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- Slow down -Be smooth -Avoid leaning over/minimize leaning over -Short shift -Be careful of painted lines/manhole covers -*HAVE GOOD TIRES* -Increase following distance
@@xpusostomos You can minimize your lean by sphysically leaning your body more. What matters for turning is a combo of your center of mass shifting from the center of your tires (plus you have to lean the bike somewhat to get the "smaller" circumference of the tires engaged that will make a bike turn).
Just completed a ride to Arkansas. Great riding in Northeast . The Ozarks are spectacular. Been Riding since 1965. Hydroplaned For the first time in that trip. Rain was so intense for 4 Days my chain was washed Clean. Used a whole can of Lube getting back to Michigan. Great tips! Great channel.
I lived in Europe for ten years, and riding in Europe means that you will ride in the rain. I have ridden the German Autobahn in the rain at well over 100 mph for long periods of time, and Kevin's tips are spot-on. Take heed when he says "smoooooth." No sudden moves. To that I would add: do not shift gears in a corner while leaned over. If you get ham-fisted with the throttle or mis-match the engine revs to the motorcycle speed you will cause the rear tire to slip, and recovery in the rain is a lot more exciting than in the dry. Slipper clutches in rear wheels are not sensitive enough to keep you out of trouble in the wet, so do NOT rely on them. Beware of wet leaves on the pavement. They are uber-slippery. If you cannot avoid them, this is one of those times when, as Kevin says about slippery patches, you ride straight and upright over them. Wear a pair of gloves that have a built-in rubber wiper strip so you can wipe across your face shield like a windshield wiper on a car. TIRE CONDITION!!! If you are down near, at, or below the wear marks, you should not be riding in the rain. The whole point of grooves in tires is to channel water away from the contact patch (the part where the rubber meets the asphalt,) and if you have no channels you will have no traction, and you will hydro-plane, which is another exciting ride right up until you hit something. Have you ever noticed that motorcycle racers make a pit stop if it starts to rain mid-race? That is to take the slicks off and put on channeled tires for rain racing. Have you ever noticed that racing speeds are slower in the wet? This is why. Do not be afraid to lean in the turns. Unless you are playing Ricky Racer in the rain (dumb) you are not going to go out beyond the tread (assuming you heeded my warning about worn tires.) As long as you are smooth, don't shift or hit the brakes hard, and have good tires, the bike is more capable of going through that corner than you are. Relax, keep the speed down, and focus upon the road ahead.
1. Don’t ride if you don’t have to. 2. Wait 20 minutes after rain starts. 3. MORE defensive- speed, following distance and technique. 4. Rain and protective gear -all of it. Great video!
I add one minor gear tip. I have a pair of "over gloves" made to be waterproof over regular riding gloves. They work for that, but more importantly, on the left hand, the outer edge (the thumb side) of my left index finger is a "wiper" blade incorporated in the over glove. When the face shield starts to have more dirt than water, one quick wipe and the "blade" cleans it off. Genius on whomever decided to incorporate it.
Specifically big cities in the west that typically have long dry periods. Oil will accumulate at intersections. The first 10 minutes especially its slick as ice.
I commute on my motorcycle all year and people often tell me I'm crazy to ride in the rain. But I always say I would rather have experience riding in the rain than get caught without any experience.
Yeah I don't like riding in rain, especially not on my current motorcycle which has no electronic aids whatsoever, but it rains all the time in my country - there'd be no point riding if I were to exclusively do it when the roads are dry.
What do you all use to stay dry in the rain? To me, to be "waterproof" the glove needs to stay dry for a full day with water blasting it at 70 mph, not just on day one but after 6 months of use too. Water velocity comes in to play on the highway and the length of time of exposure, even if it is thick fog, let alone rain can eventually overtake a waterproof glove. Wind speed drills water in to stitching. The only way I have found to really have dry, warm hands in the rain is rain-off.com rain gloves or "overgloves". They fit over any of these gloves, and they even fit over my heated winter gloves. When it is wet out or just bitter cold, I slip rain-off rain gloves on to keep my hands dry and the windproof bonus keeps my hands much warmer which lets me ride on, instead of cramping up. I can clear my visor with them like a giant hand size squeegee, clearing my vision not smearing it like leather and nylon gloves typically do. I My total solution: I use Rain-Off gloves along with Frogg Togg jacket and pant set and a good pair of waterproof Ariat H20 boots. I hope this helps someone stay dry and warm in a storm. s Rain-off.com rain gloves $53, Frogg Toggs, $35-$45, Ariat H20 boots about $100. I have found a total waterproof solution from head to toe to fingertip for under $200. I hope this helps shortcut a lot of over spending and "hard way" learning for a lot of riders!
you trained me during my MSF course vary recently, and i cant commend you enough on your ability to work with new riders and they way you easily present tasks on a bike that i have always wondered about. keep up the good content and i will keep watching no matter how skilled i "think, " i am
Great stuff Kevin, thanks. I watched a clip recently about corner grip on 2 wheels. To lose grip on a dry road you need to be pushing about 1.2 G's which is roughly equivalent to a big cruiser leaning at 35 degrees. On a sports bike you'd have to be at nearly 45 degrees to generate this kind of force. Safe to say, it's rare that any of us get anywhere near those kind of lean angles. In the rain, grip gets lost at around 0.9 G's which again, is a mighty impressive lean angle for any rider, even in the dry. Trust in your tyres and suspension to do their job. Relaxed, not tense. Look thru the corners to your exit point. Bike will follow.
On Aug 16th, I got caught at night, in heavy rain and hail, and 45mph winds. If I had any choice I would have stopped and waited it out, but I was literally in the middle of nowhere (Tom Mix Monument) I was caught with no rain gear, no options (even If I stopped) I would just be sitting still through a 3hr thunder storm. Taught me a good lesson, Carry rain gear even if it's sunny when you leave home. Good video, Stay safe!
Rain gear is not just for rain, you end up in colder weather due to elevation or leaving late, or being delayed, rain gear helps block the wind, and with a layer under it, defeats wind chill- hypothermia creeps up on you and dulls your judgement/reaction times. Well said sir, always carry it.
Calm is key. I've got about a mile of gravel to ride my Bonneville before I hit pavement. It's tough not to tense up when your bike is doing a jitterbug under you. Look well ahead of your front wheel, a light grip, relax your hands and arms, breathe and look where you want to go will keep you between the ditches. Ride safe.
I built roads for a living so here is a tip you may not have thought of . there is no paved roads that I know of that are flat . they all are built to drain rain water off of them most roads are built with a crown effect meaning the center of a road is higher in elevation than the shoulders a two lane road (one lane going in either direction) will be higher at the center line . draining the water off to the road shoulders some roads tilt as in both lanes tilt down to one shoulder when I ride in the rain I read the road and try to travel on the high side of my lane chances are it has less water on it then the low side so ya think side walks are flat ? think again those to are pitched with the high side being furthest from the curb .. I added the side walk comment for those that want to take a level and check it out far safer than using your level on the asphalt . sum it up try to ride on the highest part of the road when caught in the rain chances are any oil has already been carried down to the lower or shoulder of the road hope this helps . I explained this to my g/f. I got the deer in the head light look from her . after she spun out on her trike
I completely agree and could only add that I have seen some roads simply built improperly, OR the ground subsides over time, creating low areas and puddles and even entire lane closures near the middle of the pavement. But I'm in California and there isn't any stable ground here, it's all moving one way or another and the pavement can be unpredictable.
I try to keep my bike as vertical as possible as that's where the best traction is. I'll ride a bit slower and keep a less aggressive line and I'll hang a bit more off my bike than I usually would in order to preserve as much of my traction as possible. I also move the imaginary line I use to decide if I'm going to be running a yellow a bit closer to me than I would during days with more traction.
I bought an Areostitch Roadcrafter riding suit many years ago. Have not worried about rain since. In fact once rode from Northern Va to Jacksonville Fl, rained the whole damn way. My boots leaked but the rest of me kept dry! But lightening that's another story, scares the devil out of me.
Tires. If your tires are worn past the cheapskate/tread bars you might want to get off the road until the rain clears. If you're shopping for an excellent all around, high mileage, excellent performing rain tire consider the Michelin Pilot Road 4's. Great/informative video btw. Thanks.
Lets start out by me saying..."I love rain". There is zero that any of us can do about it, save for a rainsuit and definately a front fender. I take a clean rag and stuff it down under my junk. Every once in a while I grab it out and wipe off my eye ware and quickly stuff it back to keep it as dry as possible. Oh yeah...stay off any painted lines and be extra careful when rain first starts. It raises the oil up out of the road pores and sits there waiting for an unsuspecting biker to come along. I've gone down at the beginning of a rain shower after good ole Mom to me about road oil. I used to have no car...only my bike. I also used to drive a snow plow and the office used to call me at maybe 1AM to come to the plow. I rode my bike the 6 miles in a couple inches of snow...I actually loved it. I worked there 5 years. Later on I got a sidecar...very fun. Remember...watch 4 vehicles in front of you. What ever the 4th one is doing is gonna be repeated by the others and then you. C ya on the road, George PS...My wife and I rode 320 miles in the Floruida 1996 storm of the century..Bad idea
My number one rule for myself is, stay out of the middle of the lane. As much as possible ride in the tracks of cars. The middle of the lane is the oiliest, and therefore the slickest. Love your video's and have suggested them to friends. Thanks.
I was in atrocious wet weather , the crown of the road was the only part of the road free from water, it was full of tight bends and light was fading. I remembered the importance of throttle control and keeping relaxed. I slowly increased the throttle going through the bends and kept as smooth as possible. I did see lightening arch across the sky but continued the twenty miles to my destination. Throttle control was the key point I took away from my experience. I ride a triumph sprint st 1050
Colder rain like that in the northwest takes more time to remove oils from the road surface. I also like to use a rain repellent on my windscreen and visor.
Good tips. I was in the tail end of that weather, my second trip from the DFW area to northern arkansas this year. It's easy to forget that in many places it rains a lot more than we get here in Texas. When i first got back in to riding some years ago I was very nervous about wet streets. I had a bad fall in the rain back in the '80s. I still feel it in my hip from time to time. It took me quite a while to understand just how far motorcycle tire technology has come. Wet traction with good fresh rubber is surprisingly good once the first rain has washed away the oil. One think you didn't mention that I thought should be brought up is debris carried by runoff. Water that runs into the road, often happens at intersections and driveways, can carry dirt, sand, leaves, and gravel into the road. It remains there, of course, after the rain passes and the road dries. When you know there has been heavy rain in an area you are riding in to be sure to keep a sharp eye out near slopes, driveways, and intersections. there are a lot of dirt driveways in arkansas and i have really noticed this issue there. Of course, rain can do more than that. There's a little ranch road near Glen Rose that is a favorite of mine. Parts of it run by a pretty little stream. Last year I was charging down that road and discovered to my chagrin that flooding the week before had washed away the pavement and replaced it with sand. Didn't go down but left a pucker mark in my seat.
Super video, great tips! I just don’t ride in the rain or at night anymore. If it’s not warm a beautiful sunshine day I just stay home and watch UA-cam videos. I’ve been riding since 1960 and still going but not near as fast as I us to, I am now 73 but still enjoy riding!thanks for the great video!👍🛵👏
There is one thing that street bikes do that lulls one into false security, and that it a street bike rarely slides laterally (sideways) in the front or back. So .... when that lateral slide happens, riders often chop the throttle and end up on the ground. My dirt bike background has made rain riding enjoyable for me as it has changed my natural reaction to a sliding front or rear from chopping the throttle to rolling it (the throttle) on smoothly. If you can, spend some time on a dirt bike my riding brothers and sisters.
I wished all riders had to ride dirt first, no cars oily road etc. You learn how to react without thinking, it saved my ass many times. And falls on dirt hurt less, best place to get the real feel of what bikes do with minimal risk.
I've never ridden off-road, but when I was going to school, my only wheels were motorcycles, so I rode all year round (Omaha, NE) in snow and even sleet and freezing rain. Riding in any kind of slippery conditions trains you to know what the bike feels like when it starts to slide--and does it at low speed, so if you do lose it and fall, you don't get hurt (as long as you're no in traffic and get hit on the ground). Skid-pad training for motorcyclists would be a good thing. My winter riding was all on 100-200cc bikes, so they were easy to pick back up--I would not recommend trying to practice slippery-surface riding on a heavy bike.
If you're an urban commuter, just get a goretex setup and you're good to go at any time. If you ride in CA, perhaps dial down the lane splitting and filtering a bit since most cars like to do extra silly things. If you wear glasses, good luck!
Gore Tex is good, I've found Frogg Toggs to be quite good and they're a fraction of the cost. The bigger problem is water dripping down your neck or into your pants. Rain gear with a hood that fits in your helmet and pants that are more like overalls helps a lot with that.
I watched a mechanic at a Tulsa Harley shop leave my house at 8 am one morning. It was foggy all night and started pouring down ran when he pulled out headed for Kansas City. I lost sight of him at 200 yards. It rained the whole way. What a dude. Respect man.
Over passes, were the steel expansion joints are, especially on curves. Rode through Iowa city in rush hour traffic, pouring down rain, on a curve, while riding over an expansion joint, was not a pleasant experience. Like hitting some loose gravel or ice on a curve.
It was raining on a ride home at night from work on my Road King and forgot about the cattle bars in the road before an intersection. They are like hitting greased ice! Went down fast but I wasn’t going too fast 3-4mph. Hurt the bike a little but I was ok, wearing all my ppe. It was definitely a learning experience.
rain i can deal with it's the sudden change in wind direction during the rain that makes me get off the highway and get on the low roads until it lightens up
Blasting down the highway at 80 mph with people still passing you or riding up your azz is not a good time. Ever. Not even in blue skies and sunshine. Anything over 60 mph is just awful.
How do you get weather radar on bike? A note on few things from recent 125 mile Southern California ride on R1200RT in down-pour the entire ride: 1. Michelin P5s showed no hydroplaning tendency to occasional 70mph; 2. On freeways in rain, it is not possible to avoid being often abeam cars in other lanes because I hold a cautious speed and limit maneuvering. You get tire spray from them a lot; 3. Cars and trucks seem to spin out without any obvious, save water, cause. I expect distraction and then an over correction. So be aware and where possible, keep away! 4. The Pinlock antifog visor insert on Shoe helmets when new are excellent at keeping visor reasonably clear in wet weather. When a couple years old, seal fails and droplets form under them on inside of visor that you can’t wipe off. 5. Be light on controls but be in control. Lean for turns but at lower speeds, ride a visible bike-LED running lights, rear top box lights, brake flasher, maybe bright clothes (I’m not entirely convinced of this), 3M reflective tape on bags, to mention a few. 5. Frog-togs jacket and pants, about $35, over good, warm gear work really well. 6. Splitting lanes is more difficult with a wet visor. Going slower, water droplets don’t blow off. At night car rear nights sparkle and bumper edges are hard to define. So, I do it but at half usual speed, two fingers over brake and clutch, foot over rear brake. No rolling in and out like I see some sport bikers do; choose clear straight lines between cars most of time to keep everything stable. Good luck to all.
I was riding through northern New Mexico one time when I saw a storm brewing. I seized the opportunity to pull off where the shoulder was wide and put on my rain gear - just in time; the storm was on me within a few miles. It quickly escalated to the point where I not only couldn't see out of my visor (and that was the trip when I learned the inadvisability of trying to open the visor in the rain) but, when I noticed that I could no longer even see the edge of the road. I decided to get off the highway and look for a safe place to pull over, even if I had to just stand in the rain and wait for it to pass. I pulled off onto a paved side road and followed it as slowly as I could; saw a parking lot and attempted to turn off into it; but it was on a hill and, though the road was paved, water was washing down off it in sheets and waves. (I got some practice stopping and turning on a hill in deep runoff.) Keeping to the flat road, I went a little further until a gas station canopy loomed up on the right. I pulled in gratefully. Better yet, as soon as I got out from under the water, I looked across the road and there was a resort hotel and casino. It had been completely invisible until the rain slacked up a bit. I took this as a sign and decided I was through riding for the day. The rain worked in my favor, in that it had driven all traffic off the road. I putted across the road, found an empty spot in the hotel parking lot, grabbed my saddlebags, and slogged into the lobby. In spite of the rain gear, I was completely soaked and must have looked a mess. The Native American women behind the desk greeted me politely - serenely, even - asking, "Can we help you?" I replied, "Please tell me you have a vacancy." They did; they fixed me up, I apologized for the puddle in their lobby, and soon I was in my room, warm and dry again. I mention this last only because, though I took my time getting washed and dressed, when I came back down to the lobby, I looked outside and the sun was shining, still high in the sky; in the time it took me to leave my room and take the elevator down to the lobby, the rain had stopped and it was still early in the afternoon. Anyway, that was the worst rain I ever rode through - even worse than the thunderstorm in Kansas that tried to blow me sideways off the road. The point, I guess, is: don't ignore the early warning signs of an approaching storm.
I live to coat my windshield and helmet visor with "rainx" product of some nature. I usually use the orangish pinkish windshield washer fluid just because I'm lazy haha. I soak a rag with it and wipe down the windshield and helmet. It seems to help with dirt and the such that blows up off of cars.
I use Rain Shield on my visor - rain just beads up and floats off - never obscures my vision. I also have a fog insert - best thing ever :) I watch out for paint and those bumpy plastic pedestrian walkway strips/railroad crossings. I love riding in the rain - gore-tex for the win :)
Thank you Kevin. Hit me to the core when you said two problems being too confident and being scared. When I was riding the other day I was asking myself is it bad to be confident and then I said to myself well it can’t be good to be scared and then your words just solidified my thought.
