Wet Weather Riding ??

[2_SL0]

Well I will happily admit there is a hole in my ability, or you could say Im coward.
I know the subject has been covered before but I just thought I would ask the question. Yesterday I was on the Coro loop ride, first half of the ride was fine, it was dry etc. The secondhalf, basically back down to Kopu it was wet. Im a big fat wuss and so I slowed right up, (partially due to not riding the new bike much in the wet wasnt sure what to expect) Im planning to get out in the wet a lot over the next few weeks and get some pratice, I DONT wanna become just a summer rider etc. Realistically its just coinfidence thing but as we came down into Kopu
(a) I was tired. (b) I had got out of sync, if that makes sense. (c) I had a dark visor on and thought I was in a full on thunderstorm. (Removing visor)
So how do you guys do it? Anything I should try?

[John]

Don’t be "over careful" that’s the best method - visors are always interesting, I always dip my head at speed so that the rain carries the rain off the visor - never not think every move twice, try pay extra attention to puddles while maintaining a watchful eye on the cages.

Best way is experiencing, once you start skipping the rear out then you get a lot more confident in the rain - as a most part rain doesn’t worry me at all - I have confidence in my bike, Only loose the rear on those real tight ones when I'm powering mid corner.

[Riff Raff]

Just practice, practice, practice. The more you get out in it the less scary it will become. I was fortunate because of all the riding I did between Auckland and Wellington. I had to ride through some pretty crappy weather and I soon got to know what my bike is capable of in the wet. Whilst it can pose a few more challenges, on the whole most of it was still fun.

[NinjaBoy]

I just remember every unsmooth gear change and braking movement becomes accentuated and the key has been to make every movement as smooth as possible. You'll also be quite surprised at how much you can push things before losing traction...

[XTC]

I just remember every unsmooth gear change and braking movement becomes accentuated and the key has been to make every movement as smooth as possible. You'll also be quite surprised at how much you can push things before losing traction...

What he said keep it smooth.
Then speed up a little at a time until you scare yourself shitless and then take it back a notch

[Big Dave]

Some time spent on a dirt bike and off road helps immeasurably too.
You won't get as freaked about sliding or starting to slide on the road once you've had an afternoon or two powering in the dirt.

[2_SL0]

I spent a fair bit of time on dirt bikes its not the sliding bit that worries me, its the sliding and landing on tarseal that worries me. On the dirt I would rarely see over 100kmh so it wasnt a worry. Sliding one of my dirt bikes at 40-100kmh was easy, sliding unexpectantly at 100kmh plus an tarseal is different kettle of fish, (well it is for me, downright scary). Plus sliding the dirt bike and landing on soft dirt or mud/sand wasnt a painful issue. I havent really pushed to see where the sliding point is, I really need to just get out in the rain more and get use to it.

[justsomeguy]

One of the things that scares me, is I enter corners too hot and get scared to lean more for fear of sliding and get scared of locking up the rear wheel as I change down too quickly - if I stay in the same gear and slow down - the bike basically runs out of power......so it's a scary no control coast through the corner..... waiting until I get my rear brakes then will practice more and more aggressive braking in the wet.......

[WINJA]

One of the things that scares me, is I enter corners too hot and get scared to lean more for fear of sliding and get scared of locking up the rear wheel as I change down too quickly - if I stay in the same gear and slow down - the bike basically runs out of power......so it's a scary no control coast through the corner..... waiting until I get my rear brakes then will practice more and more aggressive braking in the wet.......

YOU SHOULD GET AN NC30 THEY HAVE LOTS OF ENGINE BRAKEING AND ARE A GOOD WET WEATHER BIKE. THEY CAME WITH "HRC" PAINT JOBS WHICH LOOK GOOD AND WOULD SUIT YOU AS "HRC" STANDS FOR HINDU RACING CORPORATION

[Big Dave]

I havent really pushed to see where the sliding point is, I really need to just get out in the rain more and get use to it.

