Riding in the wet....does the average rider have to worry?

[Frostdog]

Since getting my first big bike a couple weeks ago it's been wet or raining about 70% of the time, nothing new there.

I was used to it on the smaller 125 but I guess cause of the weight and size/power of the bandit 600 I shit it at roundabouts, corners more in the wet (slowing right down). Is this being unreasonable? Bigger Tyres should be more grip, it feels more stable in every other way just gaining my confidence really.

I remember in training the instructor taking the piss out of us and saying for swerve test (it was wet) Tyres aren't plastic, give it more!

I just think I might be being too cautious, wondered how much other people change their habits/style in the wet weather?
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YBR 125, Bandit 600, Er6N, Honda CB400 Super Four

[map]

[Az]

My riding completely changes. It's a lot slower; slower acceleration, slower round and out of bends and I don't crank the bike over anywhere near as much.

I'll also avoid manhole covers on bends and if I do go over a man hole cover I keep the bike as upright as possible and then there's the obvious, of giving myself more time to brake (leaving bigger gaps between me and vehicles in front and braking earlier but softer when approaching lights/coming to a stop).

[Frostdog]

Yeah I think smoother is probably key, working on it. I'm really enjoying it, whatever the weather! Just being a fanny 😁
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YBR 125, Bandit 600, Er6N, Honda CB400 Super Four

[clancy]

Smoother acceleratio, smoother and earlier braking and bigger gaps. Avoid drains!

Other than that there's not a huge amount to worry about, don't worry about cornering at all, even at speed. As long as your smooth, the tyres will still far out perform you. If anything it's probably more dangerous cornering very slowly as you have less momentum and stability
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KLX 300r

[Frostdog]

clancy

If anything it's probably more dangerous cornering very slowly as you have less momentum and stability

I think that's probably what I wanted to hear, I've found myself a couple times probably 1 in wrong gear and 2 going too slow I think
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YBR 125, Bandit 600, Er6N, Honda CB400 Super Four

[tbourner]

I believe that in the wet the issue of lifting off / braking / clutch-in when cornering is far more dangerous than it is in the dry, so you DO need to be confident in the wet and trust the tyres - just obviously don't be a plank and go flat out.
You can't do the same things you do in the dry but you can do more than you think.

Having said that; I have no experience so don't trust my judgement I do remember coming back soaking wet from my MOD2 ride and suddenly realising that I hadn't actually worried about the rain at all!
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Trev, now a biker?
Looking for first big bike.

[Frostdog]

Yeah it was wet throughout my mod 1 and mod 2 and i never gave it a passing thought, more on my mind I guess!

Just recently, since getting my new bike a few doubts crept in thought I'd ask.

Had a baptism of fire, did exactly what you should not do, bought bike from a guy in kirkcaldy a couple hours away, got a lift down from him and left there at ten pm, first time on it, navigating my way home in the freezing cold unfamiliar big bike, took wrong road, pissing rain, first time riding at night blah blah blah!!

3 hours later made it home, wife going mental worried sick, survived it tho 😜
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YBR 125, Bandit 600, Er6N, Honda CB400 Super Four

[Monkeypony]

I'd rather have proper rain than drizzle or patchy damp roads. At least the grip is predictable. I actually really enjoy riding in the rain. Not sure if that makes me odd or not?

Easy on the brakes, easy on the throttle (especially when crossing white lines to overtake) and a few degrees less lean angle through the bends and jobs a good'un. Smoother the better.

I picked up my new bike in February and it tried to kill me several times in the first few weeks due to me being a bit ham fisted with the throttle. We have since reached an 'understanding'
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Current bike - 2018 H2-SX, 2004 SV1000s, 2016 Aprilia RSV4 RF, 2017 Sherco SERF 300, 2003 Suzuki DRZ400 (stolen - AY53 JUU)

[thx1138]

I'm a pussy in the wet on roundabouts.

<<<- The bike I'm riding in my avatar here, has these tyres...




https://www.nationalbiketyres.co.uk/images/uploads/AC10-Pair.jpg

[Frostdog]

Beasts!!

Mines got Bridgestone Battlax BT020R

They look like they have plenty life in them
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YBR 125, Bandit 600, Er6N, Honda CB400 Super Four

[barrkel]

My riding changes completely in the wet.

[Scotsman37]

The few things to remember while riding in the wet;

a) Increased braking distance as you tyres want be gripping as much as during when it's dry, and therefore increase your breaking distance between you and the other vehicle if possible?

b) DO NOT cross over wet manhole covers while turning at an angle because it is like skating on ice if you take a sharp on it, as your back wheel will slip!

c) Try to avoid getting soaked through by wearing waterproof gear because riding in the wet and you get cold & tired quickly which can potentially make you sleepy or less observant to other traffic, as you think more about how cold & wet you feel at that moment.

d) In a absolute torrential downpour it could potentially effect the electrics in the bike if the connector blocks are not that well protected, and I've seen that happen on Chinese bikes!

e) So just be careful and start earlier in your trip from A to B, as the traffic will be travelling more slowly then and so you don't want to be rushing it through those conditions!

[thx1138]

That's several things. You said it was the only thing.

[Scotsman37]

[Clanger]

If its been dry for a long time, then it drizzles, I do take it easy - and take extra care on roads / roundabouts where large vehicles might have lost a bit of diesel.

I watch out for and avoid manhole covers (especially on roundabouts / corners) if possible. Use the back brake more. Keep a bit of distance between myself and other traffic.

