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Biff
11th October 2005, 12:19
I went for a ride last night, despite the fact that it was pissing with rain. Ms Biff thought I was mad, warning me about how dangerous it is to ride in the rain (not that she's ever ridden a bike on the road, or in the rain). Why? Because I wanted to, and it's been ages since I've ridden in 'proper' rain.

What I've learnt and been taught over the years (courses, books, experience):

When entering a corner, especially tight corners, try and lean, with your upper body, into the corner. Set yourself up before the corner, you don't want to be jumping around on the bike just before, or mid-corner. Lean from the waist, leaning your shoulders into the corner, dipping your shoulders slightly. Doing this helps keep the bike more upright. Keeping the bike more upright means that you have more tyre in contact with the road surface. More rubber on the floor - the better the grip - the less chance of aqua planning (where there's a significant film of water between the tyre and the road).

Brake slowly and smoothly. The last thing you need is to lock up your wheels.

Diesel - A potential killer. Keep an eye out for it. It one of a bikers worst enemies in the dry, in the wet it's sole purpose is to help you claim back some of your ACC levies. Avoid.

White lines, painted lines. For some reason these things are made out of cheap and slippery paint here in NZ. So in the wet they should also be avoided. Don't panic if you can't help but ride over it though. Just try and do so with the bike as upright as possible, and avoid braking heavily.

Mid corner man hole covers - why oh why are these things put on the apex of some corners? As slippery as a Algerian second hand car dealer, avoid. Keep your eyes peeled for these buggers. You really don't want to ride over one of these things in the wet, on a corner, with the bike leant over.

Road kill/cow shit etc - slippery, especially when wet.

Other road users - Cage drivers will always feel more confident driving in the rain than a biker. The old 4 wheels v 2 equation. As always, watch out for those idiots that drive too fast in poor driving conditions, or who change lanes with little or no warning etc. These idiots should possibly be your number 1 concern. If ones right up your arse because you're taking your time, pull over, let them pass. It's not worth the risk speeding up just because someone you've never met wants you to, and in doing so further increasing the risk of you having an 'incident'.

Your visor – will get wet (funny that eh?). At ‘higher’ speeds it’s not as much of an issue- the wind will help clear the visor of rain droplets. Turning your head sideways slightly (watch the road ahead) will help blow away the more resilient droplets. At lower speeds it can be more of a problem, and you may have to resort to wiping your visor, maybe even with one of these: http://www.getgeared.co.uk/acatalog/Glove_Rain_Wipers.html. I’ve used half a potato in the past, cutting a potato in two, then rubbing the moist bit on my visor. The starch helps repel rain.

Bottom line - take your time. Riding in the rain certainly is more challenging, and the associated risks are increased somewhat. Be alert, be focused, and providing you’re warm and dry you’ll enjoy it, and you’ll learn a lot more about the way your bike handles. Well, I do anyway.


:niceone:

Qkchk
11th October 2005, 12:26
Nice bit of advice there.... Learners take note!!! :niceone:

enigma51
11th October 2005, 12:30
Can i add one thing
You talk about the painted lines Watch out for the crack sealers. The shiny black stuff they "paint/fill" into the cracks in the road. They are like ice when wet

vifferman
11th October 2005, 12:38
Can i add one thing
You talk about the painted lines Watch out for the crack sealers. The shiny black stuff they "paint/fill" into the cracks in the road. They are like ice when wet
The dreaded tar snakes. :yes:

Str8 Jacket
11th October 2005, 12:39
Hey thanks for that Biff, very helpful! I think its been raining every bloody morning here for like ever! I have been very close to walking to work instead, but this has been a very interesting read. Been reading the Bkers Bible too, but its always good to hear different view points, especially when worded differently! Maybe im stoopid but sometimes I just dont get it!

sAsLEX
11th October 2005, 12:40
Can i add one thing
You talk about the painted lines Watch out for the crack sealers. The shiny black stuff they "paint/fill" into the cracks in the road. They are like ice when wet

the dangerous tar snakes! they are also annoying in summer when again they loose all traction properties

Qkchk
11th October 2005, 12:56
How about Tram Lines? The lines that are left in the road when someone's wheel has fallen off and they have dragged it half a mile down the road.. another good one is reseal ridges where they have put a layer of new seal on half of the road and it leaves a horrible ridge right where you want to ride in the lane.. :doh:

Goblin
11th October 2005, 12:59
Can i add one thing
You talk about the painted lines Watch out for the crack sealers. The shiny black stuff they "paint/fill" into the cracks in the road. They are like ice when wet

Great advice! In fact, any shiny patches on the roads.