Fair enough - most of the people I have seen come to grief in the wet have 'frozen' or grabbed a handful of picks when things started to get loose.

many times if you just roll with it and react smoothly - traction can be regained - particularly on the shiny black patches. if you tense up it just gets worse.

thats why being comfortable sliding a dirt bike can help - you don't go 'oh shit' when there is that lateral movement.

fwiw I like lighting up the back in the wet and hanging it out a bit every now and then - like i was on the dirt. it's why ABS doesn't appeal to me at all either

[Zed]

Well I will happily admit there is a hole in my ability, or you could say Im coward.
I know the subject has been covered before but I just thought I would ask the question. Yesterday I was on the Coro loop ride, first half of the ride was fine, it was dry etc. The secondhalf, basically back down to Kopu it was wet. Im a big fat wuss and so I slowed right up, (partially due to not riding the new bike much in the wet wasnt sure what to expect) Im planning to get out in the wet a lot over the next few weeks and get some pratice, I DONT wanna become just a summer rider etc. Realistically its just coinfidence thing but as we came down into Kopu
(a) I was tired. (b) I had got out of sync, if that makes sense. (c) I had a dark visor on and thought I was in a full on thunderstorm. (Removing visor)
So how do you guys do it? Anything I should try?

I'm no fan of riding in the wet, but I have found that experience in doing it will definately bring improvements to your style and increase your confidence levels! I have to concentrate nearly twice as much on the road in the wet and make sure my lines into and around corners are super smooth. Having your tyres up to scratch is also a biggie!

I also wear a rubber finger-wipe on my left index finger in the wet so I can keep my visor clear - big help! Bought it from Red Baron.

[Motoracer]

Just practice practice practice and really learn to be super smooth. That's what everyone will tell you over and over again and that's all there is to it.

[Ixion]

Took Li'l Rat Bike for a wee tootle up the back roads to Helensville (nice little run, founf a bit of gravel just for interest - pushed the little fella up to 140kph for a bit, but he wasn't really happy at that. That's OK I'm happy to nana along.) on Sunday after werk. Shitty as weather, and I found the wet adhesion limits of BT45's . Not as high as I'd hoped, but at least when they do let go seems like it's quite gentle, just a squeejit squeejit, and an urgent message "Cap'n, we cann'a hold it back here, shes gonna blow"

I like riding in the rain (well, all right I don't actually LIKE riding in the rain, but once I'm home I like HAVING ridden in the rain, if you know what I mean)

Generally the rear end on most bikes just squizzles a bit when the rear gets to it's limits in the wet. More scarey than dangerous. Like people say, try riding a bit on wet clay, so you get the feel of a slippery wheel breaking out.

Only time I get the shits in the rain is when you're following a cage through a corner (isn't it odd that even on a tiddy little 250, in the rain, there's always a cage holding you up) and the cage gets a scare and jams the brakes on mid corner. What to do, what to do ?

[Flyingpony]

Practise and experience.

I'm not afraid of losing the rear, at least not with my 20hp on tap.
What I'm terrified about is losing the front and having a close encounter with the tarseal.

How can I safely discover the grip limit of the front tyre (dry and wet road) without hurting myself or the bike?

[loosebruce]

Hey Kawa, I'm pretty confident in the wet, enough so to enjoy it, dont be to worried bout that part of the road into kopu in the wet, it's a shocker and pretty dangerous in places, I've ridden 25 more than any other road round so i know it pretty well, but i back off in a big way around that area, many a the back end went thataway moments and whoa where did the front go. There is very little grip round there at the best of times, so dont worry too much.
Pick roads you know well when learning to ride quicker in the wet, know whats coming, tar snakes on road, corners that thighten, it's all relative, use that knowledge to choose your lines in the wet, be smooth and it will come.
There is still a surpirsing amount of grip available in wet conditions, so many things count to that grip though, smoothness, progressive but frim braking, smooth accelarating, good tyres and heat in them, right frame of mind and so on...... it's a learning curve dont rush it though.

Good way to learn, get to the track if it rains still go out, dont be soft, you'll come out better off for it.