Staying Safe While Riding in the Rain
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5,025 Posts
Do everything with purpose.
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886 Posts
Give yourself more distance for stopping, watch for pools of water, watch for sewer covers and other metal items as they get slippery. Cornering isn't too much of an issue - you can corner pretty fast on wet road really so if you go the speed limit you'll be good.
Oh and watch for flash flooding...
Oh and watch for flash flooding...
The key is not falling..........j/k.
Keep it steady and smooth.
Preplan everything, even more then you should already.
Defense x 128. Remember your stopping distance and cornering are vastly impaired.
Also cages vision is impaired, you'll disappear behind a spot of water on the windshield, flash brakes before full braking.
And if you can, pull over and let the initial rain wash the oil off a little. Never ride when it first starts if you can help it.
Personally i drive if its raining, but you'll get caught in it eventually. Smooth Smooth Smooth.
Keep it steady and smooth.
Preplan everything, even more then you should already.
Defense x 128. Remember your stopping distance and cornering are vastly impaired.
Also cages vision is impaired, you'll disappear behind a spot of water on the windshield, flash brakes before full braking.
And if you can, pull over and let the initial rain wash the oil off a little. Never ride when it first starts if you can help it.
Personally i drive if its raining, but you'll get caught in it eventually. Smooth Smooth Smooth.
i dont lean nearly as much as i do on when its dry, i take ALOT more time to slow down, and when i have to stop at intersections i dont stop in the middle lane, but rather to the far left or far right of the lane(i do this even when dry except not the far part)
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5,894 Posts
The key to ride in the rain is to be SMOOOTH and THINK! You must think every move and be very smooth. In fact, all the advantages you have on a bike are gone when it is raining, so you should ride it like if it were an economic cage with crappy tires.
Things to look for:
a) Stay on the sides of the lane (all the crap acumulated in the middle of the lane gets really slippery, and some oil that was absorbed by the pavement comes out)
b) Avoid manholes or any other metal surfaces, painted surfaces or plastic things (like reflectors) on the pavement. All those you can ride over, but are extremely slippery, they will send you down if you try to acelerate or brake over them.
c) Grow eyes on your back!!! People get stupid with some water, it is specially dangerous to get rear ended, or rear end a crazy a$$hole that freaked out and stepped on the brakes.
Things to look for:
a) Stay on the sides of the lane (all the crap acumulated in the middle of the lane gets really slippery, and some oil that was absorbed by the pavement comes out)
b) Avoid manholes or any other metal surfaces, painted surfaces or plastic things (like reflectors) on the pavement. All those you can ride over, but are extremely slippery, they will send you down if you try to acelerate or brake over them.
c) Grow eyes on your back!!! People get stupid with some water, it is specially dangerous to get rear ended, or rear end a crazy a$$hole that freaked out and stepped on the brakes.
Like everyone said drive carefully and be careful on slippery surfaces like shoping mall parking lots... some are painted with material that gets slippery in the rain.
I took off from a full stop at too hard an angle and too quickly and went down.
The only time I went down in 12,000 miles
I took off from a full stop at too hard an angle and too quickly and went down.
The only time I went down in 12,000 miles
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18,682 Posts
Do all the same things at 65%. Wet weather merely affects vision and traction. Its really no big deal. Don't over think it.
I will say that good raingear -- that keeps you comfortable -- is a safety device.
I will say that good raingear -- that keeps you comfortable -- is a safety device.
another good reason to stay out of the center of the lane is if you are riding behind a car, their wheels just moved the water out of your line, (less standing water in your lane), which helps reduce the chance of hydroplaning.
(a good reason to get behind a semi in heavy rain when driving the cage, they get the standing water out of the lane for you)
(a good reason to get behind a semi in heavy rain when driving the cage, they get the standing water out of the lane for you)
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1,269 Posts
#1. Use small amounts of front brakes. Your front and rear tires are most likely not built for riding in the Rain, and you can tuck the front very easy, even when straigt up and down.
