Rain Riding

[Ivan]

I recently bought a set of frogg toggs, not the road toads, cause I couldn't see spending the extra $35 for some reflective tape, but I have a set none the less. I have a buddy that has a set of gauntlets I can use and I have put a generous slathering of mink oil on all my leather stuff. Thinking of getting some rainx for my helmet screen.

Is there anything else I should look out for when riding in the rain? Something an inexperienced guy wouldnt think of.

[DGXSER]

Just all the newly formed oil slicks at every corner and turn, especially intersections where cars sit while waiting for lights. Its the "new" black ice!!

But you probably knew about that already.

Got caught in it last night. Three things I got reminded of that I had not recalled,

1 Rain hurts at 50-70 MPH.
2 first time full face helmet, dang it is tough to see out of it with water running down.
3 Very wet knees and calves combined with 50 degree temps = dang cold legs at 50-70 mph. First time I have thought about leather chaps.

[Erik the Red]

Roads aren't the only dangerous place in the rain. Watch out for parking lots. Parking lots collect oil spots like nobody's business. A few years ago I was doing a U-turn in a parking lot in the rain, hit one of those spots, and bit it. Bike's left engine side cover landed on a rock/pebble which punched a hole through. Engine oil needs to stay within the engine, I guess.
At least the people in Lexington, KY are exceeding friendly and helpful.

Moral: You're at risk, even when you think things are good, so be careful.

[webbcraft2150]

Rain-X and the plastic on your shield might be a good mix. I use regular car wax or even Pledge will make the water bead off. Put on the suit and sit on your bike in the riding position and see how far things ride up, could be a problem. That is why I had to buy one size larger, that and it made it easier to get them on over my clothes while on the side of the road. See if you can get the pants on over your riding boots or shoes. On the side of the road with an impending frog floater is not a good place to find out you have to pull your boots off to get the pants on. (Makes for a good show though, hoping around on one leg as you try to stuff your boot/leg thru.). Make sure your footgear is water tight also. They make some booties that will slide over your shoes and keep your feet dry. Make sure the collar will go up UNDER your helmet and stay there when you are riding. Ditto with the sleeves, need to go UNDER the gloves if at all possible. Take a roll of duct tape with you, it may not be styleish but it can seal things up and keep you dryer. Watch out for the cars/trucks in front of you and coming up behind you, the spray can equal a whiteout. Watch the cars/trucks in front of you, if you see them hit a big puddle and pull to one side, do what you can do to keep from hitting that puddle, a hydroplaneing motorcycle is a new adventure in fear. Other than that, have fun and do watch out for the grease slicks. 'Course having a full fairing or windsheild can make rain riding a little better. Oh yeah, fill your plug caps with die-electric grease, water and spark is not a good mix.

[trapper_492001]

Watch for standing water in wheel ruts, hydreplaning on a bike is not fun. You can split the lane but staying on top can be hard, try riding close to the fog line or the center strip. I use rain-x on the wind sheild and the viser on my helmet and the mirrors.

Trapper

[trbig]

I'm not sure what the name of it is, but I have a round scarf thing that fits around my neck. Some people use a beanie hat and cut the seams out on top so they can pull it down to their neck. I have also seen them cut the neck off of a turtle neck sweater and use.. leaving from about the shoulders up to wear under their coats. A spraying of Scotchguard or equivilent on this helps a lot also.

As stated.. the ruts in the lanes collect the most water.. so riding in the center of the lane (Not on the edges near any lines.. extremely slick when wet) works well.

