Give me some tips for riding in the rain!

[unstuck]

Sorry what I'm getting at more is, has anyone had a bad encounter with white lines while lane splitting when it's wet? or do you guys go out of your way to try avoid crossing them at all
I know it may sound like a stupid question but I'm curious as to how annoying these white lines are in the wet!

Everything about cities and motorways sux, other than the fact that all those idiots are there and not on our nice quiet roads.

[Metastable]

Thanks for the tips Metastable. I'm thinking of attending track days but I don't know how my GSX250 (only air cooled too) will handle it. I don't really want to flog a dying horse. It has only 37,000km on it but it's not a bike built for track work is it? It'd be like taking an old toyota corolla to the track...

Yeah - probably not the best track bike. Having said that, a motorcycle is a motorcycle. If the tires, brakes, brake lines, and suspension are in good order then you will still learn lots on any bike. Actually you will pick things up quicker on a smaller bike and those lessons do transfer to bigger bikes. There are CBR125 races in various places around the planet.... and in NZ you guys have the Bear Races which feature some small displacement classes. What I am getting at is that one can race almost anything.... and hence yes you could take your bike to the track for a school. I've seen a TTR-125 or 230 can't remember with dirt tires on a paved track. Don't worry about slowing others down or going "fast enough" (especially at a school). Plus if you have the slowest bike there you have no pressure.

Realize that even GP riders will ride little bikes like an XR100 (on dirt) to learn and keep their skills sharp. If you can take a track course, do it. Just make sure your bike is in good condition.

[Ender EnZed]

I'm thinking of attending track days but I don't know how my GSX250 (only air cooled too) will handle it. I don't really want to flog a dying horse. It has only 37,000km on it but it's not a bike built for track work is it? It'd be like taking an old toyota corolla to the track...

Riding it on the track will be just like riding it on the road only a lot more fun. It's just like a wide, winding road with short straights and no oncoming traffic.

Plenty of people take smaller and shittier bikes than yours to the track.

[biketimus_prime]

My friend was telling me how hard it is on his commute some days to know whether it was a bike lane splitting or the lights of a car behind him in his fogged up wing mirrors... That made me quite nervous haha.

I did want to take my bike on some learner days. I think there was a school run by some people who do it at pukekohe and hampton downs? Maybe I might and just not thrash the tits off it.

By the way another question (sorry for so many). I got a set of leathers recently. What cleaning tips can you guys offer? I read that beeswax can waterproof and condition it? So much conflicting advice online about washing it with water, just riding in the rain with them on (saw that on an old KB thread), alpinestars themselves said this:

Thank you very much for the inquiry. Since your Alpinestars technical garment is constructed primarily of leather, you should not wash this item with normal soap or water. We recommend using Lexol Leather Cleaner in combination with Lexol Leather Conditioner to prolong the life of your protective garment. For tough stains or debris, you can wipe the exterior of your garment with a microfiber cloth moistened with a diluted SimpleGreen solution. We hope you find this information helpful to keeping your Alpinestars technical apparel performing excellent for years to come. Feel free to contact us with any other questions or concerns.

The jacket label inside says not to clean it with water. What do you guys do? Surely some of you must have leathers that are probably decades old still in great condition, tell me your secrets!

[Metastable]

Leathers - The key thing is that you moisturize it. You might want to avoid something that is too slick around the seating area. Don't wash it with water. Sure if it is a dirty mess a damp cloth can help, after that, moisturize it.

[russd7]

wash leathers ?, never be a real biker if ya wash ya leathers. , can't say i have ever washed me leathers and the only thing i use on them is sno seal, just used the last of my stash so not sure if it is still available, tried the bone dry stuff a heap easier to put on but no where as good as sno seal. i do turn them inside out to air them out tho

[pritch]

Sorry what I'm getting at more is, has anyone had a bad encounter with white lines while lane splitting when it's wet?

Sorry, what I'm getting at more is that you already seem to understand that filtering on white lines in the wet is a situation of elevated risk. You are right, it is.
Especially round Auckland, the fuckers are all mad. Ask Akzle.

Leather care: you could seek out a saddlery shop, they sell stuff for cleaning and preserving leather. Stuff that has worked for centuries. Stuff like saddle soap and beeswax.

Kathmandu sell the Nikwax range. There must be about ten different bottles that only cost some $20.00 each. Find a sales person who looks like they have an IQ above room temperature, tell them exactly what you need, and you might get away with just a cleaner and a waterproofer.

None of which should be taken as saying I disapprove of Nikwax, I don't. I have a modest collection of those bottles myself.

I find SnoSeal a bit ummm industrial(?) for jackets and jeans. Might be great on boots though.

[russd7]

I find SnoSeal a bit ummm industrial(?) for jackets and jeans. Might be great on boots though.

yup pretty damned industrial and a pain to apply to the leather, best done in a conservatory with the sun streaming in but it keeps me dry and keeps the leather in good nic and doesn't bugger up the stitching, i really hate getting wet but i ride all weather, tho in even torrential rain i still pull on a pair of pvc over trou and chuck on teh drizabone riding coat, haven't found anything else to keep me as dry as that combo

[discotex]

Finally after I started getting the hang of things and leaning a bit more etc I come up to a roundabout and as I'm braking my rear wheel locks up and I get a decent amount of sideways action.

