Riding in the Rain?

[MarinaFazer]

Wear proper rain gear.

Teehee Vegas Rider: How's riding in the SNOW!!!!?

as for rain: yup, that jacket and pant rain gear combo is the right way to go. and proper boots cuz wet feet suck. I have only a waterproof jacket, but I don't mind wet legs because I don't go far in the rain and if it's really terrible, I'll drive. But at least a waterproof wind jacket (mine is the outer layer of my old snow jacket!).

Just ride slow and leave a large gap because I slid right up to a car last night in the rain when he slammed the breaks and there was nothing I could about it except keep the bike upright...all at 30mph! Just be way careful and don't trust the cages.

 

[Jedi]

All fantastic advice there. I live in the UK where rain riding is virtually our national sport. All I want to add is wear a high-viz vest, forget the little thin belts you want something screamingly fluourescent and reflective. In the UK they sell them in Poundland for... yes, you guessed it, £1 so absolutely no excuse. I guess Stateside you may be looking at a buck fifty. Mine lives under the seat 24/7. A matt black one-piece leather suit may look cool, but in the wet all it'll do is make sure the paramedics can pick up all your vital organs in one squishy package. Hi-viz may be geeky as hell, but if people laugh at you at least they can SEE you. And that's half the battle won.

I always carry two plastic grocery bags with me and as soon as it looks like rain, off come the boots and on go the bags followed by boots again. Unless you spend an absolute fortune, there's no such thing as a waterproof boot - not when they are being pressure washed by spray at 70.

Also a +1 for waterproof overgloves, I have a dirt cheap pair from eBay that make me look like a teenage mutant ninja turtle... but they keep my hands dry, and dry hands stay warmer longer.

The rest? Ride aware, double your braking distance in the wet and 10x it in the snow, assume every car driver is a blind homicidal maniac who collects bike shaped stickers on his door like a WWII fighter ace, and above all be smooth and flowing in your movements and keep the revs low - less chance of spinning up or locking the rear wheel rolling on and off the gas. In the wet, changing up at 6000rpm is fine.

This is probably information overload, but for the most part it's 90% down to preperation and making sure you have the right gear for the conditions. once you've ridden in the wet a few times you'll naturally adapt your riding style to it.

 

[Nelly]

I always carry two plastic grocery bags with me and as soon as it looks like rain, off come the boots and on go the bags followed by boots again. Unless you spend an absolute fortune, there's no such thing as a waterproof boot - not when they are being pressure washed by spray at 70.

I have found a cheap boot that is waterproof. 9000 miles in all weathers including the last 2 UK meets in torrential rain storms lol.
Hein Gericke (UK) Ltd.
They are not a fancy looking race rep boot but they work really well. After a couple of weeks they were broken in enough to walk around in off the bike to.

I used to do the bread bad trick lol, it does work.
I am also ashamed to say that I have also got out of the habit of wearing my vest. You post has prompted me to get it out again.

Nelly

 

[xj750_Pete]

To add to all these, I have a habit of opening my visor at stops. I did this in the rain and forgot to put it down. This allowed rain drops to land inside of the visor and I couldnt wipe off the water. With all of the water residue inside, it completely ruined my vision, which was not good in the rain to begin with. So, if you must open the visor, only crack it open enough to allow air through. And yes, it is a good idea to have rain gear with you if you suspect rain, especially gloves. Getting hit by rain drops at 80mph on the knuckles really hurt.

 

[opds9091]

When ever i go for a semi-long ride i always take my tank bag, in there i keep: towel shirt, sweater, shorts, pants, 2 pairs of socks and 2 pairs of trunks and my rain gear. Last October i planed on riding from my house in Florida to NY. About 1/2 hour into the ride the heaves fell down so i pulled over to and underpass and dried myself (not to wet) and put my rain gear on. So now it's pouring and I'm on 95N going about 70-75, some times the rain came down HARD and slowed down. Now the trip is around 1500 miles and 20 hours straight threw. I found out that when riding in the rain stay in the little area between car tires, because the rain would sit in car tracks and it kinda puddles in the tracks and when i went in the tire tracks of the car tires my SPHINCTER muscle would tighten up. I also tried to stay ahead of traffic so i would get the run off from the other cars. O, i forgot to mention on my visor i put at least 2-3 coats of car wax so the rain would run off. I wound up driving 10 hours the first day, so i pulled over to a hotel ("IT RAINED THE HOLE TRIP") got a room and drove my bike into the room (with nobody looking of course), changed close to a shower, dries and cleaned the bike and caught a little shut eye. I wake up nice and dry, and so was the bike. Look outside and it's still pouring, put my gear on and drove the other 10 hours to NY, and as soon as i got about 5 mile to NY the rain stop. SO, whats the moral of my story, always take a change of clothes, rain gear, and ride safe.

O, and make sure you get a room on the ground floor so you could bring your bike in the room.

 

[wrightme43]

Practice is the main answer for me.
Just set out on purpose to ride in the rain. It scared the hell out of me at first too. Just like probley everyone else.

TRUST your tires. TRUST THEM!!!!!!!

If you believe in your tires traction ability, and the ability of your bike to self correct for slips and slides it will. If you believe it will crash, or you believe you have to adjust for slips you will.

Single track vehicles have a almost magic ability to correct slides. Its built right in.

Stay away from cages. They get extra stupid in the rain.

Mainly just go to a parking lot and practice in the rain. You will be absolutely amazed at what you can do in the rain. Smoothness is the key to riding anyway. Smooth in the dry, smooth in the wet. Smooth is fast, Smooth is easy on the machine, smooth is easy on the tires, smooth is hard as hell to learn. I work my butt off on it, and still fail consitently to do it as well as I would like.

