The Summer of 2012

[Nick_Giles]

I am relatively new to biking. (wish I had started years ago) so this SHOULD be my 1st full 'summer' of glorious happy riding in the sunshine.

This has got to be the worst consistently bad biking weather ever. Yes.?

I ride mostly for pleasure but often find I choose the bike over the car to go to work on simply because 'I can.' but this novelty is wearing thin on rain days like today.

I have invested in good waterproofs. (worth every penny) so its not the getting wet bit that bothers me. It's the safety issue.

Now although I am a relatively new rider its not me and my skills that concerns me most. It's the other road users.! They seem even more so in rain to concentrate all their attention on the car in front of them and pay even less to others around them. e.g. lane changing without looking, drifting carelessly about on laned roundabouts etc. Add to this steamed up windows (no excuse for this in modern cars) and I find myself getting home with a huge sigh of relief rather than a big smile as I do when its dry.

So ........... Whats BCF's members top rain-riding tips.?



Nick.
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Peter Cook: "I have learned from my mistakes, and I am sure I can repeat them exactly".

[Tomzo47]

take it slower, dont bomb it and try to get your knee down on every corner! give a bit more distant from the car infront and ride with lights on if your bike doesn't normally. If its torrential with poor visibility I wear a hi-vis vest, probably doesn't make any difference, but other drivers seem to drive worse when its wet, so if anything does happen then you can pull the "I was wearing a hi-vis jacket officer so he should have seen me" line. Oh, and try not to get wet and go out in leathers like I did today...
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Ybr 125 > Bandit 650SA > GSXR 600 > Triumph Sprint St1050 > CB1300 > Z1000SX + FJ1200 (written off) > VFR750 >FJ1200

[Casper]

MTFU for a start and just get out there. Think back over the past 4-5 years, we have been getting later and later for the sun. Look at last October. I got a bit sun stroke. Bet it turn next week for the better.

[kiddakidda]

I can't believe how sh!t the weather has been this year. When riding your bike is a pastime or hobby it really pi$$es you off

Instead of looking forward to ride out for the day I'm constantly looking for an hour or two break in the rain to go for a quick blast

Hats off to the guys on here that need to rely on their bikes as daily transport

[Nick_Giles]

[kiddakidda]

But I don't want to get my bike wet

[27cows]

I rode through the notorious 'three out of four' shite summers of 1985, 1986 and 1988. And also the horrific 2007. But this one takes the biscuit. Not just rain but consistently low temperatures, constant strong winds and endless grey skies. It makes you realise how spoilt we were during the long hot years of 1989-2006.

My top wet weather riding tip is to avoid braking sharply I know it's obvious but the knack is to try to make sure you ride in such a way as to be able to do everything as progressively as possible. Not easy with complete bellends all over the place.

Think positively - getting mileage under your belt when it's wet and crap will make the dry and sunny weather seem all the more enjoyable, when it finally returns. If it does...bearing in mind that we haven't had a decent summer in six years...
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The RXS100: vehicle of choice for Chuck Norris

[kawakid]

I've written this year off.

It's just sh.t . Working close to some great roads I was always out even at lunch times. Not this year, I probably haven't been out 5 times this year.

It's also getting depressing with the commute to work and having to wear my thick winter waterproofs. I've even thought of buying another car to go to work on I just can't be arsed anymore with this dark wet dull cold weather. I used to long for summer during my winter commute.

This years winter was better than summer.

I'm also going to book a holiday abroad I just need to see the sun.
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I've a twin and a 4.

[Casper]

Easy for me to say MTFU as we have managed to miss all the rain. I did two winters ago in the ice and snow. Never again. I dont mind the rain but never again on the ice.

[kawakid]

[kiddakidda]

Something to do with the Jet Stream high above our heads I believe?? Either that or my old Man used to say that if I stood on a Beetle when I was a kid that it would rain!!

Who's been crushing Beetles?

[DaveB]

https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6021/5995910711_a1923e8fb8.jpg


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Mod 2 passed 26/10/2011
Current ride: 2014 Triumph Street Triple R. Previous, 2007 Triumph Daytona 675, 2007 Triumph Street Triple, 2011 Derbi GPR125r.

