I rode through 1000's of miles i rain and didn't wash my bikes. Actually, I very rarely wash my bikes. Mostly removing bugs stuck to it. The exception is my dual sport after riding through mud.
When crossing RxR tracks, especially at an angle. Back off the power to zero, or pull the clutch in. Wet steel is VERY slippery. Also the RxR paint marking just before the crossing. Having the rear wheel kick out sideways is not fun!
I rode motorcycles for well over 40 years and my advice to you if you're not going back and forth to work are you on a very important appointment you park your bike until it quits raining and take your car how much you don't have one when it first starts raining the oil that comes out of the pavement from the vehicles make the road like greasy slick an old motorcycle bikes will go right out from under you if you don't need to be out there don't do it and then you got a detail your bike again word to the wise or staying until it's nice use your car
Over here in the UK you have to watch for smooth metal man hole covers and the white markings on the road are real slippery in the wet too ! I will go and ride in the rain on purpose several times each year just so when touring and we get caught I am not fazed by the conditions.
All good info. Being aware of the traction qualities of different surfaces is important. 40 years ago, i was riding home from work in the rain. Started on a 4 lane concrete highway, traction was good. Turned on to a asphalt 2 lane, still good. Next was a rural chip & seal road with many areas of "tar snakes" . Made it to the 1st curve. It was like being on ice. Escaped with minimal damage to either the bike or myself, and a lesson lesrned.
Yep,I was doing fine on expressway until got off exit and made a left turn onto regular road,. Tire Def slipped a bit on a tar snake,didn't go down luckily. One plus was light just turned green, so going slow and not much lean angle. Any faster or leaning, would have went down. That stuff should be illegal to put down on roads.
When taking corners in town, slow down and take the turn more straight up.Sand and gravel likes to hang out at the intersections. Keep a dry wash cloth in your tank bag so you can wipe your visor and winshield off at stops.
I have rode months in the rain...literally daily for 3 mos in Europe. You get used to it, but you realize that most of your friends would never make it in continual rain. It rained 40% of the time and in Ireland, England, Eastern Europe, and Norway...it was nearly daily or say 85%. So from that perspective you can take your best riding buddies and cut it by 90%....then there's technique. Rain gear and predicting in time and putting it on/off is another set of skills, and then finding glove that survive is nearly impossible if heavy rains. So have grip warmers (my BMW does...saved me). I have purchased just about every glove that says it's 100% waterproof in the rain. Not true. I found hardware gloves that were dipped in rubber the best :). Found those in Germany.
I went down in September, and unfortunately got hit by an oncoming car while I was sliding (had to have a partial shoulder replacement). Was being careful, was going slower, was being smooth; but hadn’t thought about the fact that the road I was taking had been repaved over the summer and hadn’t been rained on. Hard lesson learned and hoping to get back on a bike and on the road again soon.
Long time rider, but rarely in the rain. That's why I'm asking a question... Do motorcycles have relatively good traction on "clean" wet roads? I have 950 V-Star Touring and I got caught in the rain last weekend. I stayed smooth and really didn't mid the ride, until I got soaked through my boots, pants, and coat. All back roads with speed limit of 55. Road snakes are the only things that got my ticker ticking a little faster on some of those roads. I slowed down for turns in the road, naturally being cautious. I have brand new Metzeler ME888 Marathon tires and the bike handled like a dream on the wet roads and rain.
It's rainy season here in California! I love riding in the rain. Throw on my raingear. High vis, of course. But wow night time and rain... Seriously bad. I've taken to using a Brakefree and wear a head lamp around my neck so I can be visible from multiple angles, especially if I have to stop. Some nights its like just a slow crawl back home.
I've ridin a mile or two in all kinds of weather. My experience is just my way that ive done and I'm still here. Rain X for plastic is a great product for your VISOR not the windshield. I wiped the windshield once and ended up with a face full of water that was being repelled of of it. Having a small bottle of it, with you, and a couple of lint free rags is a good thing. I will also have a small cotton wash cloth tucked under one leg to wipe things off. Keep you gear in the lowest gear possible. A sudden unintentional quick twist of the throttle in a higher gear could spin the back tire. If it wet go low and slow.