Mainly just absolutely trust your tires to stick.
Now with that said, you have a responsibility. You have to give your tires a reason to be trusted. You have to check them all the time, you have to know that you have tread depth, you have to pick quality tires, and you have be nice them.

If you dont trust the tires yet, watch the Indy MotoGP for a example of what kind of lean angles and brake they achieve.

Hell watch this, motorcycles are self correcting (within reason)

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QHkSfEHFno"]YouTube - Rainrace[/ame]

I kinda like it now. Dont like riding thru town in the rain though. Cagers are idiots.

Also when turning across railroad tracks, they can have a huge metal plate in the middle so that sucks.

 

[opds9091]

they should make a wiper for the windscreen or your visor on the helmet

 

[DefyInertia]

Smooth, smooth, smooth.....don't be scared, be smooth :thumbup:

 

[VEGASRIDER]

Teehee Vegas Rider: How's riding in the SNOW!!!!?

Here's a couple of pics from work yesterday. These are the conditions I had to ride in.

 

[OZXJR]

Thats friggin' unbelievable !

When was the last time it snowed there ?

 

[Wolfman]

Here's a couple of pics from work yesterday. These are the conditions I had to ride in.

Thats friggin' unbelievable !

When was the last time it snowed there ?

I'm with Oz, that's unbelievable...total eye opener.....i ride in the wet & the cold....but snow......WOW!

:thumbup:

 

[wrightme43]

In the photos above its not actually overcast. Its just Kennys balls blocking out the sun.

 

[reiobard]

i ride in the rain and it is usually not an issue so long as you have the rain gear for it, if you can keep your skin dry then it is very similar to normal riding, just don;t turn in so hard and slow it down a bit, but motorcycle tires tend to cut through the water very well due to their tiny contact patches. just be aware that they will not warm up, so you will not get full grip.

 

[tum226]

Correct gear is very important. Because you do not get much rain (11 inches a year), just buy a one or two piece rain suit for wet conditions. I have a bright yellow as cagers will have a harder time seeing you in the rain Also get a pair of M/C gloves that have a built in squeege on the index finger for wiping the rain off your visor.
As for riding- take it easy. Gentle inputs on the all controls, stay away from painted surfaces such as those big arrows at intersections , the center line,etc. as they are real slick when wet. Watch out for big puddles as they can hide a pothole or other hazards. Freeways can suck due to all the spray from the cars so secondary roads may be safer. Remember all the oil drips on the road come up with rain so it can be real slick, intersections are the worst. It can almost be fun - just take it easy.

Great info here. Also turning your head to the side while riding also gets the water off pretty good if you don't have the squeege gloves. Take your time is the biggest thing. I have ridden in the hardest rain imaginable and cars were stopped under overpasses and I just kept at it. It took me 3 times longer to get home than normal but I just took my time and didn't grab the brakes too hard.

 

[madmanmaigret]

Stay away from cages. They get extra stupid in the rain.

Couldn't have said it any better myself.

It seems that where the car in front of you tire's just went, it is a little drier and you are not in the middle of the lane (where oil/antifreeze/fuel/etc pools) which is a smart thing to do.


Did that even make sense to any one besides me? Here let me try again.... Drive in the car ahead of you's tire track. (that sounded better at least)

 

[slikfz6]

Got to watch them puddles, especially down in mexico. Here in the U.S. a puddle means that the road is uneven, in Mexico it's more likely a ten foot deep hole. When I was a kid I just had to go thru all the puddles on my bike, these last couple of rain days made me remember those innocent times. Just be safe and yes, as wrightme43 said, trust your tires. This past wet Monday I tried braking with just the rear tire just to see how much pressure I needed before the tire broke loose. It takes some effort to skid, once you get the feel, you are in control. Ride safe!

 

[Humperdinkel]

1.Wear all the right gear
2.Dont be scared
3.Be precise
4.Be smooth
5.Be alert to the surroundings (i.e cagers)
6.By a rainex type product for your visor (catcrap is the best IMO)
7.Stay positive
8.Stay off white lines and stuff
9.Wear a smile on your face
10.Enjoy it because it really is fun

 

[Stumbles06]

Adding to Humpy's list...
11. Slow down... There's no shame in going a bit slower when it's wet, and a helluva lot safer.

 

[wrightme43]

One more thing. Practice the rocking horse motion of appling the brake and rolling off the throttle.

Practice slowing and accelerating with the least amount of suspension travel needed.

I.E. begin to squeeze the brakes, and as it contacts begin rolling off the throttle, squeezing harder and harder, and the throttle closes further and further, then accell, opening the throttle as you slowly release the brake.

It doesnt make sense, but its faster, safer, agrees with motorcycle design, and works.

 

[#27]

One more thing. Practice the rocking horse motion of appling the brake and rolling off the throttle.

Practice slowing and accelerating with the least amount of suspension travel needed.

I.E. begin to squeeze the brakes, and as it contacts begin rolling off the throttle, squeezing harder and harder, and the throttle closes further and further, then accell, opening the throttle as you slowly release the brake.

It doesnt make sense, but its faster, safer, agrees with motorcycle design, and works.

THANKS!!! It sounds like what you are basically talking about is trying to eliminate as many "jerky" actions/motions as possible, keeping everything smooth(?). I've been practicing turning and trying to downshift into a sharp turn, while applying some brake, then powering out of the turn with throttle, easing off the brake, and trying to lean.....:Flash: