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

Adventure Oz · Post by **Adventure Oz** » Sat Oct 15, 2016 3:38 am

Not a definitive list by any means, but figured this could be handy for guys fairly new to adventure riding. Feel free to suggest more tips which I can include below....

WET WEATHER RIDING TECHNIQUE
Slow down. Well duh, that's a no brainer.
Those slippery first fifteen minutes are bad until that dried oil and muck on the road is washed away.
Ride in the car tracks, not between them where you will find the most engine oil dropped on the road.
Ride in a higher gear for better traction and smoother control of the bike.
Avoid shiny bits like man hole covers, rail way tracks, bolts in timber bridges.
One thing at at time - don't turn and brake at the same time.
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 (only for the brave of heart etc).

WET WEATHER RIDING GEAR
JACKETS & PANTS
Staying dry makes a huge difference to how much you'll enjoy wet weather riding.
Goretex is the most expensive option, see the Klim Badlands gear for an example. It's completely waterproof, breathable and perfect if you have the cash.
A one piece rain suit like the Won-Z is quick to pull on and off while wearing your boots and extremely visible to drivers.
Shower-proof jackets and pants are the next cheapest option like the Torque gear from Aldi. These are great if you expect only light or infrequent showers as they will stay dry for about an hour before the damp starts coming through.
Jackets with an inner liner are handy if you really aren't expecting rain but might be caught out. You wouldn't use this if it rains a lot as they aren't breathable and let the outer jacket get heavy with water which also will cause a chill factor in cool wet weather.
Basic rain coats and pants are the budget option. They tend to tear easily, often leak after a few hours, and you usually have to take your boots off to get those pants on. Most of us move on from this budget option pretty quickly.

Avoid the pants pocket! - when sitting, try to avoid that fold in your pants that then collects a puddle of water and eventually seeps through that waterproof stitching.

Helmets - apply some silicon grease to the rubber seal for your visor to keep it in good shape. There are lots of anti-fogging solutions for your visor, a good budget option is applying some soap suds then simply polish off with a soft cloth.

Boots & gloves - the more you spend, generally the more waterproof they will be. If it's wet all the time, there are expensive goretex boots available. The same situation with gloves, get some goretex gloves if you can rob a local bank to get the funds needed.

WET WEATHER BIKE SETUP
A fairing goes a long way to keeping some of the rain off your body at speed, and reducing the chill factor in cold weather.
Heated grips are also regarded as a must by many in cold climates, regardless of whether its raining or not.
Auxiliary lighting so you are more visible in drivers' rear view mirrors.
Softer compound tyres will grip on sealed roads better. The general consensus is don't reduce your air pressures for sealed roads, but drop the air pressures for dirt roads in wet weather.

Andi_Archer · Post by **Andi_Archer** » Sat Oct 15, 2016 4:34 am

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.

Godspeed · Post by **Godspeed** » Sat Oct 15, 2016 5:27 am

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:

Earwig · Post by **Earwig** » Sat Oct 15, 2016 6:31 am

Be smoooooth... (thumbs)

johnnyboxer · Post by **johnnyboxer** » Sat Oct 15, 2016 6:41 am

Godspeed wrote: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

johnnyboxer · Post by **johnnyboxer** » Sat Oct 15, 2016 6:42 am

Raining = Take the car or put bike in Van to an event

:)

sprintster · Post by **sprintster** » Sat Oct 15, 2016 6:55 am

Earwig wrote:Be smoooooth... (thumbs)

What he says! I don't think you necessarily have to ride any slower just be smoother with the controls.
I can't see the video so I don't know if it's just adventure bikes it's talking about.If not,ditch the sports tyres that never get up to temperature in the rain for high silica sports touring tyres.

-Ralph- · Post by **-Ralph-** » Sat Oct 15, 2016 8:03 am

Ride in the car tracks - hmmm

Very few cars leak oil nowadays.

More likely diesel spill from a trucks filler gap which can just as easily drip in the car tracks as in the centre of the road.

The car tracks are cleaner on some minor roads where the centre gets gravelly and loose.

But the car tracks can be worn smooth, while the centre is still well textured, and it's the texture and little stones embedded in the tarmac which gives you grip.

If the car tracks are worn smooth they are also likely to be worn lower, so the water lies in the car tracks, worn smooth and standing water, might as well be riding on glass.

So the correct advice for positioning riding in the wet, is use your judgement and ride where the most grip is, which depends on the road surface you are riding on at the time.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

Mike54 · Post by **Mike54** » Sat Oct 15, 2016 9:23 am

Godspeed wrote: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:

If you go on any decent offroad course you'll do that to learn more control, it's a good skill to have to know exactly when you're front will lock based on your braking pressure. Clearly you dont do it whilst cornering :laugh:

Nigel · Post by **Nigel** » Sat Oct 15, 2016 9:35 am

johnnyboxer wrote:
Godspeed wrote: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: