage these lines, more-over what is the purpose of these lines ?

Also I made up my mind to change both the tyres to tubeless like Michelin Sirac Street or something, Any suggestions?

To Mod: I couldn't find an existing thread because I don't know the how to search for these lines, Please merge if there is any existing thread.

Last edited by moralfibre : 3rd August 2021 at 18:32. Reason: Replaced TBTS with Thunderbird Twin spark.
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Old 2nd August 2021, 07:36   #2
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re: How to handle my motorcycle tramlining on the road's continuous vertical lines

Those lines are a result of the top layer of the road being removed for resurfacing. Even in a car one can feel the car tramlining on such roads, and it is indeed really tricky for 2 wheelers to handle them safely. It has nothing to do with your tyre condition. So, the only solution is to slow down well below 50 kmph if you're on a bike, to negotiate these 'under construction' roads. One thing which helps is to keep a loose grip on the handle bar on these roads.

Last edited by nitkel : 2nd August 2021 at 07:40.
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Old 2nd August 2021, 08:33   #3
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re: How to handle my motorcycle tramlining on the road's continuous vertical lines

Like nitkel said its called tramelling, even I didn't know but other BHPians made me aware of the word.

Might be more pronounced on your bike due to various factors like your tread pattern, tyre pressure etc. but can't be sure on that.

Just a wild guess but if you have the straight ribbed tread pattern on your bike then it could be more pronounced as those thin ribs will be catching the grooves more easily and firmly as compared to a horizontal pattern tyre.

Its expected and here's an explanation from an unrelated thread :
Quote:
Originally Posted by vrprabhu View Post
the behaviour is 'tramelling' - happens when the front tire treads find a groove (fault line) in an otherwise even surface, the rotation of the tyre tends to stick to the groove resulting in a wobbly feel of the steering.

Last edited by shancz : 2nd August 2021 at 08:38. Reason: grammar
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Old 2nd August 2021, 09:10   #4
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re: How to handle my motorcycle tramlining on the road's continuous vertical lines

These lines are created by machines which remove by force, the top layer of the road, so that it can be re-surfaced.

It does not pose much of a problem for Cars.
But for bikes which have straight grooves on their front tyres, this surface can cause major issues with handling/steering ability, as the groove on the tyre can 'lock' with the groove on the road surface.
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Old 2nd August 2021, 09:26   #5
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re: How to handle my motorcycle tramlining on the road's continuous vertical lines

My everyday office commute road is made this way for almost 7-8 Km and I don't know how long this condition will exist. The very reason I have stopped bringing my 2015 TB500 there as it becomes difficult and risky to ride there. Add accumulated dust/debris to those rumbles and this combo makes bike riding a circus. Better and safe way is to drive car in those strips.
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Old 2nd August 2021, 10:23   #6
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re: How to handle my motorcycle tramlining on the road's continuous vertical lines

Quote:
Originally Posted by katsumoto View Post

These are vertical lines (It is like the road authorities knowingly mowed the road like lawn, Just exactly opposite of rumble strips but very closer lines)
Quote:
Originally Posted by shancz View Post
Like nitkel said its called tramelling, even I didn't know but other BHPians made me aware of the word.
It's called Tramlining from how a tram follows the groves on the road. However in this case its an unwanted outcome of the tyres trying to follow a grove(s). I'd love to hear what the motorcycling experts have to say about how to counter this, but so far this is how I get by.
As unnerving as it may be,
-NO sudden movements (acceleration/deceleration etc)
-Maintain a constant speed (I've always felt momentum is my friend)
-No forced direction changes
-Try not to load the front tyre
-Look as far and straight ahead( the moment you look down at the groves you are asking for trouble)
A motorcycle in motion by default wants to stay upright and track straight so my opinion is let it do what it has to do and just give gentle inputs. But I agree, no matter how many times I cross a patch like that it's very unnerving

PS: Congrats on your new bike

Last edited by deepfreak15 : 2nd August 2021 at 10:50. Reason: Congratulatory note missed out
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Old 2nd August 2021, 10:39   #7
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re: How to handle my motorcycle tramlining on the road's continuous vertical lines

Quote:
Originally Posted by katsumoto View Post
With TBTS, it becomes extremely difficult for the first time to control the bike
Bike weight would play some part.
Quote:
Next time when i saw the road like this, I lowered the gears and when suddenly rpm goes to 3.5 - 4.5 K RPM (around 70-80 kmph)
Yes, lower the gear and keep revs bit high in order to keep load on chain. If I have to slow down further due to traffic, I lower another gear without letting revs drop. No sudden movements in any of controls be it brake, accelerator or steering.