#2 Shift Early, keep your RPM's below 7K, you don't want to spin the rear tire out from under you
#3 Use engine braking when slowing down. Downshift and feather the clutch out slowly to match RPM and Tire Speed. I would not Blip if you do.
#4 Make wide turns, use body counter-steer too keep weight over the bike when make turns into residental streets, etc.
Done correctly riding in the rain is fine. Racing in the rain is a blast. Imagine going 140+ MPH in full lean in a full downpour. Granted you need proper tires to do it, but it will make you one hell of a rider if you can ride in the rain...
Riding hard in the rain w/ Rain tires will yield you near the same grip as riding in the dry...
My Rear Rain tire after 1 Sprint Race 2 Weekends ago at Blackhawk. It was pouring rain...
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#2 Shift Early, keep your RPM's below 7K, you don't want to spin the rear tire out from under you
#3 Use engine braking when slowing down. Downshift and feather the clutch out slowly to match RPM and Tire Speed. I would not Blip if you do.
#4 Make wide turns, use body counter-steer too keep weight over the bike when make turns into residental streets, etc.
Done correctly riding in the rain is fine. Racing in the rain is a blast. Imagine going 140+ MPH in full lean in a full downpour. Granted you need proper tires to do it, but it will make you one hell of a rider if you can ride in the rain...
Riding hard in the rain w/ Rain tires will yield you near the same grip as riding in the dry...
My Rear Rain tire after 1 Sprint Race 2 Weekends ago at Blackhawk. It was pouring rain...
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238 Posts
wait until the road gets soaked - the initial mist is real slick. Watch for tar strips and metal expansion joints and let the cars ahead of you hit the deep water before you get there. Oh yeah, and be glad you kept the large turn signals. +1 on the 65% thing. Hey it's a free shower, enjoy it.
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1,695 Posts
Ride in the tire tracks of the car in front of you.. If you are by yourself, with no traffic around, then ride closer to the lane markers.. Cars indent the asphalt in the usual riding positions, so if there are no vehicles around you, ride closer to the lane markers, where water doesnt collect.
Also, because motorcycles have thinner, rounder tires than cars, it is harder to hydroplane a motorcycle, but there is no recovering from a hydroplane like a car either.. take it a little slower, and smooth on the throttle.
One more thing.. depending on where you live, some roads are Asphalt, and some are concrete. Concrete is MUCH MUCH more slippery than Asphalt in the rain, so be EXTRA careful on Concrete.
Also, because motorcycles have thinner, rounder tires than cars, it is harder to hydroplane a motorcycle, but there is no recovering from a hydroplane like a car either.. take it a little slower, and smooth on the throttle.
One more thing.. depending on where you live, some roads are Asphalt, and some are concrete. Concrete is MUCH MUCH more slippery than Asphalt in the rain, so be EXTRA careful on Concrete.
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592 Posts
Stay off the yellow/white lines, they become slick as ICE!!!
I think the most important thing to remember is to "TRUST YOUR TIRES", your tires will provide you with enough grip to maintain any normal speed;although my dunnies begin to hyro-plane if I ride off the regular tire track. Just take it slow and don't be in a race to get anywhere.
I think the most important thing to remember is to "TRUST YOUR TIRES", your tires will provide you with enough grip to maintain any normal speed;although my dunnies begin to hyro-plane if I ride off the regular tire track. Just take it slow and don't be in a race to get anywhere.
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285 Posts
set yourself up so that you dont have to slam brakes or take corners too hard. dont tailgate and dont take corners like they are dry
also, which nobody has mentioned, bike tires do not hydroplane like car tires do, at least not as easily. I find it much safer to cruise 85-100 MPH than 65 (in light traffic that is)...you are far better off passing traffic then being stuck behind it. 1. you don't get rearended, 2. you don't spend nearly as much time passing trucks that send a wall of water at you. Also your helmet is far easier to see through when you're not behind someone. This is coming from thousands of miles spent in wet weather and never stopping for the night.
Mike
Mike
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