Also, "Railway tracks" even with light dew are slippery as. Had the misfortune a few years ago to drop a mates bike on the Taneatua Railbridge. :shit: Some places, where the road surface looks like it has been scraped with a cheesegrater, are a bit dodgy too.
Another one to be careful about are the SCHOOL signs painted on the road as they span the entire lane and cant really be avoided unless you go onto the wrong side of the road, and they paint them on corners too, as I found out on Sunday arvo. :mad:
Cant the AA or councils or whoever paints our roads use some sort of grit in the paint? Those kamikazi strips up the middle are fucken dangerous!

skelstar
11th October 2005, 13:02
I like the 'STOP'/'GIVE WAY' sign paint, right where they want you to stop. The irony.

Sparky Mark
11th October 2005, 13:17
Also watch out for those metal tracks that run right across brigdes at each end. There's a shocker from Welly when you take the left lanes up SH1.

You'll normally hit the bridge at a reasonable 100k speed as you go off the motorway, over the nice sweeping left hander that is the bridge, bike leaning nicely... then Shit! (worse scenario)

Ok if you know they're there but a bugger if you don't! :whistle:

skelstar
11th October 2005, 13:20
One of the corners on my street is fairly off camber and follows a couple of very well cambered corners so youre usually going in fairly hot/legal. The council, in their infinite wisdom, decided that they would put about 10 (not kidding) manhole covers/tobies right across the corner. Not. Cool. You have to just aim for a very slim gap between them. :|

Qkchk
11th October 2005, 13:49
One of the corners on my street is fairly off camber and follows a couple of very well cambered corners so youre usually going in fairly hot/legal. The council, in their infinite wisdom, decided that they would put about 10 (not kidding) manhole covers/tobies right across the corner. Not. Cool. You have to just aim for a very slim gap between them. :|
You kind of wonder if these guys have it in for us bikies......... but I suppose when you are stuck in a office behind a desk all day........

SlowHand
11th October 2005, 13:51
One of the corners on my street is fairly off camber and follows a couple of very well cambered corners so youre usually going in fairly hot/legal. The council, in their infinite wisdom, decided that they would put about 10 (not kidding) manhole covers/tobies right across the corner. Not. Cool. You have to just aim for a very slim gap between them. :|

Blah Blah Blah, whine whine whine, get a bloody grip! and get over it!







Signed,

Helen Clark and the country bandits.

MSTRS
11th October 2005, 14:09
..... Keeping the bike more upright means that you have more tyre in contact with the road surface. More rubber on the floor - the better the grip - the less chance of aqua planning (where there's a significant film of water between the tyre and the road).
....
Good advice - well written. Those of us who've been riding a 'while' tend to not think about this stuff except when we get complacent we tend to get 'reminded'. Only bit I'm not sure about is what I've left of your write-up. With a tyre's profile there should be a fairly even amount of contact across the tyre. Still - I tend to do what you say too. Caution is the watchword.

Mrs Old Farts
11th October 2005, 14:55
I for one am grateful for all the advise, help i can get. As a newbie i figure its better to hear it from riders that know what they are doing than wing it myself, so keep up with the advise folks, im loving it :2thumbsup

Gremlin
11th October 2005, 16:05
Very comprehensive Biff, but a couple of essentials missed. I'll try to chip in, although not nearly as articulately.

Goblin touched on shiny patches, basically the road surface has to be watched out for. I've found that the road guys use several different types of seal, ranging from chip seal to smooth tar. Bitumen almost as rough as chip seal is quite good in the wet, water is in the grooves and you have a reasonable surface.