Quote:
when i hug the tank with my legs I kind of re-gain the control but not fully.
Hugging the tank on TBTS 500 would be bit difficult due to tank shape.
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Old 2nd August 2021, 10:39   #8
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re: How to handle my motorcycle tramlining on the road's continuous vertical lines

Quote:
Originally Posted by abhishek46 View Post
as the groove on the tyre can 'lock' with the groove on the road surface.
Exactly.

Quote:
Originally Posted by shancz View Post
Just a wild guess but if you have the straight ribbed tread pattern on your bike then it could be more pronounced as those thin ribs will be catching the grooves more easily and firmly as compared to a horizontal pattern tyre.
Yeah, the front tyre thread patterns are along the groove might aid the "lock" with the tramlines. I will make this note for my tyre change.

Quote:
Originally Posted by nitkel View Post
So, the only solution is to slow down well below 50 kmph if you're on a bike, to negotiate these 'under construction' roads. One thing which helps is to keep a loose grip on the handle bar on these roads.
Actually these grooves accumulate small gravels which make these lines quite dangerous. After a while I slowed down the bike substantially (Read 20-40kmph) lockup is easing up but the gravels are working more to destabilize the bike.

But Yeah I was holding the handle bar bit more tight. I have to learn to loosen up a bit to feel the "condition of the road"

Quote:
Originally Posted by KPR View Post
Add accumulated dust/debris to those rumbles and this combo makes bike riding a circus. Better and safe way is to drive car in those strips.
Yes, Indeed. Different solutions.

Quote:
Originally Posted by deepfreak15 View Post
As unnerving as it may be,
-NO sudden movements (acceleration/deceleration etc)
-Maintain a constant speed (I've always felt momentum is my friend)
-No forced direction changes
-Try not to load the front tyre
-Look as far and straight ahead( the moment you look down at the groves you are asking for trouble)
I think first 3 things I have done right. last 2 i have to work on. Actually I feel I should loose the handle bar grip generally. Years of city driving and I have been comfortable and embraced to lot of mistakes.

Quote:
Originally Posted by deepfreak15 View Post
A motorcycle in motion by default wants to stay upright and track straight so my opinion is let it do what it has to do and just give gentle inputs. But I agree, no matter how many times I cross a patch like that it's very unnerving
True, that.



Also there are some uses with Tramlining/Groove wander. They are useful against aqua-planing.

Last edited by katsumoto : 2nd August 2021 at 10:58.
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Old 2nd August 2021, 10:50   #9
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re: How to handle my motorcycle tramlining on the road's continuous vertical lines

Quote:
Originally Posted by katsumoto View Post
*SNIP*

These are vertical lines (It is like the road authorities knowingly mowed the road like lawn, Just exactly opposite of rumble strips but very closer lines)
*SNIP*

With TBTS, it becomes extremely difficult for the first time to control the bike, I wasn't able to move the tyres If i go along the lines, If i have used break or clutch i am sure I would have kissed an accident. Next time when i saw the road like this, I lowed the gears and when suddenly rpm goes to 3.5 - 4.5 K RPM (around 70-80 kmph) or when i hug the tank with my legs I kind of re-gain the control but not fully. May be I have to learn. May be tyres are not good (It is stock tyre at front and tubeless at the back driven around 10k kms also the previous owner changed to alloy wheels ). I can see people crossing these lines without much fuss, But still they do clung to the tank hard in-order to do so. Doesn't seem to be a tyre issue, Because mine has visible tread lines even now. Also, no wetness in the road due to rain or anything.

What am I doing wrong ? How do I manage these lines, more-over what is the purpose of these lines ?*SNIP*
Meh, I have ridden a lot over these road resurfacing grooves on various bikes, light and heavy. It feels a lot scarier than it actually is. Tramlining does feel scary on a bike.

Remember that even a minor "effect" at the bottom of the wheel gets exaggerated at the handlebars.

The purpose of these lines is that the top surface of the road is scraped by a machine to make it easier to re-surface.

