Riding in the rain....

[scumdog]

I always kinda 'pulse' the brakes, it at least lets people behind you know that you're about to stop.

Even do it in the cages and more so when stopped waiting to do a right turn off the main street, I've seen too many rear ends prangs, especially involving manual gearbox cars where the driver has the car in gear, foot on the clutch and the indicator (if it's used) on and the only indication that the car is not moving until too late.

[enigma51]

Depending on the tyre and how dirty the road is (oil and stuff) it can get a bit slippery in the city but on the motorway it is usauly alright

[N4CR]

Strangely I like riding in the rain.. going from home>uni>work>home is pretty cool while raining. The waterfront is windy as hell but the sea sure looks cool in crappy weather. I seem to get to work about 10 minutes quicker in the rain (WTF!!??) and most other destinations roughly 30% faster... weird.

The reason I like the rain is it teaches you to handle the bike much better... the bike slips easier, it feels much more delicate and it gets the arse out if you aint conservative with power in *very* low traction situations (gotta love those metal covers outside the high court ).

Only thing is that the kevlar forearm weave on my spool fabric leaks very badly (strange seeing three streams of water while relieving myself ).

[Wolf]

Yep,this is one of my theories - it's seldom that you will lose control of both wheels at once(oh,believe me,you can do,and I have done) and it's much more preferable to have the rear wheel lose traction,it's much easier to control.Speedway,flattrack,MotoGP...all have the rear sliding as much as possible - that keeps the front planted.You can change a bad news front wheel slide to a rear wheel slide with a dab of rear brake.Keep the rear nervous and the front will be secure.

Reading all this, I'm feeling very lucky - the number of times in my early years when the back locked up or skidded and I let off the brake... and never once highsided.

I also tended to overuse the rear brakes, too - seldom used the front because I'd dropped the bike on previous occasions when the front slid out from under me while braking.

All things considered, I was bloody lucky.

[Waylander]

Reading all this, I'm feeling very lucky - the number of times in my early years when the back locked up or skidded and I let off the brake... and never once highsided.

I also tended to overuse the rear brakes, too - seldom used the front because I'd dropped the bike on previous occasions when the front slid out from under me while braking.

All things considered, I was bloody lucky.

Yea I use the rear brake more than front aswell. Was always worried about flipping the bike over.I know odds of this happening on a cruser are slim but still just one of those things. Only use it when I am comming to a full stop.

[Motu]

A gravel road has more grip in the wet....that's why I like to ride in the rain,I go find a gravel road and give it shit.Same with a Speedway track - they don't water the track to keep the dust down,but to improve traction...some tracks will have lime in them and this binds the particals together improving traction.Northland roads have a lot of lime in them and are some of the best roads to ride - makes a big mess of the bike and you never really get them clean.....but I'm not a clean type of guy....

[Ixion]

Reading all this, I'm feeling very lucky - the number of times in my early years when the back locked up or skidded and I let off the brake... and never once highsided.

I also tended to overuse the rear brakes, too - seldom used the front because I'd dropped the bike on previous occasions when the front slid out from under me while braking.

All things considered, I was bloody lucky.

Unlikely to highside if the bikes upright and going straight ahead. It's when the rear locks on cornering then unlocks. Locked rear wheel is going sideways, then grips. Stops going sideways, but you and the upper part of the bike want to keep going sideways. You get flung off high and wide, bike does a flipsy trick.

[Ixion]

A gravel road has more grip in the wet....that's why I like to ride in the rain,I go find a gravel road and give it shit.Same with a Speedway track - they don't water the track to keep the dust down,but to improve traction...some tracks will have lime in them and this binds the particals together improving traction.Northland roads have a lot of lime in them and are some of the best roads to ride - makes a big mess of the bike and you never really get them clean.....but I'm not a clean type of guy....

yeah, stops the tiny particles acting like ball bearings under the bigger gravel.Wet gravel can be as good for grip as dry seal I reckon. In a different fashion, you'll slide a bit but very predictably.

