Wet Weather Worries; how do you guys get through puddles?

[geetarhero]

Well, ive made it my goal this year to ride to and from work everyday the entire rideable season but we've hit a patch of some pretty wet weather. ive loaded up on all the rain gear I could ever need x2 (have a full other set in my locker at work so I dont have to lug it all back and forth "just in case") BUt I still have one worry.. What do you do when you come across a huge puddle?


There is a spot on the highway right by my work that always gets one of those "car next to me hit it out of nowhere and it sprayed my car so bad I couldnt see for the 3 seconds of sheer panic while i tried to get my wipers to kick in" and everytime I run the scenario of finding one of these on a bike through my head I always wind up dead.

Ive ridden in lots of wet weather, and through some mid size puddles, but what happens when you all of a sudden come across a 6"+ deep monster puddle (usually around a backed up sewer drain) and for whatever reason you have no way of avoiding it? Is it automatic taste asphalt time before the next driver at 60mph runs ya over or can bikes actually go through these traps? what happens in a hydroplane?

During rain I take all precautions, and ride extremely alert, but i'd also like to plan on how to get through something like this, as its just plain better to be prepared.

 

[Esra]

Keep the bike upright, maintain a steady acceleration, nothing too aggressive but enough to move weight to the rear wheel.

 

[RJ2112]

Well, ive made it my goal this year to ride to and from work everyday the entire rideable season but we've hit a patch of some pretty wet weather. ive loaded up on all the rain gear I could ever need x2 (have a full other set in my locker at work so I dont have to lug it all back and forth "just in case") BUt I still have one worry.. What do you do when you come across a huge puddle?


There is a spot on the highway right by my work that always gets one of those "car next to me hit it out of nowhere and it sprayed my car so bad I couldnt see for the 3 seconds of sheer panic while i tried to get my wipers to kick in" and everytime I run the scenario of finding one of these on a bike through my head I always wind up dead.

Ive ridden in lots of wet weather, and through some mid size puddles, but what happens when you all of a sudden come across a 6"+ deep monster puddle (usually around a backed up sewer drain) and for whatever reason you have no way of avoiding it? Is it automatic taste asphalt time before the next driver at 60mph runs ya over or can bikes actually go through these traps? what happens in a hydroplane?

During rain I take all precautions, and ride extremely alert, but i'd also like to plan on how to get through something like this, as its just plain better to be prepared.

The key is to get the front wheel light. Adding power smoothly so you don't spin the back any more than necessary should see you through.

 

[The Dude]

Ive ridden in lots of wet weather, and through some mid size puddles, but what happens when you all of a sudden come across a 6"+ deep monster puddle (usually around a backed up sewer drain) and for whatever reason you have no way of avoiding it? Is it automatic taste asphalt time before the next driver at 60mph runs ya over or can bikes actually go through these traps? what happens in a hydroplane?

I'm not a scientist or a stuntman, but if you hit 6" of water at 60MPH, I think you're going to hydroplane. I don't think it would matter what you're riding/driving. If it's really that deep, slow down. Use your hazard lights. If you're particularly worried about getting rear-ended, start slowing down gradually a ways before you reach the monster puddle.

I try and use the motorcycle's advantage of riding in a single track to stick to the shallow part of the puddle. Sticking closer to the centerline should be the most shallow portion. If it's really deep (I've crossed some streams that were flowing over the roadway during flash flooding) I go real slow and swing my legs up on top of the tank to avoid the wake off the front tire.

 

[Jomomma]

Very Slowly!

 

[Norbert]

stay loose over the bars as your front wheel finds traction.
keep throttle steady or accelerating slowly.
people do river crossings all the time. no one's going 60mph, though.
at least there's pavement underneath and not sand.

 

[g8anos]

Plain simple - you are going down... Hard... and you'll slide a long long distance, for there is minimal friction to stop you.

I was riding about 70km/h, it was raining all night, and the road was very wet. I was going slower than usual and on the right lane. Suddenly, my front wheel turned completely to the left, fell over within a millisecond, sending me flying! Really nothing I could do to save it. I believe it was some sort of aquaplaning?

The funny thing is that I kept sliding and sliding, like I was on an ice-road or something.

Next day, it was dry, I went to shot some pictures.. It was a huge pothole, invisible due to the water...

The best strategy, for me, to avoid this from happening again, is to memorize the potholes of your daily commuting. When it rains, try to stay on the same lanes you usually use!Don't drive in the far right side of the road, because usually there are the most potholes accumulated and you don't see them or remember where they are.

Just drive normally! Same lanes , (almost) same speed ...

 

[CdnMedic]

I rode 3 1/2 hours the other night, all on the highway in a thunderstorm (I got lucky enough to be travelling the same direction as the storm)
Average speed on the highway was about 120-130 km/hr.
I passed probably 5 different bikes parked under various overpasses, it was raining bad enough everyone else on a bike had stopped, even traffic was going slower than normal.

I ended up hitting a puddle at speed that was deeper than expected. Front end hydroplaned, it's an odd sensation. I just stayed on the throttle and rode it out and kept on movin.
I have a fair bit of off road experience so it didn't phase me at all, but if you haven't done it a few times it is really a weird sensation.

I am on the PR3 and they are sick in the rain!

 

[McLovin]

Just make sure you got your shorts on (otherwise pants get wet, duh!)

Also have a friend with you for cover.

 

[geetarhero]

awesome replies guys thanks. Answered my curiousity for sure, g8anos that situation is exactly what I can see myself running into (in my car, I often hit some of these things and never even see em till its too late) and luckily my route to and from work is burned in my memory so I know exactly which lanes to avoid, but its good to see that CdnMedic managed to continue riding after hitting one at highway speed.

thanks guys!