First ride in the rain

[007coupe]

Well everyone this is how it went, I deciced to take the gixxer to work this morning and halfway there I realized that it was supposed to be a 20% chance of rain today. Throughout the day it seemed to clear up here and there so I wasnt that worried. I decided to go home a lil early just in case it rained on me. WELL IT DID ANYWAY. I was a little nervous due to the fact that its not that safe for motorcycles to be on the road right after a rain storm. I just took my time and rode in the tire grooves left by cars and it seemed to work out quite nicely.
I guess for a newer rider I have some useful advice.....pace yourself in the rain or dont ride at all.

[trafficdan]

Thanks for the advice as I sit at work knowing my first real rainy ride will be in the morning on the way home. Rain suit is ready to go.

[Louis]

Kudos.

Check out this blurb by yours truly: Wet Riding

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by 007coupe

Well everyone this is how it went, I deciced to take the gixxer to work this morning and halfway there I realized that it was supposed to be a 20% chance of rain today. Throughout the day it seemed to clear up here and there so I wasnt that worried. I decided to go home a lil early just in case it rained on me. WELL IT DID ANYWAY. I was a little nervous due to the fact that its not that safe for motorcycles to be on the road right after a rain storm. I just took my time and rode in the tire grooves left by cars and it seemed to work out quite nicely.
I guess for a newer rider I have some useful advice.....pace yourself in the rain or dont ride at all.

I hate the rain. Another thing that can help is don't ride in the middle of the road due to the oil droppings by cars and trucks. Me personally when I hit rain...I ride just between the center and where the tire tracks are. You'll be surprised just how much traction that Gixxer will have in the rain. My friend and I road to some..poker run to benefit a child...and on our way up..it rained so hard cars pulled off the road. We were in puddles above our rims. We didn't go fast and had our 4-ways on for best visability to us. He was on a X14 and me on my Gixxer...they just kept on truckin'.

[inspiron]

I had fun yesterday on the way home from work. They were predicting a chance of rain, but I decided to risk it anyway.

My "normal" route (across the bridge directly on the border) was backed up, so I took the "long way around", basically riding about 15 miles north along the Rhine (on the French side), then over the river, and back down the German Autobahn to get back to the Swiss border.

On my way down the Autobahn, doing about 170 kmh (105 mph), I started noticing some small drops on my visor. I slowed down to about 140 kmh (87 mph) as the rain increased. Because I was on the Autobahn, I couldn't slow much more than that, so I just kept it steady. My little windscreen was directing the wind up over my satnav and my tank bag - they both stayed perfectly dry, while my jacket and visor were taking all of the rain.

Fortunately, the cars over here don't lose many fluids on the Autobahn, so the road isn't too slippery when the rain starts. City streets are be much worse in this situation...

After about 5 to 10 minutes, I left the rain behind me and continued on my way home...a bit colder than before (I was wearing my all-weather gear, so it was dry, just a bit colder than before).

[Clint]

Motorcyclists tend to place way to much stock in the dangers of wet riding. If you limit yourself that much to dry weather, you're missing good riding. Just be sensible and keep going.

[palanon]

Note : If you have an older bike with solid disk brakes ( not vented cross drilled ), try applying slight brake pressure to keep disk and pads dry. This will help when you need to use your brakes for real. As long as you have decent tires and take it a bit easy, riding in the rain is no big deal. Common sense is the answer. No knee draggin' and stuff.

[IntruderCruiser]

rain, just another part of enjoying the ride --- slow up a bit and be even more attentive -- on many roads, you want to stay out of the tire track, as it can be a low spot that fills up quickly with water and a hydroplane hazard --- out on the roads(not in town) the center of the road really doesn't get that much oil saturation == the worst areas are at the stop lights

[peter-reebok]

Originally Posted by IntruderCruiser

rain, just another part of enjoying the ride --- slow up a bit and be even more attentive -- on many roads, you want to stay out of the tire track, as it can be a low spot that fills up quickly with water and a hydroplane hazard --- out on the roads(not in town) the center of the road really doesn't get that much oil saturation == the worst areas are at the stop lights

Cagers get confused when you pull up at the lights and are laughing!

