Wet weather riding?

[Pwalo]

Does it really matter if you're slow through the corners, and fast down the straights? Sounds pretty reasonable to me. I ride to work every day regardless of the weather.

What I notice is that I'm much more aware of corners (and road surface, road markings, etc) when I ride in the wet, and this seems to make everything FEEL slower. It's almost like being more aware of breaking a bit longer and waiting to get back on thethrottle. My actual times to and from work are pretty much the same whatever the conditions.

[slimjim]

it Rain's.........
nothing thats not already been said...............
Trust Your skills.........Bike only Does What You Do.....
even on slicks you can ride................you Trust what you Do...
tires are very even nowday's....
road conditions are not...

control is all your's...

[pritch]

I'm a bit startled to see the comments here about the Pirelli products.

I have now seen several comparison articles in various mags and on the 'Net which rate them at or near the top. Admittedly not all did wet testing.

I'm happy with my Metzelers but I guess I'm going to have to get a pair of Pirellis and try them for myself. (Currently I'm not convinced they are made in the same factory as some suggest but will check that prior...)

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

I'm a bit startled to see the comments here about the Pirelli products.

Depends on the bike they go on... and how the bike is set up... the riding style

I have see two exact same bikes just set differently ie; susspenion etc... had the same tyres, I took both of the for a ride... and one handle like shit... while the other was a good ride...

a week later the second bike same set up just different tyres and handle just as good as the other...

Any way if you are happy with a brand of tyre that suites your bike, your riding style etc then continue to use them...

[The Stranger:Me]

I'm a bit startled to see the comments here about the Pirelli products.

I have now seen several comparison articles in various mags and on the 'Net which rate them at or near the top. Admittedly not all did wet testing.

I'm happy with my Metzelers but I guess I'm going to have to get a pair of Pirellis and try them for myself. (Currently I'm not convinced they are made in the same factory as some suggest but will check that prior...)

My comment was not aimed at pirelli in general, aplogies if it read that way. I was intending to mean my particular Pirelli tyres (Diablo).
I kind of thought that it would be obvious and thus superfluous that I can not possibly be saying that all Pirelli are shit in the wet.
However, based on these, I doubt I will be too keen to try other Pirelli tyres as I don't like to waste my money and they already got me once.

[slofox]

Thanks to all who have replied with advice. For the record:

1. I have all the gear and yes, I do stay warm and dry. Commutes in the rain are generally short anyway.
2. I have actually done a lot of wet weather riding over the years without mishap - I think maybe this newest bike has made me a little more cautious than previously - dropping $100 worth vs $10,000 worth....go figure....
3. Much of what has been said I am familiar with - fresh rain on dry roads, "person access hatches", white lines, shiny patches etc etc.....
4. My query relates more to the degree of caution other people exercise relative to their dry road riding style....
5. What has made most sense to me here is that the tyres have more ability than I give them credit for...very true in my case - I treat them like vicious evil-minded little bastards who are out to get me....not that I am paranoid of course,,,(is that a cop? CIA? FBI?......)

Thanks again all.......

[Wannabiker]

I think you have just hit the nail on the head...you are worried about protecting your investment, and thats natrually understandable....hence your level of caution has increased pro-rata. ...go get a $500 dollar hack and throw it round in the wet. I bought an old DR 200 to do just that on the fire-trails behind our place. Oddly enough, it hasn't cost me any extra over the purchase price and I have had many hours of enjoyment and skill building offroad motorcycling for a modest investment. It is not all that slower than my boys wizzy-doo CR motox bike either!! I spent many years an a competitive mountainbiker, and still maintain that the bike will outride the rider most times, and that if you just let the bike do its thing, all will be OK.

[mtroskill]

Had my first venture out in the wet today out mission bay way....

There are black lines of tar(?) on the road that caused my front wheel to spin a couple of times... was only going about 45k not all that confidence inspiring.

So in general, as long as you are steady on the throttle you're sweet?

Think I need to head to a carpark and practise a bit.

[The Stranger:Me]

Had my first venture out in the wet today out mission bay way....

There are black lines of tar(?) on the road that caused my front wheel to spin a couple of times...

All good, just suck the bike up your arse and it'll be nice and stable.

[MentalFacility]

due to local weather and my bike being my main means of transportation i have to ride in rain alot.
New cbrs have some sorta traction controll which helps it in wet, but my main problem is that antifog in my helmet is FUCKED. Most of the time i cant see shit. But i ride it anyway. I dont enjoy walking.

[Grub]

There are black lines of tar(?)

Yup ... "Tar Snakes" are baad karma. They seem to be slipperier than even the white lines. I hate riding in the wet having had an off in the wet where i didn't think I was pushing it at all. Then I think back to the Vic Club Rnd 4 in Sept when those guys were going at what looked like full race speed in the wet and at extreme lean angles too. I guess I just don't want to bust my CBR ... or me.