How to ride in wet weather: riding tips, wet weather gear & bike setup

[Nigel]

Rear wheel traction test - if you aren't sure how grippy a surface is, try quickly locking up the rear wheel for a traction test.

Really? Try locking the wheel up? I wouldn't suggest anyone tries that...... hmy:

Why not?

Just a little fun

Make sure you turn the TCS off every time you start the bike, way more fun (thumbs) back spins up on a wet white line so what :whistle: :laugh:

PS. happened last Sunday on a greasy road, Mini on it`s roof around a corner and a car in a ditch 1 mile later, bike still upright and reached my destination :whistle: (thumbs)

[ollydog]

Keep an even speed around corners no sudden application of throttle or brakes.
Read the road ahead especially what other traffic is doing that might affect your actions.
If your wearing a one piece and siting for most of your ride pull it up and over at the bottom of the zip area so it doesnt make a pocket for water to run down your front and collect.This will enter through the zip wetting you prematurly and spoil your enjoyment no end.

best tip here

steve

[captinktm]

I always drop my tyre pressure by at least 7 psi, this will help crate a bit more heat in the tyre and for it to follow the road surface.

[misterlaffer]

Rear wheel traction test - if you aren't sure how grippy a surface is, try quickly locking up the rear wheel for a traction test.

Really? Try locking the wheel up? I wouldn't suggest anyone tries that...... hmy:

Why not?

Just a little fun

Locking a wheel up is a skid and a skid on the highway is considered loss of control of the vehicle. Remember your emergency stop part of the test you were not supposed to lock up (car bike, truck whatever). As much fun as it is (I agree) it's illegal and bad advice.

[Andi_Archer]

As the video is off roading Id suggest different tactics for different situations.
Be like the Borg adapt and overcome

[johnnyboxer]

Locking a wheel up is a skid and a skid on the highway is considered loss of control of the vehicle. Remember your emergency stop part of the test you were not supposed to lock up (car bike, truck whatever). As much fun as it is (I agree) it's illegal and bad advice.

Oh, FFS

On a quiet backroad, with no other traffic around...... a little experimenting with grip levels is not going to do any harm

May save your bacon, to check adhesion levels

[ollydog]

Rear wheel traction test - if you aren't sure how grippy a surface is, try quickly locking up the rear wheel for a traction test.

Really? Try locking the wheel up? I wouldn't suggest anyone tries that...... hmy:

Why not?

Just a little fun

Locking a wheel up is a skid and a skid on the highway is considered loss of control of the vehicle. Remember your emergency stop part of the test you were not supposed to lock up (car bike, truck whatever). As much fun as it is (I agree) it's illegal and bad advice.

so is wheelies an stoppies, if you learn these skills the better control over the bike you have,

steve

[ollydog]

As the video is off roading Id suggest different tactics for different situations.
Be like the Borg adapt and overcome

andy is that the same as assimilate lol

steve

[92kk k100lt 193214]

Many years back when I was a 16 year old we went out to see what different surfaces were like in poor conditions. We rode them wet, icy, gravel etc and learnt how far we could push the bike under braking before we lost traction. These were days before ABS and we learnt how much braking you could use with confidence without inducing a skid and we learnt to feel the brakes as opposed to simply use them. We did the same on bicycles and in cars and more than once the experience has prevented injury and damage. We did practice skids and control but in disused shopping centre car parks.

I live rural and regularly have to deal with leaves, mud, ice and so on as I use the bike all year and to be honest if I didn't have those experiences I wouldn't ride in winter.

But the only way we could learn how to feel a skid come on and how to stop it was using places without traffic or large car parks. Its something you don't forget and even now I like to know what the surface is like when conditions are not ideal. As others have said once you lose traction as in get a skid its nearly over. Sadly I have encountered guys making expensive engine damage drops in icy conditions on very expensive bikes simply because they were unaware of how to read the surfaces and signs or unsure of what to do.

Its not just about skids though. Even more important is reading the road surfaces and being aware of what you are riding on so you can avoid them in the first place. Like in winter on rural roads the nice shiny wheel tracks and the gravel in the middle may mean the shiny bits are black ice and the gravel strip remains just gravel- the surface you studiously avoid in summer you go straight for on a frosty morning. Or hanging back in traffic at a roundabout so you can see the road surface emerging from under the vehicle in front of you isn't contaminated by diesel.

I have always put on new tyres in winter, have a new set going on next week, so that best of tread etc is in place. They don't last that long anyway, April will mean a replacement set for summer. My rear is still legal at 11,000 miles but there is nothing like nice new tyres for winter.

[johnnyboxer]

Many years back when I was a 16 year old we went out to see what different surfaces were like in poor conditions. We rode them wet, icy, gravel etc and learnt how far we could push the bike under braking before we lost traction. These were days before ABS and we learnt how much braking you could use with confidence without inducing a skid and we learnt to feel the brakes as opposed to simply use them. We did the same on bicycles and in cars and more than once the experience has prevented injury and damage. We did practice skids and control but in disused shopping centre car parks.

I live rural and regularly have to deal with leaves, mud, ice and so on as I use the bike all year and to be honest if I didn't have those experiences I wouldn't ride in winter.

But the only way we could learn how to feel a skid come on and how to stop it was using places without traffic or large car parks. Its something you don't forget and even now I like to know what the surface is like when conditions are not ideal. As others have said once you lose traction as in get a skid its nearly over. Sadly I have encountered guys making expensive engine damage drops in icy conditions on very expensive bikes simply because they were unaware of how to read the surfaces and signs or unsure of what to do.

Its not just about skids though. Even more important is reading the road surfaces and being aware of what you are riding on so you can avoid them in the first place. Like in winter on rural roads the nice shiny wheel tracks and the gravel in the middle may mean the shiny bits are black ice and the gravel strip remains just gravel- the surface you studiously avoid in summer you go straight for on a frosty morning. Or hanging back in traffic at a roundabout so you can see the road surface emerging from under the vehicle in front of you isn't contaminated by diesel.

I have always put on new tyres in winter, have a new set going on next week, so that best of tread etc is in place. They don't last that long anyway, April will mean a replacement set for summer. My rear is still legal at 11,000 miles but there is nothing like nice new tyres for winter.

Very wise words (thumbs)