Just relax your body and your arms and your grip on the handlebar a bit, do not hug the tank with your thighs for dear life, let the bike just do its thing - I promise you that as long as you do not fight the bike, it will take you across safely.

Do not touch the brakes or clutch or gears. You do not need to explicitly slow the bike down - let it drop speed by itself by letting the throttle close, and then lightly maintain throttle position to keep a decent speed.

Keep you feet on the pegs, do not let them drag or float above the road surface - if you touch the surface by mistake, you risk dropping the bike and yourself.

Enjoy, and keep the rubber side down

Cheers

Last edited by tilt : 2nd August 2021 at 10:59.
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Old 2nd August 2021, 10:51   #10
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re: How to handle my motorcycle tramlining on the road's continuous vertical lines

As Deepfreak mentioned, key is to keep your arms and grip fairly loose and not load the front. Keep the speed on the lower side and let the bike track itself straight rather than force the matter.
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Old 2nd August 2021, 11:02   #11
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re: How to handle my motorcycle tramlining on the road's continuous vertical lines

Quote:
Originally Posted by roy_libran View Post
As Deepfreak mentioned, key is to keep your arms and grip fairly loose and not load the front. Keep the speed on the lower side and let the bike track itself straight rather than force the matter.
Whoa! That sounds counter-intuitively correct, it's just that I never thought of it that way. My first instinct is to tighten up my shoulders and lock my elbows when riding through those grooves. Slowing down is the one thing that has probably kept me safe through such stretches, perhaps?
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Old 2nd August 2021, 11:09   #12
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re: How to handle my motorcycle tramlining on the road's continuous vertical lines

Quote:
Originally Posted by tilt View Post

Remember that even a minor "effect" at the bottom of the wheel gets exaggerated at the handlebars.
Just relax your body and your arms and your grip on the handlebar a bit, do not hug the tank with your thighs for dear life, let the bike just do its thing - I promise you that as long as you do not fight the bike, it will take you across safely.
Do not touch the brakes or clutch or gears.
Keep you feet on the pegs, if you touch the surface by mistake, you risk dropping the bike and yourself.
Wise words. Actually after few un-nerving tramlines, I closely watched few vehicles crossing the tramlines. I could see yours and deepfreak15 observations there though i couldn't sum it up earlier.

Quote:
Originally Posted by tilt View Post

Enjoy, and keep the rubber side down
Hopefully, in all likelihood
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Old 2nd August 2021, 11:13   #13
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re: How to handle my motorcycle tramlining on the road's continuous vertical lines

Quote:
Originally Posted by locusjag View Post
Whoa! That sounds counter-intuitively correct, it's just that I never thought of it that way.
Yes it is completely counter-intuitive and goes against our instinct to grip tighter... just like Counter Steering.
Try it out on a safe stretch sometime, and you will find you are able to maintain a reasonably good speed through these sections without any loss of composure.

Basically we riders need to allow the underlying physics to do it's job and keep our intervention to a bare minimum. Most motorcycle and even cycle designs (barring scooters) have a lot of inherent stability in motion and we need to take full advantage of this while riding.

Last edited by roy_libran : 2nd August 2021 at 11:14.
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Old 2nd August 2021, 11:54   #14
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re: How to handle my motorcycle tramlining on the road's continuous vertical lines

We face this many times on the roads.
It is imperative not to slow down rapidly if there is a car behind you as they might mistake that patch to be just another piece of patchwork tarmac.
What has worked for me is keeping the bike a bit loose between the handles. This technique works fine on gravel too for me and is something I picked up from a youtube channel focused on riding offroad - MotoTrek.
The forward momentum of the bike would keep it straight for the most part. Fighting the handlebar will lead to unwanted lateral movements.

I can't comment much on tyre treads as be it knobbies on the KTM or semi slicks on the SBK, i have been forced to dance around a bit
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Old 2nd August 2021, 12:47   #15
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re: How to handle my motorcycle tramlining on the road's continuous vertical lines

Quote:
Originally Posted by deepfreak15 View Post
It's called Tramlining from how a tram follows the groves on the road.
Thanks and noted, makes sense

Ditto on the way to negotiate part, just be gentle and pass it with a stabilized and constant state.
I do the same if I suddenly encounter sand on the road.

Last edited by shancz : 2nd August 2021 at 12:48. Reason: ll
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