Wet Race

[Misti]

Hm... front tire only has so much traction and probably has less in the rain. Letting weight off the front will make it less likely to slide out -- specifically, I'm guessing that balancing weight on front plus rear (40/60) gives maximum traction. This is better than too much weight in front and not taking advantage of the added traction of the rear.

I remember taking a right hand turn into my work business park in the rain and the front end slid out left. I didn't have enough throttle going into the turn. I was hanging off on the right so I wasn't leaned over a lot. My solution was to keep the throttle steady and get the bike more vertical. I think the better solution would've been to add just a little more throttle.

Dennis

Dennnis, this is an excellent description and answer to my question! Yes, rolling on the gas will help transfer some weight from the front tire to the rear and will make it less likely that it will slide, especially in the rain.

As mentioned in my earlier post, a lot of riders tend to coast through turns in the rain and this puts more weight than necessary on that front tire. It is sort of counter-intuitive to roll on the gas in wet conditions but it is extremely important for garnering the best traction.

Not only does rolling on the gas get the excess weight off the front tire but it also helps create a stable bike, important in both wet and dry conditions. How does rolling on the gas make the bike more stable, and what are the benefits of having a stable bike?

Misti