[EazyDuz]

ive turned my attention to just reading about future possible bikes i might buy. Also buying/selling parts on Ebay, reading the Haynes manual for future work etc etc, rather than actually riding the bike. Only done like 500 miles since i bought it in april. I would go to the BCF BBQ but dont fancy watching my burger get pissed on from the sky.
Rain ruins everything
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To shreds you say? Tss tss tss

[WannaBeDude]

Pussy - wet riding gives you skills man, my bro no do wet, he's a pussy 2.

BCF barby has gazebos etc ... and MEN.
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Jogging on, destination living.

[Alex_B]

Pfff, I've done nigh on 7000 miles since last October and yes, this hasn't always been in Sunshine

BUT, I'm riding and the car sits on the road doing nothing but rotting the tires!!!

It's not good but it's better than sitting in traffic. Even if you go slower cos it's wet (and we all should) it's still quicker and more fun than a car.

Now the Ice, ferget it!!! I'll take the car every time

Summer, yea you're right, cos I can't remember when that was or I guess I just musta missed it!!
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My Lane Position is always AWESOME!!

[WannaBeDude]

Treat car to ride out, be nice to car and it's tyres. Car trip to get kebab.
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Jogging on, destination living.

[keggyhander]

[Alex_B]

Feck Kebab, don't like that Johnny Foreigner rubbish!!

Saying that, I better get the car moved, Batts already died on me once this year already but, I guess, the bike really is just the be all and end all
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My Lane Position is always AWESOME!!

[craigs23]

I'm actually having quite a lot of fun.

Gone are the days I worried about shiney prides of joy, the state of the roads, or not being able to take full advantage of a sports bike's performance.

Supermoto (ish) + decent tyres + waterproofs = WIN.

Turns a cold, dreary, daily commute into the long way home whatever the weather.

[GetawayDj]

Dont mind the rain so much, but wouldnt bother going out in snow & ice. First day I got my first big bike 2 weeks ago, absolutely lashing it down, got my mate on the back (Ive never had a pillion before, hes never been pillion before) we just buggered off upto and around Buxton on the NSL & A roads, rain, crosswinds, sticking to speed limits of course bloody good ride out, rain dint bother us one bit, was just nice to get out n about.
Been out every day for the past 2 weeks with rain nearly everyday, cant let it put you off.

Flooding is different though, but not too much of that here in Manchester
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CBF 125 (sold), XJ 600 Diversion (sold), RF900
Renault Kangoo x2 (sold), Ford Transit x 2

[Rogerborg]

[frostage]

I rely on my bike as my only means of transport, and therefore, I cant let the rain bother me, mainly due to the fact that if i did i would have been crying for the last 2 months.

This summer has been an absolute joke, but I've still managed to have a few good ride outs (of course along with the trudges home from work in the torrential rain)

The main tips I've picked up for riding in the rain would be:

- corner slower, and lean off your bike more so the bike is less likely to slip away. Also keep neutral throttle on, meaning enough to keep the bike moving at a constant speed through the corner, this will decrease the friction between the tyre and the ground.
- be more gentle with the throttle, especially on bigger bikes, half throttle can be enough to lose control in some wet spots
- stay confident, when you lose confidence you become stiff and your riding position suffers, resulting in poor handling. Also, be dominant on the road, if you ride in the centre of your lane you will be much more likely to be seen
- always ride with lights on
- if your riding a bike your not used to, be extra careful the first few times out in the wet, it is easy to misjudge the throttle and give the rear wheel a spin

All of that said, a ride out in the rain is not certain death, it is far less dangerous than people think, so don't let it affect your confidence, but respect the fact that you have less of a margin for error in the wet
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2000 Gixxer 750
1995 RM 250

[kiddakidda]

I don't want to tempt fate but tomorrow is looking good in Midlands.

I've got a gig tonight but I'll be taking it easy to keep the head clear for tomorrow
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Suzuki SFV 650 (Gladdy) > Triumph Street Triple R

[richrock]

Yesterday was the first dry day for ages, the kind where I didn't have to furiously dry gear for the next day. It was great.

Yes - this years weather has been crap, but I'm a man and still ride (have to, it's my primary transport).

I'm holding out for a late summer. Hopefully.
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I has a motorbikes: Kawasaki GPZ500s (1999)- theory passed 12/06/12, test passed 10/07/12

[J.M.]

It's just as bad having glorious weather every day and being in a state that doesn't legally require helmets, when you're 3000 miles away from your bike and the hire charges are ridiculous.
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2004 R1 & 2018 XSR900