Reply With QuoteSouthwood is in a perpetual state of crap. Not sure how people can have fun on that road on anything other than maybe a motard...
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Hit up Southwood today. A good deal of sand but it's mostly on the crown of the road. Keep your eyes open, slow in and if it's clear fast out. It's still quite fun. I'll edit the video on the weekend and post it up here.
Southwood is in a perpetual state of crap. Not sure how people can have fun on that road on anything other than maybe a motard...
Are you suggesting that a motard's tires could grip that road's surface conditions better than your common naked or sportbike tires?Originally Posted by iridebikes
If you can ride that road and not get in trouble with a motard, then you can do the same with basically any other type of bike. Even cruisers and tourers.
How can any rider have fun on roads that are expected/assumed to be free of sand and gravel and less than perfect conditions if they are not confident in how they will handle the unexpected just around the next corner? If those were my restrictions and I rode like that, I'd be a nervous wreck.
In order to responsibly enjoy any ride on any road, you have to have that confidence. So if you have it, then why be scared of roads like Southwood? You should be more afraid of not being able to handle the unexpected no matter where you ride.
Southwood's allot of fun, the worst part about it is having to turn around after your run and pick other peoples bikes out the ditches.The pavement itself isn't that bad and if your going quick enough there's a few spots in the middle where air time is possible.
If you can't handle gravel riding, than this isn't the road for you...
SOAR Novice #113
Yup, you said a mouthful there. I agree, but as long as no one gets hurt but too often they do.
If anyone ever thinks they can ride well, that road will sort the reality from fantasy for them.
And if they are lucky, teach them life lessons on their journey to better skills and more fulfilled riding enjoyment.
Im suggesting that a 250lbs motard that you ride like a dirtbike is a little better equipped to handle loose surfaces than a front-heavy 450lbs sportbike... but take what you will from it.
The reason to be "scared" of southwood is that there's ALWAYS sand everywhere, at all times of the year... whereas other popular roads are generally in far far better condition. Southwood for most of us GTAers is a bit of a long ride away, and most people who go there go to have a fun 'spirited' ride. Its not like the road offers anything other than twisties (ie. scenery) so the point of going there is to ride faster than the speed limit.
All Im saying is that the road is always dirty and rough, and you can have all the confidence and skills you want, but when the front tire of that 450lbs bike hits a patch of sand mid-turn while you're cranked over, you've got yourself a date with the ditch!
I'm sorry you didn't get my point.
fyi - if you are properly interpreting your environment on that road, first you do not hike over in corners in which you can't see what surface you have to do so. Second, you point and shoot on that road if you are trying to make time. You get to know where the sand is/potholes are etc, and some corners are worse than others. And you follow the bare patches of pavement, when you approach a corner that looks messy right through its entire width, you scrub big speed off while you are upright on the skinny pavement patches, then make your way around a bad corner judiciously. As you are coming out you are searching for the cleaner pavement. Personally I don't mind a bit of sand that allows me to squirm the rear end with a bit of aggression as I accelerate once out of the tail bits of a messy corner.
It takes skill to ride that road spiritedly, which hones your skills when you are elsewhere on a road that doesn't demand as much attention but all of a sudden the unexpected crops up.
And as for a heavier front end being at a disadvantage on that road, at least with some good weight up front it helps with your grip when braking hard and fast to scruff the big speed off quickly when you do spot a reason to. That is one of the reasons why a sportbike can brake faster than a cruiser.
The motard that you are saying would feel so wonderful there, also has more suspension travel during these aggressive braking transitions, which invites more pogoing. I'm not so sure it would be the quicker bike on that particular road. It might be at times, but there is no question that it is rider skill more than the bike (any bike for that matter) that gets you up that road quick and safe.
But progressively each year now, it's getting more bad press and attention. If it isn't being patrolled by a greater number of Tim Horton'rs on it each year, then the Mini convoys, 25 kph cruiser gang and trailer-hauling sight-seers are plugging it up. It's like a northern Forks only with poorer pavement.
^^not correct. I have been on Southwood many times with others - including last year, where there was only a bit of sand in just a few spots. A few yrs ago I was on it when it had no sand anywhere on the road. Unfortunately, the following year it was an all-out sand trap for most of the season. Lat year there were many runs through there that yielded less than 10 turns with sand in them.
