[Tommie]

Ok, some of you experienced riders help me out here. I usually avoid riding in the rain when possible. I will be heading to Ruidoso NM. for the Aspencade Rally next week. I understand that it rains up there just about every afternoon. How do you folks handle rain? I have never been comfortable on those two small tires on wet roads.
Is there a magic speed? What is the best section of the lane to ride in?
How in the world do you see good enough to ride safely? We have purchsed good rain gear, so I'm not concerned with getting wet. Just concerned about keeping the wife and myself safe.
Any help would be appreciated.

 

[wyodude]

Tommie,

I'm no expert but I did ride 150 miles in pouring rain two weekends ago.
Tips:
1. the worst time is when it just starts raining, the water is washing the dirt and oil film off the road. The mixture is quite slippery. If you can, let it rain for 30 minutes or so, then go.

2. on dry pavement use your front brake, on wet pavement use you back brake. Obviously, this neccessitates allowing longer stopping distances, so "slow as she goes" is the phrase that pays.

3. if its a gully washer AND your following a cager (at a safe distance) try to ride in one of the cages wheel tracks (the cage has pushed the water away already, so less chance of hydroplaning).

4. get a pair of clear lens goggles, rain in the eyes = irritation.

5. Remember, even though its raining your still having fun.


wyo

 

[Thealien]

I ride in the rain a lot, be careful of manhole covers, crosswalks, and painted lines on the road. Tires today are incredible, I actually lean into corners in the rain just as I would on dry pavement(I am not saying to do this I am just trying to ease your fears about traction). Braking is reduced so be a little extra cautious. A windshield helps, good quality clear glasses or goggles are a must. they make a product like rain-x for plastic glasses/windshields if you can not find any, regular wax works well at repelling rain off of them. Be careful and enjoy your trip.

 

[RainRider]

rain riding

Well, the nickname says it all. . . LOL
I do all the same things I would do in the dry, just less of each.
ie. Don't lean as much, don't ride as fast, don't brake as hard.
Realize that the cagers can see you less than when they could in the dry.
Be especially careful on white lines, R/R tracks (cross as close as possible at a right angle to them), stay off the lane reflectors (wet plus lean on them causes at a minimum a rear end dance - will wake you up - and can put you down in a hurry) Don't brake on tracks/white lines, etc. if possible. I go through a few more just changed red lights realizing that neither I or the cager riding my rear can stop as fast.
Have to disagree about the front brake in the wet, though. That back alone is just a skid dragging even easier in the wet. Only time I don't use the front is in sand, wet grass, or really slow traffic (10 mph or less). I used to ride a 86 Honda GoldWing with integrated front/rear brakes. If you used the rear pedal, it applied one of the front brakes. Saved my butt, along with my daughter's when we were rounding a turn on wet pavement to find an unexpected stop sign and a car coming on the cross road.
Just be careful using your brakes - allow more distance, etc.
Maintain correct tire pressure, and keep tires in good shape.
All that vigil you exercise in the dry should be stepped up a notch or two in the wet.
A good helmet with a BUILT-IN shield works well. The snap-on shields in my experience are inferior optically. You need to see as well as you can. Since my bike throws a mist up under my shield on my 3/4 helmet, I wear good clear lens glasses with gasketed face side (Wiley X-1). A good full face is far superior to other helmets, in my opinion. In winter, or longer trips I use a Shoei RF900 (seals well at the top, keeping rain off the inside of the shield, and warmer in winter riding)
Confidence will build and the fun continues.
Good rides,
Don '02 E-Glide

 

[Tommie]

Thanks for the great information! That's what makes this forum so outstanding. I am really looking forward to this trip. It should be nice and cool up in the NM mountains and this will be my first large rally.
I will keep all this good rain riding information in this thick head of mine and hope it all comes flooding back when I get into a downpour next weekend. Maybe we will get lucky and have beautiful weather all the way up there and back. I will let everyone know how the trip comes out when I get back.

 

[FLHR-I]

Slow down. Be more deliberate with your actions. Don't ride in the center of the lane where all the oil is. Use your front brake, but be cautious with either brake. I use Plexis on my windshield, helment shield, and glasses. It actually beads and sheds water similar to rain x on glass.

 

[srb8267]

Don't miss the ride from Ruidoso to Cloudcroft (H.W.244)...prettiest 50miles anywhere. And you'll find those cattle gaurds very slick if wet.

 

[wyodude]

I didn't mean to say don't use the front brake at all, just more rear brake than normal. On dry pavement, I use the front brake almost exclusively.

On another list, an experienced rider ( and front braker) described how he went down in the rain when his front wheel hyroplaned and locked up while braking.

FWIW,

wyo

 

[brwk]

Most of all....don't "push" yourself!!!
If you feel uneasy, stop in a safe area or exit. Poor weather conditions are never a place to test your luck while on a bike.
Brian

 

[thomas_l]

The only time rain has caused me to put a crease in the seat was a convergence problem - getting caught in a gully washer, right at a freeway merge (one freeway entering another, no exit ramp to dart off), with medium traffic, no overpasses for 2 miles, and my wife on back. The real danger was the car that was tailgating me. I just matched the traffic speed, avoided any sudden moves, and kept revising my "escape route" every two seconds. I had my windshield on and some good glasses and still could barely see.Top it off, it was raining so freakin hard I had to be careful not to breathe water. The good part was that lasted only a mile and a half - 5 minutes tops.

Aside from that one time, rain showers are not a bother for me. If you're prepared for it (windshield, goggles, rain gear) it's no biggie. Especially if it's a quick thunderstorm that passes and you have enough miles left on your ride to air dry

 

[chiselchst]

It poured on the Range when I took the MC Safety course both days, and I was amazed at how well the tires stuck on my Yamakawisuki. I'm glad to have gained that experience first hand.

I agree totally with what RainRider...

 

[HarleyJoel]

I always stay in one of the car tracks in the rain even if there isn't any cars in front of me - reason being that grease and oil tend to accumulate in the center of the lane more than where the cars tire tracks are. I personally would always use the brakes the same whether it is wet or dry out making sure to realize and accomodate the fact that stopping distances will be increased. If the front wheel locks up it will more than likely cause to to loose steering and your balance. If you lock up the rear tire it will have the tendancy to swing your back end around also causing you to lose balance. When you brake the weight of the bike is transfered to the front and so you get most of your stopping power from the front wheel. This also takes weight off the back wheel and will make it easier for it to lock up like wyodude said before, right after it starts raining and the road is covered is when the road is the most slippery. I use rain-x for the windshield and I have a set of glasses just for the rain with rain-x on them too.

 

[BOOMER]

What rain rider said.

 

[Tommie]

Thanks guys! I didn't think it was advised to put Rain-X on these windshields? Any bad side effects? I know it works great on my truck but have hesitated applying to the bike.

 

[lectraglidedad]

I've used rain-x for years with no apparent harm to the windshield. It definately helps

 

[HarleyJoel]

rain-x hasn't damged my windshield either.

 

[woodwalkertc88]

well now i wonder why the harley manual says no rain x?? do they sell a similiar product ??

 

[HarleyJoel]

I couldn't find any similar products. Maybe they just haven't tested it and aren't sure if it would damage the windshield.

 

[Unome]

Well, DANG, I was taking h-d at their word not to use Rain-X because the windshield is lexan and it damages it. I'll test it out this weekend on lower part.

 

[Tommie]

I will be giving Rain-X a try also. HD makes some windshield wipes that are advertised to do the same as Rain-X. The ones I bought don't work for crap!