How Cracked Roads Affect Your Ride

Motorcycle riders want safe and smooth rides while cruising to their destination. However, that goal could become more complicated if damaged streets are on your path. While you can use detours, broken pavement could be the only option. How do cracked roads affect your motorcycle? Here’s a guide to navigating rough roads and safely driving on them.

How Do Cracked Roads Affect Your Motorcycle?

Cracked roads mean a more challenging drive. How do these disturbances affect your bike? Here are four negative results of driving on damaged roads.

1. Lost Grip

One of the first things you’ll notice is reduced traction. Cracked roads mean you have less grip because they inhibit your motorcycle’s contact with the pavement. Your bike relies on even weight distribution to produce steady rides, but the traction levels suffer when there are constant cracks.

When driving on a cracked road, you feel the bumps each time you drive over them. While some motorcycles have strong suspensions, thus minimizing the impact of damaged streets. However, older bikes and worn parts may feel the discomfort from the rough roads.

2. Tire Damage

Tire damage is a significant consequence of driving on cracked roads. The only parts of your motorcycle that touch the ground are the tires, so they bear the brunt of the damage. Damaged and worn pavement makes them wear faster because they drive over bumps and cracks.

The consequences are even worse when driving over a pothole. These road imperfections often have sharp edges, meaning your tires risk punctures and blowouts. If you avoid tire damage, you could still see a significant impact on the rim. Deep potholes can damage the rims and cause devastating issues for your bike.

3. Motorcycle Malfunctions

Tires and rims are most commonly damaged by cracked roads, but they aren’t the only parts of your bike that could deteriorate. While one trip over cracked pavement might not hurt, repeated trips lead to long-term damage. The last thing you want is a malfunctioning motorcycle due to failed parts.

A recent NHTSA report found accidents injured 82,687 motorcyclists in 2022. Failed systems can lead to crashes and breakdowns, and your bike is even more vulnerable on cracked roads. For instance, constant vibrations can damage engines by breaking the supporting structures.

4. Hydroplaning

If you drive in a city, you’re likely familiar with concrete highways. This durable material bears the load of the thousands of cars driving over it daily. While concrete can work for roads, it could be counterintuitive for your motorcycle during lousy weather. In the worst situations, your bike could hydroplane and lose control.

Concrete’s porous characteristics mean water can seep into it and weaken the interior bonds. Over time, the slabs lose their stability and become a liability for motorcycles. Water builds up in the reservoirs and traps water in the cracks, leading to moisture buildup on the road’s surface. You could be the unlucky one who drives over the road when there is significant water buildup.

How Can You Stay Safe on Cracked Roads?

Damaged roads can be challenging, especially if they’re the only available route to your destination. How can you navigate them? Here are four tips to stay safe.

1. Heightened Awareness

Your safety starts with your mental awareness. Focus on the open road and be aware of hazards that could impede your route. While riding is a wonderful relaxing time, you shouldn’t take it for granted. One slip could be enough to ruin your ride, so ensure you’re alert and ready to drive.

Control your awareness abilities if you anticipate cracked roads ahead. Your priority should be reducing distractions, so turn down the music or podcast to enhance your focus. Riding on familiar roads makes navigation easy, but you need even more awareness when on unfamiliar highways.

2. Slower Speeds

When the roads are suspect, motorcycle riders should slow down. Reduced speeds make the trip safer because you have more reaction time and control over the pavement. If you drive at the speed limit or lower, it’s easier to recognize and avoid cracks and potholes. Therefore, you lessen the risk of damage and injury.

Driving at or below the speed limit is wise for you and the bike — not just for avoiding speeding tickets. Reduced speeds give your motorcycle more grip because your tires gain more contact with the road. More traction also gains stability, which is critical when you drive over cracks and potholes.

3. Tire Pressure

Tires rightly receive attention on cracked roads because of their surface contact. One way you can control these rotating parts is to maintain your tire pressure. The pounds per square inch (psi) is critical to your bike because it affects your handling and how easily it drives over the road’s imperfections.

What should your psi be? Refer to the owner’s manual for the motorcycle’s best numbers. For example, Michelin says the minimum psi for the GP2 is 30.5 for the front tire and 27.5 psi in the back. Some riders lower the tire pressure — especially if they like off-roading — but this practice could make your bike vulnerable to blowouts.

4. Avoiding Tar Snakes

When roads have cracks, officials try to mitigate the problem with tar snakes. This sealant fills the gaps in the pavement and makes the road slightly safer for drivers. With tar snakes, the local transportation department can avoid a complete road replacement and save money.

Despite the financial savings, this sealant can devastate motorcyclists because of the slippery surface. Hot temperatures reduce the traction on the tar snakes, making them a liability for light motorcycles. They could also raise the road’s surface, leading to an unwanted bump on your travel.

Managing Motorcycles on Rough Roads

Ideally, the roads you take to your destination will be pristine. Unfortunately, you’re likely to encounter bumps along the way. Cracks and imperfections make the pavement challenging to drive on because they can hurt your motorcycle. Employ safe driving techniques to ensure cracked roads don’t also hurt you.

Jack Shaw is a seasoned automotive industry writer with over six years of experience. As the senior writer for the men’s interests magazine Modded, he combines his passion for cars, bikes and offroading with his manufacturing expertise to deliver engaging content that resonates with enthusiasts worldwide.

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