Riding in the rain

[tl_tub]

Dont mean to be nit-picky (but will be!)
There is no 'tar' on our roads. Tar comes from a large pit in South America.
What we have here is bitumen. Bitumen is manufactured from crude oil. Sealed roads are either 'chip seal' - a thin layer of small 'chips' stuck to the road with bitumen, or a thick layer of Ashpaltic Cement (this is the stuff on the motorways)- which is a mix of very small chips, air, sometimes sand and of course, bitumen . The big difference between the two (and the relevance to this thread) is that with chipseal the water runs off to the side of the road (or ponds if the road is poorly constructed) and with AC (which is porous) the water runs down through the surface (or ponds if the voids get filled up with crap).

Drum, are you in the roading industry? I was just about to post the same thing, though I was also going to mention one of the reasons roadmarking paint is extra slipery is because they use glass beads to reflect the light.
I work in a lab testing roading products

[Cibby]

I love riding in the rain.

When you're fully kitted up you stay 98% dry (wet fingers through the gloves probably... and possibly a spot on the back of your neck).

But I love the fact it's right there - and yet can't touch you. You're "cheating" or defying it...

Like being in a tent when it's hosing down outside - I llike that too.

Is that normal?

Yes i realise i've missed half this thread, however.. MDU, i agree.

There is something hard core about it, that bloody weather tries to keep you off your bike, but FUCK IT>. YOU WONT LET IT!!!

DAMN STRAIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Swoop]

This method is great, but can be greatly improved by using a product called "RainX". it is actually intedned to be used for car windscreens, but tried it out on the helmet visor, worked a treat! Repels water like a ducks back. Also lasts ages on each cote of the stuff.

Oh you can get the stuff from Repco of all places

On a very similar vein.. I have used the simple cut and polish method on my cage windscreen and it has been brilliant! Use the wax paste and polish off nice and smooth. Anything faster than 70kmh and the water beads up and blows vertically upwards - so I don't even bother using the wipers after that speed since you are not looking AT the winscreen but THROUGH it. I guess that it will work on the helmet visor equally as well. Will try it very soon. :spudwave:

[inlinefour]

I went for a ride last night, despite the fact that it was pissing with rain. Ms Biff thought I was mad, warning me about how dangerous it is to ride in the rain (not that she's ever ridden a bike on the road, or in the rain). Why? Because I wanted to, and it's been ages since I've ridden in 'proper' rain.

What I've learnt and been taught over the years (courses, books, experience):

When entering a corner, especially tight corners, try and lean, with your upper body, into the corner. Set yourself up before the corner, you don't want to be jumping around on the bike just before, or mid-corner. Lean from the waist, leaning your shoulders into the corner, dipping your shoulders slightly. Doing this helps keep the bike more upright. Keeping the bike more upright means that you have more tyre in contact with the road surface. More rubber on the floor - the better the grip - the less chance of aqua planning (where there's a significant film of water between the tyre and the road).

Brake slowly and smoothly. The last thing you need is to lock up your wheels.

Diesel - A potential killer. Keep an eye out for it. It one of a bikers worst enemies in the dry, in the wet it's sole purpose is to help you claim back some of your ACC levies. Avoid.

White lines, painted lines. For some reason these things are made out of cheap and slippery paint here in NZ. So in the wet they should also be avoided. Don't panic if you can't help but ride over it though. Just try and do so with the bike as upright as possible, and avoid braking heavily.

Mid corner man hole covers - why oh why are these things put on the apex of some corners? As slippery as a Algerian second hand car dealer, avoid. Keep your eyes peeled for these buggers. You really don't want to ride over one of these things in the wet, on a corner, with the bike leant over.

Road kill/cow shit etc - slippery, especially when wet.

Other road users - Cage drivers will always feel more confident driving in the rain than a biker. The old 4 wheels v 2 equation. As always, watch out for those idiots that drive too fast in poor driving conditions, or who change lanes with little or no warning etc. These idiots should possibly be your number 1 concern. If ones right up your arse because you're taking your time, pull over, let them pass. It's not worth the risk speeding up just because someone you've never met wants you to, and in doing so further increasing the risk of you having an 'incident'.

Your visor – will get wet (funny that eh?). At ‘higher’ speeds it’s not as much of an issue- the wind will help clear the visor of rain droplets. Turning your head sideways slightly (watch the road ahead) will help blow away the more resilient droplets. At lower speeds it can be more of a problem, and you may have to resort to wiping your visor, maybe even with one of these: http://www.getgeared.co.uk/acatalog/...in_Wipers.html. I’ve used half a potato in the past, cutting a potato in two, then rubbing the moist bit on my visor. The starch helps repel rain.

Bottom line - take your time. Riding in the rain certainly is more challenging, and the associated risks are increased somewhat. Be alert, be focused, and providing you’re warm and dry you’ll enjoy it, and you’ll learn a lot more about the way your bike handles. Well, I do anyway.