There are, however, a few other hazards for the unaware that can catch you in mid turn even when there is no sand. A few of the turns have some serious bumps (like frost heaving) in mid corner and the railway tracks are anything but smooth. Don't be scared, be aware.
I ride a 500lb bike on it going pretty hard with no problems every single season many times over. And my skills are pretty lame.
That said, it is one of the most fun roads around and is at the gateway to many of the other great Muskoka roads. Nothing beats starting the ride off at Southwood and then running it last before the long slab home.
Thx OP for the heads up on the road conditions.
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You guys say its a great road, super fun, yadda yadda... but then go on to say that there are "fewer than" 10 (!!) turns with sand in them, heavy heaving, big bumps and other hazards. And that's exactly why I say the road sucks. Considering how many nicer roads are up north there's just no reason to go to 13. I've been PLENTY of times, had some fun, but found that I had to be far more cautious there than anywhere else... and having to be that cautious takes away from the fun. On a sidenote, I've bent 3 (!!) of my wheels on that road on 3 separate trips. Talk about a drag...
Yes, if you're smart you go slow in, make sure its clear, make sure to avoid the bumps, make sure to avoid the sand, make sure to avoid the heaving, make sure this, make sure that, be wary of the other thing, make the right calculations before leaning the bike... fook me, if I gotta pass an entrance exam just to get through to the other end of the road I'll go elsewhere!
You boys aren't exactly arguing against my point here lol.. the road is in poor condition, thats all there is to it.
I agree Shane!
But I do have to say that your skills are well tuned, don't be so modest. When I followed you through Southwood last year I had a hard time staying with you. Just for the record, Shane can carve through Southwood with the best of them! In fact I would like to see someone stay with him with a similar bike! Goodluck!
Anyways Shane hope too ride with you again this year!
Bent "3" wheels on 3 separate trips on Southwood! Come on! Only if you went into the ditch! I have never ever heard of someone bending a rim on Southwood, not even once never mind "3" times. If I where ever to bend a rim on a particular road I certainly wouldn't be going back to bend another rim a second time and then a third time!
13 is always a good ride, the sand just ads to the fun
Yep, 3 times on 3 occasions out of the handful of times I've been to that stupid road... usually on someone elses planned ride.
The wheels weren't toast, but the rims were clearly bent. In one instance the lip of my front wheel was turned almost completely into a U. Another time I hit a dip bad enough that my rear wheel bent my licence plate completely in half.
Crap road. When its not huge dips and bumps its sand and gravel. Guess I should've gone through it slowly...lots of fun that would be.
As promised, here is the video. This wasn't a time trial, I was fully loaded (tank/tail/saddlebags) and I'm on new-ish tires, which when added to the poor condition of the road made for a rather gentle pace. You can see that:
a) Yes, there's a lot of sand; and,
b) It's still eminently rideable.
Just did it in my car today, and it is looking better, still sand in the centre in some parts and gravel in the tighter corners kicked by cars including mine. Only saw 3 cars, no bikes and 2 turkeys during my run. Have not had that much fun in my car in a long time.
Last edited by STARSHIP; 05-15-2010 at 03:30 PM.
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did southwood on Saturday, still a decent amount of sand out there. Does the sand ever push off to the side? or is it like that all year?. This was my first trip on the road and I really liked the up and downs, dips and dives of the road, reminded my alittle of out west
Still quite a bit of sand on it at the moment not too bad for heaves though, Whatch out for the Grey unmarked charger cruisin around up here, has two plain clothed ophizerz in it, Also hwy 11 near skyways has radar enforcement regular now if they arent in the central grass part they will be at the rear of skyways nailing guy's on the parkway where it drops from 80 to 60 opposite airport. Also the Taboo road has had a lot of police activity especially around the golf course just before Taboo. I have never seen so many cops as I have lately up here. G8 heightened security madness and cops with nothing better to do than radar peeps until the big wigs land here for two whole days!!!!!!!
with all the sand you couldn't get up over 75 anyways so the cops were no issue...if we saw them. we saw 1 OPP all day shooting SB HWY 11 just north of Webbers.
I was on Southwood yesterday. Scary road with all that sand on the blind turns. I didn't feel too confident riding on it. I can see the appeal though.
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