Riding in the rain sucks, I just got back from a trip along the great river road through Illinois, Missouri Wisconsin and Iowa nothing but wind thunderstorms and rain almost the whole way. My worst fear is the tire path in the road, the groove fills with water and can hydroplane if speed is too great, most interstates and major highways don't have these problems but a lot of the back roads and black tops do. At least in the roads I traveled. Everyone wants to avoid riding in the rain, but I feel it's a necessity if we are ever to improve our riding skills. I've also got that same rain gear your wearing lol. Great video and thanks again
I was put to the test just couple weekends ago. Coming back from a 100 mile ride and I was watching the weather radar as the sky darkened and trying to get home before things got bad. Well with 10 miles to go a torrential down pour caught me unprepared, no rain gear all. Worse yet I was on a Sportbike and had no place to pull off safely and take cover. I slowed my speed and carefully had to navigate the standing water on the road. To add to my problems cars were flying past me and kicking up walls of water, obscuring my vision and jostling me around. Wasn’t fun at all. I wasn’t that concerned about get wet, but I was truly concerned about hydroplaning on my Sportbike tires which have little to no tread moulded into their construction. I did hydroplane once at the bottom of an underpass where all the water was gathering. I just kept my cool and kept my inputs smooth and steady. I got soaked through and through but made it home in one piece.
Living in Calif and rode home from work after a hard rain at night. Mud from the hills washed down into the street. I couldn't see the mud slide until I was in it. I went down and got a pretty good road rash and scraped up my bike. A car was behind me and managed too stop before running me over. It was a woman driver who got out and helped me pick up my bike ( Suzuki Madura 1200). I now avoid riding in the rain. Lol
Motorcycles may be made of metal, but they are sitting on rubber tires. Lightning finds ground. It's why the family car is possibly the safest place ever in a storm. Lighting is not a risk factor while riding, other elements are, wind, rain, flooding etc.
When I bought my first bike, we were just going into a 3 week period of rain everyday. So, you think I was gonna wait ? No way !!! But as a trucker I did what I do in a truck, easy on the fuel, brakes and steering. And, alot of the things you mentioned here. Use common sense and it all works out. I use my bike as my "daily driver" and I appreciate all your tips Kevin.
Your advice to wait a while after rain starts for the slippery fluids to wash away is great. My caveat is to consider the last time it rained in the area you're riding because if you know it rained within the last few days you don't have to worry about it so much. Of course, if you're on a tour, traveling from one region to another, you would probably not know the last time it rained where you are. Also, I love having my GPS high on my windshield like you have yours, Kevin. It makes glancing at it easy because it's just a few degrees down from your focal point on the road ahead. The purple line can almost be seen just in your macular vision.
Possibly, take a look at the camber of the road. It will tend to get deposited in the center and then move to the outer track as it makes its way to the gutter. But, oil build up tends to be less than people imagine unless the road normally has traffic jams that leave cars effectively parked for long periods of time.
You guys forgot about the worst thing next to Black Ice and that's the mighty wet leaf had a couple and especially on a turn you spin out like a Mario Kart character that hit a banana peel
Hey MC, Great advice on riding in the rain. I have many miles and years of Riding in the rain. My take away is the part about the lightning, I never really thought about it but I will now for sure. I now live in Florida and there is a lot of rain and wicked lightning. Once again thank you and that tip will in memory. Peace. PS it's not just rain, it's a deluge of water!
Love riding in various types of weather provided I'm prepared! Just recently rode back home with about 1.5 hours of rain, wet roads, and wind. Rain jacket-check! Armoured gear-check! Visor with defogging agent applied- uhhh..... I enjoy your vids!
Years ago I took a riders safety course before I got my 1st bike. It rained all weekend long & some students were worried about the rain. The instructor told us, this was great & we should be glad because this was the best condition to learn in. They were right.
If, like me, you don't like the appearance of the dorky HiVis helmets, jackets, and riding suits then, when the weather gets soupy, just stop at a truck stop and buy a cheap throw-away reflective safety vest....These are less than five bucks. Get a oversize vest and let it flap in the wind....It's a great attention getter and you can trash it when it's not needed. This may not be the ideal solution but it is a step in the right direction. I'm a retired truck driver and I KNOW how tough it is to see cars in the three foot deep soup on a interstate. A motorcycle is practically invisible..............A wildly flapping reflective vest would be a serious benefit. It's weird but I cannot find any fault in the MCrider series of videos. I've ridden for 50 years and I can always find a little somethin' somethin' that I didn't know. Keep on Keepin' on.........
i don't mean to be critical, but in your vid you were way more in the center of the lane than i would like. i live in southwestern wa state, so it rains all the time here. i understand crossing through from track to track (curves), but i don't dawdle. i punch through it to stick in a track, so i'm not in the slime in the middle. slime = dirt + oil in the middle of the lane. we're about the same age, btw, and i've been riding since i was 18, cuz i wouldn't defy my mother :) LOVE my bmw r1100r! i just have a little bug flicker on it like your bike.
Some good tips Kevin, thanks. Your point on perhaps stopping the first twenty minutes of rain would be negated if it rains regularly in the area being ridden as it takes some length of dry spell for the oil to build up, but it's always advisable to use extra caution in rain until you get the feel of the road. Was once caught behind a cattle truck in rain and I ended up smelling strongly of cattle urine! Took another good rain shower to wash most of the stink away... stay well clear of cattle trucks!
Actually, lightning, rain, and metal DO mix all too well...which makes your point all the stronger. I've been riding just a hair under two years (Vespa GTS 300), but a good chunk of my "awareness" education came from riding a bicycle for four decades on the mean, pre-cyclist-inclusive streets of New York City, where I learned the hard way about the habits of motorists, pedestrians, and, yes, other (often clueless) cyclists. I've actually been able to adapt a good deal of this knowledge to riding with an engine, and watching your videos have led to a lot of "aha!" moments and head-nods to your various pointers. But I follow your stuff because there's always something to learn, and just because I'm still alive to tell a story or two doesn't mean Ive got it all sussed out. Thanks for the insight, and stay dry as you can there!
The bad part about rain in the Phoenix area is that we usually only get 15 or 20 minutes of rain during the summer monsoons. Just enough to wash up the oils and gunk on the road, not enough to wash it away. There is a definite riding season out here because of it. Besides being too hot getting caught in a dust storm/monsoon creates the traction hazard and visibility hazard. A machines that that worked with me road his goldwing every day. One night on his way home the wind from a dust storm blew over a telephone pole that pinned his front tire to the ground. Luckily have was able to brake enough that it didn't hit him. Scary situation though, even just seeing the pictures!
THINK ABOUT THIS: If you've come up into a rainy area that's traveling in the same direction as you are, eventually, you're going to get near the leading edge of the rain (unless you stop before getting to the edge). That area is within the 20 minutes of the beginning of the rain for that area. In fact, when you ride through the leading edge, you're riding on pavement that has oil, dust, and dirt mixed with rainwater. The result is just as risky as if you begin your ride as soon as it begins raining where you are. Not much you can do about it except be careful, give more room in front by keeping greater distance to other vehicles, take it easy on corners/curves, and know that soon you'll be getting dry.
A (more experienced) fellow rider gave me some advice: in the rain, he liked to avoid the middle of the lane; not only was there less water in the tire tracks, but the middle of the lane is where all the cars and trucks drip oil while they're moving.
came for tips in the rain (ive been riding for only 3 weeks, a noob) but a MC instructor with weekly vids?? I just Super Subbed! can never learn too much.
due to work demands, i end up riding in more rain than sunshine. as an IBA rider, i've ridden thousands of miles in the rain. i even road 500 miles through hurricane ivan in 2004. i find that it makes me more cautious which makes me relax and with the right gear on i kind of enjoy it
The power lines on the ground were the most dangerous part of your ride, I'm glad you didn't stop near them. Downed power lines can still transmit electricity through the ground - especially wet ground. Thanks for the video Kevin and be safe.
Great advice about staying relaxed and having hi viz gear on hand - being wet and cold can cause you to rush to your destination and make mistakes along the way. Other drivers are distracted too and will not expect to see bikes in the rain.
Commuting back and forth to work in the rain I've found very few things as exciting as approaching the 'point of no return' at an intersection and going please, please light don't change now. On the point of puddles I've inadvertently hit puddles and hydroplaned just long enough to make pinch marks in my seat.
Hey Kevin, looks like you were trucking along just fine. I have to admit that as I get older (60 in August) I get wiser. Fact is unless I absolutely have to ride in it, I avoid rain. I ride a VTX 1300 and she can get away from me if I'm not watching my throttling etc... Riding smooth is good advise. I ride year round so I catch a good rain from time to time. If I am coming from or going to work I will take the surface roads. Know your limitations right? I guess I am just a fair weather rider... Started watching your videos a few months ago, I'm one of those riders that quite riding when my kids were growing up. Bought the X almost five years ago and it has improved the quality of my life. Never get bored with the bike and look forward to the commute every day, always looking to improve my skills with every ride. Keep up the good work...