But as the bitumen gets smoother it gets worse and worse in the rain. Had a moment today where it was a lumpy patch of tar. Didn't look too bad, until I went over it and the whole bike slid to the left and carried on :crazy:

Other would be water running across the road like a stream. Found it just about always results in a lateral shift... :thud:

2wheels in Red Beach
11th October 2005, 18:32
I for one am grateful for all the advise, help i can get. As a newbie i figure its better to hear it from riders that know what they are doing than wing it myself, so keep up with the advise folks, im loving it :2thumbsup
I am with Mrs Old Farts on this keep putting this stuff down cos' whats obvious to the more experienced riders is not that obvious to all the newbies out there. Paying attention here may stop this :doctor:

Drum
11th October 2005, 19:05
Dont mean to be nit-picky (but will be!)
There is no 'tar' on our roads. Tar comes from a large pit in South America.
What we have here is bitumen. Bitumen is manufactured from crude oil. Sealed roads are either 'chip seal' - a thin layer of small 'chips' stuck to the road with bitumen, or a thick layer of Ashpaltic Cement (this is the stuff on the motorways)- which is a mix of very small chips, air, sometimes sand and of course, bitumen . The big difference between the two (and the relevance to this thread) is that with chipseal the water runs off to the side of the road (or ponds if the road is poorly constructed) and with AC (which is porous) the water runs down through the surface (or ponds if the voids get filled up with crap).

Goblin
11th October 2005, 19:35
Oooh, and keep your following distances at least twice what you would on a dry road. If dickheads in tintops push in and close the gap just keep that gap there as much as possible. Pretty much common sense really, but common sense aint so common any more, infact they're quite rare. :whistle:

Gremlin
11th October 2005, 20:01
Drum: Can see your point, but when riding in the rain, or when it's wet, it's not actually that easy to divide the road into two surfaces (ignoring gravel, dirt etc).

Say Twilight Rd near Clevedon (up here in Auckland), the smoothness of the surface actually varies. Some is very smooth like the motorway, and then varies through to loose chip seal.

With that comes very different levels of grip as well, so you really need to pay attention and not assume its one particular surface type and ride accordingly.

Oh, and tar snakes: beware of those on humps parallel to the road in the middle of the lane. Ask tristank, my bike suddenly moved to the left by a few centimetres.

GR81
12th October 2005, 07:46
i had to do my restricted bike test yesterday in the pissing rain... made it interesting :(
passed tho :headbang:

Drum
12th October 2005, 07:55
Agreed Gremlin. One of the biggest mistakes any motorist (bikes and cages included) is to assume anything. Assume they have seen you, Assume someone will Give Way, and of course assume that the road surface is consistent.

fishb8nz
12th October 2005, 08:40
After heavy rain, especially on country roads, be mindful of mud slips. Left hand bends are the worst, if there's a bluff on the left, when you're coming around the corner, blind. Meeting a slick of wet clay slurry half way around a bend isn't fun.
If you approach a left hand bend, slow down and take the bend closer to the centre line than normal, to improve your forward vision.
There's a bend in River Road from Ngruawahia to Huntly that has a slip after every heavy shower.

Huntaway
12th October 2005, 16:18
Thanks Biff and everyone else for the tips. Always get nervous about riding wet roads. Have also noticed freezing up over a scary bit of road is not helpful. Must keep faith, relax a bit and handle it :eek5:

Leong
12th October 2005, 18:59
Thanks for starting the thread Biff, and all other contributors. Being a newbie I'm quite nervous about wet roads, and when in the rain for the first time last week, couldn't believe how much oil there was on the road between wheel tracks in the city. Never noticed this before while driving the cage!!

metric
12th October 2005, 20:56
Thanks for starting the thread Biff, and all other contributors. Being a newbie I'm quite nervous about wet roads, and when in the rain for the first time last week, couldn't believe how much oil there was on the road between wheel tracks in the city. Never noticed this before while driving the cage!!

yep

same situation for me... new bike, all I want to do is ride, and it's pissing with rain

noice.

nah, to be honest it's been a bit of an experience - "patience is a virtue", and it seems the more I read on this site, patience while riding isn't a virtue, it's a necessity

oldrider
12th October 2005, 21:33
I ride a lot in the rain if I can, it brings a whole new dimension to riding.
I have my own thoughts and approach about it but must stress that I live in the country not in the city.
What you people in the city have to put up with allways makes me think of what it would be like riding through a mincer every day.
I am not intimidated by the city but I don't go there by choice if I can avoid it. Cheers John.

Gremlin
13th October 2005, 02:00
Have to agree with riding the rain. Best is if you are learning then doing on a 250.

Went down the pohutukawa coast, and although I was safe, I was enjoying it and I reckon its actually good to ride in the wet on a 250. Everything tends to happen slowly and you can begin to expect things, how to react etc.

Like coming out of a corner and trying to make the rear break traction a bit, you learn. Trying to learn the responses on a thou would be a little mad...

