Are you confident riding in the wet?

[Lee Rusty]

is to ride it like it is dry - therefore the best practise you can get is riding in the dry like it is wet - lines and smoothness count -

[oldrider]

Hello Bikers, I love riding in any conditions. The one I find the most challenging is at night in heavy snow. The surface gets tricky, the lights just create a big white fluttering
curtain of light up front and the bloody big snowflakes keep sticking to your eyelashes. I tell you it gets a bit difficult sometimes but thats biking and I love it. Cheers John.

[kiwifruit]

I'm all about riding in the wet. Its great fun, as is the dry

[MotoGirl]

The only time I ride in the rain is when I'm already out and get caught in it. I sure as Hell don't set out to get wet! Plus, I'm enough of a pansy in the dry so I would only go slower in the wet

[Cajun]

i personally acutally perfer riding in the rain than the dry,

i more often that not ride a touch faster, but there is also a huge difference to rain, damn/moist.

those are the worse conditions,

[xwhatsit]

Hehe I don't have a choice, my bike is the only way I'm getting to work or uni, unless I catch the bus (just as bad, have to wait in the rain for the bus, walk some distance in the open, very expensive anyway). As such I'm reasonably confident in the rain, as probably at least 25% of my total riding has been in the rain.

My front tyre isn't the best in the world -- adequate in the dry, a bit substandard in the wet -- so I take it a bit more easily than usual, but I've got used to the feeling of the front `pushing' then grabbing, and I'm definitely used to the back letting go by now (Avon Roadrunner -- decent, but a light bike with next to no weight on the back).

I think riding in the wet -- just like riding in the gravel -- gives you good skills for fair-weather riding. Shows you how your bike performs when it's near the limits, which are much more difficult to reach in ordinary riding in good weather.

[swbarnett]

I think riding in the wet -- just like riding in the gravel -- gives you good skills for fair-weather riding. Shows you how your bike performs when it's near the limits, which are much more difficult to reach in ordinary riding in good weather.

Also, if you come off in the wet you'll generally be going slower as losing grip will be easier. The flip side of course is that the cars you slide into the path off won't be able to stop as fast.

I'm reasonably confident in the wet as spent my first ten years of riding with a bike as my only mode of transport. I just rode in whatever weather was there at the time.

I think the trick is to get out and ride in the wet as much as possible. Also, make sure your tyres are up to it. My GN is proving a bit slippy lately and I plan to swap out the stock plastic for a set of Avon Roadrunners in the next week or two.

[BarBender]

A good ride in the wet can be as satisfying as a ride in the dry - especially out on the open road.

[dogsnbikes]

Any condition is fine by me......as I have so many conditions and hazzards on the ride between home and Palmy north

to start with the road conditions consist of gravel,moss,pea metal,debris of all types ie silage,hay,cowshit,rock falls,wandering stock,road kill.

20k's of the trip has now road markings at all....

and the last few days I have had to cope with rain ,snow,sleet and hail

All is part n parcel of the enjoyment....knowing your limits and your machine

[Coxy]

Mate, rain, what a pisser! Literally! We all prefer long hot summer days, feeling the tyres warm up and gaining in confidence. The main thing about the rain is that it forces you to be overly cautious to start with. As soon as rain hits the visor.... "OOhh shit"! better slow down. This makes sense of course but you then find yourself pootling around and taking corners upright. My advice is, find a road you know on a wet day, double, even treble your normal braking distances to start with and use the torque of the bike to keep the drive smooth and power out of bends one gear higher than normal. This will give you an idea of how the bike brakes, steers and accelerates in the wet. Then moderate to suit. Also, if you are riding below 80KPH for short periods (lane splitting) lift your visor to get a feel for the elements, you'll find your feel improves. One thing though that I always stick to on a bike - if in doubt - DONT do it!

[Coxy]

Mate, rain, what a pisser! Literally! We all prefer long hot summer days, feeling the tyres warm up and gaining in confidence. The main thing about the rain is that it forces you to be overly cautious to start with. As soon as rain hits the visor.... "OOhh shit"! better slow down. This makes sense of course but you then find yourself pootling around and taking corners upright. My advice is, find a road you know on a wet day, double, even treble your normal braking distances to start with and use the torque of the bike to keep the drive smooth and power out of bends one gear higher than normal. This will give you an idea of how the bike brakes, steers and accelerates in the wet. Then moderate to suit. Also, if you are riding below 80KPH for short periods (lane splitting) lift your visor to get a feel for the elements, you'll find your feel improves. One thing though that I always stick to on a bike - if in doubt - DONT do it! Cheers, Coxy

[cindymay]

I ride in wet a fair bit. Hard not too in Palmy. Newly wet roads and at intersections are tricky. I don't ride that hard so not too much of a problem and I don't need to come off - my skin is delicate.

[07fatboy]

Absolutely Freeking Love it...its the only time i can do a one handed powerslide whilst raising it up on my harley without high siding it and having to put my foot down... i'm the one going through the lights in 6th gear doing 20km/h rear wheel doing 200kmh...apart from that its tail gaters when i'm already doing +10 in the torential that bothers me , just ease off a bit earlier but still give to her in the corner...stay safe

[HDTboy]

I'm all about riding in the wet. Its great fun, as is the dry

I'm right with you on that one, it's only water

Mate, rain, what a pisser! Literally! We all prefer long hot summer days, feeling the tyres warm up and gaining in confidence. The main thing about the rain is that it forces you to be overly cautious to start with. As soon as rain hits the visor.... "OOhh shit"! better slow down. This makes sense of course but you then find yourself pootling around and taking corners upright. My advice is, find a road you know on a wet day, double, even treble your normal braking distances to start with and use the torque of the bike to keep the drive smooth and power out of bends one gear higher than normal. This will give you an idea of how the bike brakes, steers and accelerates in the wet. Then moderate to suit. Also, if you are riding below 80KPH for short periods (lane splitting) lift your visor to get a feel for the elements, you'll find your feel improves. One thing though that I always stick to on a bike - if in doubt - DONT do it!

Harden up

Absolutely Freeking Love it...its the only time i can do a one handed powerslide whilst raising it up on my harley without high siding it and having to put my foot down... i'm the one going through the lights in 6th gear doing 20km/h rear wheel doing 200kmh...apart from that its tail gaters when i'm already doing +10 in the torential that bothers me , just ease off a bit earlier but still give to her in the corner...stay safe

Do you highside regularly in the dry?

[vifferman]

I try and remember this when the roads are wet:
"There's a lot more grip than you think there is".