You say look out for tracks and presume take them. Here in the Uk our country roads particularly B and unclassified ones are not very wide maybe 10 to 12 ft or less for each side and many of them have two tracks where the cars have run over. These tracks are sometimes devoid of aggregate [ stones ]and are well worn and with just the bitumen bit left to run on. They are therefore slippier than the middle of those tracks which is the sump line which lies between them. So if there is little debris then the the sump line is safer as it has not been run over by cars and therefore has more aggregate and is more grippy than where the car tracks are. It has more grip when wet than the outside car lines. Its useful if being driven over by other vehicles in front as its is usually dryer, having been heated by car engines. so one has a dry area with two wet areas either side. Be careful if there is actual standing water or deep water by some inches on corners if the bend is a left hand one in the USA a right hand one in the UK. If the opposite tarmac [ pavement ]is filled with water up to or past the middle of the road then cars coming round it may spray you with an excess of water which can be very dangerous and at least disconcerting to you on a bike. I noticed that even in some rain you continued to do about 61 to 63 mph but it was when the rain became heavier and mist as well that you reduced your speed down by some 10 mph. doing 53/54 mph. Reasonable as you were alone on the road. Had you have been in anything like constant or heavy traffic one would have to follow on at their speed and being in cars they would have continued at the higher speeds and not to have slowed as you were able to do on that quiet road. Again on such a quiet road you could double or quadrupled your distance but then we didn't see that as you were alone at the time. That said again in heavier traffic its difficult to both slow and give greater distance as cage drivers generally don't do that and drive up to the rear brake lights of vehicles in front and that can become a problem to us. Love the videos that you do . it makes a refreshing change from the idiots who believe that they are the best riders since sliced bread was produced and ride waving their hands about or hands off or doing crazy things like taking bends like on a motogp track. Please keep up the good safe advice for all our sakes.
Rainy day, some recommendations ... make sure you have a good visible = anti vapor / fog for your goggles and your helmet visor, if possible lower your windshield until you can see about 10 meters in front of you. Most motorcyclists forget to lower the air pressure of their tires, lower the pressure by 0.3 bar ... this will help your tires warm up faster and give you slightly more track contact. Adjust your speed, go with the other traffic, keep your distance and do not do unnecessary maneuvers. Make sure you are seen = fluorescent clothing and extra fog light. Provide sufficient rear light. Mirrors ... cheq the oncoming traffic behind you, if necessary brake light a few times or/even flashing your turn signals. Always think defensively ... they haven't seen me !!! Rain, sure there are still dozens of recommendations ... But go outside on a regular basis and keep exercising in your immediate surroundings that will help you. So After a while ... you say: " Rain? I don't care " Stay Safe All.
I used to ride my bike to work year 'round unless it was close to freezing or snow and ice. first thing I noticed in this vid and in the comments, no mention of the "oil lane" in the middle. I was taught to always stay out of it no matter the weather. but especially in the rain. I noticed in the vid you spent considerable time riding in this area of the lane. the water tends to "activate" the oils in this area and bring them to the surface. I had a knucklehead try to challenge me to a race as we were stopped at a light in dry weather. I looked at his rear tire sitting in the oil lane. I was on a thumper street tracker and he was on a boy racer so he thought he was going to smoke me. I did my normal take off and he popped the clutch and just sat there spinning his tire. if it was raining he might have gone down just stopping at the light. I've been lucky, I have been riding on the street since 1969 and knock on wood I have only dropped my bike on the street once. back when I first started I rode my Honda Trail 90 all over the Fort Worth area and dropped it in the rain in a slow corner on a residential street, because my rear tire hit a small dab of concrete that must have fallen off a truck as they turned that corner. I was taking it easy with my semi knobby tires so I was going real slow and was able to pick it up and ride home, the engine didn't even stop. bottom line maybe I've avoided falls partly because I watch for debris and stay out of the oil lane
Here in the UK we get a lot of rain, everything you say I have to agree with ,the only thing I would like to add (apart from riding a BMW RT helps a hell of a lot) iexpet the unexpected,,, take that extra margin of safety you just never know,, ride safe you only live once...
Excellent video. Thank you Kevin. Have you done a video on riding two up? Do’s and don’t’s Tip and Tricks. I’d love to see one. Thank You for keeping us safe.
I live just outside of Springfield MO, we got more than a little bit of rain. Around 7" here by Spfld, with up to a foot of rain down toward the Arkansas border. Massive flooding, James River at Galena set a new flood record of almost 37' over normal. I have a couple short videos of the flooding on my YT page. I don't particularly like riding in the rain, especially on a sport bike with sport tires (Q3s for me), though I've done track days in the rain before. You get used to sliding around and being out of shape a lot. Then there's the two hour clean up job on the bike after the rain..
LOL, I hear ya. I just finished cleaning up the Tenere, it was a mess. As far as the flooding I had to bypass one highway north of Little Rock that was closed due to flooding...a lot of rain.
I appreciate the heads up about lighting! I heard of a rider getting struck and killed not long ago but I thought it was a fluke, the tires apparently don’t keep a barrier to protect us.
Its not the tires that protect you in a car. It’s the metal frame which acts as a Faraday cage. When lightning strikes a car, all the current flows on the frame of the car. With a motorcycle there is no cage like frame. All the current goes through you.
When it's raining you want to wipe your face shield with your glove, but don't. It makes visibility that much worse. Just let the drops roll off with the wind.
Some mentioned to avoid riding in the middle of the roadway. However most roads have a crown in the lane making the water shed off of middle portion. Oil accumulation usually only occurs in the middle portion when one is at a stop, intersection , tolls or parking garages where vehicles are going slowly. When riding at highway speeds, oil leaking vehicles usually distribute the oil evenly across the entire roadway. I am not saying one should not be aware of the roadway surface, but that one should not avoid the center of the lane as sometimes that is the best position at the particular time. I feel lane positioning is probably one of the best collusion avoidance strategies at our disposal. Riding on each portion of the r
Ensure good tire tread - rain, or water on the road for other reasons, are when you need the tire tread to channel the water away from the tire grip area to avoid aqua planing.
I like your style, words comments and advices. Well done. Speech+ riding style come together in a trusting, convincing manner. Like that! Kind regards from Henry
I rode a Super Ténéré in my last trip to Madrid. It wa early spring windy cold and got some raining spots over the East “Sierra pobre”. What a delightful ride that was
sky king is absolutely right, Michelin road 4 .i am in north Vancouver B.C. i ride most every day ,lots of rain here . 20.000 kms a year . on my fourth set of these tires , non better.the thing i find most us useful is , gloves with a wiper blade on the back of the thumb NOT on the first finger . it does'nt sound like much of a difference , but just try it both ways you will see what i mean.the support of the whole hand makes it easy to clear the visor in one pass, and keeps your hand in the same position to get back on the bar.the finger blade is less easy to make full contact on the visor in one clean pass. this can interfere with your focus on the road.also get a good visor antifog . i use it once a week weather its raining or not .i also carry an extra set of gloves ,so i have nice dry ones to put on for the trip home.even rain gloves get wet in heavy rain. hope this is of some help.
What I like the best in this video, at first before the rain 70mph. One the rain started comming in at a fair clip ... 53mph. That sir, is leading by example ... As one of those 18 wheelers out there I often wonder WHY motorcycles sit behind me in the rain ... Often I'll take an un nessasary exit just so they'll go by!
Kevin I got to be honest when I first came upon your videos I felt bored and in the manner in which you spoke made it harder to stay tuned in to what you were saying but I must admit after giving your videos more of a chance I look forward to each and everyone that I do find. keep up the good work you’re helping me to become a better rider
Brilliant tips. I'll be honest though, if it's raining I don't go out on the bike, only if it's dry but I only ride as a hobby, not to commute or for a job. If I get caught in it though it's nice to have these common sense tips, thanks.
I'm a new subscriber and want to say thank you for all the information you provide. I take it all to heart and put it in practice. I have watched alot of your videos and appreciate them all sir. thank you from Kilgore, Tx.
Excellent video. I freaked out the first time I rode in the rain, but I'm getting better. Going forward I try to keep in mind this is just another part of the riding experience and preparedness is the key. Thanks for the tips and the links on gear.
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- Slow down
-Be smooth
-Avoid leaning over/minimize leaning over
-Short shift
-Be careful of painted lines/manhole covers
-*HAVE GOOD TIRES*
-Increase following distance
The only way to avoid leaning is to slow down. The lean is what it is for a given speed.
@@xpusostomos You can minimize your lean by sphysically leaning your body more. What matters for turning is a combo of your center of mass shifting from the center of your tires (plus you have to lean the bike somewhat to get the "smaller" circumference of the tires engaged that will make a bike turn).
