rain

[wednesday]

so its looking very like my first riding in the rain will be my mod 1 this week, I will have a half-hour ride to the test centre to practice a little bit (town and dual carridgeway) but because its an early test there wont really be time to practice the swerve or emergency stop more than once or twice (thats if we dont get held up on the way). Last time I failed when I kicked the inner blue cone on the swerve, I've never been good at them so its already a weakness.
So - I need all your rain tips please, to get me there safely AND to get me through the mod 1! I know my instructor will talk me through it as we ride but I'd like to have it all etched in my brain before I go.

[Taught2BCauti...]

I would take special care when checking tyres and pressures, and practice stopping quickly without locking the wheels (or falling off).
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[nowhere.elysium]

Avoid any painted road markings and manhole covers - they get slippery in the wet. Diesel shows up nicely on a wet road though, so that's a bonus. The road does not become instantly grippy again once it looks dry, either - it can take up to six hours or so for the 'greasy' feel to go away.

That's pretty much it, as far as I bother thinking about it. Provided you're not doing anything snatchy* or stupid, even the nastiest tyres will usually give you a little bit of warning before they let go, so take notice of what the bike is telling you.

*Things like sudden braking or going all-out on throttle operation
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'10 SV650SF, '83 GS650GT (it lives!), Questionable DIY dash project, 3D Printer project, Lasercutter project

[Matt B]

It all needs to be calm and smooth in the wet. Don't let yourself tense up, just try and relax into it. A bit more forward planning when it comes to slowing down or stopping.

Biggest problem if you don't have pinlock is probably going to be the fact you can't see anything because your visor fogged
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[bugeye_bob]

why not just get out in the rain for a feel?

[c_dug]

I've happily been deep into three figure speeds in the rain, and also wobbled around a corner barely leant over.

Rain is very general, often properly pissing it down feel grippier than a little bit damp. The first rain after a dry spell can be particularly slippery.

Riding under test conditions you are unlikely to notice a huge amount of difference in how the bike grips the tarmac bits of road, as mentioned above beware of painted bits, and anything metal. Also watch out of the shiny black over-banding between lanes, that can also be slippery.

If it was too wet to be safe they would call off your test so have faith in the instructors/examiners who go through this all year around
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[Rogerborg]

Start braking earlier, more gently and with more rear.

Slower approach to junctions.

Don't be rushed by White Van Man tailgating you, especially on roundabouts.

Probably won't be much an issue but if you go for an overtake, move across and then give it beans: don't batter it while crossing the white lines, overbanding and middle-of-the-road crud.

The actual mod 1 will be fine, it's a super grippy surface and about the only pieces of tarmac in the country that won't be impregnated with diesel.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[NJD]

Don't hit a cone and don't fall off.

[chris-red]

Keep on a positive throttle when going round bends. i.e. constant revs/accelerating, rather than decelerating. It makes the bike feel much more comfortable.
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[talkToTheHat]

That it is wet can be a useful distraction. I had more than an hours ride in the rain to get to my my mod 1. Rode that one perfectly. Examiner gave me the option to call test off becasue the site was still damp despite the rain that had stopped. I was nnot impressed. Didn't think about the test much though, too busy lamenting the water inside my waterproofs.
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Bandit. does. everything.

[Rogerborg]

Do everything that everyone has said without fail or you'll fail, but try not to over-think things.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[MCN]

Tuck the cuffs of your gloves inside the sleeve of you jaikit.

Rain runs down your arms into the open cuff of your glove otherwise.

It looks ghey-man but it is effective and helps defeat the effect of cold. Wet hands lose heat quicker than dry hands.
Cold hands will have a massive effect on concentration and control.

If your gloves aren't waterproof then it doesn't work as well.

Waterproofing sprays work for a wee while though.
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

[wednesday]

[Aky208]

I did both my Mod 1&2 in the wet. Didn't really feel any different to the practice I did in the dry the day before. Just don't grab! Progressive, positive pulling on the brakes is what I was told. And make sure your upright and in a straight line before applying.

[Rogerborg]

[daifuco]

when you have to do the emergency brake, go very gently on the back brake. go progresively on the front brake, imagine your have a cyborg hands with tiny motors that run at constant speed.

During my MOD1 , because of the rain hitting my eyes (or the visor steaming like a sauna) I coudnt check the speed so I went really fast, I hit 65 KPH (more than 40 mph) and I had not problem at all using 95% front 5% back wheel, as long as you are progressive the bike is going to stop.
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CBF125 - CB600F Hornet '12