Like ngapipi road near tamaki drive. Awesome in the dry through the curves, but in the wet, it is very slippery. Tiptoeing along at the recommended speed and the bike is still sliding sideways... :crazy:

practice practice practice

sunhuntin
13th October 2005, 12:20
those tar snakes are mongrels. got them all up the road i use to get to work. make the front end wobble like nothing else. also the hill i used to live up has a large number of manholes, fire hydrants etc on the corners. who knows why? caught a turn arrow of white paint on the way home from work in the rain a few nights back. good thing i was slowed right down, otherwise i likely would has dropped her. back wheel slid out a bit as it was. normally try and avoid those.

best one with a give way is the paint and the potholes in the rain at night. dont see the holes until your right on top of them.

really good advice...cheers for this. i figure im never gonna learn to get used to wind and rain unless i ride in it...which is why i ride no matter what the weather. not too sure about snow yet!

ManDownUnder
13th October 2005, 13:08
I love riding in the rain.

When you're fully kitted up you stay 98% dry (wet fingers through the gloves probably... and possibly a spot on the back of your neck).

But I love the fact it's right there - and yet can't touch you. You're "cheating" or defying it...

Like being in a tent when it's hosing down outside - I llike that too.

Is that normal?

Leong
13th October 2005, 20:56
I love riding in the rain.
When you're fully kitted up you stay 98% dry (wet fingers through the gloves probably... and possibly a spot on the back of your neck).
But I love the fact it's right there - and yet can't touch you. You're "cheating" or defying it...
Like being in a tent when it's hosing down outside - I llike that too.

Is that normal?

I don't think so, but it's probably better than staying home and being a wuss



Like ngapipi road near tamaki drive. Awesome in the dry through the curves, but in the wet, it is very slippery. Tiptoeing along at the recommended speed and the bike is still sliding sideways... :crazy:

practice practice practice

As a newbie in the wet, I'm not confident enough to lean the bike much in the wet, and consequently have "run out of road" on a couple of occasions with no dramas..... obviously not good though. I know practice, practice practice will help, but "Tiptoeing along at the recommended speed and the bike is still sliding sideways..." ?? You must have had some lean - any tips on deciding how much? I'm guessing judgement comes with practice + experience, but any tips appreciated......

Gremlin
13th October 2005, 21:05
Basically a bike has to lean, to go around a corner. That's how it works. The more you lean, the faster you can go around the corner.

Deciding how much: Rather err on the side of caution, also if you know the road, you know how much respect to treat it with.

I found it very surprising to be taking it easy and still sliding the bike around the corner. Basically, the tar condition, crap on the road, and how shaded the road is determines how fast you might wish to go.

When in the dry I have gone around those flat curves at 80 (yeah the limit is 50, bad gremlin, bad) and had a lot of fun... but the curves really change in the wet

Leong
13th October 2005, 21:17
I ahve no problems sliding a car but the cars got four wheels and won't fall over!! Practice and patience I guess, and yes I'd rather err on the side of caution.... never have liked learning the hard way!!

Signed up for the BRONZ course on Sunday so hope this helps too!!

Thanks

Gremlin
13th October 2005, 21:48
Any questions, it goes without saying. Ask.

Funnily enough, I find I learn quite well the hard way, not nice, but you do remember... :whistle:

2_SL0
13th October 2005, 22:08
I love riding in the rain.

When you're fully kitted up you stay 98% dry (wet fingers through the gloves probably... and possibly a spot on the back of your neck).

But I love the fact it's right there - and yet can't touch you. You're "cheating" or defying it...

Like being in a tent when it's hosing down outside - I llike that too.

Is that normal?


U strange strange man.
kidding.
I didnt use to like the rain , so this winter, I got out on the bike alot in the rain. I tend to lean my body more and keep the bike upright. I do ride slower, I think your mad if you dont. Rain, No worries, WIND on the other hand, I do hate high wind. Bit of wind is fine. Alot of wind, thats my new beef. :spudwave:

Gremlin
13th October 2005, 22:15
Wind can be fine, its when its strong gusts... thats what really screws you. One second you're fine, the next your somewhere you shouldn't be...

loosebruce
13th October 2005, 22:21
Wind can be fine, its when its strong gusts... thats what really screws you. One second you're fine, the next your somewhere you shouldn't be...

Yeah wind can really fuck ya wheelies big time.

