Raining??? - GO RIDE!!!

[katana04]

I highly encourage any new rider to get on the road when there are less than ideal conditions, what I'm pertaining to is riding in the rain.
It is better to prepare yourself to have a better understanding of how you and your bike will react when the weather changes, rather than getting caught in bad weather without having to dealt with it before.
I'm not saying to head on the expressway of major highway, but rather pick your neighborhood, or a side street to practice braking, turning, weaving, etc... Be advised, you don't want to ride once it begins to rain, since all the oils and grime will surface from the pavement making for slick conditions. However after 15-25 minutes, most of that stuff should have run off, then you can take to the road.
PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE - It will only make you a better rider!

[Range]

awesome post...

Learn the technique of short-shifting, and make all inputs slow and deliberate

[tdrcomm]

Great idea!

[BearKat]

I did just that a few days ago. I was able to drag some of my less experienced friends out with me too. It was good for us to get that under our belts.

[Anonymous]

I'LL GET wet!

Heck, I live in California.....If it's cold or wet, or my favorite cartoon is on, there's plenty of time to ride! :P



........(yes, I'm kidding...)

[OldandReallySlow]

It's kinda funny but I was the fastest thing out there on the freeway when it was raining the other day. Tires stuck like glue and no, and I mean NO slippage (of course my bike isn't exactly a horse)

[rschlegel]

I actually like riding in the wet. Usually on backroads it seems the traffic goes way down. As long as I can stay dry, warm and see through the face shield. I guess I should state that I probably will not head out in the rain just to ride in it. I do not like the traffic in town while it is raining but if it looks like it may rain while I am out I do not mind. It is kind of fun seeing the look on peoples face as you go by them in the rain. I think they look at the rider and think "that must be miserable, that has to be cold and wet" while at the same time you look at the car and think " that must be miserable, his wife is probably cold and one of those kids must be wet". Before anyone goes off, I am married and have two kids so I partially joking (partially).
BTW I love my Road Pilot 3's they are great in the rain.

[notten]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4Gr3FsJ4A0"]Sometimes, dead is better... - YouTube[/ame]

[default]

My instructor said the same thing in debrief after I passed my full license test. He said the license was a basic competency that legally allows you to ride, it does not make you skilled.

He said, once a week, for the next 6 to 12 months, go and find a quite area and practice your emergency braking and slow speed maneuvers in varying weather conditions. Find quiet roads with minimal traffic and practice your cornering techniques. Follow the tire tracks left by preceding cars in wet conditions as the left or right track will be a little drier and debris free than the center line. Watch for overhanging trees, dropped leaves are a killer.

[snowfox88]

I just rode down from fort drum ny to Susquehanna pa this Friday in the nice cold and rain and it snowed a bit the bike handled like a dream

[c-rod90]

i rode in the rain for the first time last week, it was a bit unnerving. i never realized how slippery fresh stripes get when they're wet.

[ahernandez74]

Super Sketchy, if you still have chicken strips on your tires.. Definitely work on getting those off before you ride around in the rain. otherwise you're going to go down.

I do agree with riding in the rain, However. I think that you need to be properly prepared. Sometimes when I'm driving my car in the rain, I'll see a rider on a r6 or something whose completely squided out with an Icon vest on and wiping his visor at every light. Can you imagine if you went down like that? Talk about painful..
Most of the time, as long as you have some rain proof gear on... you can cruise in the rain at highway speeds and not really get too wet. Your bike will really help deflect a lot of the rain water... and thus it won't be that bad. Also try to stay in the dry lines of a car tire. Definitely will improve traction a lot there. Another very important key to riding in the rain... is to also have good boots. I can't stress this enough, full length boots are important... YOu don't want to lose your grip when you're putting 1 foot down right? http://www.motorcyclehouse.com/full-...20377-prd1.htm

[c-rod90]

everytime I clean my the visor on my helmet I rain-x. only needed it that one time but it was nice.

[rottenpixies]

Great thread! I've been riding for 6 years now, all of them on my '03 Katana. First 3-4 years I was super scared of rain, and would not ride to work if there was 20%+ chance of rain out. Now that I've learned and matured with the bike, I kind of enjoy the rain. Everyone else I ride with that are still half-squids on cbr/gsx-r all wimp out. They all like to pick on my kat when they're going twice the speed limit around corners, and I'm coasting along behind, but I'll take the reliability of my kat over speed any day.

Thing is great in the rain, great for long rides, AND it can corner pretty damn good also. No, when my friends are riding like ass holes on their faster super sport bikes, I don't keep up. I COULD keep up, if I rode like that to begin with, but I have just as much fun taking 30mph corners at 55mph as they all do at 70mph, and I feel safe doing it. The katana was such a good bike for a practical and smart person like my self. I never got ahead of my self, and the weight and sturdiness of the bike kept me in my place for many years. I really don't wonder why most people are terrified of bikes based on the statistics out there. If there were'nt so many squids riding way beyond their limit, people would not be so afraid of them. I kind of stopped talking about rain, sorry about that.

[cupofresh]

Thanks for the post! I am a new rider (about a month), and I live in Seattle. I got my bike knowing that it was going to be rainy. It is my only transportation, so I really don't have an option if I need to go somewhere. I made my first long commute, about 45 mins, in the rain and at night. It was quite a ride, I was all geared up (ATGATT), and at the end I wasn't too wet, a few spots hear and there. Especially the crotch.

Anyways, so far I actually don't mind the rain. My shield tends to fog, but other than that it isn't too bad. I took some twisties in the rain and realized my limits real quick. I went over a man hole cover and I could feel the tire start to slide out. That was pretty scary and caught my attention real quick. I remained calm, straightened out and kept going. I have been intentionally trying to make a few twisty runs when the weather is less than ideal so I can get my skills up!

If there is any more advice on riding in the rain I'd love to hear!