Kevin, My son and my nephew are both in love with the thought of soon owning their first motorcycles, and my brother & I take partial blame for that, because we ride (on & off road). Most parents realize that when we try to teach new skills to our “younger counterparts “, they just roll their eyes, and think; “Mom & Pop are just “rambling motorcycle stuff, again!” It’s nearly impossible to engage them at “the perfect time”, because we all have busy lives! YOU (!!!) l, turned out to be a FANTASTIC SOLUTION. 😎 You are available when THEY want to watch this awesome content! Tomorrow, I’m going to offer BOTH OF THEM a $100 dollar bill, in exchange for subscribing to, and watching your channel. I’m also going to be ordering 4 winter ball caps, with the burnt leather patches later this week . Your work will be revenant for as long as we have Earthbound motorcycles. 👍😎
I ride a lot in the rain. Just draw of luck. I found having spare dry clothes to change very important. Even on fairly warm day, hypothermia may set and rain gear is not assurance that you will stay 100% dry.
Oh heck,, I've got a car, a truck and 2 motorcycles, '75 Honda CB400F, and my newer bike, an '81 Yamaha XS1100H, I don't have to ride in the rain, because I don't like to clean my darned M/C. So I don't.
Outstanding !!!! I do all that you talked about , and Safety is my number one Priority . I always wear a VISABLE BRIGHT GREEN RAIN GEAR , also a White helmet that does stand out and Led lights in the back that also FLASH . When I am in my car or riding my motorcyle on 1-95 in South Florida , I see Most of the riders down here like to wear BLACK , Most of the guys that I ride with are from up North , and every one is wearing a black helmet except for me . Also they are wearing a black t-shirt , or a black vest . Some only have a standard brake light , and no extra lighting on the back of their bikes . I got hit from behind 22 years ago by another motorcyclist DRUNK trying to pass me on the right coming down from a bridge . My wife on the back almost died . think SAFETY PLEASE EVERY ONE . Speed kills . that now if I ride in a group Im the tail gunner , if I get caught at the light that is ok , don't wait for me , I will eventually catch up .
BC or PNW riding in the rain is part of life if you have a MC. Change your tires before they get down to the minimum. You are less likely to get a flat and they work much better in the wet. I tend to ride at or near the speed limits. So not pushing limits anyway. Any time visibility is an issue slow down. Pinlock? Or I often crack my visor at lights. I find my main concern is getting cold. Even when my cordura jacket and liner kept me dry. Wet cordura sucked the heat right out of me at highway speed. sometimes I get wet and its worse. Not pulling over to put my rain gear on soon enough. I have pulled over at Wallmart to warm up and bought a complete set clothes from socks and underwear out. Even so any day riding a bike is a good day even a wet and rainy one.
This is really good info, Kevin! Thank you! I needed this! My 2018 Goldwing DCT has the rain mode and it makes riding in the rain much safer. A very gentle throttle response. I love it! Thanks again : )
I've watched many YT videos on this subject and not any ever talk about seeing in the rain either with a FF or HH wearing eye glasses, wind shield or anything else.... got any advice???? BTW I've been riding most of my 68 years and have tried many things.
Slow down. Avoid the painted lines on the street. Avoid manhole covers. Stay out of the center of your lane, where the oil drips accumulate. Definitely do not tailgate. Ride as if you are invisible, because you are in the rain. Use common sense always while, well, doing anything.
something else to really think about is that cage drivers don't keep they're cars exceptionally clean, especially the INSIDE of they're windshields. The don't see you nearly as well in bad weather
Would you talk about navigating multiple road challenges at once? I mean examples like moss on the road in a corner, off camber tight maneuvers (like a parking lot that is not level), etc. I have all these issues in my driveway before I can even get on the road and I struggle. It messes with my confidence. Thanks!
I found it critical to stay dry while riding through rain, which has not been as easy as you would think. Much "rainproof" gear lets water through sooner or later and it's no fun, and distracting, having a wet torso and/or hands while riding. Gets colder quickly also.
