Potholes – how have they changed your riding?

[Salted_Peanut]

My system of motorcycle control has become PIPSGA

• Pothole check
• Information
• Position
• Speed
• Gear
• Acceleration

I’m only half-kidding. Yes, I know, checking the road surface is theoretically part of the “information phase”. However, on rural roads, the surfacing is so bad that checking for potholes necessitates a distinct phase of the system Am I alone?

The road surface has become bloody dangerous – particularly motorcycling or cycling – on rural roads

[Steve_H80]

Mountain bike - don't care.
Motorbike (big trailie) - didn't used to care, but this 'un has cast wheels so I care a little bit.
Scooter - very nervous with little wheels.
Car - bit like the scooter, but twice the chance of hitting the pothole.

They do seem to be having a spate of road repairs at the moment so the complaints are moving from 'bloody potholes' to 'bloody traffic lights'

[BlackG7R]

Sold the road bike, bought an Adventure bike Yamaha Tenere 700, it doesn't really notice potholes.

[nismo48]

Quite scary some of the roads, and that's from a car perspective.
So motorbikes is another level and vigilance is definitely a prerequisite in my opinion

[danashby]

It got worse in the last 5-10 years, some of my local roads that were OK are now like a swiss cheese. Days are getting shorter and darker plus on rainy days water can fill the deep ones, so definitely PIPSGA for me.

[PistonRings]

danashby said:

{snip}plus on rainy days water can fill the deep ones{/snip}

Was riding home last week in the storms and the rain was hiding all the surface hazards and gouges. Around the Boreham interchange area a lot of building works has been going on and the surface is pretty poor, I found myself really feeling quite unnerved at times as the bike was bucking me around.

Locally to me however, the majority of the potholes sit in or close to gutters so I tend to, even on spirited rides, try and stay in position 2/3 (save clipping one of the craters and being sent to narnia) - 2 examples in one image! - https://www.google.com/maps/@51.8224794,1.183128,3...

[RazerSauber]

Potholes haven't changed my riding since I only passed my test a few months back. I did hit a massive one on my lesson though that slightly buckled the front wheel. Right in the riding line on a country lane bend. Both my instructor and I hit it at a good 45+mph. His bike shrugged it off, my bike didn't have as much luck. Tyre stayed up for the rest of the lesson and he ended up buying a new wheel. I reported it online and it was actually taken care of within about a week. My instructor was quite surprised I stayed on due to the wiggle the bike had after I hit it. I remember my immediate through upon seeing it was "I'm coming off". Alas, I live to fight another day.

[dontlookdown]

On my pushbike, I have stuck with my fat and heavy winter wheels and tyres all year this year, because the potholes are so bad I would end up wrecking the skinny summer wheels. Also possibly myself.

Definitely have to pay more attention to the road surface now. Not looking forward to the dark nights!