Gremlin
13th October 2005, 22:23
ummm... not exactly what was on my mind when typing... gimme a few years.

The poor little 250 with me on doesn't seem as keen as me :killingme

2_SL0
13th October 2005, 22:36
Wind can be fine, its when its strong gusts... thats what really screws you. One second you're fine, the next your somewhere you shouldn't be...


Im meaning those real nasty gusts that appear from nowhere. Was out on Sat, going down into Puke, OMG. Nasty is understatement, I was not looking forward to the trip back. But all went well.

Ixion
13th October 2005, 22:49
U strange strange man.
kidding.
I didnt use to like the rain , so this winter, I got out on the bike alot in the rain. I tend to lean my body more and keep the bike upright. I do ride slower, I think your mad if you dont. Rain, No worries, WIND on the other hand, I do hate high wind. Bit of wind is fine. Alot of wind, thats my new beef. :spudwave:

I do like riding in the rain when there is not too much other traffic about. Provided, (important) I am going to end up at home at the end of the ride, not have to sit round somewhere all day. It has a "adventure" sort of component, especially if there is a bit of wind. Sort of a "blow, blow, thou icey winds, and crack thy winter's cheeks" sort of thing. Defying the elements, what motorcyling is about really. Very satisfying to get home after 2 or 3 hundred k in wild conditions, prak up the bike, and think "Ah, you did your worst, oh Tempest, but I've beaten you". then head of for a nice hot shower and tea and crumpets.

Riding slower goes without saying, but on that sort of ride you're not riding for speed anyway.

justsomeguy
13th October 2005, 22:53
I do like riding in the rain when there is not too much other traffic about. Provided, (important) I am going to end up at home at the end of the ride, not have to sit round somewhere all day. It has a "adventure" sort of component, especially if there is a bit of wind. Sort of a "blow, blow, thou icey winds, and crack thy winter's cheeks" sort of thing. Defying the elements, what motorcyling is about really. Very satisfying to get home after 2 or 3 hundred k in wild conditions, prak up the bike, and think "Ah, you did your worst, oh Tempest, but I've beaten you". then head of for a nice hot shower and tea and crumpets.

Riding slower goes without saying, but on that sort of ride you're not riding for speed anyway.

I know exactly what you're saying matey - that's what made me ride back the way we came on last Thur's night ride. Gives you heaps of time to clear your head as you concentrate harder.

Wind's the worst - rains not too bad as long as your tyres are ok.

Biff
13th October 2005, 23:03
Like being in a tent when it's hosing down outside - I llike that too.

Is that normal?

True- so true. A little too relaxing a sound though IMO. Reminds me of camping when I was a kid, falling asleep in a tent, nice and dry, curled up in a warm sleeping bag, falling asleep to the rain dancing on the tent, gloating even, then you suddenly have to do an emergency stop because some prat decided to pull out of that drive way in front of you. Bstard.

Is that normal?


As a newbie in the wet, I'm not confident enough to lean the bike much in the wet

Concentrate on leaning your body into the corner - not the bike. :niceone:

Leong
17th October 2005, 21:02
Concentrate on leaning your body into the corner - not the bike. :niceone:

Thanks again Biff. I appreciate your advice. I feel better keeping the bike upright on more slippery surfaces, so leaning the body makes sense.... just got learn to do it!! I ahve much to learn!!

SlowHand
18th October 2005, 17:27
Like being in a tent when it's hosing down outside - I llike that too.



True- so true. A little too relaxing a sound though IMO.

so ahh, where are you too camping over new years? I could come make it spot "rain" on your tent? And if your really nice, I can get more people and get a good soaking going on. i promise I won't use lights to create shadows though.

nicmotors
18th October 2005, 17:41
Your visor – will get wet (funny that eh?). At ‘higher’ speeds it’s not as much of an issue- the wind will help clear the visor of rain droplets. Turning your head sideways slightly (watch the road ahead) will help blow away the more resilient droplets.

This method is great, but can be greatly improved by using a product called "RainX". it is actually intedned to be used for car windscreens, but tried it out on the helmet visor, worked a treat! Repels water like a ducks back. Also lasts ages on each cote of the stuff.

