Pouring with rain, massive box junction, what to do?

[premise]

Ive not had much rain riding experience and we all know painted lines on the road are to be avoided when wet.

Near my house is a massive box justion, cross hatched with think yellow lines, there also happens to be a manhole cover in there to add to the enjoyment.

Is it safe to ride around the corner, or am i doomed to come flying off?

Im sure the speed at which the corner is undertaken has an effect, but even at low speed, im concerned too much lean may end in disaster.

Any advice?

[Ribenapigeon]

Just go slow and avoid the manhole cover. The only skid i've had on my bike in 2500 miles was hitting a manhole cover on a junction turning right, my front wheel slid out but then got grip when it slid to the tarmac. I don't think rain is that bad to contend with the wind is worse. The worst rain is that misty spindrifting stuff you get with foggier weather which blinds you, anything else can be dealt with.

My bike got pushed into a sideways slide by a gust of wind today which was damned scary but somehow I remained upright and got through it.

[Matt-]

If alway use high gear, but still enough power to be able to be able to gently accelerate.

Always great for junctions and man hole covers !

Have fun stay safe !
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RIP jack (wheelie king), you will never be forgotten.
Current Bike's - Road Legal TZR 125 Pitbike, Aprilia SR50R 2010

[stinkwheel]

Momentum > grip.

If you are going in a straight line, you'll keep going in a straight line even if you have no grip.

So don't try to deviate from a straight line on bits that have no grip at all. You can ride over a worn smooth, wet manhole cover (or even a frozen puddle) perfectly safely in a straight line with the bike upright.

Modern motorcycle tyres grip really well. What they aren't so good at is gripping in two planes at once. So they'll grip in the longitudinal plane for accelerating or braking very well and they'll grip in the lateral plane for cornering very well.

Ask them to grip in both planes at once by accelerating or braking while turning on a low grip surface and you'll come to grief. So neutral throttle when cornering in poor grip conditions neither speed up nor slow down until you have grip again.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Teflon-Mike]

Rain REDUCES available grip, it does not eliminate it!

Bikes have tyres, tyres have tread, expressely so they grip in the wet. Rain does not stop proffessional racers tearing around at completely daft speeds... goo look at some clips.... doesn't even damp thier lap times that much, and they are riding through water often 1/4" deep on teh surface becouse race dracks dont have the rain-draing 'camber' of a public road, and in spray so thick they can barely see through it!

You are letting an over active imagination work on your fears to blow them out of proportion!

Done your CBT? What did they tell you about riding in the wet?

- Slow down
- give your self more 'road-room'
- leave a bigger gap between you and leading vehicles.
- anticipate further ahead
- ride SMOOTHLY.

Braking: do it sooner, not so hard, and with less front brake effort...

Dry, 75% effort on the front, 25% on the back, front applied before back
In the wet, 50/50 front and back, not so much from more back, but from less front, though front applied before back still.

Cornering? Bike can still tilt, and probably almost as far, just keep it smooth and progressive and gentle.

That is pretty much all there is too it.

Be BRAVE, and stop worrying SO much and LOOKING for stuff to let your imagination magnify into HUGE 'problems' that aren't REALLY that big!

Fate favors the brave, and actually pussy-footing TOO much in the wet, being TOO nervouse and NOT trusting yourself or the bike to do what we know is possible..... you are probably MORE likely to have a crisis of confidence do something daft and MAKE yourself fall off!

Have failth. Your looking out for the right 'stuff', but fixating on the minutae and making it bigger than it is, and making it a problem that will be fullfilled if you let it!

Head up; Where you look is where you go..... stare at that man-hole, concentrate on those painted lines on the floor, yup, thats the patch of ground you'll land on!
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Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[premise]

Thanks for the advice folks.

I'll just put more trust the bike than i allow at present.