[geoffsimpson]

Originally Posted by palanon

Note : If you have an older bike with solid disk brakes ( not vented cross drilled ), try applying slight brake pressure to keep disk and pads dry. This will help when you need to use your brakes for real. As long as you have decent tires and take it a bit easy, riding in the rain is no big deal. Common sense is the answer. No knee draggin' and stuff.

YOu know I just learded something...that's something I never thought about really before...I usually drag the brake more coming up to a stop or corner but not when I don't need to....great idea...I think I need to take a refresher course

[D_Klein]

Shoot, I remember approaching my first rain ride the same way.

Now that I'm more comfortable with rain riding, there are few things I change about my riding style when in the wet. Basically, just pay attention to the things that Louis pointed out in the link he posted!

[palanon]

Originally Posted by D_Klein

Shoot, I remember approaching my first rain ride the same way.

Now that I'm more comfortable with rain riding, there are few things I change about my riding style when in the wet. Basically, just pay attention to the things that Louis pointed out in the link he posted!

Your GSXR and my Bandit have the same basic brakes. On the Bandit I don't need to worry about my brakes ( duel front vented disks 6 piston calipers on front single vented multi piston rear ).

If you tried riding my KZ 750 ( single solid disk front & rear ) You would end up in someones front yard wondering WTF !!

[battypup]

The thing I have to deal with the most is train tracks. The ones with the metal sheeting in between. When I first started riding in the rain that was a scary situation. I just slow up and keep it as upright as possible.

[palanon]

That's the best way. Square up and ride over in a straight line. Just stay loose and let the bike wiggle if it wants. Same with open grate bridge decks and grooved pavement.

[St0nkingByte]

When it rains I cut back on the wheelies and stoppies.

[GregR1]

wtf? i thought i had posted up a response here... where the hell did it go???

[GregR1]

ok, guess i can try to rewrite it all... (commences %%%%%ing and complaining and swearing)


i had my first set of wet rainy rides this past weekend. day 3 of my MSF-equivalent course was this past sunday, and it was cold and rainy all day long, so i got soaked! i was also wise enough to ride my own bike to the course, so i had to ride it back home. it wasn't that bad overall, except that i was cold and wet due to lack of rain gear. outdoors for 8 hours, constant rain, 39F weather, no rain gear. yup, it was horribly unpleasant!

would i ride in the rain again? ya, sure, but ONLY IF i have proper rain gear to keep me dry, and heated layers to keep me warm. the riding itself wasn't all that bad, though. ya, the rear tire on the dirt bike that i had during the class stepped out if i downshifted while leaned over a bit in a turn, but that's just asking for it to step out a bit anyways.

[blackie1491]

Weather has the habit of creeping up when you least expect.
I keep a shoulder bag with my gear to throw into my saddle bag if there is any
chance of the weather changing. The biggest hint is a breeze blowing which could lead to a weather change.

So far my shoulder bag has made almost every ride since Oct.

The use of the word "almost" should lead you to the correct conclusion that I have gotten wet more than once!!!!

[Atlas68]

Originally Posted by blackie1491

Weather has the habit of creeping up when you least expect.
So far my shoulder bag has made almost every ride since Oct.

The use of the word "almost" should lead you to the correct conclusion that I have gotten wet more than once!!!!

You went out of the boudaries of 'Sunny Surrey' didn't you Bob...That'll teach ya.

[blackie1491]

Originally Posted by Atlas68

You went out of the boudaries of 'Sunny Surrey' didn't you Bob...That'll teach ya.

I live in the Sunny portion of Surrey, but the Sun seems to have abandoned us.
I get amazed how fast those dark clouds appear when I pass thru your neck of the woods!!!!