Sounds like you might be relying a little too much on the rear for your stopping power.

How much do you think you are using the front vs rear? 50/50 split? 95/5 split? 5/95 split?

[biketimus_prime]

Cheers guys I got this stuff: http://www.absorbine.com/products/le...one-step-cream Horsemans one step, the leathers look brand new and even took away the dirty marks all over it
I got told about that SnoSeal by a biker friend yesterday. Might hunt some down as it would be pretty cool to wear my leathers in the rain instead of my kevlar jeans with snowboard pants over it for waterproof!

Yeah I know Akzle hates auckland drivers, I see it in at least 1 thread every week. I'm surprised he hasn't come in here and told me to "Harden the fuck up and commute in your jandals and a tee in the rain idiot" or something along those lines.

As for braking, I think I used 90% front 10% rear as I'm coming to a place I have to stop at. If I am just brushing off speed for example coming up to lights that will go green soon I'll use the rear only 9 times out of 10. But I always have my front covered just in case. I never use just my front brake alone at any time.

[discotex]

There has been a lot of debate on braking in the Kiwi Biker forums and from what I have read there is no hard and fast rule but using the front on its own in the wet would not generally be advisable.

Why?

10chars

[biketimus_prime]

I use Oakwood Liquid Saddle Soap on my boots but do not have a leather jacket currently to try it on.

I was going to get saddle soap but to keep it all as cheap as possible the Horseman's stuff is one-step cleaner and protectant so it saves me having to wash the whole suit and have it dry etc. The stuff really did clean off the road grime and all though. The white on the suit is brighter than ever!

There has been a lot of debate on braking in the Kiwi Biker forums and from what I have read there is no hard and fast rule but using the front on its own in the wet would not generally be advisable.

I feel comfortable having the rear slide out and controlling that on the bike as I've done drifting/circuit racing my RWD car. The effect of countersteering to to go where you want is embedded in me. But never experienced the front wash out on a bike. Is it like understeering in a car? Never even done it when I used to mountain bike.
But as mentioned before, dirt track would be the best place to experience both. I'm just too broke at the moment to do it. Might just get the mountain bike out (after nearly 5 years!) and try some stuff.

As to "why" I've also been told by the instructors during my riding course and BHS to not brake with just the front in the wet to prevent it washing out. Rear is more controllable than the front they said.

[discotex]

As for braking, I think I used 90% front 10% rear as I'm coming to a place I have to stop at. If I am just brushing off speed for example coming up to lights that will go green soon I'll use the rear only 9 times out of 10. But I always have my front covered just in case. I never use just my front brake alone at any time.

If you are locking up the rear you're over using it. Chances are you're more like 70/30 or 50/50 and not trusting the front as much as you should.

Yes, if the front goes and you're not quick you will go down. Yes, saving a rear end lock up is a shit load easier. However, the rear does fuck all about stopping you before you hit something hard. It does even less in the wet.

Find a good (safe) spot and do some emergency stopping with just the front until you are happy to properly lean on the front. Then add in just enough rear that it doesn't lock up. That could be virtually 0% rear brake if you have a proper sports bike. Could be 50% rear if it's a cruiser.

[skippa1]

I was going to get saddle soap but to keep it all as cheap as possible the Horseman's stuff is one-step cleaner and protectant so it saves me having to wash the whole suit and have it dry etc. The stuff really did clean off the road grime and all though. The white on the suit is brighter than ever!



I feel comfortable having the rear slide out and controlling that on the bike as I've done drifting/circuit racing my RWD car. The effect of countersteering to to go where you want is embedded in me. But never experienced the front wash out on a bike. Is it like understeering in a car? Never even done it when I used to mountain bike.
But as mentioned before, dirt track would be the best place to experience both. I'm just too broke at the moment to do it. Might just get the mountain bike out (after nearly 5 years!) and try some stuff.

As to "why" I've also been told by the instructors during my riding course and BHS to not brake with just the front in the wet to prevent it washing out. Rear is more controllable than the front they said.

If you ride smoothly and use your engine braking and gearbox to scrub off speed, you would be surprised how little you need to use any braking. If you are squeezing the brakes enough to lock up, you are not riding to the conditions or panic/emergency braking.

[Berries]

As to "why" I've also been told by the instructors during my riding course and BHS to not brake with just the front in the wet to prevent it washing out. Rear is more controllable than the front they said.

Possibly good advice for a learner but as stated elsewhere, if you need to slow down quickly there is no point relying on the back brake unless you want to impress someone with a darkie (C Jeremy Clarkson). As long as you are aware of what will happen if you give it heaps of brake, front or back, wet or dry, then do what feels right - we should all know the basics from riding pushbikes as kids. The only time I use my back brake is going down my steep clay driveway in the wet, on the road it is front 100% of the time wet or dry. Works for me.

My only suggestion is that if you find some tyres that give you confidence in the wet stick with them. There is nothing worse than tyres you don't trust.