Riding in the Rain Essentials

Riding In The Rain Essentials 1

This will help you discover the fun of riding in wet conditions

Motorcycle riders have a thing against rain like the cats have against water. But there's a friend of mine who feels the call of the mostly when it's raining. So don’t let the rain scare you, just prepare yourself a bit, and it will be fun.

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Smooth moves

The motorcycle tyres are designed to handle all weather conditions. When riding in the rain, the water is stopping the rubber from heating up, so the grip level is pretty low. For this particular reason you have to be gentle with the controls and when changing direction, this way you might have a chance to save it when the things get tough. 

Don’t brake while leaned

Less grip means less stopping power. Instead of trail braking you have to brake earlier and only when the bike is straight. The ABS system helps a lot in wet conditions. If your bike doesn’t feature ABS try to softly modulate the brake until you find a comfortable speed to approach the corner.

Rain Gear For Riding

Slow with the gas

Hard accelerating in rainy weather will make your rear dance all over the place. Roll the gas nice and easy, no chops allowed. The lower rev range is the best for wet conditions as it ensures good traction. It's recommended to use a higher gear than you would normally do.

The trash bag is the new rain coat

The rain might catch you off guard and unprepared sometimes. There’s no tragedy there. A good raincoat will keep you dry and cozy, but unfortunately, it rains every time you forget to take with you.. The best solution is a bin bag. You can cut it in the shape of a vest, and it will help a lot. If you manage to find more bags, your legs are next on the list. Wet legs will make you lose a lot of heat so try to keep them dry.

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Open the vents on your helmet

Fog is a rider's worst enemy when riding in the rain. If your helmet has a pin lock you are saved, if not, you are in a struggle. Opening the front mouth vent or opening the visor one millimetre will help a lot.

Try to think ahead

The traffic might surprise you, so try to be one step ahead and anticipate the drivers' intentions. Don’t react very fast, a hard brake or quick direction change will get you down in no time. Stay focused on the road and keep a larger distance than usual from the cars ahead. Don’t be tense – this will make your reactions more aggressive. Keep calm and enjoy the wet view.

Wash the bike

The bike suffers as much as you do. The rain washes all the lube on the controls and chain, and it dries and destroys all the rubber cushions or covers on your ride. The radiator fins are charging with sand and debris from the front wheel affecting the cooling on longs term. For this reasons, you should wash your bike after every ride in wet conditions and apply a bit of lube on the controls.

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