Oh you can get the stuff from Repco of all places

tl_tub
18th October 2005, 17:43
Dont mean to be nit-picky (but will be!)
There is no 'tar' on our roads. Tar comes from a large pit in South America.
What we have here is bitumen. Bitumen is manufactured from crude oil. Sealed roads are either 'chip seal' - a thin layer of small 'chips' stuck to the road with bitumen, or a thick layer of Ashpaltic Cement (this is the stuff on the motorways)- which is a mix of very small chips, air, sometimes sand and of course, bitumen . The big difference between the two (and the relevance to this thread) is that with chipseal the water runs off to the side of the road (or ponds if the road is poorly constructed) and with AC (which is porous) the water runs down through the surface (or ponds if the voids get filled up with crap).

Drum, are you in the roading industry? I was just about to post the same thing, though I was also going to mention one of the reasons roadmarking paint is extra slipery is because they use glass beads to reflect the light.
I work in a lab testing roading products :crybaby:

Cibby
30th October 2005, 01:30
I love riding in the rain.

When you're fully kitted up you stay 98% dry (wet fingers through the gloves probably... and possibly a spot on the back of your neck).

But I love the fact it's right there - and yet can't touch you. You're "cheating" or defying it...

Like being in a tent when it's hosing down outside - I llike that too.

Is that normal?


Yes i realise i've missed half this thread, however.. MDU, i agree.

There is something hard core about it, that bloody weather tries to keep you off your bike, but FUCK IT>. YOU WONT LET IT!!!

DAMN STRAIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:headbang: :headbang: :headbang:

Swoop
3rd November 2005, 10:32
This method is great, but can be greatly improved by using a product called "RainX". it is actually intedned to be used for car windscreens, but tried it out on the helmet visor, worked a treat! Repels water like a ducks back. Also lasts ages on each cote of the stuff.

Oh you can get the stuff from Repco of all places


On a very similar vein.. I have used the simple cut and polish method on my cage windscreen and it has been brilliant! Use the wax paste and polish off nice and smooth. Anything faster than 70kmh and the water beads up and blows vertically upwards - so I don't even bother using the wipers after that speed since you are not looking AT the winscreen but THROUGH it. I guess that it will work on the helmet visor equally as well. Will try it very soon. :spudwave:

inlinefour
3rd November 2005, 12:07
I went for a ride last night, despite the fact that it was pissing with rain. Ms Biff thought I was mad, warning me about how dangerous it is to ride in the rain (not that she's ever ridden a bike on the road, or in the rain). Why? Because I wanted to, and it's been ages since I've ridden in 'proper' rain.

What I've learnt and been taught over the years (courses, books, experience):

When entering a corner, especially tight corners, try and lean, with your upper body, into the corner. Set yourself up before the corner, you don't want to be jumping around on the bike just before, or mid-corner. Lean from the waist, leaning your shoulders into the corner, dipping your shoulders slightly. Doing this helps keep the bike more upright. Keeping the bike more upright means that you have more tyre in contact with the road surface. More rubber on the floor - the better the grip - the less chance of aqua planning (where there's a significant film of water between the tyre and the road).

Brake slowly and smoothly. The last thing you need is to lock up your wheels.

Diesel - A potential killer. Keep an eye out for it. It one of a bikers worst enemies in the dry, in the wet it's sole purpose is to help you claim back some of your ACC levies. Avoid.

White lines, painted lines. For some reason these things are made out of cheap and slippery paint here in NZ. So in the wet they should also be avoided. Don't panic if you can't help but ride over it though. Just try and do so with the bike as upright as possible, and avoid braking heavily.

Mid corner man hole covers - why oh why are these things put on the apex of some corners? As slippery as a Algerian second hand car dealer, avoid. Keep your eyes peeled for these buggers. You really don't want to ride over one of these things in the wet, on a corner, with the bike leant over.

Road kill/cow shit etc - slippery, especially when wet.

Other road users - Cage drivers will always feel more confident driving in the rain than a biker. The old 4 wheels v 2 equation. As always, watch out for those idiots that drive too fast in poor driving conditions, or who change lanes with little or no warning etc. These idiots should possibly be your number 1 concern. If ones right up your arse because you're taking your time, pull over, let them pass. It's not worth the risk speeding up just because someone you've never met wants you to, and in doing so further increasing the risk of you having an 'incident'.

Your visor – will get wet (funny that eh?). At ‘higher’ speeds it’s not as much of an issue- the wind will help clear the visor of rain droplets. Turning your head sideways slightly (watch the road ahead) will help blow away the more resilient droplets. At lower speeds it can be more of a problem, and you may have to resort to wiping your visor, maybe even with one of these: http://www.getgeared.co.uk/acatalog/Glove_Rain_Wipers.html. I’ve used half a potato in the past, cutting a potato in two, then rubbing the moist bit on my visor. The starch helps repel rain.