I'm what you might call a seasoned rider with a fair amount of miles under my belt But I never pass up a chance to review and probably learn - relearn more about my riding skills. Well Said
Good advise. Sometimes I've heard guys say "I don't ride in the rain." This saying has been the response to that statement for a long time. "If you don't ride in the rain...you don't ride." With the right gear and given the time to put it on, I sometimes feel cheated if it doesn't come a good down pour - especially if its a hot day. Got any soap?
Last month of Summer down under at the moment and had rain two weekends ago - first time in months - not ideal with the oils and dirt buildup. Ride was fine until the last stretch of road home; back end slightly kicked out on a roundabout which I put down to complacency. An experienced rider at work said better to maintain throttle through a roundabout rather than coast to increase traction...does make sense but any thoughts on this? Thanks
large windsheilds help a lot. Any suggestions on dealing with the grime/splatter from the road to your helmet visor and how to clean without scratching the visor?
Glad to see you were over in my part of the woods, that entrace ramp to I-20 now has a trafic circle on it. It was a great afternoon to ride yesterday, this morning we had horrible flooding and thunderstorms.
Be mindful around routes that pass through areas used by heavy vehicles and transport companies - it is not uncommon to have trucks over-filled at their depot or a truck stop, and this can be discharged as they start their journey. You are far less likely to be able to see the diesel on the road, so relax and anticipate the road around these places might be very slippery, and where you can avoid those areas.
Excellent Kevin, as always. If I may interject another tip. Amber or yellow colored lenses help dramatically. Doesn't matter if it's clip-on for your glasses, riding goggles or a face shield. Vision is drastically improved. Don't believe me readers, try it driving in your car during a rain storm.
1, Stopping for a break is always nice too; 2, Letting the rain wash the road film off; 3, Traction is usually reduced by 20%; 4. Hydroplaning is a possibility; 5, Reduced visibility may increase reaction time.
Excellent video. I have often ridden in the rain . Usually no more than a hour or two at a time, as I commuted to work on my motorcycle. My German friends make fun of us Americans as we usually only ride when the sun is shining.
Having ridden my bike in the rain all day long on many occasions I really don't mind it except that I'm getting wet. If you are going to tour on your bike you had better get used to rain. Have a good rain suit, I prefer a 2 piece so my lap doesn't get wet and just ride your bike like you're out for a Sunday ride. The bike will stick and like Kevin said you just need to relax. If you wear glasses, anything non-prescription, and have a windshield I would take my glasses off so you only have to look through one set of rain drops. Keep the good stuff coming Kevin.
Yup. relax and enjoy the ride! A few years ago, I had no choice but to ride for a whole week back and forth to work (1.5 hours each way) because my truck broke down That was the best experience I had to learn.
Also, practice riding in the rain regardless of the condition, to condition yourself when it does rain. This will help you relax and not having to modify your riding habits.
This may sound silly but when I was younger and rode dirt bikes. Me and my riding buddies would ride across the nearby park in the wintertime. There would be a thaw that would form large puddles and freeze when it got colder. Along with the snow and then hitting the ice we quickly developed a 'slick mode' mind set. Getting older and riding large displacement street bikes I transferred that mindset when riding in the rain. It mostly consisted of slowing down and being very cautious. One thing ice is very unforgiving and insulated coveralls did help for the bruises.
Pinlocks on your helmet visor is a great addition. Wife and I rode in 9 days of rain last year on a trip. First thing we did when we got home was buy pinlocks visors. Cold temps and rain can be very bad for seeing down the road.
I was riding in the rain a few nights ago in heavy city traffic. I was definitely tensed up so I appreciate the reminder to relax. It just feels a lot better all around. One interesting thing I've noticed is that I find it better to ride in actual real rain as opposed to those times when there's a fine mist or fog in the air. When that happens, tiny particles of water accumulate on the helmet and it becomes really hard to see! With full rain, that doesn't happen as much because the rain washes off to the side of the helmet. Just my two cents on the paradox that more rain can actually be better than less rain.
I make it a point to ride in the rain (and at night) when I’m able to, so that I can be an effective rider in the rain (and at night) when I have to. It’s about practice time in the saddle in imperfect conditions.
Someone help me out, I wear glasses and I have a face shield on my helmet. So what that causes is 4 layers of water to look through. Water on the glasses and both sides of the face shield.