@@JCDenton3 YES! There was good advice in Kevin's video, but it should have mentioned this very important tip.
Wait, so my hyabusa with 6 year old tires isn’t good enough???? Whaaa?
Just completed a ride to Arkansas.
Great riding in Northeast . The
Ozarks are spectacular. Been
Riding since 1965. Hydroplaned
For the first time in that trip.
Rain was so intense for 4
Days my chain was washed
Clean. Used a whole can of
Lube getting back to Michigan.
Great tips! Great channel.
I lived in Europe for ten years, and riding in Europe means that you will ride in the rain. I have ridden the German Autobahn in the rain at well over 100 mph for long periods of time, and Kevin's tips are spot-on. Take heed when he says "smoooooth." No sudden moves. To that I would add: do not shift gears in a corner while leaned over. If you get ham-fisted with the throttle or mis-match the engine revs to the motorcycle speed you will cause the rear tire to slip, and recovery in the rain is a lot more exciting than in the dry. Slipper clutches in rear wheels are not sensitive enough to keep you out of trouble in the wet, so do NOT rely on them. Beware of wet leaves on the pavement. They are uber-slippery. If you cannot avoid them, this is one of those times when, as Kevin says about slippery patches, you ride straight and upright over them. Wear a pair of gloves that have a built-in rubber wiper strip so you can wipe across your face shield like a windshield wiper on a car. TIRE CONDITION!!! If you are down near, at, or below the wear marks, you should not be riding in the rain. The whole point of grooves in tires is to channel water away from the contact patch (the part where the rubber meets the asphalt,) and if you have no channels you will have no traction, and you will hydro-plane, which is another exciting ride right up until you hit something. Have you ever noticed that motorcycle racers make a pit stop if it starts to rain mid-race? That is to take the slicks off and put on channeled tires for rain racing. Have you ever noticed that racing speeds are slower in the wet? This is why.
Do not be afraid to lean in the turns. Unless you are playing Ricky Racer in the rain (dumb) you are not going to go out beyond the tread (assuming you heeded my warning about worn tires.) As long as you are smooth, don't shift or hit the brakes hard, and have good tires, the bike is more capable of going through that corner than you are. Relax, keep the speed down, and focus upon the road ahead.
The right tires make a big difference as well. Thanks for the tips
1. Don’t ride if you don’t have to. 2. Wait 20 minutes after rain starts. 3. MORE defensive- speed, following distance and technique. 4. Rain and protective gear -all of it. Great video!
I add one minor gear tip. I have a pair of "over gloves" made to be waterproof over regular riding gloves. They work for that, but more importantly, on the left hand, the outer edge (the thumb side) of my left index finger is a "wiper" blade incorporated in the over glove. When the face shield starts to have more dirt than water, one quick wipe and the "blade" cleans it off. Genius on whomever decided to incorporate it.
Specifically big cities in the west that typically have long dry periods. Oil will accumulate at intersections. The first 10 minutes especially its slick as ice.
I commute on my motorcycle all year and people often tell me I'm crazy to ride in the rain. But I always say I would rather have experience riding in the rain than get caught without any experience.
Yeah I don't like riding in rain, especially not on my current motorcycle which has no electronic aids whatsoever, but it rains all the time in my country - there'd be no point riding if I were to exclusively do it when the roads are dry.
You just gotta see the fun in it. I love going to the twisties when it's raining.
Andrew Gisler people who don't ride all the time or who are fair weather riders...simply don't understand the need to ride.
What do you all use to stay dry in the rain?
To me, to be "waterproof" the glove needs to stay dry for a full day with water blasting it at 70 mph, not just on day one but after 6 months of use too. Water velocity comes in to play on the highway and the length of time of exposure, even if it is thick fog, let alone rain can eventually overtake a waterproof glove. Wind speed drills water in to stitching. The only way I have found to really have dry, warm hands in the rain is rain-off.com rain gloves or "overgloves". They fit over any of these gloves, and they even fit over my heated winter gloves. When it is wet out or just bitter cold, I slip rain-off rain gloves on to keep my hands dry and the windproof bonus keeps my hands much warmer which lets me ride on, instead of cramping up. I can clear my visor with them like a giant hand size squeegee, clearing my vision not smearing it like leather and nylon gloves typically do. I
My total solution: I use Rain-Off gloves along with Frogg Togg jacket and pant set and a good pair of waterproof Ariat H20 boots.
I hope this helps someone stay dry and warm in a storm. s
Rain-off.com rain gloves $53, Frogg Toggs, $35-$45, Ariat H20 boots about $100. I have found a total waterproof solution from head to toe to fingertip for under $200.
I hope this helps shortcut a lot of over spending and "hard way" learning for a lot of riders!
Talbot Laird thanks man 🤓 will research these
you trained me during my MSF course vary recently, and i cant commend you enough on your ability to work with new riders and they way you easily present tasks on a bike that i have always wondered about. keep up the good content and i will keep watching no matter how skilled i "think, " i am
+Dillon Grumbles I appreciate the kind words! Thanks for looking me up on UA-cam.
And that is how a master approaches life
Great stuff Kevin, thanks. I watched a clip recently about corner grip on 2 wheels. To lose grip on a dry road you need to be pushing about 1.2 G's which is roughly equivalent to a big cruiser leaning at 35 degrees. On a sports bike you'd have to be at nearly 45 degrees to generate this kind of force. Safe to say, it's rare that any of us get anywhere near those kind of lean angles. In the rain, grip gets lost at around 0.9 G's which again, is a mighty impressive lean angle for any rider, even in the dry. Trust in your tyres and suspension to do their job. Relaxed, not tense. Look thru the corners to your exit point. Bike will follow.
On Aug 16th, I got caught at night, in heavy rain and hail, and 45mph winds.
If I had any choice I would have stopped and waited it out, but I was literally in the middle of nowhere (Tom Mix Monument)
I was caught with no rain gear, no options (even If I stopped) I would just be sitting still through a 3hr thunder storm.
Taught me a good lesson, Carry rain gear even if it's sunny when you leave home.
Good video, Stay safe!
Thanks Jaycbee024, I have learned that lesson the hard way too. :)
Been there done that, I hate rain riding, takes the fun out of the bike.
Rain gear is not just for rain, you end up in colder weather due to elevation or leaving late, or being delayed, rain gear helps block the wind, and with a layer under it, defeats wind chill- hypothermia creeps up on you and dulls your judgement/reaction times. Well said sir, always carry it.
I passed my motorcycle course in the rain, I was introduced to it instantly lol
DA2THFA1RY Yep lol, my second day in the class it started pouring rain
Same, and the ride home 100kms, the crosswind... upright to lent over in seconds and back again.
On the interstate in the rain and a closed course are 2 different things. Doesn't count
So did I 😂
Same
Calm is key. I've got about a mile of gravel to ride my Bonneville before I hit pavement. It's tough not to tense up when your bike is doing a jitterbug under you. Look well ahead of your front wheel, a light grip, relax your hands and arms, breathe and look where you want to go will keep you between the ditches. Ride safe.
I built roads for a living so here is a tip you may not have thought of . there is no paved roads that I know of that are flat . they all are built to drain rain water off of them most roads are built with a crown effect meaning the center of a road is higher in elevation than the shoulders a two lane road (one lane going in either direction) will be higher at the center line . draining the water off to the road shoulders
some roads tilt as in both lanes tilt down to one shoulder when I ride in the rain I read the road and try to travel on the high side of my lane chances are it has less water on it then the low side
so ya think side walks are flat ? think again those to are pitched with the high side being furthest from the curb .. I added the side walk comment for those that want to take a level and check it out far safer than using your level on the asphalt . sum it up try to ride on the highest part of the road when caught in the rain chances are any oil has already been carried down to the lower or shoulder of the road hope this helps . I explained this to my g/f. I got the deer in the head light look from her . after she spun out on her trike
I completely agree and could only add that I have seen some roads simply built improperly, OR the ground subsides over time, creating low areas and puddles and even entire lane closures near the middle of the pavement. But I'm in California and there isn't any stable ground here, it's all moving one way or another and the pavement can be unpredictable.
I think about this comment all the time; it has greatly improved my confidence in wet roads. Revisited this video to say thanks.
Thank you for that info, Mitch.
Also watch out for wet leaves and wash outs on gravel drives and side road ditches, pot holes hidden in puddles 🏍💨⛈
Mothman 46 wet leaves are bad , so dam slippery
I agree. I think wet leaves have to be the sneakiest thing on the road. Avoid wet leaves!
Pot? hmmmm
Mothman 46 Yep, those leaves will getcha! I’ve had a bad experience with that, just from riding a bicycle when I was younger...
along with 18 wheelers, vehicles towing trailers tend to kick up a larger amount of spray & warrant additional distance when following.
