Rain rides

[bear]

If I avoid it, enough hazards around the place already. But if you have to, then such is life. I got some cheapish waterproof overs (jacket and pants) for $80 (RJays) and they are supreme at keeping me dry.

[Sniper]

I dont mind a bit of rain if I have a planned ride or am in the middel of one. I wouldnt go out of my way to go out riding if I can help it in the rain. Except when the lady of the house orders me.

[XP@]

First ride in snow, the story:

Arrived at Turangi service station
Trying to decide if putting on jumper was the right thing to do.
Service station attendant arrives with snowball.
Put ALL warm stuff on, Wife did the same.
up to the desert road.
found the snow
visor clogged up
slowly does it, no problems (2 up and luggage = lots of downforce)
arrived in waioru a tad chilly
Wife says "was it that deep last time"
Me says "what last time?"
Wife says "oh, thought you had done that before..."
found woodburner, ate food & dried off.
Just before we were leaving another biker arrives
Other biker was wearing leathers - no over clothes!
He was really wet and thought he was in early stages of hypothermia

[**R1**]

Yeah like ya said, i find i ride nice and smooth in the rain


Hate getting stuck behind stock trucks tho

but rain is good fun

[inlinefour]

Went for a ride to Hawera last Friday with Scooterboy. Both ways we hit torrential rain and it took a fair bit of concentration and luck to keep on the bike. We both lost traction each once. The main problem whas the arsehole in the hatchback cage that thought it would be cool to tail gate me. A line of four slower cages however resolved that problem. My bike and riding gear is nice and clean now, might as well clean everything when satched.

[Motu]

I don't ride for necesity these days,if I want to go for a ride I do...all dependent on the weather,so sometimes I like to go for a ride in the rain.Gravel roads give far more traction when wet,so I will often ride after rain,sometimes during - I got the gear,but sometimes get it wrong and wear the stuff that gets me wet.

I don't mind being wet if I'm going home,hate it if it means spending the day wet.Given the choice - I'd rather ride in rain than wind.

[Biff]

"IS THAT THE BEST YOU CAN DO, YOU PUSSY!", and similar kinds of things can be heard from underneath my lid when I'm riding in the rain. I love it, providing it's the kind of rain that's heavy enough the roll off the visor.

I get a kind of perverse (me? perverse?) kick out of being all geared up in my wet weather riding gear, warm and the pitter patter of rain on my helmet. The sound reminds me of camping in the rain. Kind of soothing.

I have had a scary experience once though; I was travelling home along the A14 in the UK ( a dual carriageway with a 70MPH speed limit) in a very heavy storm. All was well and I must have been travelling at no more than 40 mph when I saw a huge puddle formed in a dip in the road. No problem, I'll just knock it down a cog thought I. There was a car some distance in front of me at the time. As I hit the puddle a prick in a cage went tear arsing past in the outside lane and kicked spray up in my face. For about a second or two I was blinded by the water (although it felt like a lot longer). When the water had cleared I noticed red lights in front of me, the freakin cage in front of my had braked heavily for some reason, so I had to take evasive action and quickly turned onto the hard shoulder in order to miss the dick, crossing a slippery solid white line - both the bike and my arse momentarily twitched before I flew past the possibly stalled cage on the left. Not good.

New underpants please.

[Pixie]

The only thing I don't like about riding in the rain is cleaning the bike afterwards.Though Rain does a good job of removing bugs

[Big Dave]

Well I don't have wet weather gear, only jeans and a leather jacket cos I just started riding a few weeks ago, so I don't really like the getting wet aspect, but I don't mind it too much as long as it isn't raining HARDOUT....

This is going out in the mail this week:
http://www.davidcohen.co.nz/motomail_april.pdf
the wet weather kit is good stuff and the Arlen Ness jacket i highly reccommend.

bd

[MSTRS:Me]

I have to say that riding in rain is something that I don't particularly enjoy. If I'm out already, then tough. But otherwise I'll just put off the ride. The thing is, I ride for pleasure these days, not from necessity.

[soundbeltfarm]

somtimes i like it and somtimes are cant be arsed going out in it.
if im onholiday it pisses me off if i get wet then im wet and have to put the wet gear back on .

[loosebruce]

I quite enjoy riding in the rain, infact some of my most memorable rides were in the rain, one being riding the Coromandel, going up from Kopu watching small trees washing down the road (now river) past you thinking wtf am i doing out here, and the making the slightest throttle movement to send the supercorsa on the rear spinning alot faster than the front. It never really dried out that day and some crazy fool on a XR600 binned it chasing me on the way to waihi, a rather fast crazy fool.

I think what helped me the most in (faster) wet riding was doing a few track days in the wet, one at manfeild when i was still wet behind the ears to biking, a day at puke last year opened my eyes a bit more, and then at manfeild late last year with DM, i was amazed at just how much grip can be on offer in the wet and how hard you can brake, for sure lots of variables are chucked in on the road as opposed to the track but it's all relative in the end.

But a bit of rain would never put me off a ride, how will you get good/better at riding in the wet if you never ride in the wet?

[Zed]

Just posting to see who do or don't like riding in the rain .
If you want to ride & it's raining will you still go or would you just leave it till some other time . I know we all get wet on some rides but that's part of it when all ready going /coming back on a ride . But do you like rain riding ,myself I enjoy the challenge . You ride smoother , pick better lines , learn excellent braking skills , get to read the road alot better & apart from getting abit wet Is good fun when done right
SENSEI

I never used to like riding in the wet and would avoid it whenever possible. The idea of the road surface being more slippery, my gear getting all damp and uncomfortable, and my vision being restricted through my visor were the main disadvantages in my mind. But over the last few years I've purposely ridden in the wet and built up my confidence to a level where I actually don't mind it now. I always carry my wet weather gear in my pack and an extra pair of winter gloves, I also have a rubber swipe that slips over the index finger of my glove so I can wipe my visor regularly when it starts raining.

For the first time in my licenced life a motorcycle is the only form of transportation I have for work (my wife uses our cage), so rain or shine I am on the bike 'weather' I like it or not. I will always prefer the dry though!

[Sensei]

Well weather looked like shit so out I went . Wet jacket & Jean's,
Road boot's / Winter gloves . Told the sky bring it on , so what's it do got scared & stayed fine enough for a 1hr blast round the back road's . Great little ride . Put bike back to bed & down in poured Haaaahhhha missed me .
Sensei

[Zed]

...Told the sky bring it on , so what's it do got scared & stayed fine enough for a 1hr blast round the back road's . Great little ride . Put bike back to bed & down in poured Haaaahhhha missed me .
Sensei

Missed you this time for sure but may get you another time when you're not prepared for it and really ruin your day?? I wouldn't mock the 'weather God' if I was you Mr S!