The joy of riding in the rain...

[caspernz]

So in the past 10 months I've regularly done an Auckland to BOP trip, for family reasons, and it struck me today when I made my way back to Auckland in the rain...how regularly doing a bit of riding in the rain keeps me more relaxed about "being in control" in variable circumstances. Now don't get me wrong, I'll never be a fan of shiny tar in the wet, but being exposed to it on a semi regular basis makes me less nervous about it.

But the biggest impact this wet weather running has had, is the tyre wear, or squaring off of the tyres. Now about 8k into a set of PR4s (at least 2k of that in the wet) and while there's still around 2.5mm left in the centre, the flat spot in the centre seems more extensive than I'm used to. Not crying about it, but funnily enough when I used the Busa as merely a fine weather toy with sports tyres, the squaring off seemed far less pronounced. Oh well, maybe I should go back to sports tyres and just cycle thru them quicker.

Anyway, those who are nervous in the rain or running on wet roads, the only thing I can suggest is to ease your way into doing more of it...

[george formby]

I really enjoy it. Very focusing and involving. Gets the old brain cycling a bit faster.

The only thing I don't like is being silt blasted by trucks on slushy, salty motorways leaving me blind and buying new visors every week. Not an issue, as such, in NZ.

I even enjoy riding in the rain at night. Can't see shit. Gotta use bum radar and reflections from the road side markers. Very and exceedingly focusing.

I reckon your tire is flatter because you pick up the bike slightly more before you apply gas. Be a devil, dont wait. Oh, a Busa? They drift well.....

[Autech]

So in the past 10 months I've regularly done an Auckland to BOP trip, for family reasons, and it struck me today when I made my way back to Auckland in the rain...how regularly doing a bit of riding in the rain keeps me more relaxed about "being in control" in variable circumstances. Now don't get me wrong, I'll never be a fan of shiny tar in the wet, but being exposed to it on a semi regular basis makes me less nervous about it.

But the biggest impact this wet weather running has had, is the tyre wear, or squaring off of the tyres. Now about 8k into a set of PR4s (at least 2k of that in the wet) and while there's still around 2.5mm left in the centre, the flat spot in the centre seems more extensive than I'm used to. Not crying about it, but funnily enough when I used the Busa as merely a fine weather toy with sports tyres, the squaring off seemed far less pronounced. Oh well, maybe I should go back to sports tyres and just cycle thru them quicker.

Anyway, those who are nervous in the rain or running on wet roads, the only thing I can suggest is to ease your way into doing more of it...

Rode through a massive thunderstorm at night in Canada last month. Was fuckin scary lightening was striking in the distance (a motorcyclist got killed as he got off to take a photo of a the lightening). Never ridden in rain quite that heavy, with a pillion, at night, on someone elses bike and with thunder striking all around .
That said, I was more worried bout being stuck down by lightening that the rain causing me too fall off. There were cars pulled over on the highway as the rain was so heavy so they must have thought the nutter on the Diavel blatting past them was a lunatic, but I never once felt anything in the bike that made we want to pull over.

I attribute my confidence (or over confidence?) to my recent track riding I have done in the rain, while it was fucking terrifying and I was mega slow it showed me what a bike can and can't do. That and my bike was my only form a transport a few years back till I got a company car. If you gotta be somewhere you gotta be somewhere.

[nzspokes]

So in the past 10 months I've regularly done an Auckland to BOP trip, for family reasons, and it struck me today when I made my way back to Auckland in the rain...how regularly doing a bit of riding in the rain keeps me more relaxed about "being in control" in variable circumstances. Now don't get me wrong, I'll never be a fan of shiny tar in the wet, but being exposed to it on a semi regular basis makes me less nervous about it.

But the biggest impact this wet weather running has had, is the tyre wear, or squaring off of the tyres. Now about 8k into a set of PR4s (at least 2k of that in the wet) and while there's still around 2.5mm left in the centre, the flat spot in the centre seems more extensive than I'm used to. Not crying about it, but funnily enough when I used the Busa as merely a fine weather toy with sports tyres, the squaring off seemed far less pronounced. Oh well, maybe I should go back to sports tyres and just cycle thru them quicker.

Anyway, those who are nervous in the rain or running on wet roads, the only thing I can suggest is to ease your way into doing more of it...

You are getting 8k out of tyres on a Busa?

[caspernz]

I reckon your tire is flatter because you pick up the bike slightly more before you apply gas. Be a devil, dont wait. Oh, a Busa? They drift well.....

