Riding in the wet stuff

[Nai]

OK, don't have much experience riding in the rain on a motorbike. Done a bit in light rain last month but come Monday London's meant to have thunderstorms. So really checking up there's anything I should be thinking of as far as riding a motorbike in the rain is concerned.

Road paint I am guessing is a no no. Its a bugger sliding on that stuff on a bicycle, I imagine its the same on a motorbike. Same goes for the roads being greasy as its been dry down here for a while.

Accelerating and decelerating, easy on and easy off I assume?

Anything else I should be aware of? Should I be breaking differently? Shifting my weight differently?

[Muscle Bike Rider]

Allow more stopping distance, keep a good gap to whats in front, wipe visor when at a stop, keep a lookout for rainbow effect on road (diesel) generally take it easy and allow yourself more time. I was nervous at first riding in the wet but now it dont bother me, unless I aint got my waterproofs on and get in dripping like a sponge
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Previously Known As A5tra_G
Old Bikes :2010 Kawasaki ER6 F & 2000 Honda VTR Firestorm
Current Bike : XJR1300

[0l0dom0l0]

Riding in the wet is very different.

Brakes dont work for atleast 2 seconds after you have pressed the lever. road is slippery as hell, and the road markings are lethal!

one to to defo watch out for though is drain covers, i have nearly come off twice going over them because they are in the middle of the road in a corner!

i take it very carefully in the wet, party due to the fact the tyres on my bike are shit.

you will be fine, just take it easy, be careful on the throttle, expecially when your in a bend.

[Inkognito]

[Noxious89123]

[Inkognito]

My brakes are fucked? Why?

[cyberglass]

TWO SOCKS he was agreeing with you HAHA

As above all my bikes brakes have worked a little to well in the wet causing slides

The key to wet weather riding is the faster you go the less time you get rained on and the dryer you stay



Seriously though
Riding in the wet is nothing to be afraid of and the the only difference is you have a little less grip and anything painted white should be avoided if your braking (white lines,cheverons,zebra crossings ect)
Just drop your speed a little and give some extra distance to whatever is in front of you.
And as said above lookout for the rainbows on the road mainly on the bends its diesel / oil and can make things a bit slidey.
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DL650 Vstrom 2004
DRZ400S 2003
Yamaha R1 2005

[Noxious89123]

[Inkognito]

Oh right lol
Was starting to worry then

[hellkat]

Save the hooning for sunny weather.
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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[Nai]

Excellent, so its pretty much ride a motorbike as I would a bicycle. Thanks a lot guys and girls Much appreciated.

I have ridden all year round in snow and ice and hail and all kinds of naffness on a single speed bicycle, but the prospect of doing rough weather on a motorbike don't half make me nervous

[Jayy]

On the ninja, I would take corners at at least half the speed I would normally (I ride fast) but it always did feel like it was going to slide out from underneath me.

The KTM though, it handles amazingly in the rain, I trash it into corners in the wet and it feels like it's not going anywhere, big confidence booster.

I hate riding in the wet but if I still have this KTM in the winter, which I suspect I will, I'm quite looking forward to it!

[Spit-Fire]

any one tired a pair of wets on the road?
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they say the good die young... i say we just live faster

[Dazbo666]

- Just give yourself more time and distance for any moves.
- Be less aggressive with both acceleration and braking.
- Avoid slick / painted / greasy / rainbow sheened surfaces.
- Wet manhole covers & drain covers etc will be as slick as ice.
- Take corners at a slower speed & with less lean angle than you would normally.

I rode the GPZ in all weathers, and more recently ridden the Bandit on a daily basis ever since I bought it back in November. It's just a matter of taking your time, and planning ahead
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1st bike (Sept'06 - May'10) : 1991 GPZ500S / Current bike (since Nov 2009) : 2003 Suzuki Bandit 600N
Word of the day : DILLIGAF

[Ste]

[Alex A]

[2wheelsteve]

Road paint, manhole covers ( they are a killer ), fuel spillage on tight corners and r/bouts especially those near a garage, a lot grass cuttings about at the moment, go easy on front brake especially down hill, smooth throttle, no countersteering well you can but very gentley but most of all enjoy it cause it will improve your riding for sure, good luck

[johnsmith222]

[R6jonny]

you can lean just as far in the wet as in the dry. just do it more smoothly.

Smooth is the key in the wet, look further ahead and plan things earlier so nothing takes you by surprise...no sudden movements

Or you could start 4 days off on monday so you dont need to ride and can just use the car/stay in bed
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Honda NSR125 - Yamaha R6 - Ducati 748 - Suzuki GSXR750K6/GSXR1000K7/GSXR750K8 - Ducati 848 - Honda SP1 - Triumph Daytona 675
"simply because she is a female and is thus her actions largely make no sense whatsoever by default"

[Grendel]

Don’t forget GOOD waterproofs since nothing worse at distracting you when riding if you have damp patches or your cold and wet.

Otherwise like most others have said take it easy, Leave bigger gaps and breaking distance use the rear brake more Ect...
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Past bike: 2004 Hyosung Comet
Current bike: 1993 Honda Transalp
Transalp Page: https://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#!/group.php?gid=11418462079

[Serendipity]

Also there’s wet and there’s wet. I find that a super heavy downpour in fairly warm weather can provide surprising amounts of grip. At the other end of the scale you get damp roads in winter where it hasn’t rained for days and the road is covered with salt. The salt attracts moisture from the air in the evening and becomes very slippery indeed.

[neil.]

I would say that more important than grip/brakes is your own comfort so that you're able to concentrate on these things. When it's wet, your visor misting up can be a pain unless you have something like a Pinlock or other anti-fog insert. Having a glove with some sort of 'wiper' surface is great as your visibility is reduced to bugger all in the rain, especially with the spray from other vehicles as well.

Usual stuff really - don't lean or brake when you're going over wet leaves, manhole covers, white paint (like mini roundabouts or other big road markings) and watch out for rainbow coloured patches in the road as they're diesel spills which will cost you lots of grip!
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CBT February 2008 | A2 June 2008 | Yamaha YBR125 (written off) | Honda CBF125 (current)

[Nicky-Jano]

I've been riding 3 years come rain or shine every day, and after a while you don't even notice the difference.
Just don't ride like a twat and avoid manholes covers and harsh acceleration on the paint.
Depends on what power your bike is too, since I took my restrictors out my back wheel slips a teeny bit if I give it too much beans in the wet.
My other halfs TL proper squirms even riding normally in wet over paint where as mine doesn't.
When I was on the 125 I never found the bike slipping ever, not even on paint at lights/roundabouts.
Do be gentle with the back brake I've fishtailed once or twice in the wet, also make sure you match the revs when going down a gear.

Or is that just a v twin thing when the back wheel squirms if you go down a gear without blipping the throttle?

[2wheelsteve]

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]