It will become easier and more like second nature in time. Don't tense up and also don't beat yourself up if you find yourself making mistakes... you're only human.
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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter won't mind - Dr. Seuss

[Clutchy]

Had a fair few back end wiggles when really pushing in the wet if you drop down a gear into say 6k rpm. SO potentially bear that in mind


But I don't often go fast in the wet
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Malaguti F12 Phantom-Dead, Suzuki AY50- Dead, NRG power DD LQ, CBR125.
*33 BHP restriction up on 10/12/14* Current bikes/car: SV 650 S/ MKIV GOLF
Guide to pass your test with no lessons!

[sabian92]

The only time I rode in the proper pissing down rain I binned it on Halfords car park (which has the lowest grip asphalt known to man, apparently). People saw, pretty mortifying

Now I brake loads earlier and avoid white lines

[Frostdog]

Good advice from everyone, cheers. I had a good dry ride home but sure it won't be long to put it all into practice 😁

I got a way with a lot more on 125, gear wise, which I could be smoother with now, working on it now tho. Main thing was I was going down through gears, instead of just clutch in, going down a few that way, I can't remember what it's called, doing it now tho and becoming more natural
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YBR 125, Bandit 600, Er6N, Honda CB400 Super Four

[Az]

[sidewinder]

I was told " if it looks slippy it probably is "

[Llama-Farmer]

A tyre will provide vast amounts more grip on the lean than you realise in the wet.

The fact is, the acceleration force during a turn pushes the tyre into the tarmac, providing more grip than keeping the bike upright.


That isn't to say you should go trying to get your knee down when going round town in the rain.

The key is to be smooth with everything.

Smoothly and softly apply the front brakes, that'll load the front suspension which in turn will increase the grip on the front tyre.
Then you can apply even more braking force. Do it right (i.e. smoothly and progressively) and you can easily stoppie in the wet, it's when snatching the brakes or applying them too quickly when the bike is leant over that causes problems.


According to multiple different sources of statistics, diesel spills account for far less accidents than we may like to believe. Diesel spills mean it wasn't our fault right?!
Well the truth is that most of the time it is our fault, and diesel played no part.

Avoid metal drains where possible as they are like ice when wet, particularly around where I live they seem to be mid cross-junction as you're turning and accelerating after pulling out the side roads, so with lean angle and acceleration you're much more likely to encounter problems.


The biggest problem I've found is whilst you are advised to use more rear brake in the wet, the rear brake becomes less effective in the wet relative to the dry, than the front does. So instead of 80/20 or 70/30 F/R in the dry, it's more like 50/50 that you're advised to use. But with the weight shift forwards under deceleration, the rear becomes light and the back tyre can lock up much more easily. Not so bad as the front locking up, but unless you're anticipating it, can make life a bit more difficult.
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[MC]

Felt the same thing when going to a big bike. For some reason the grip difference felt less between wet & dry on my 125 than with a big bike. Dunno if knobbly tyres had something to do with it, but with the added weight on a big bike it seems to make the front end more nervous.
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Yamaha MT-03 '08 (crashed)
Honda XR-125L '04

[Teflon-Mike]

First, to deny the oft suggested presumption more tyre = more grip... it doesn't. Actually often the opposite, especially in the wet.

A tyre's 'grip' the amount of lateral force they can transmit through friction depends on two things;
1/ the co-efficient of friction between the material of the tyre, and the material of the road.
2/ The clamping force pushing the two materials together... ie the weight on the rubber.
Tyre width, tyre contact patch area, doesn't really come into the equation.

Where it does come into the equation is in the wet, where the more rubber you have in contact with the road, more water you need to shift out of the way for rubber to grip tar.

Otherwise... wet road riding oughtn't be much if any different to dry road riding.... if it IS... you are either over-confident in the dry, or under-confident in the wet... and niether is good.

Look at Race-Bike lap times for wet and dry races; they are NOT hugely different; Mallory is about a mile long, and pretty much all corners, and for years was ball-park a 60mph circuit, or a minute a lap. Difference for wet and dry? Maybe +/- two or three seconds 1/20th or 5% difference in 'The limit'.

If you are riding THAT close to the ragged edge on the road? Wont be long before you cross it, will it?

Road bike, road tyres, Swift and smooth; wet OR dry, with sufficient margin for error that WHATEVER hazards are chucked your way... you have grip to spare to try avoiding them.

Rain or shine, ought make little odds.... think about it.... if you are backing off either the throttle or following distance 'cos its raining... rather than worrying about the rain, you should be worrying about the shine, and asking whether REALLY you ought to be 'backing off' there.

Stats show more accidents happen in close to 'ideal' conditions as do in less than ideal ones.... more fair weather riders do go out to play then, but this bizare 'risk compensation' also plays a large part.

So if you feel the need to change how you ride when its wet... change how you ride in the dry, to more like you ride in the wet, and ride like that rain or shine!
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[blade023]

Kinda surprised no one has mentioned what I was taught while learning to ride, and what I've learned from riding and researching improved riding technique:

Keep a nice loose grip on the bars so you're not stopping the front wheel from doing what it wants; tracking the road and finding the best grip it can. I saw a really good youtube vid specifically about this, and it showed the difference on a skid rig setup (bike with outrigger things to stop it falling completely.) With a tight grip the rider stopped the front wheel from finding traction, and lost it in a lowside. With a loose grip, it almost lowsided but regained traction and control. And yes it was demo'd in exactly the same spot on the test pad.

Can't find the vid at the moment, but it was explained pretty well.
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