Fear of the dark/wet?

[LustyLew]

Afternoon,

So it seems I've become a fair weather pussy as I've got older.

Not sure if it's the shite roads in London or just me, or the bike. As soon as it's wet, I lose all confidence and worry the bike is about to throw me off. Reality is I should keep off white paint, especially when it's been painted over a few times so about 1cm above the road surace. But more importantly, relax, but I just cant.

Dry roads, fine, no issues whatsoever. Even if it is wet and I'm in a foul mood so not worrying about the bike, but more about riding like a c*nt, I'm fine. It's probably never acrually come close of going down.

The worst I had was Tuesday evening, had to ride along the A13 to tabe the QE2 back over to Dartford. Gusting 40mph cross-winds causing all sorts of weaving and brown trouser moments. As soo as I rode into the wind, happy as larry!

Am I the only one who gets like this? Surely not!

[P.]

I literally stop riding when it says below 14 and any form of rain, cars fine, fuck the bike.

[chickenstrip]

I don't like riding in bad weather, not what it's all about for me, and if I haven't for a while I might be a little overcautious to begin with if I then have to, but the feeling soon goes.
Are you happy with your tyres? They're getting a lot of mention in various threads lately, but I found almost the instant I switched to the PR series, I gained a lot more confidence in wet conditions.

I think the trouble with London is, as soon as you go out you're having to think about avoiding other traffic, pedestrians etc. Get out on some quieter roads for a bit, where you can think about just riding, might help.
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[LustyLew]

[ThunderGuts]

The wet doesn't bother me; the same principles as riding in the dry, just relax, but I don't hare around trying to scrape pegs which is probably a factor. The dark is a different matter; in street-lit areas I'm happy, but I find motorcycle headlights woeful on anything other than straight roads (which are rare around here). Doubtless modern fancy tilting lights solve many of those problems, but I don't have such trickery at my fingertips.

I'm lucky that my bike is a pleasure thing, so I can pick and choose when I ride it - if it's wet and 'orrible, I generally don't bother.

FWIW, I cycle in all weather (20 miles a day commuting), including gale force winds, snow etc. and while it bothered me when I first started, these days I just get on with it and it doesn't anymore - I think a case of getting used to it. Yes, it's not the same as a motorcycle, but I think the underlying principle applies - the relaxing bit of riding a motorcycle in naff weather I think comes with being comfortable in that environment which in turn comes with familiarity as a result of regularly riding in it.
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[chickenstrip]

[Easy-X]

Funny, I prefer riding in London if it's dark & wet (like one of my old girlfriends but that's another story) streetlights everywhere, loads of traffic and headlights, easy to see what's going on. TBH the only thing to watch out for is cyclists with no lights but fuck 'em.

Now, country roads, riding through spooky woods, pitch black, not a soul about....
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[Nobby the Bastard]

I just go slower and behave more like a car than a bike.

I.e. no filtering over what I know are marginal surfaces, bigger gaps, no constantly looking for the overtake.

And I assume I'll get home later, wetter, and more knackered.
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[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

In general, on cold, wet winter roads (that could be hiding various kinds of slippery-ness), I'm too cautious. My tyres would probably let me corner faster, lean more and stop less gingerly. But try as I might, I can't trust them. My instinct is that I'm always quite close to the limit - I suppose if I rode more in such conditions I'd become less cautious and all would be well. It definitely helps that I ride on extremely muddy unmade roads - but I still ride pretty gingerly on damp/wet tarmac regardless of which bike I'm on.
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[chickenstrip]

[Ribenapigeon]

It's not the wet that's the problem for me, it's the way the wet makes any other surface problems worse. I still ride but I fifty pence it at roundabouts, they're truly the worst.

[Kawasaki Jimbo]

[Ribenapigeon]

[Sister Sledge]

Is your suspension set correctly too? For me that made a huge difference.
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[davebike]

Most important good tyres well inflated to manufactures recommend not some bloke in the Internet's pressures !
My FZ6 is not nice with a PSI or two down in the front (well worn Pilot5's ( must order a pair today!)

Check wheel and head races

other than that it is learn to be calm and relax Tensed up still arms feed back to bike handling !

And yes London and surrounding are hard ! I do a 20+ mile commute in to SE20 most days
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[Monkeypony]

I actually quite enjoy riding in the rain. It gives a consistent grip level and I look on it as a sort of masochistic mental endurance activity.

Damp cold roads though? To hell will that! Puckering up every time you tip it into a corner because you're not sure how much grip you're going to find is not an enjoyable way to pass the time.
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[grr666]

Whatever you do, don't listen to "Fear of the dark" while riding in the cold, damp, darkness. It'll end in an off when the song gets going....
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[kgm]

[hellkat]

Yeah I'm not a fan. I do tend to ride even MORE like a granny than I used to.
I can cope with the rain but I'd just rather not get wet
But I just totally stop when its icy.
No point being a hero. Nothing to prove.

I'm definitely more afraid of dropping the Harley than I was with the jap bikes. Its torqueyness makes me nervous in normal weather, and in rain I'm twitchy as fuck, slowing right down. Which doesn't help matters, LOL.

Looking forward to getting the lighting sorted, though, fingers crossed for it to be this side of Christmas (possible, not probable, though, haha) ... just a matter of how long before it gets icy, then I'll stop riding it til it thaws out a bit.
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[MCN]

I use a bike in Scotland.
Dark and Wet is normal.
What was the question?

There's no mystery to this, just slow down a bit, allow more braking distance, keep your visor/goggles In good condition and replace if scratched, as scratches cause more glary-ness.
Visors are cheaper to replace than an NCD etc.
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[Pigeon]

[2wheelLover51]

I find I get like this when my tyres wear down or square off and the bike feels a bit "knife edge" around the corners.
On good tyres I just take it a bit easier until the tyres have warmed up and then I gradually pick up the pace.
A long trip in the wet gives you confidence as the tyres get heat in them and I find I can ride almost as quickly as I would in the dry.
I try not to ride in the dark though as my eyes ain't what they were!
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2WHEElLover1951

[Howling TerrorOutOfOffice]

It's surprising how many zero effs you give when riding at night and you enter a corner... run through a clump of wet leaves... twigs..gravel..small squashed animal and the bike squirms about and before you've over reacted you're still heading in the right direction.

I do like those cornering headlights that are cropping up on bikes now.

Anyone tried them?
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[Fisty]

[LustyLew]

Thanks all.

Very interesting opinions and comments, much appreciated.

Also doesn't help that I've picked up a nail and the rear isnt holding pressure. Tiny lil' fucker it is too!