Do You Trust Your Tires In The Rain?

[the Ferret]

Riding in the rain on occasion helps you develop your wet weather riding skills.. like. line selection through curves, shift modulation, brake modulation ,and throttle modulation. These skills translate to better dry riding skills as well. Plus once you ride in the rain and develop those skills it doesn't freak you out if you are out riding and it starts a sudden down pour. You know how to handle it. I rode with a guy once that was so afraid to ride in the rain he pulled over to the side of the road and sat on his bike in the pouring rain, rather than ride in it.

 

[SMSW]

Just read about your lowsides. Im glad both Dave and Paul came out of these get-offs without a scratch or bike damage. I'm even happier Dave did not try to prove something to himself and hurt his back again by lifting the bike. I think that comes with age - the knowledge of when to call it quits.

 

[Daboo]

When I took the rider safety course, the instructor said our tires have 85% of their dry traction in the wet. That goes down obviously when you ride over paint strips, leaves, manhole covers, etc. I try to ride in the summer, avoiding those same hazards so that it becomes second nature in the wet. It takes a lot of the worry out of riding in the rain.

I have only a couple times when I don't want to ride in the rain. The first is when I have to get out of my rain gear in a parking lot. Going to the prison was like that. There's nowhere inside to leave my gear, so I end up taking it off and on next to the bike with the rain coming down. That sucks. But if I can take my gear off and on inside somewhere...no problem.

The other is riding in the rain in the dark. I don't mind riding at night. I don't mind riding in the rain. But when you put the two situations together, it isn't smart to ride when you have a car sitting in the driveway. The gray pavement turns black and sucks up all the light that hits it. The rain can end up getting on the inside of the visor...and making it only slightly better than a bathroom window to see through. Combine that with the pavement that sucks up all the light...and you could run over a 2x4 or tire carcass that the car in front of you simply ran over.

A couple years ago, I felt like the biggest hazard out there, was...wait for it...other motorcyclists. Or wanna-be's. I'd be minding my own business, and some guy would do some stupid riding just to catch up to me and ride right off my rear tire. I wanted to tell them that if I wanted a group ride, I'd invite you...so back off. And a few even decided to pass me in my lane with no warning at all, like it was some great game. But! ...when it rains, those jerks are off the road. If I see another rider in January or February...I can pretty much assume they are pretty professional riders, or they wouldn't be out there.

Cars don't bother me at all. I have enough reflective tape on the bike to make it really stand out in low-light low-visibility conditions. I know this varies by region, but around here there are so many drivers who pay attention to motorcyclists...and will give me plenty of room. It's like they just "know" that I'll do something stupid right in front of them and crash...and they don't want to run over someone. When I drive the same roads, it is like I'm just another pylon on the race to work.

Chris

 

[number1barber]

riding in the rain is fine if you buy the right gear. I use rigger boots 100% waterproof knox covert gloves 100% waterproof because they are proofed on the outside of the glove not in a liner. for trousers flexothane bib and brace are amazing. a few years back i installed a 3d seat mesh cover nice and tight and no longer get a wet crotch. lastly for jackets any will do with a rain jacket over the top and your bone dry. Regular textile jackets just get heavy and wet. klim do nice waterpoof ones at a price because they are also outside bonded layer so water does not soak into the jacket