Lastly... it's supposed to be nearly 70 degrees where you're going riding in the rain. Suck it up and quit being such a big pansy.. You might not even need to bathe if you get wet enough.... but only if you aren't in the same room with me. Wet gorilla hair has got to reek... BUT.. you and Bigfoot could maybe get in some quality time grooming each other?? (Again.. not in the same room as me please.. )

Tod


Tod

[MaximPhil]

Hi Ivan,
As always lots of good advice already. to confirm a few things. If like me you have short boots the rain pants dont cover them so i use gaiters left over from my xcountry skiing days. Makes me look like a dork but keeps my feet dry.My new waterproof boots filled up from runoff down my leg and my feet got wet hence the gaiters. I have wrapped towels or scarves around my neck to keep the water from running down inside.
I bought a roll of reflective tape for a couple of $ and stuck some on my rainsuit sleeves still there after 3 seasons. I chose yellow which reminds me to stick a patch on the back too.
Not just cars watch the damn pedestrians running out into traffic
When asked what i do in the rain.: I always tell people I do like the Elephants
in Africa. Oh what do Elephants do?.... Get WET
Phil

[vincer]

I would suggest some good riding gloves. Between the rain and the cold, your hands realy need protection.

[TopCatGr58]

Well, this is interesting!?

2 folks suggested NOT riding in the tire tracks! I can understand that IF the road tire ruts are very deep, but if the roads are pretty much normal, then riding IN the tire tracks is actually better, because the preceeding car's tires have squished the water off of the roadway in that location. This would be especially true for highway running. Remember the WHOLE ROAD will be very slippery when the rain first starts due to the oils and such being floated up on the road surface until there's been enough rain to actually WASH it away.

The Road Markings, as eluded to, the border strips, but also the speed limits and turn lane markings that are painted on the road surface are also very slippery.

I prefer to use a lower gear with higher rpms to use engine braking more than using the brakes, but also use the brakes on straight aways avoiding their use in turns where possible, and then use the rear more than the front.

I got a set of gloves that actually had a nice wedge of rubber mounted into them to use as a windshield wiper!!
T.C.

[jeffe]

Also remember that riding in the rain is a "great" way to check the integrity of your ignition system. Don't ask me how I know this. All I know is that the generous use of WD40 on the coils will get you home.

[wa407mpp]

Put a good defogger on the inside of your face shield, you don't have to buy it special, just wipe a little liquid dish washing soap on the inside of the shield, then polish it until it is clear again. also if your face shield does start to fog up open it a bit so the cooler outside air can flow up under the inside edge, that usually clears it up. Also it isn't just the oil spots you have to watch for, anytime it rains after a long hot dry spell, wait about a half hour after it starts raining to let the rain wash away all the oil that has boiled out of the asphalt, or you could find the whole road is slick. Never ware a unlined rain suit next to any bare skin, it will sap all your body heat and cause hypothermia.

[fredintoon]

I recently bought a set of frogg toggs, not the road toads, cause I couldn't see spending the extra $35 for some reflective tape, but I have a set none the less. I have a buddy that has a set of gauntlets I can use and I have put a generous slathering of mink oil on all my leather stuff. Thinking of getting some rainx for my helmet screen.
Is there anything else I should look out for when riding in the rain? Something an inexperienced guy wouldnt think of.

Hi Ivan,
if the reflective tape on a rainsuit lets another road user see you before he runs you down, that'd be the best $35 purchase you ever made.
I don't do well riding in the rain.
No matter which rain gear you have it's only a matter of time before the rain starts trickling in at the neck and running down inside until it fills your boots.
But what really gets to me is the progressive loss of vision. It starts with rain drops hitting your visor.
Soon there's too many raindrops to see through so you crack the visor open and peer under it.
Then the rain starts hitting your glasses.
Soon there's too many raindrops to see through so you pull your glasses down your nose and squint though the gap between the underside of your visor and the top of your glasses.
By this time you have started driving on the hard shoulder and have slowed to 40mph because you can't see squat and it's still 50 miles to go before you get home.
I don't do well riding in the rain.

[HobbyMan]

I never leave on a trip without a small roll of lawn trash bags, duct tape, and bungee cords. That will keep your stuff nice and dry.

[CatatonicBug]

I got a set of gloves that actually had a nice wedge of rubber mounted into them to use as a windshield wiper!!

I've often wondered how well those things work. I've seen 'em, but has anyone ever HAD to use the squeegee function on those gloves? Is it worth the extra expense? I got caught in a little drizzle on Monday when I was coming back home from getting my state inspection. It wasn't bad, but I thought about those gloves at that point.

[ecthemc]

yawn .