Pretty much my assessment as well. Yes the Busa will drift, but it's where one ends up when it goes wrong...them shiny patches are dodgy for feedback.

That and my bike was my only form a transport a few years back till I got a company car. If you gotta be somewhere you gotta be somewhere.

Been there as well, quite a few years with bike as primary form of transport. And yep when you gotta roll, you just get on with it.

You are getting 8k out of tyres on a Busa?

Yep, the Pilot Road 4s are just past the 8k mark. OEMs and S20s did around 5k each. Wearing my wifes' panties helps too

[sidecar bob]

I had a fantastic involved & fast ride down the Buller gorge last year, two up & loaded to the roof on a R1200gs in torrential rain.
It remains the most memorable ride I've had on the bike to date.
I doubt the half a dozen Harley's I passed like they were stopped have forgotten that day yet either.
Some bikes love the rain, some really don't, I felt that the GS has never been more in its element. My old RSVR would probably have killed me ten times in the same ride.

[DamianW]

Really enjoy it and will get a good dowsing today from Taupo to Aucks.

[iYRe]

Yep, if you gotta go, you gotta go..

I'll ride forever in a one piece rainsuit... but if my gear isnt gonna keep me dry.. I aint gonna do it. I've done my time riding in storms getting saturated and frozen to all hell. Got nothing to prove anymore.

[caspernz]

I had a fantastic involved & fast ride down the Buller gorge last year, two up & loaded to the roof on a R1200gs in torrential rain.
It remains the most memorable ride I've had on the bike to date.
I doubt the half a dozen Harley's I passed like they were stopped have forgotten that day yet either.
Some bikes love the rain, some really don't, I felt that the GS has never been more in its element. My old RSVR would probably have killed me ten times in the same ride.

Some bikes do feel more relaxed in the rain. I must admit my previous Suzi, a 750 Katana (ok Teapot), felt at home in the rain. The Robert Taylor treatment at CKT helped...

Really enjoy it and will get a good dowsing today from Taupo to Aucks.

I'm sure you won't be taking the long way home then...

Yep, if you gotta go, you gotta go..

I'll ride forever in a one piece rainsuit... but if my gear isnt gonna keep me dry.. I aint gonna do it. I've done my time riding in storms getting saturated and frozen to all hell. Got nothing to prove anymore.

Oh heck, I'm with you on the right gear approach .

[TheDemonLord]

Since I commute - I have rather a lot of time in the rain, both on my old GSX650 and on my Busa - all I have to say about riding in the rain is this:

Its bloody wet and my waterproof lining has rips in it

[Banditbandit]

Now about 8k into a set of PR4s (at least 2k of that in the wet) and while there's still around 2.5mm left in the centre, the flat spot in the centre seems more extensive than I'm used to. Not crying about it, but funnily enough when I used the Busa as merely a fine weather toy with sports tyres, the squaring off seemed far less pronounced. Oh well, maybe I should go back to sports tyres and just cycle thru them quicker.

The PR4s are the best tyre for rain I have ever used .. dunno about tyre wear, as I don't track it ...

[Ulsterkiwi]

Like DemonLord I commute so riding in the rain is a fact of life. As OP says though do it more often and get comfortable, like all skills use it or lose it. Right gear, right tyres and its another good ride. An hour riding in the rain beats most other things I reckon

[nzspokes]

Like DemonLord I commute so riding in the rain is a fact of life. As OP says though do it more often and get comfortable, like all skills use it or lose it. Right gear, right tyres and its another good ride. An hour riding in the rain beats most other things I reckon

This is true. its not something that bothers me but I read all the time people bitching about a little rain. We are on motorcycles, what do you expect?

I need to sort tyres out for mine as mine are toast. Sadly I have a pair of almost new PR3s but the rear is a 160, may be a bit small on a 1200 Bandit.

[vifferman]

I'd rather not ride in the rain, but I've done a lot of it. (And twice in the snow, when I lived in Chch, hail several times, torrential downpours a few times.) Having good wet weather gear and good tyres helps. The current tyres are not that flash; the Michelin (PR2 or PR3? I don't honestly know) on the rear is OK, as is the PP2 on the front. Despite the fact that when I took it for a WOF last December, I was gleefully informed it was "...marginal, and if it was wet today, I would have failed it!"
OK / yeah / whatever.
No "oopses" or moments in the last 160+ rides, many of which were various degrees of moist, so what was that all about?
I guess I'll replace it though, on/before the next WOF. PLENTYmuch miles left though - no cords showing yet.

[ellipsis]

...I hate the shit...it makes you wet and my mascara runs...rain is just, so not fair...