I try to keep my bike as vertical as possible as that's where the best traction is. I'll ride a bit slower and keep a less aggressive line and I'll hang a bit more off my bike than I usually would in order to preserve as much of my traction as possible.
I also move the imaginary line I use to decide if I'm going to be running a yellow a bit closer to me than I would during days with more traction.
I bought an Areostitch Roadcrafter riding suit many years ago. Have not worried about rain since. In fact once rode from Northern Va to Jacksonville Fl, rained the whole damn way. My boots leaked but the rest of me kept dry! But lightening that's another story, scares the devil out of me.
I always use Rain-x Plastic as well as a good quality index finger wiper. Makes it much easier to see and the finger wiper works in fog also.
I hate riding in the rain! I usually find a place to stop , a good place to eat or walk for a while such as a shopping mall.
Tires. If your tires are worn past the cheapskate/tread bars you might want to get off the road until the rain clears. If you're shopping for an excellent all around, high mileage, excellent performing rain tire consider the Michelin Pilot Road 4's. Great/informative video btw. Thanks.
Lets start out by me saying..."I love rain". There is zero that any of us can do about it, save for a rainsuit and definately a front fender. I take a clean rag and stuff it down under my junk. Every once in a while I grab it out and wipe off my eye ware and quickly stuff it back to keep it as dry as possible. Oh yeah...stay off any painted lines and be extra careful when rain first starts. It raises the oil up out of the road pores and sits there waiting for an unsuspecting biker to come along. I've gone down at the beginning of a rain shower after good ole Mom to me about road oil. I used to have no car...only my bike.
I also used to drive a snow plow and the office used to call me at maybe 1AM to come to the plow. I rode my bike the 6 miles in a couple inches of snow...I actually loved it. I worked there 5 years. Later on I got a sidecar...very fun. Remember...watch 4 vehicles in front of you. What ever the 4th one is doing is gonna be repeated by the others and then you.
C ya on the road,
George
PS...My wife and I rode 320 miles in the Floruida 1996 storm of the century..Bad idea
My number one rule for myself is, stay out of the middle of the lane. As much as possible ride in the tracks of cars. The middle of the lane is the oiliest, and therefore the slickest.
Love your video's and have suggested them to friends.
Thanks.
I was in atrocious wet weather , the crown of the road was the only part of the road free from water, it was full of tight bends and light was fading. I remembered the importance of throttle control and keeping relaxed. I slowly increased the throttle going through the bends and kept as smooth as possible. I did see lightening arch across the sky but continued the twenty miles to my destination. Throttle control was the key point I took away from my experience. I ride a triumph sprint st 1050
Colder rain like that in the northwest takes more time to remove oils from the road surface. I also like to use a rain repellent on my windscreen and visor.
Good tips. I was in the tail end of that weather, my second trip from the DFW area to northern arkansas this year. It's easy to forget that in many places it rains a lot more than we get here in Texas.
When i first got back in to riding some years ago I was very nervous about wet streets. I had a bad fall in the rain back in the '80s. I still feel it in my hip from time to time. It took me quite a while to understand just how far motorcycle tire technology has come. Wet traction with good fresh rubber is surprisingly good once the first rain has washed away the oil.
One think you didn't mention that I thought should be brought up is debris carried by runoff. Water that runs into the road, often happens at intersections and driveways, can carry dirt, sand, leaves, and gravel into the road. It remains there, of course, after the rain passes and the road dries. When you know there has been heavy rain in an area you are riding in to be sure to keep a sharp eye out near slopes, driveways, and intersections. there are a lot of dirt driveways in arkansas and i have really noticed this issue there.
Of course, rain can do more than that. There's a little ranch road near Glen Rose that is a favorite of mine. Parts of it run by a pretty little stream. Last year I was charging down that road and discovered to my chagrin that flooding the week before had washed away the pavement and replaced it with sand. Didn't go down but left a pucker mark in my seat.
Super video, great tips! I just don’t ride in the rain or at night anymore. If it’s not warm a beautiful sunshine day I just stay home and watch UA-cam videos. I’ve been riding since 1960 and still going but not near as fast as I us to, I am now 73 but still enjoy riding!thanks for the great video!👍🛵👏
There is one thing that street bikes do that lulls one into false security, and that it a street bike rarely slides laterally (sideways) in the front or back. So .... when that lateral slide happens, riders often chop the throttle and end up on the ground. My dirt bike background has made rain riding enjoyable for me as it has changed my natural reaction to a sliding front or rear from chopping the throttle to rolling it (the throttle) on smoothly. If you can, spend some time on a dirt bike my riding brothers and sisters.
I wished all riders had to ride dirt first, no cars oily road etc. You learn how to react without thinking, it saved my ass many times. And falls on dirt hurt less, best place to get the real feel of what bikes do with minimal risk.
True. My body has reacted and corrected our trajectory before my mind realizes what's going on.
I've never ridden off-road, but when I was going to school, my only wheels were motorcycles, so I rode all year round (Omaha, NE) in snow and even sleet and freezing rain. Riding in any kind of slippery conditions trains you to know what the bike feels like when it starts to slide--and does it at low speed, so if you do lose it and fall, you don't get hurt (as long as you're no in traffic and get hit on the ground). Skid-pad training for motorcyclists would be a good thing. My winter riding was all on 100-200cc bikes, so they were easy to pick back up--I would not recommend trying to practice slippery-surface riding on a heavy bike.
If you're an urban commuter, just get a goretex setup and you're good to go at any time. If you ride in CA, perhaps dial down the lane splitting and filtering a bit since most cars like to do extra silly things. If you wear glasses, good luck!
Gore Tex is good, I've found Frogg Toggs to be quite good and they're a fraction of the cost.
The bigger problem is water dripping down your neck or into your pants. Rain gear with a hood that fits in your helmet and pants that are more like overalls helps a lot with that.
I watched a mechanic at a Tulsa Harley shop leave my house at 8 am one morning. It was foggy all night and started pouring down ran when he pulled out headed for Kansas City. I lost sight of him at 200 yards. It rained the whole way. What a dude. Respect man.
Over passes, were the steel expansion joints are, especially on curves. Rode through Iowa city in rush hour traffic, pouring down rain, on a curve, while riding over an expansion joint, was not a pleasant experience. Like hitting some loose gravel or ice on a curve.
It was raining on a ride home at night from work on my Road King and forgot about the cattle bars in the road before an intersection. They are like hitting greased ice! Went down fast but I wasn’t going too fast 3-4mph. Hurt the bike a little but I was ok, wearing all my ppe. It was definitely a learning experience.
When I was a new rider I got caught in the rain at night on a dark rural highway. Scarriest thing ive ever done.
But u made safe at home great job
I have to go for my licence this week and the Forecast says rain ! I am gonna be crapping myself !
Also watch out for gravel driveways, they get washed out in the roads here in eastern Ky....
rain i can deal with it's the sudden change in wind direction during the rain that makes me get off the highway and get on the low roads until it lightens up
Blasting down the highway at 80 mph with people still passing you or riding up your azz is not a good time. Ever. Not even in blue skies and sunshine. Anything over 60 mph is just awful.
How do you get weather radar on bike?
A note on few things from recent 125 mile Southern California ride on R1200RT in down-pour the entire ride: 1. Michelin P5s showed no hydroplaning tendency to occasional 70mph; 2. On freeways in rain, it is not possible to avoid being often abeam cars in other lanes because I hold a cautious speed and limit maneuvering. You get tire spray from them a lot; 3. Cars and trucks seem to spin out without any obvious, save water, cause. I expect distraction and then an over correction. So be aware and where possible, keep away! 4. The Pinlock antifog visor insert on Shoe helmets when new are excellent at keeping visor reasonably clear in wet weather. When a couple years old, seal fails and droplets form under them on inside of visor that you can’t wipe off. 5. Be light on controls but be in control. Lean for turns but at lower speeds, ride a visible bike-LED running lights, rear top box lights, brake flasher, maybe bright clothes (I’m not entirely convinced of this), 3M reflective tape on bags, to mention a few. 5. Frog-togs jacket and pants, about $35, over good, warm gear work really well. 6. Splitting lanes is more difficult with a wet visor. Going slower, water droplets don’t blow off. At night car rear nights sparkle and bumper edges are hard to define. So, I do it but at half usual speed, two fingers over brake and clutch, foot over rear brake. No rolling in and out like I see some sport bikers do; choose clear straight lines between cars most of time to keep everything stable. Good luck to all.
I was riding through northern New Mexico one time when I saw a storm brewing. I seized the opportunity to pull off where the shoulder was wide and put on my rain gear - just in time; the storm was on me within a few miles. It quickly escalated to the point where I not only couldn't see out of my visor (and that was the trip when I learned the inadvisability of trying to open the visor in the rain) but, when I noticed that I could no longer even see the edge of the road. I decided to get off the highway and look for a safe place to pull over, even if I had to just stand in the rain and wait for it to pass.
