How do you deal with riding through mud?

[Nimbus]

I've been very much enjoying my new Super Tenere and have ventured off the beaten path while exploring some local dirt roads and other undeveloped areas. Today I was out on a dirt path with some grass in the middle. I came to a mud section and noted the distinct crown of the path. The area was about 8' long and as wide as the "road" but didn't look deep. The mud around my area is this wicked orange viscous clay type crap that is really slick. I thought that slowing down would be the first good idea, and avoiding the crown would be the second. As the back tire got into the mud, I believe it slid (TC2) just a bit and the bike rotated from the right side to the left side in a (thankfully) perfectly balanced 90degree slide. I ended up easing into the brushy weeds at the side that offered some good traction. And did the same thing on the way back. Fully grateful that I didn't end up lying under a 600lb bike in the mud :exclaim:

So I'm wondering, as a non-paved newbie, what would the experienced have done? I fully realize that this bike is not likely an ideal bike for traversing much mud, but this wasn't much mud (stock Tourance EXPs BTW).

Also, as a side question/observation: I was playing with the TC and ABS (not in the mud ::008: and found the TC to be amazing coming around dirt turns in 2nd gear. The ABS seems equally impressive. I try always to approach the limits of TC/ABS as I would if the systems weren't there; I don't want to rely on them. As such, I never "grabbed a handful" of front brake. I did keep braking harder and ultimately felt that I was at the threshold of lockup on the gravel and heard it push just a bit. But I never heard/felt the ABS kick in. I did deliberately stand on the rear, just to see, and noted clearly the ABS pulse. So does the front pulse?

 

[Mikef5000]

In a situation like that, I would have picked a rut, entered it with some momentum, but not out of control, and then put the hammer down to get out (TC2 more than likely).
Exactly what happened here; the center was raised and slick as hell wet clay. The ruts were under water, but were still guarenteed a better outcome than trying to balance a 600 lb bike on the hump of wet clay.

Then I'd just hope it didn't end like this time:

 

[Nimbus]

You are a better man than me. If I saw a mud hole like that I'd turn around wishing I had kept my Jeep Wrangler. Either that or cut myself a new path around it.

 

[terrysig]

If you are still running the stock tires (as I would guess) just know that there is a world of difference with more aggressive tires. Even dropping down to 25 psi makes a difference using the stockers.

Plenty of tire thread in the forum to help you dial in your road/off-road ratio.

This bike is very willing and able to mix it up off road.

 

[snakebitten]

Tourances and wet clay. You are braver than you realize.

That tire has no teeth. Like trying to eat corn on the cob with your gums.

 

[~TABASCO~]

Tourances and wet clay. You are braver than you realize.

That tire has no teeth. Like trying to eat corn on the cob with your gums.

So true !

 

[JaimeV]

Tourances and wet clay. You are braver than you realize.

That tire has no teeth. Like trying to eat corn on the cob with your gums.

::026:: ::005::

Mud and sand are very complicated with heavy bikes. ::010::
Tires are the most important, also the air pressure in it. In soft, muddy places I’m going to 1.5 to 1.8 bars, but then be careful with punctures hitting rocks.
I like to have control in the bike so I’m trying go to the muddy places in a constant but not to high speed so I can’t correct the way.
Avoid turn the throttle on and off sharply to help the tires not to loose traction, you must be gentle and progressive. Often more gas (power) doesn’t help much, the wheel spin.
If you can have a first look before you go to the mud so you can see if is very deep, if they are rocks or roots inside, etc. Sometime in a long hill the only way I close your teeth and GASSSS!!! ::26::

I don’t like ABS in off road riding even if the ST has a very good one. In a long muddy downhill could be impossible to stop the bike. But you probably need practice first to know of to break in such delicate conditions.
TC will help, always in number two but if the wheel spins a lot is better to disconnect it.
Of course all this is very variable depending the terrain if it is flat, up or down, etc. so the best thing is go in a easy muddy place and try, try and try: practice is the only way.

 

[wfopete]

A braking technique taught by some of the big bike D/S schools is locking up the front brake in loose dirt/gravel in order to bulldoze dirt in front on the tire to assist in stopping. For some this takes a bit of a leap of faith Obviously this is a straight line technique but it is effective. With no ABS override, the S-10 doesn't play that game well but I don't know how well the S10's ABS works in a side by side comparison.

