Rain Prep.

[Bkohs]

So just wondering if there is anything I can/should do to prep the bike for riding in the rain. Is there anything other than the obvious make sure tires a good and check for exposed wires. I live in South FL so rain is common every day. I know I'll be riding in it often. I seached the forum and could only find things about bike not running in the rain or what rain gear to use.

[jmd32477]

Take it to Ziebart and ask for the rain proof package. They will hook you up!

[the wind]

keep you chain well lubed is all I got for ya.

[Stumpy]

Rain isn't a huge bother as long as your gear will keep YOU dry.

Riding with puddles in your boots and soaked gloves is utterly miserable.

The bike itself really won't care about rain, but be sensible. It will take you twice as long to brake and accelerate, and I find it helpful to pinch the brakes now and then to scrape excess water off the discs just in case I need them real quick.

Avoid puddles - you will have NO idea how deep they are, and what you may think is a shallow pool could well have a pothole that will ding your rim and snap your forks. That tends to be unpleasant.

You can find a finger squeegee that will slip over your glove, makes it a bit easier to wipe rain off your visor.

Apart from that, have fun, riding in the rain can actually be quite enjoyable at times

[KevinGambrell]

Never did enjoy riding in the rain. All ill add is keep your eyes open for diesel spills on the road
and oil patches at junctions. You can in general smell a bad diesel spill before you see it.

[Ronny]

Never did enjoy riding in the rain. All ill add is keep your eyes open for diesel spills on the road
and oil patches at junctions. You can in general smell a bad diesel spill before you see it.

Absolutely. Smell is so important when riding in the wet. Bus stops are also notorious for fuel and oil deposits. Road markings, manhole (sorry, personhole) covers, the outsides of corners, (this is generally where you will find spilled diesel) and pedestrians dashing out in front of you, because not getting wet is so much more important than not getting run over.

[Stefano Il Postino]

Just curious to know if these are particular problems in the uk? "worst thing about riding in the rain is suicidal pedestrians and all the sticky slippery crud left for you by other road users" it just seems like that's the uk response everywhere else is keep warm dry and check your bike/riding...

[crazycraven420]

yea I dont find many suicidal pedestrians in my travels lol just blind cagers and inclement weather

[Ronny]

Just curious to know if these are particular problems in the uk? "worst thing about riding in the rain is suicidal pedestrians and all the sticky slippery crud left for you by other road users" it just seems like that's the uk response everywhere else is keep warm dry and check your bike/riding...

Nah, they're problems particular to London. Innit.

[KevinGambrell]

In Sussex we have potholes the size of a bus and tramlines in the road that will drag you in all directions. In my town Crawley the council seem good at spending 26 million on a bus route no one uses but cant fill a pothole big enough to swallow a car wheel.
We also have what I call the Bling brigade. These are a bread of sub humans mostly called Chelsea, Brad, Tarquine and Cindy. One and all of them share several common traites and these are; A desire to own a gold plated diamond encrusted cellphone drive a Rangerover (Chelsea tractor) drink huge volumes of insipid cocktails and run bikers flat.
On the whole most of our Police officers are OK, some are a bit too keen to enforce some of the more shall we say dubiouse laws like speeding! All said and done I have the view that most people that knock the police wouldnt have the balls to do thier job.
Ronny makes a good point about pedestrians and the lemming factor they seem to all have. I would how ever say that the bread known as "mobility scooter user" are in many ways more dangerouse. I say this in the knowledge that hitting a person as they leap off the sidewalk is bad but hitting a mobility scooter with a motorbike is worse.
We as bikers have to accept the fact that we are living in "Wanker" world and as such we have to regard all the other life forms as a threat to our safety when we are on the road.

[Stefano Il Postino]

+1 +1 and +1 from me. I'm just wondering if as a bikes I need to emigrate!?