Fenweasal
[QUOTE=James Deuce;1130713593]Stop over-thinking it. Take every opportunity to practice in lighter traffic.
As Mr D says, lots and lots of practice. And get a pinlock insert for your helmet. These are brilliant in the wet, cold etc., and it really is important to have good vision in the wet (well any time really). Oh and practice.
Forum whore
The anti fog coating in my visor finally gave up the ghost recently causing a very cautious rainy ride. I applied Rain X anti fog during the week & it has worked perfectly, no fogging even early in the morning. I tested the rain x first by putting a bit on the part of the visor which attaches to the helmet in case it reacted or clouded the plastic. I also used to rub the inside of my visor with a skerrick of washing up liquid. One drop will put a thin layer over the inside of the visor. A gentle wipe with a tissue will remove any streaks & leave enough on to stop misting. Doesn't last forever but cheap & easy.
+1 on pin locks. Will be a must on any new hemlet I buy.
Most of the advice given so far is good. Strikes me with a lot of riders that the biggest problem is in their heads. Dwelling more on the fear of what could happen rather than on how to avoid it. The bike does not care about the weather and will not fall over unless you make it. Match your speed to your visibility & the slightly greater distance needed to brake or turn with a bit less lean angle. Focus on making all your inputs into the bike smooth. If you unsettle the bike by being tense or clunky your making an avoidable problem. A typical scenario would be the fear that you have come into a corner a little too fast for the road conditions & react by becoming tense then maybe trying to change your line, roll off the throttle, death grip on the bars, touch the brakes etc. The bike feels awful & you go rigid. Up until your brain went "eek" things were probably fine and staying relaxed and just riding through the corner would have been fine. Easier said than done, I know. But it is a mind set.
Was talking about riding in the wet with a rider who is very nervous of it on Sunday. It became apparent that our journey times were the same wet or dry despite the "oh, shit, it's raining" head game. Somebody here on KB pointed out that you end up riding smoother and consequently better as a precaution.
Maybe think of it as raining all the time & it won't be an issue.
Manopausal.
Of an enviable height
+1 on getting some training.
+1 on Roadcraft Nottingham youtube vid.
+1 on being smoooooooth.
+1 on riding in wheel tracks where possible (less dirt)
+1 on avoiding potholes, etc (on corners particularly)
+1 on taking straight lines over slippery things (railway tracks, road markings).
+1 on pinlock (make that +1million, they are awesome)
Braking - it'll take longer to 'load up' the front with weight so be more gradual. You can still use the rear in the rain just fine.
If you overcook a corner, use the rear very gently and focus on where you want to go.
Oppan Biker Style
Yeah, yeah! Be like...Originally Posted by Erelyes
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Your beliefs don't make you a better person, your behaviour does.
Hardcore Biker
Funny about the balls getting wet, I got some leathers and the crotch area is spandex kinda stuff. That area was actually wet and freezing as well as my upper arms where it is also the same material and my fingers started freezing up a bit. Might get some winter gloves to wear over my leather ones from the warehouse.
I think I have decent tyres for riding, bridgestone battleaxe rear and sport demon front. My friend has shinkos and rides way faster than I can in the wet than I feel comfortable. Also I've lubed my clutch cable, it took ages as I just poured oil in bit by bit then moved the cable in and out, I'm going to buy one of these before doing my throttle cable to save some time and redo my clutch cable at the same time: http://www.motocrossparts.co.nz/moto...es.php?id=2912
Pinlock visors require drilling on the visor don't they? I'm thinking of getting this: http://www.fastbikegear.co.nz/index....oducts_id=1265
I was going to use RainX as I have heaps of it from my cage days, but RainX themselves don't recommend it being used on visors. I'll try a bit on a corner and see what happens seeing as you had some success George Formby.
That Roadcraft Nottingham guy is great! I've watched quite a few of his videos now. Thanks for showing me
When riding I always find myself tensed up eventually for no reason. I do it much less than when I started. But still happens. But I make a concious effort to ease up and let the bike do it's thing. Makes riding over the bridge on windy days a lot easier too!
Forum whore
or make a wee funnel out of plastiscene or bluetack...
Pinlock inserts only require drilling if there isn't a visor already available for your helmet with the pins installed as standard. Google visor replacements for your helmet and see if they are available. Someone will suggest Fog Off inserts. If your visor already has an "anti-fog" coating you have to remove that first before you install it, which can be a mission.
There are heaps of sprays. They don't work as well as any of the inserts and anything with a detergent base will work as well as the sprays that you pay a reasonable amount for. Rub some washing up liquid on, wipe the excess off, let it dry, then give it a polish. Shaving cream works too. Don't use Rain-X it's anathema to polycarbonates. Pledge works well, but don't use the aerosol can variety, the propellants can damage polycarbonate visors. If you wear glasses DON'T use a breath mask it just directs your breath behind your glasses making the problem that much worse. I find a breath mask makes a visor fog worse than riding without, whether or not I'm wearing glasses or contacts.
If a man is alone in the woods and there isn't a woke Hollywood around to call him racist, is he still white?
Forum whore
The nozzles from poo gun tubes,. Oh, er, no more gaps or liquid nails
Manopausal.
Oppan Biker Style
Like dis:
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Your beliefs don't make you a better person, your behaviour does.
Hardcore Biker
I'll slightly contradict one piece of advice given above - DON"T think that white lines/arrows are to be taken cautiously only when turning. These are potentially bad for you at any time...in the wet. e.g. if you approach an intersection behind a vehicle and start to brake....watch out for the lane marker arrow. If you are engaging your brake in the wet as you ride over one of these - you will get sideways. I now try to position myself left or right of my lane so as to avoid the arrows and any further stained undies..
Forum whore
If you get the chance, go play on the dirt. You're in Auckland, so you could head down to thundercross and hire a bike, even join us on the 10th of May, when a bunch of roadies from work are heading down to brush up on their off-road skills, with a couple of us dirt monkeys joining in (PM me if you are keen).
You are essentially lacking in low to no grip experience and it's these skills you will be working on and picking up when you ride on dirt. I've been down there twice with roadies and have done the same with roadie mates in the UK. The biggest problem they all had was panicking and freezing when the bike lost grip, but after a little coaching, they learned to relax and correct. Still makes me laugh when a mate on one of the rides, an accomplished track rider, asked me how to stop the rear wheel from stepping out when giving it beans coming out of the corners... I asked him why the hell would he want to do that???
It's the "when things go wrong" skills you will learn, which would be stupid to practice on the road, especially if you like your bike and riding gear.
The Majestic Metal Wizard
+1 for the 2 youtube vids - I watched them when I started riding - some top advice
Physics; Thou art a cruel, heartless Bitch-of-a-Mistress
How do YOU ride up Arthur's Pass when you've publicly stated that it is technically impossible to ride around a corner?
If a man is alone in the woods and there isn't a woke Hollywood around to call him racist, is he still white?
Oppan Biker Style
I'm quite sure the advice applied only to when moving at a constant speed and a straight line only, you can ride over the white lines/arrows. They are to be avoided when cornering, accelerating or braking.
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Your beliefs don't make you a better person, your behaviour does.
Forum whore
This is very good advice & a good opportunity. Odds on the day will come when you get a bit a sideways. Reacting instantly & correctly is the difference between a bin & a win. Mud teaches you this & makes you happy.
It's also exactly the reason I got my G/F a trailie to learn on. I believe the skills you learn in all forms of riding cross over & make you safer/betterer/more confident on the road.
Manopausal.
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