 

[snakebitten]

Well, actually, there is an ABS override.

A bit tedius, but just takes a few seconds. Right? Surely it is worth the minor effort for the amount of insults the press gives the bike for not having a "button"

 

[Twisties]

Back to the original question, and I am no expert at off road, but the general RIDING advice for low traction situations where you can sink a bit (sand, mud) is to keep the front wheel floating. Some here are talking about braking technique, which is fine, but not necessary or at all desirable on a short section as you describe. For now I think your question is more basic, how to get through a short patch confidently.

So, to float the front wheel you need a certain amount of speed, as other's have alluded to. As well, moderate throttle, or at least neutral throttle... don't chop it. Finally, body position, get your butt way back (practice on the center stand). On the S10 I would suggest this means at least 30 mph.

The other riding decision is choice of path. What I have seen most commonly is to choose the path of best traction. Never enter water (or any circumstance where you can not see the bottom) without investigating off of the bike first, usually with a stick.

As others have mentioned, prepping the bike appropriately is also a good idea. This means appropriate tires and air pressure for mud, as described by others above. I have heard that 28 psi front and rear is a decent compromise for general off road riding to accommodate rocks and soft surfaces.

 

[switch]

The first thing I do when going off road is turn of TC altogether. I had forgotten to do that once and tried to go through a water crossing, and TC had it bucking all over the place.

 

[JonnyCinco]

Pick a line>roll on throttle>close eyes>clean mud off back side of jacket>clean "mud" out of inside of pants

 

[Checkswrecks]

Like others wrote, about getting your butt aft and holding steady throttle. The old dirt bike addage is "When in doubt, gas it out."
But also get your ass off the seat by an inch or so, to put the weight down on the pegs, not this:

 

[dcc46]

just give it a little gas and go, the bike wants to stay up and go fairly straight.

 

[Twisties]

The first thing I do when going off road is turn of TC altogether. I had forgotten to do that once and tried to go through a water crossing, and TC had it bucking all over the place.

Probably for folks that are comfortable on dirt, and don't mind the rear wheel spinning, power slides, etc this is good advice. Me, personally, and being a bit more like the OP here, relatively new to dirt, and definitely new to it on a big heavy bike, I prefer TC1 except for steep rocky climbs where I use TC2. I dropped my S10 in TC2 due to unexpected wheel spin (throwing rocks)... on a smaller dirt bike the machine would have got up and gone, on the S10 the weight/traction equation resulted in spitting rocks and a flop.

I understand what you are saying about water crossings though... low traction and the need to deliver some power to push through the water.

 

[1reddawg]

The first thing I do when going off road is turn of TC altogether. I had forgotten to do that once and tried to go through a water crossing, and TC had it bucking all over the place.

::026::

 

[bloodline]

1st of all, slick mud and sand suck on a heavy bike.

You need to learn what slick mud looks like. Sometimes, you will learn the hard way.

I don't agree with picking a rut. That's a last resort. Pick another line. OFTEN the edge of a trail or road is much better than the actual path in wet conditions. If you are afraid of falling in the rut by riding the edge, you will. Target fixation. Look beyond the mud hole, beyond the rut. Go there. Do not look at your front tire. The center of a dirt road with grass growing on it is pretty solid. Just don't look at the rut. Look past it. If the rear drops in the rut, don't panic. Maintain the throttle and turn the front into the rut too, if you still have some distance to cover. You won't climb out of a muddy rut.

In mud, stand, squeeze the bike with your knees, in a neutral position. Maintain the throttle. If the back is loose, ease off the throttle. If the front is washing out, more throttle. I wouldn't say that some certain speed is appropriate for this. More speed may make it seem easier because of the stability, but it's going to hurt a lot more when you wreck.

A small section of mud on an otherwise decent trail- lean back a little and nail it.

Nothing but mud for miles- stand, move around as required, modulate throttle carefully, slow down for turns.

Throttle control while standing is something that takes practice. Use "T" mode. It helps.

TC1 is too choppy for dirt riding. Use TC2.

My last bit of advice, buy a dirtbike. Get a small one that doesn't intimidate and learn the fundamentals. It all applies to the S10, the consequences are just MUCH higher when you screw up.