Bottom line - take your time. Riding in the rain certainly is more challenging, and the associated risks are increased somewhat. Be alert, be focused, and providing you’re warm and dry you’ll enjoy it, and you’ll learn a lot more about the way your bike handles. Well, I do anyway.


:niceone:

Wish this post had been around when I was a lad, unfortunately I had to learn the hard ways :argh:

NighthawkNZ
16th November 2006, 14:45
Mid corner man hole covers - why oh why are these things put on the apex of some corners? As slippery as a Algerian second hand car dealer, avoid. Keep your eyes peeled for these buggers. You really don't want to ride over one of these things in the wet, on a corner, with the bike leant over.

been there... done that ... got thescar to proof it... don't wanna do a gain... I have never under stood why they put these in the apex of a corner...

Toaster
16th November 2006, 15:01
I went for a ride last night,
:niceone:

Great thread, great advice and most appreciated. Always keen to learn from those with experience.

Cheers.

Terminated
16th November 2006, 15:46
Bottom line - take your time. Riding in the rain certainly is more challenging, and the associated risks are increased somewhat. Be alert, be focused, and providing you’re warm and dry you’ll enjoy it, and you’ll learn a lot more about the way your bike handles. Well, I do anyway.
:niceone:

Biff, well written may I copy into my Newbie Training Update thread? Polite to ask.

Heads Up and Enjoy

slimjim
16th November 2006, 16:28
:scooter: love the rain riding, comes from wayback, with goggles and me swanny,...:yes: .. but was wondering biff, how come you reckon by not leaning that you have more tire on road ????????????? if its flat yup....... but as its a curve your tire is......... any how only year's of wet riding will give your the same feel as if in the dry, but like a lot of things if you wait a wee bit while the rain's doing its thing, gerenally after a bit it wash's most of the crap off the bitumen,:rockon:

Biff
17th November 2006, 11:54
Biff, well written may I copy into my Newbie Training Update thread? Polite to ask.

Heads Up and Enjoy

You're more than welcome.

pervert
17th November 2006, 12:07
Instructional video on how to ride in the rain;


Right click and save as... http://www.gotwheelies.com/RainRideWeb.wmv

slimjim
17th November 2006, 12:43
far out i'm surpised that the motor doesn't start to complain that its not getting oil were it should be, were are the pickup pipe for the oil pump on that model of bike,

pervert
17th November 2006, 12:47
far out i'm surpised that the motor doesn't start to complain that its not getting oil were it should be, were are the pickup pipe for the oil pump on that model of bike,

People stunt all different models of sportbikes (and non-sport bikes) and ride wheelies longer than that.

A bit of extra oil is all that's needed, fuel is more of an issue on carb'ed bikes.

lukelin250
18th November 2006, 14:38
gotta try the potatoe cause that rainx shit thats expensive sure doesnt work for me.

terbang
18th November 2006, 16:13
One thing that cage drivers don't do as much as bikers, is read the road surface. Our (us bikers) purchase on the planet is a little more tenuous than a cars so it is in our best interest to make sure we have good traction at all times. It doesn't take a rocket scientest to figure that this is an even more important issue on a wet road. As kel has allready said "watch out for the shiny bits". They generally highlight an area of less traction. A common misconception of those that come from cages to a motorcycle is that all they have to do is learn a different set of motor memory skills for the bike and the road is just a road whether you are on a bike or in a cage. How wrong this is and I can often tell by following another rider, especially on a wet road, if they are still in cage world. Surface, Tyre traction, surface and so on is what you should be thinking and scanning, along with all the other stuff. So a biker has a lot more to think about. Thats just life in the fast lane and we just have to learn it.

A few unmentioned points.
Where am I riding..?
In the rural areas, hmm that has tractors and cows. They often dump dirt and cowshit on the road, it'll be mud now, better slow down.
Just passed a gas station, hmm people fill up here and their ill fitting fuel caps often spill fuel onto a wet road for a few kays as they go around corners, watch the next few bends & roundabouts..!
In the city or city arterial, hmm the centre of the lane between the tyre tracks has an oil contaminate (from cage engine/gearbox leaks) and this is wicked especially in new rain after a dry spell. Stick to the tyre tracks and change lanes cautiously.

