Riding in the rain?

**BMWST?** · 18th May 2009, 20:50

worst thing about riding at night in the rain is how oncoming car headlights turn the rain drops on your visor into little intense points of light.In this case you must have a clean visor and use the sideways movement of your head to keep the big drops out of your line of site.Avoid looking at he headlights of the oncoming cars look as much as possible to the left hand side of the road.
Your high beam will illuminate the reflectors on the side of the road,you will notice that on left handers yeelow ones become visible marking the outside of the turn,The white ones on the left hand side of the road disapear round the corner,so sometimes at nigh the sharpness of the corners are more aesily judged than in the daytime,but in the rain this effect all but disapears as the little light pricks overpower just about everything

**6ft5** · 18th May 2009, 20:57

Actually I feel that this was a very risky and stupid trip. Others my think this was brave but in winter on a 250cc without understanding the weather having a poor lighted bike. You are lucky to have come home without getting involved in an accident. The Metservice was warning bikies to stay off the road FGS.

**Mystic13** · 18th May 2009, 21:03

Originally Posted by 6ft5

Actually I feel that this was a very risky and stupid trip. Others my think this was brave but in winter on a 250cc without understanding the weather having a poor lighted bike. You are lucky to have come home without getting involved in an accident. The Metservice was warning bikies to stay off the road FGS.

North wasn't bad weather though. Up here in Aucks we had a fine Saturday and and overcast Sunday avo with rain arriving at 2.30pm. Clay off road in the rain is slippery.

**Jacko2** · 18th May 2009, 21:05

Originally Posted by 6ft5

Actually I feel that this was a very risky and stupid trip. Others my think this was brave but in winter on a 250cc without understanding the weather having a poor lighted bike. You are lucky to have come home without getting involved in an accident. The Metservice was warning bikies to stay off the road FGS.

And you never did anything risky?
How the fuck do you learn/experience anything?
We let the women take over the world and now we're just like them.
Rant Over.
JACKO

**6ft5** · 18th May 2009, 21:09

Originally Posted by Mystic13

North wasn't bad weather though. Up here in Aucks we had a fine Saturday and and overcast Sunday avo with rain arriving at 2.30pm. Clay off road in the rain is slippery.

Thanks, still with a weather warning doing some 1700km in the space of a few days is really asking for trouble in my mind.

**6ft5** · 18th May 2009, 21:13

Originally Posted by Jacko2

And you never did anything risky?
How the fuck do you learn/experience anything?
We let the women take over the world and now we're just like them.
Rant Over.
JACKO

Yes and I live to share my experiences and do so everyday. In this case it was appropriate to make the point that there are always choices. This wasn't one of the better ones.

**MaxB** · 18th May 2009, 21:27

Originally Posted by Jizah

So today I just got back from taking my not-so-trusty bike from Lower Hutt to the Bay of Islands and back for a party. I left on Friday afternoon and arrived back about 1.30pm this afternoon.

Hmm, hope she was worth it mate!

**Jacko2** · 18th May 2009, 21:42

Originally Posted by 6ft5

Yes and I live to share my experiences and do so everyday. In this case it was appropriate to make the point that there are always choices. This wasn't one of the better ones.

That was a good reply, not girlie at all.
I retract calling you a woman.

**6ft5** · 18th May 2009, 21:48

Originally Posted by Jacko2

That was a good reply, not girlie at all.
I retract calling you a woman.

cheers mate, every opinion counts

**Headbanger** · 18th May 2009, 21:49

Pass everything.

A clear road is your best freind.

At night, if worse comes to worse, look left at the line of paint , In a shit storm that maybe all you can see.

**caseye** · 18th May 2009, 21:51

I drove Ak to Roto Vegas Thursday night, rained Hard all the way, then to Welly on Friday morning, rain and squalls all the way.Drove over the Old Coach rd to Porirua Satdee! great day fro sight seeing and water watching, then home ot Ak on Sunday, more rain, all the way back.
Would have ridden if I'd had to, lucky for me my dad rather fancied the comfort of the car over the back of me bike! A brave ride and obviously done as safely as possible.
I've ridden in torrential rain(not cold luckily) for hours on end and though i'd not do it again without good reason it was safe enough, long as you were watching the corners for slick spots etc and as usual treating all oncoming motorists like the devil with his scythe!
Congrats on a getting there and back in one piece, would you do it again just for a party?

**p.dath** · 19th May 2009, 08:59

I'd heard people talking about pinlock helmets quite a bit. How do they work?

**crazyhorse** · 19th May 2009, 09:35

Originally Posted by doc

Unbelievable... people ride in the rain.

Doesn't it effects the resale of your bike ?

Does it affect your car resale???? What difference does rain have on resale - doh!!!

**crazyhorse** · 19th May 2009, 09:37

Originally Posted by Hitcher

There is a variety of techniques that improve the "out in the rain" experience.

1. Use Pledge to clean your visor. It helps the water to bead up and run off easier.

2. Buy gloves with a built-in squeegee on the left-hand index finger. Use that as necessary to wipe things away.

3. Head movement helps. Look left, look right, look up, look down. The wind movement past the visor moves water away.

4. If it's that wet that you can't see bugger all, resist the temptation to tailgate the vehicle immediately in front, and pull over for a while, preferably somewhere sheltered. Heavy rain generally passes through reasonably quickly.

I totally agree - well said. And the more riding you do in the rain, at night, or on shingle - makes you a better rider - just don't be stupid when out there.