Wish this post had been around when I was a lad, unfortunately I had to learn the hard ways

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

Mid corner man hole covers - why oh why are these things put on the apex of some corners? As slippery as a Algerian second hand car dealer, avoid. Keep your eyes peeled for these buggers. You really don't want to ride over one of these things in the wet, on a corner, with the bike leant over.

been there... done that ... got thescar to proof it... don't wanna do a gain... I have never under stood why they put these in the apex of a corner...

[Toaster]

I went for a ride last night,

Great thread, great advice and most appreciated. Always keen to learn from those with experience.

Cheers.

[Terminated]

Bottom line - take your time. Riding in the rain certainly is more challenging, and the associated risks are increased somewhat. Be alert, be focused, and providing you’re warm and dry you’ll enjoy it, and you’ll learn a lot more about the way your bike handles. Well, I do anyway.

Biff, well written may I copy into my Newbie Training Update thread? Polite to ask.

Heads Up and Enjoy

[slimjim]

love the rain riding, comes from wayback, with goggles and me swanny,... .. but was wondering biff, how come you reckon by not leaning that you have more tire on road ????????????? if its flat yup....... but as its a curve your tire is......... any how only year's of wet riding will give your the same feel as if in the dry, but like a lot of things if you wait a wee bit while the rain's doing its thing, gerenally after a bit it wash's most of the crap off the bitumen,

[Biff]

Biff, well written may I copy into my Newbie Training Update thread? Polite to ask.

Heads Up and Enjoy

You're more than welcome.

[pervert]

Instructional video on how to ride in the rain;


Right click and save as... http://www.gotwheelies.com/RainRideWeb.wmv

[slimjim]

far out i'm surpised that the motor doesn't start to complain that its not getting oil were it should be, were are the pickup pipe for the oil pump on that model of bike,

[pervert]

far out i'm surpised that the motor doesn't start to complain that its not getting oil were it should be, were are the pickup pipe for the oil pump on that model of bike,

People stunt all different models of sportbikes (and non-sport bikes) and ride wheelies longer than that.

A bit of extra oil is all that's needed, fuel is more of an issue on carb'ed bikes.

[lukelin250]

gotta try the potatoe cause that rainx shit thats expensive sure doesnt work for me.

[terbang]

One thing that cage drivers don't do as much as bikers, is read the road surface. Our (us bikers) purchase on the planet is a little more tenuous than a cars so it is in our best interest to make sure we have good traction at all times. It doesn't take a rocket scientest to figure that this is an even more important issue on a wet road. As kel has allready said "watch out for the shiny bits". They generally highlight an area of less traction. A common misconception of those that come from cages to a motorcycle is that all they have to do is learn a different set of motor memory skills for the bike and the road is just a road whether you are on a bike or in a cage. How wrong this is and I can often tell by following another rider, especially on a wet road, if they are still in cage world. Surface, Tyre traction, surface and so on is what you should be thinking and scanning, along with all the other stuff. So a biker has a lot more to think about. Thats just life in the fast lane and we just have to learn it.

A few unmentioned points.
Where am I riding..?
In the rural areas, hmm that has tractors and cows. They often dump dirt and cowshit on the road, it'll be mud now, better slow down.
Just passed a gas station, hmm people fill up here and their ill fitting fuel caps often spill fuel onto a wet road for a few kays as they go around corners, watch the next few bends & roundabouts..!
In the city or city arterial, hmm the centre of the lane between the tyre tracks has an oil contaminate (from cage engine/gearbox leaks) and this is wicked especially in new rain after a dry spell. Stick to the tyre tracks and change lanes cautiously.

I enjoy riding in the rain and never let it deter me. I prefer the leather/rain suit combination and I use common "Pledge" furniture polish on my visor to repel the rain.

[Ixion]

A few metres into a roundabout frequented by trucks is often bad. Where they change gear, as they do they often drop oil and diesel and shit.

Watch out in wet weather if there are high banks bordering the road, the rain can wash dirt and clay and shit down onto the road.

Watch out for bits of road that have that surface where there are lots of little stones embedded in the top layer and the tops of the stones have worn round and smooth, they can be quite slippery.

BAsically, anything thta looks different about the road ahead.

And remember, the road sureface round the bend, or over the top of the hill may be quite different to what it is on the present side.

And in summer watch out for nice black bits of road baking in the sunshine. The sun can cook the oils out of the tar and bring them to the surface , that's as slippery as it gets.

Mist in otherwise fine weather in the early morning is often bad, the roads get a coating of oil and rubber and dirt and shit during the day. Mist settles a fne film of water on it, that makes a lovely slippery slick. But there's not enough water from the mist to wash it waway as rain will do.

Similarly, the first few minutes of rain after a fine spell is really bad. Much care.