[Skyryder]

In the rain I use the brakes as little as possible. The Drake is heavy beast (251kg) and even though I have linked braking I don't like use brakes in the wet other than the final stop or to make a minor adjustment of speed. In the rain I use engine braking as the primary means of slowing down; more so than in the dry. I am a great believer in keeping the revs up so that if you throttle back you have instant engine braking and if further reduction is needed just change down.

It is surprising how quick you can travel on wet roads as against a greasy road but no matter what if you want your bike to 'track' in the wet, keep up the revs and use them.

Skyryder

[Skyryder]

Reading all this, I'm feeling very lucky - the number of times in my early years when the back locked up or skidded and I let off the brake... and never once highsided.

I also tended to overuse the rear brakes, too - seldom used the front because I'd dropped the bike on previous occasions when the front slid out from under me while braking.

All things considered, I was bloody lucky.

It sounds like you are braking to late and you are into the corner. If this is correct then sooner or later you will bin out. Not for me to tell you how to ride but brake hard if need be before you lean and power out, or use the engines reves to slow down in the bend.

Skyryder

[Sensei]

Rain riding is one of the best ways to improve your riding skill as you ride smoother take better lines . & learn to brake more carefully . Plus there is the bonus you tryes don't wear out as quick you can drift your bike round corners

[MikeL]

It certainly makes you concentrate. Unfortunately at my age I've only got so much concentration left before I get tired and start asking "what the hell I am doing this for?" I remember the ride to the Tokaanu rally last year which was a bit of a challenge. I'm also getting disenchanted with commuting in the rain (like today). Like vifferman, I've got to the point that on days like today I'd prefer to take the car - except that parking at the university is impossible, and my son's always borrowing the car anyway, and, who knows, the weather in the afternoon might be brilliant and there's nothing worse than being stuck in a car in a traffic jam when you could be on your bike...

[scumdog]

It certainly makes you concentrate. Unfortunately at my age I've only got so much concentration left before I get tired and start asking "what the hell I am doing this for?" I remember the ride to the Tokaanu rally last year which was a bit of a challenge. I'm also getting disenchanted with commuting in the rain (like today). Like vifferman, I've got to the point that on days like today I'd prefer to take the car - except that parking at the university is impossible, and my son's always borrowing the car anyway, and, who knows, the weather in the afternoon might be brilliant and there's nothing worse than being stuck in a car in a traffic jam when you could be on your bike...

Hmm, there was a time I was stuck at a land-slip in the Kawerau Gorge (on the way to Queenstown) in the pissing rain on my old H-D, no heater, no windows to wind up, rain trickling down my neck, no stereo to listen to - yeah, then I thought "those dudes in their cages have got a sweet deal right about now" - luckily 15 minutes (and 15 litres or rain)later I was on my way (but slowly due to traffic).

[Ixion]

It certainly makes you concentrate. Unfortunately at my age I've only got so much concentration left before I get tired and start asking "what the hell I am doing this for?" I remember the ride to the Tokaanu rally last year which was a bit of a challenge. I'm also getting disenchanted with commuting in the rain (like today). Like vifferman, I've got to the point that on days like today I'd prefer to take the car - except that parking at the university is impossible, and my son's always borrowing the car anyway, and, who knows, the weather in the afternoon might be brilliant and there's nothing worse than being stuck in a car in a traffic jam when you could be on your bike...

Yeah the temptation is always there. Trouble is, if you sucuumb to it, you end up finding more and more reasons to take the car until the bike becomes just a fine weather toy, brought out a few times a year on Sundays. You get soft and end up a poser like John Banks.

I'd got to this point last year, virtually never took the bike anywhere (well, maybe once a month) Either the weather was bad, or it was too hard to get out of the gargre, or this or that. And it is self feeding , because when you do this you find that when you do get inspired to go, the battery is flat or something.

So last year I made a resolution to toughen up - take the bike always. Only exception if I have to take Mrs Ixion along , cos she won't pillion. (And get back more into the biking scene)

The weather at present is testing my resolve, but I'm going to stick it out.

Next year I may let up on myself.

[NhuanH]

gotta say, after several sets of Pirellis, and having communted so far this week, I am quietly impressed with the BT-014s I have on my bike now.

It also helps to have a self imposed 8000rpm limit