I pulled off onto a paved side road and followed it as slowly as I could; saw a parking lot and attempted to turn off into it; but it was on a hill and, though the road was paved, water was washing down off it in sheets and waves. (I got some practice stopping and turning on a hill in deep runoff.) Keeping to the flat road, I went a little further until a gas station canopy loomed up on the right. I pulled in gratefully. Better yet, as soon as I got out from under the water, I looked across the road and there was a resort hotel and casino. It had been completely invisible until the rain slacked up a bit.
I took this as a sign and decided I was through riding for the day.
The rain worked in my favor, in that it had driven all traffic off the road. I putted across the road, found an empty spot in the hotel parking lot, grabbed my saddlebags, and slogged into the lobby. In spite of the rain gear, I was completely soaked and must have looked a mess. The Native American women behind the desk greeted me politely - serenely, even - asking, "Can we help you?" I replied, "Please tell me you have a vacancy." They did; they fixed me up, I apologized for the puddle in their lobby, and soon I was in my room, warm and dry again. I mention this last only because, though I took my time getting washed and dressed, when I came back down to the lobby, I looked outside and the sun was shining, still high in the sky; in the time it took me to leave my room and take the elevator down to the lobby, the rain had stopped and it was still early in the afternoon.
Anyway, that was the worst rain I ever rode through - even worse than the thunderstorm in Kansas that tried to blow me sideways off the road. The point, I guess, is: don't ignore the early warning signs of an approaching storm.
Are ya still riding?
I live to coat my windshield and helmet visor with "rainx" product of some nature. I usually use the orangish pinkish windshield washer fluid just because I'm lazy haha. I soak a rag with it and wipe down the windshield and helmet. It seems to help with dirt and the such that blows up off of cars.
Interesting. I read warnings about using this sort of stuff. What is your experience with it?
sstroh08 Another good one is Pledge
I use Rain Shield on my visor - rain just beads up and floats off - never obscures my vision. I also have a fog insert - best thing ever :) I watch out for paint and those bumpy plastic pedestrian walkway strips/railroad crossings. I love riding in the rain - gore-tex for the win :)
Rain-x tells you it is not compatible with lexan or any other plastic windshields.
Thank you Kevin. Hit me to the core when you said two problems being too confident and being scared. When I was riding the other day I was asking myself is it bad to be confident and then I said to myself well it can’t be good to be scared and then your words just solidified my thought.
Riding in the rain sucks, I just got back from a trip along the great river road through Illinois, Missouri Wisconsin and Iowa nothing but wind thunderstorms and rain almost the whole way. My worst fear is the tire path in the road, the groove fills with water and can hydroplane if speed is too great, most interstates and major highways don't have these problems but a lot of the back roads and black tops do. At least in the roads I traveled.
Everyone wants to avoid riding in the rain, but I feel it's a necessity if we are ever to improve our riding skills.
I've also got that same rain gear your wearing lol.
Great video and thanks again
I was put to the test just couple weekends ago. Coming back from a 100 mile ride and I was watching the weather radar as the sky darkened and trying to get home before things got bad. Well with 10 miles to go a torrential down pour caught me unprepared, no rain gear all. Worse yet I was on a Sportbike and had no place to pull off safely and take cover. I slowed my speed and carefully had to navigate the standing water on the road. To add to my problems cars were flying past me and kicking up walls of water, obscuring my vision and jostling me around. Wasn’t fun at all. I wasn’t that concerned about get wet, but I was truly concerned about hydroplaning on my Sportbike tires which have little to no tread moulded into their construction. I did hydroplane once at the bottom of an underpass where all the water was gathering. I just kept my cool and kept my inputs smooth and steady. I got soaked through and through but made it home in one piece.
Living in Calif and rode home from work after a hard rain at night. Mud from the hills washed down into the street. I couldn't see the mud slide until I was in it. I went down and got a pretty good road rash and scraped up my bike. A car was behind me and managed too stop before running me over. It was a woman driver who got out and helped me pick up my bike ( Suzuki Madura 1200). I now avoid riding in the rain. Lol
Motorcycles may be made of metal, but they are sitting on rubber tires. Lightning finds ground. It's why the family car is possibly the safest place ever in a storm. Lighting is not a risk factor while riding, other elements are, wind, rain, flooding etc.
When I bought my first bike, we were just going into a 3 week period of rain everyday. So, you think I was gonna wait ? No way !!! But as a trucker I did what I do in a truck, easy on the fuel, brakes and steering. And, alot of the things you mentioned here. Use common sense and it all works out. I use my bike as my "daily driver" and I appreciate all your tips Kevin.
I took my motorcycle training course in pouring rain...and actually I find it very relaxing to ride in the rain..I love it.
Your advice to wait a while after rain starts for the slippery fluids to wash away is great. My caveat is to consider the last time it rained in the area you're riding because if you know it rained within the last few days you don't have to worry about it so much. Of course, if you're on a tour, traveling from one region to another, you would probably not know the last time it rained where you are.
Also, I love having my GPS high on my windshield like you have yours, Kevin. It makes glancing at it easy because it's just a few degrees down from your focal point on the road ahead. The purple line can almost be seen just in your macular vision.
I'd add stay away from the center of the lane where possible and especially in turns, that's where most oil accumulates.
Possibly, take a look at the camber of the road. It will tend to get deposited in the center and then move to the outer track as it makes its way to the gutter. But, oil build up tends to be less than people imagine unless the road normally has traffic jams that leave cars effectively parked for long periods of time.
I live in So Cal and plenty builds up in the center of the lane with all the traffic we have, It's why I mentioned it.
In country area stay clear of inside corners as dirt gets kicked onto the road by cars. In rain that gets very slippery.
You guys forgot about the worst thing next to Black Ice and that's the mighty wet leaf had a couple and especially on a turn you spin out like a Mario Kart character that hit a banana peel
Hey MC, Great advice on riding in the rain. I have many miles and years of Riding in the rain. My take away is the part about the lightning, I never really thought about it but I will now for sure. I now live in Florida and there is a lot of rain and wicked lightning. Once again thank you and that tip will in memory. Peace. PS it's not just rain, it's a deluge of water!
Me too. I-95 55mi north every day to Jacksonville and back, sometimes in 3-4 inches of rain. It's wicked here! Stay safe and I'll see u out there!
Love riding in various types of weather provided I'm prepared! Just recently rode back home with about 1.5 hours of rain, wet roads, and wind. Rain jacket-check! Armoured gear-check! Visor with defogging agent applied- uhhh..... I enjoy your vids!
Great piece. Thanks for all the training.
Years ago I took a riders safety course before I got my 1st bike. It rained all weekend long & some students were worried about the rain. The instructor told us, this was great & we should be glad because this was the best condition to learn in. They were right.
If, like me, you don't like the appearance of the dorky HiVis helmets, jackets, and riding suits then, when the weather gets soupy, just stop at a truck stop and buy a cheap throw-away reflective safety vest....These are less than five bucks. Get a oversize vest and let it flap in the wind....It's a great attention getter and you can trash it when it's not needed. This may not be the ideal solution but it is a step in the right direction.
I'm a retired truck driver and I KNOW how tough it is to see cars in the three foot deep soup on a interstate. A motorcycle is practically invisible..............A wildly flapping reflective vest would be a serious benefit.
It's weird but I cannot find any fault in the MCrider series of videos. I've ridden for 50 years and I can always find a little somethin' somethin' that I didn't know. Keep on Keepin' on.........
Too much confidence or too scare... Powerful words. Great video
i don't mean to be critical, but in your vid you were way more in the center of the lane than i would like. i live in southwestern wa state, so it rains all the time here. i understand crossing through from track to track (curves), but i don't dawdle. i punch through it to stick in a track, so i'm not in the slime in the middle. slime = dirt + oil in the middle of the lane.
we're about the same age, btw, and i've been riding since i was 18, cuz i wouldn't defy my mother :) LOVE my bmw r1100r! i just have a little bug flicker on it like your bike.
I like his voice, so calm 😂🤷♂️
Some good tips Kevin, thanks. Your point on perhaps stopping the first twenty minutes of rain would be negated if it rains regularly in the area being ridden as it takes some length of dry spell for the oil to build up, but it's always advisable to use extra caution in rain until you get the feel of the road. Was once caught behind a cattle truck in rain and I ended up smelling strongly of cattle urine! Took another good rain shower to wash most of the stink away... stay well clear of cattle trucks!
Actually, lightning, rain, and metal DO mix all too well...which makes your point all the stronger.
I've been riding just a hair under two years (Vespa GTS 300), but a good chunk of my "awareness" education came from riding a bicycle for four decades on the mean, pre-cyclist-inclusive streets of New York City, where I learned the hard way about the habits of motorists, pedestrians, and, yes, other (often clueless) cyclists. I've actually been able to adapt a good deal of this knowledge to riding with an engine, and watching your videos have led to a lot of "aha!" moments and head-nods to your various pointers. But I follow your stuff because there's always something to learn, and just because I'm still alive to tell a story or two doesn't mean Ive got it all sussed out. Thanks for the insight, and stay dry as you can there!
