Riding in the rain

[Benno]

Well this rain doesn't seem to be letting up, and I'm going to have to go out on the bike sooner or later. So as a newbie, I was wondering if anyone could spare me any tips for riding in the rain (aside from the obvious wearing waterproofs). Fingers crossed this wet spell isn't my first accident.

My bike is currently under a raincover, regarding this I have a question; should some parts (ie instrument panel) of it be dried before being left under the cover again?

General bad weather discussion also I suppose.

Edit: sorry I meant to put this in the new bikers section, my mistake.

[skylineonfire]

I hate riding in the rain myself, well not hate, but nowhere near as much fun. I'm incredibly cautious around any form of metal on the road, i.e drains, manhole covers, metal sheets laid down at roadworks etc, these in the wet are as bad as ice. After a few close calls I'm utterly obsessed with avoiding/riding over incredibly carefully, anything metal in the road.

Also roundabouts in the wet, just something that I don't feel 100 percent comfortable with.

Keep way further back in traffic from the vehicle in front, stopping distance is GREATLY increased.

The white lines in the road, arrows, divider lines, they are all pretty slippy in the wet and that's something you should take into account, isn't very obvious but it's a hazard.

[WULFSTAN]

just take things nice and easy and dont let cars rush you into going faster than you want.
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Your backside is better enough for you to run again, if need be – bristle up the courage of the cornered rat, put on a bold front, and to hell with them. Bluff my boy – bluff, shift and lie for the sake of your neck and the honour of Old England

[Nai]

Hook these up to the back wheel.

https://cdn.bikechatforums.com/files/stabilisers.jpg

But seriously, watch for drain covers and white paint markings on the road. Both get super slippery. If you see a rainbow colour on the floor, its not necessarily a diesel spill and super slippery, but if you can avoid rainbow colours on the floor. Do.

You will be fine, good luck!

[Benno]

[Acemastr]

[angryjonny]

Keep it smooth. Accelerate smoothly, brake smoothly, turn smoothly. Avoid anything that isn't tarmac (metalwork and white paint will try to kill you) and (as Nai says) keep any eye out for anything oil-slick like as it's probably spilt diesel. The first few hours of rain after a dry spell are the worst as everything nasty that settled on the road gets lifted and all is slidy - after a day or two of proper rain the roads have had a wash and behave better.

At speed, turn your head sideways and the wind will clear your visor for you. Accept that your hands and your crotch in particular will get cold and wet. Layering waterproofs solved the latter for me, but not the former.

[EazyDuz]

brb searching the internet for motorbike stabilisers
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To shreds you say? Tss tss tss

[Benno]

[WannaBeDude]

I know for sure that i'm a much better rider for the wet riding ... and tbf on 125 2T - it can be much fun ...

The only thing that is annoying, two things, is rain on visor, and scared of washing out the front wheel. As in, i should be going faster, but tbf, my short journeys don't give any warmth to the tyres.
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Jogging on, destination living.

[P.addy]

Well I know of a guy know doesn't like the rain

I tend to ride like a granny when its moist.

[ttr]

If your visor's a bit buggered, seeing will be hard, and you will develop extreme terror and die.

I got a new bash hat recently, didn't realise how shagged the visor on my old lid was until I did.

Keeping it clean and polished (to help the rain slide off) makes a hell of a difference.

Other than that, just ride more cautiously. If it looks slippery it probably is.
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GS125-> NT400->VFR400->CRM250->Z750 + GS125->NTV650 rat + VMX1200->GSF600 + GPz550

[Old Git Racing]

Give yourself twice the normal stopping distance at least, don't grab brakes, ease on and off. Be smooth.

OGR
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2022 Tiger Sport 660 2019 Street Twin 2003 K3 gixxer 1000 1998 Srad 600 track hack

[Fowlersrs]

It goes without saying, make sure uve got your clear visor in, I got caught in a god ugle storm on the way back from a trackday last weekend, with a tinted visor in everything went pretty scary pretty quick, the rain was so hard I couldnt ride with the visor up either, it hurt to keep my eyes open!!

[The Shaggy D.A.]

[anthony_r6]

[P.addy]

Harsh cunts... my gran is dead.

No longer moist.

[WannaBeDude]

[Rogerborg]

[AyrtonSenna]