I enjoy riding in the rain and never let it deter me. I prefer the leather/rain suit combination and I use common "Pledge" furniture polish on my visor to repel the rain.

Ixion
18th November 2006, 16:33
A few metres into a roundabout frequented by trucks is often bad. Where they change gear, as they do they often drop oil and diesel and shit.

Watch out in wet weather if there are high banks bordering the road, the rain can wash dirt and clay and shit down onto the road.

Watch out for bits of road that have that surface where there are lots of little stones embedded in the top layer and the tops of the stones have worn round and smooth, they can be quite slippery.

BAsically, anything thta looks different about the road ahead.

And remember, the road sureface round the bend, or over the top of the hill may be quite different to what it is on the present side.

And in summer watch out for nice black bits of road baking in the sunshine. The sun can cook the oils out of the tar and bring them to the surface , that's as slippery as it gets.

Mist in otherwise fine weather in the early morning is often bad, the roads get a coating of oil and rubber and dirt and shit during the day. Mist settles a fne film of water on it, that makes a lovely slippery slick. But there's not enough water from the mist to wash it waway as rain will do.

Similarly, the first few minutes of rain after a fine spell is really bad. Much care.

xwhatsit
18th November 2006, 17:59
I too love to ride in the rain! I love the rain anyway, bike or no bike, there's something I really enjoy about a big rain shower, everything feels cleaner and fresher.

I also like riding in another condition that many seem to hate; at night. I work late, so often I come back and not only is it dark, but being Auckland it's raining too. With the wonderful gear that Quasimoto has given me, I'm completely warm and dry; but you can still feel the edge of the weather on your neck and face, which wakes you up and makes you feel more alert. From riding in the rain (through necessity), I've become more confident with low traction, well at low speeds anyway. I've learned how to control when the rear wheel steps out, and how to brake carefully enough that nothing locks up. These things still terrify me in the dry, but in the wet I'm expecting it and even enjoy the occasional hairy moment. Perhaps I should get a dirt bike one day?

I don't know how many people here are familiar with Mangere Bridge, but there's an interesting little road where I first learned how to change gears called Kiwi Esplanade, along the waterfront. It's quite short, and the first few corners are very tight (25kph signs), but it opens up and every night I take a detour along here to see how fast I can go, what's the best line to take. It is fantastic late at night in the rain; streetlights reflecting off the streams of water crossing the road, the sea whipped up by the wind and rain, and the shifts in camber and a rise in the road (and then dip back down again) make it interesting to try different lines.

Why is rain supposed to be so horrible?

terbang
19th November 2006, 10:17
In the winter time, in areas of the road that are dominated by trees you often get a green moss that grows on the road. That stuff is also real bad in the wet.

lukelin250
19th November 2006, 10:42
big fuck off pine needles too!!!

rogson
20th November 2006, 06:50
Use tyres with plenty of tread.

A lot of the high dollar/high performance sport tyres don't have enough tread for wet road riding IMO - particularly fastish wet road riding. I have had tyres aquaplane at 100km/hr on a wet, but by no means flooded road.
Most riders don't use the grip capabilities (in the dry) of sport tyres anyway.

I don't mind riding in the rain. But I am fortunate to have more than one bike, and I prefer to not use the one with the sport tyres if I know it is going to be a wet ride.

If you only have one bike and do a lot of riding in the wet, use tyres that have more rather than less tread - which are usually the ones at the touring end of the spectrum. They will be safer in the wet, and last longer too.

gijoe1313
20th November 2006, 15:34
Ahh the joys of riding in the rain! I love riding in all weathers, anytime - nothing is better than riding through a sheer downpour and "chasing" the good weather you can see ahead, suddenly emerging into the new scented sunlight just makes my grin go wider! :sunny: And the feel of the wind evaporating the rain off your gear is sooooo good :yes:

I just love riding so much that its pure pleasure no matter what the conditions are! So, yeah - I'm mad, but then we all ride bikes so we all know what its like eh? :msn-wink:

Just got to have the good gears for it (mine are currently sitting in the hot water cupboard from Saturdays drenching heeheehee!:innocent:

Reminds me, need to buy some 100% waterproofs for touring later on! :doh:

lukelin250
20th November 2006, 17:08
i agree,,anywhere anytime. id even ride through hell and back,,,,duh duhhhh......