its hot as balls right now and the clouds are ripe for some rain. should be coming in about 2 hours here.

 

we already had a quick shower around 2 here in riverview

 

my first bike had dunlops on it when i got it. so my first few north runs were on that shit before i know just how bad they were. the painted lines were noticable as hell. and that was in the dry. so even to this day, i treat the lines like curbs... but it keeps me in my lane. i've ridden with a few people that cut the corners across the lines and i do it in my car but just can't on the bike.

so yeah, the lines suck in the dry as well.

 

+1 on the try to avoid breaking while turning in the rain...you could end up breaking with your helmet grinding the pavement...if you know what I mean...

 

1. Don't get scared. Riding in the rain is pretty harmless if you stay smart and stay smooth.
2. Get a cheap poncho to wear under your jacket, and a pair of rain pants. I got mine at cycle gear for 12 bucks. When you're cold, you cannot be smooth.
3. Don't touch the brakes if you dont have to. At all. Ride in such a manner that you can predict with confidence braking and acceleration. There is no room for error.
4. Taking off is just as dangerous and slowing down. Your rear end washing out in traffic is just as deadly as your front end when you're trying to brake.
5. You have both more traction than you think and less traction than you think. Braking to make that next corner could cause you to crash: dont do it. Whipping through the corner like it's dry will do the same thing.
6. No tailgating.
7. There's no need to slow down 10 mph. The shape of your tire allows the bike to cut through water much better than car tires. You won't hydroplane in situations where cars will dispite the smaller contact patch.
8. Don't speed. Cars are oft unpredictable.
9. Don't get scared. You can ride in the rain just fine just take more time to slow down and speed up. I've been a DD for about 30,000 miles now rain or shine. I havent had a problem. Dont let the other guys on here scare you out of wet riding.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

 

if you have to ride in the rain, borrow a friends bike.

 

When the roads are wet & you're going about 70, drop dat bitch into 2nd and roll that 190 into a spin! Best done while passing hawt chix in next lane.

 

couldnt have said it better myself. i also ride everyday, even when it rains real bad(ride to work and get off at 5, rain time), and all i do is throw my rain suit on, and do what ^ said basically.

 

Thank you to everyone that contributed an actual tip. hopefully new riders can view this and learn from it. Thanks again. CECIL.....any possibility we could get this thread stickied?

 

Watch out for the steel transition joints on bridges/ramps. Especially if it is curved. Those things are like ice. I was going around a curved one once at the speed limit. I started out in the far left side of my lane, when i finally came out of the curve i was at the far right. Nice little wwoooooow at each joint.

When the rain is light it can suck because it will stick your visor. Heavy rain is better, sheets right off. Everyone else will be doing 45 in a 60 because they can't see and you CAN be cursing along at 80. I do not condone doing that, but i've done it a few times now on causeway. With good tires and good tread, hydroplaning is hard. But oily roads will take you out in a heartbeat. Intersection are the worst when it comes to the road being oily. Also as you may guess. Rail Road crossings are worse then the steel transitions. God do i hate crossing them in the wet.