The bad part about rain in the Phoenix area is that we usually only get 15 or 20 minutes of rain during the summer monsoons. Just enough to wash up the oils and gunk on the road, not enough to wash it away. There is a definite riding season out here because of it. Besides being too hot getting caught in a dust storm/monsoon creates the traction hazard and visibility hazard. A machines that that worked with me road his goldwing every day. One night on his way home the wind from a dust storm blew over a telephone pole that pinned his front tire to the ground. Luckily have was able to brake enough that it didn't hit him. Scary situation though, even just seeing the pictures!
Awesome video Mr. Kevin. I truly appreciate you for sharing your valuable knowledge
THINK ABOUT THIS:
If you've come up into a rainy area that's traveling in the same direction as you are, eventually, you're going to get near the leading edge of the rain (unless you stop before getting to the edge). That area is within the 20 minutes of the beginning of the rain for that area. In fact, when you ride through the leading edge, you're riding on pavement that has oil, dust, and dirt mixed with rainwater. The result is just as risky as if you begin your ride as soon as it begins raining where you are.
Not much you can do about it except be careful, give more room in front by keeping greater distance to other vehicles, take it easy on corners/curves, and know that soon you'll be getting dry.
Good point Ken.
DFWKen çç
Ur videos are helping me a lot. thanks. ☺ love from India. 👍
A (more experienced) fellow rider gave me some advice: in the rain, he liked to avoid the middle of the lane; not only was there less water in the tire tracks, but the middle of the lane is where all the cars and trucks drip oil while they're moving.
These are some great tips. I certainly appreciate them. You do my type of riding, except I don't ride in the rain, if I don't have to.
I live on Arkansas. nice input for every day riding. Rain is just another challenge. Good tires are a must.
came for tips in the rain (ive been riding for only 3 weeks, a noob) but a MC instructor with weekly vids?? I just Super Subbed! can never learn too much.
due to work demands, i end up riding in more rain than sunshine. as an IBA rider, i've ridden thousands of miles in the rain. i even road 500 miles through hurricane ivan in 2004. i find that it makes me more cautious which makes me relax and with the right gear on i kind of enjoy it
The power lines on the ground were the most dangerous part of your ride, I'm glad you didn't stop near them. Downed power lines can still transmit electricity through the ground - especially wet ground. Thanks for the video Kevin and be safe.
Great advice about staying relaxed and having hi viz gear on hand - being wet and cold can cause you to rush to your destination and make mistakes along the way. Other drivers are distracted too and will not expect to see bikes in the rain.
Commuting back and forth to work in the rain I've found very few things as exciting as approaching the 'point of no return' at an intersection and going please, please light don't change now.
On the point of puddles I've inadvertently hit puddles and hydroplaned just long enough to make pinch marks in my seat.
Hey Kevin, looks like you were trucking along just fine. I have to admit that as I get older (60 in August) I get wiser. Fact is unless I absolutely have to ride in it, I avoid rain. I ride a VTX 1300 and she can get away from me if I'm not watching my throttling etc... Riding smooth is good advise. I ride year round so I catch a good rain from time to time. If I am coming from or going to work I will take the surface roads. Know your limitations right? I guess I am just a fair weather rider...
Started watching your videos a few months ago, I'm one of those riders that quite riding when my kids were growing up. Bought the X almost five years ago and it has improved the quality of my life. Never get bored with the bike and look forward to the commute every day, always looking to improve my skills with every ride.
Keep up the good work...
You say look out for tracks and presume take them. Here in the Uk our country roads particularly B and unclassified ones are not very wide maybe 10 to 12 ft or less for each side and many of them have two tracks where the cars have run over. These tracks are sometimes devoid of aggregate [ stones ]and are well worn and with just the bitumen bit left to run on. They are therefore slippier than the middle of those tracks which is the sump line which lies between them. So if there is little debris then the the sump line is safer as it has not been run over by cars and therefore has more aggregate and is more grippy than where the car tracks are. It has more grip when wet than the outside car lines. Its useful if being driven over by other vehicles in front as its is usually dryer, having been heated by car engines. so one has a dry area with two wet areas either side.
Be careful if there is actual standing water or deep water by some inches on corners if the bend is a left hand one in the USA a right hand one in the UK. If the opposite tarmac [ pavement ]is filled with water up to or past the middle of the road then cars coming round it may spray you with an excess of water which can be very dangerous and at least disconcerting to you on a bike.
I noticed that even in some rain you continued to do about 61 to 63 mph but it was when the rain became heavier and mist as well that you reduced your speed down by some 10 mph. doing 53/54 mph. Reasonable as you were alone on the road. Had you have been in anything like constant or heavy traffic one would have to follow on at their speed and being in cars they would have continued at the higher speeds and not to have slowed as you were able to do on that quiet road. Again on such a quiet road you could double or quadrupled your distance but then we didn't see that as you were alone at the time. That said again in heavier traffic its difficult to both slow and give greater distance as cage drivers generally don't do that and drive up to the rear brake lights of vehicles in front and that can become a problem to us.
Love the videos that you do . it makes a refreshing change from the idiots who believe that they are the best riders since sliced bread was produced and ride waving their hands about or hands off or doing crazy things like taking bends like on a motogp track. Please keep up the good safe advice for all our sakes.
Rainy day, some recommendations ... make sure you have a good visible = anti vapor / fog for your goggles and your helmet visor, if possible lower your windshield until you can see about 10 meters in front of you. Most motorcyclists forget to lower the air pressure of their tires, lower the pressure by 0.3 bar ... this will help your tires warm up faster and give you slightly more track contact. Adjust your speed, go with the other traffic, keep your distance and do not do unnecessary maneuvers. Make sure you are seen = fluorescent clothing and extra fog light. Provide sufficient rear light. Mirrors ... cheq the oncoming traffic behind you, if necessary brake light a few times or/even flashing your turn signals. Always think defensively ... they haven't seen me !!! Rain, sure there are still dozens of recommendations ... But go outside on a regular basis and keep exercising in your immediate surroundings that will help you.
So After a while ... you say: " Rain? I don't care " Stay Safe All.
As always, a great instructional vid given calmly and effectively. Cant thank you enough for the service your doing.
I used to ride my bike to work year 'round unless it was close to freezing or snow and ice. first thing I noticed in this vid and in the comments, no mention of the "oil lane" in the middle. I was taught to always stay out of it no matter the weather. but especially in the rain. I noticed in the vid you spent considerable time riding in this area of the lane. the water tends to "activate" the oils in this area and bring them to the surface. I had a knucklehead try to challenge me to a race as we were stopped at a light in dry weather. I looked at his rear tire sitting in the oil lane. I was on a thumper street tracker and he was on a boy racer so he thought he was going to smoke me. I did my normal take off and he popped the clutch and just sat there spinning his tire. if it was raining he might have gone down just stopping at the light. I've been lucky, I have been riding on the street since 1969 and knock on wood I have only dropped my bike on the street once. back when I first started I rode my Honda Trail 90 all over the Fort Worth area and dropped it in the rain in a slow corner on a residential street, because my rear tire hit a small dab of concrete that must have fallen off a truck as they turned that corner. I was taking it easy with my semi knobby tires so I was going real slow and was able to pick it up and ride home, the engine didn't even stop. bottom line maybe I've avoided falls partly because I watch for debris and stay out of the oil lane
I live on the Pennines , North West England, we get TOO MUCH rain ...!!!! Thanks for another great video Kevin ...👍
Here in the UK we get a lot of rain, everything you say I have to agree with ,the only thing I would like to add (apart from riding a BMW RT helps a hell of a lot) iexpet the unexpected,,, take that extra margin of safety you just never know,, ride safe you only live once...
Looks like you were riding close to Mena/Hatfield area in Arkansas. Some great riding there. Thanks for what you do.
Yes it was!
Excellent video. Thank you Kevin. Have you done a video on riding two up? Do’s and don’t’s Tip and Tricks. I’d love to see one. Thank You for keeping us safe.
I live just outside of Springfield MO, we got more than a little bit of rain. Around 7" here by Spfld, with up to a foot of rain down toward the Arkansas border. Massive flooding, James River at Galena set a new flood record of almost 37' over normal. I have a couple short videos of the flooding on my YT page.
I don't particularly like riding in the rain, especially on a sport bike with sport tires (Q3s for me), though I've done track days in the rain before. You get used to sliding around and being out of shape a lot. Then there's the two hour clean up job on the bike after the rain..
LOL, I hear ya. I just finished cleaning up the Tenere, it was a mess. As far as the flooding I had to bypass one highway north of Little Rock that was closed due to flooding...a lot of rain.
I appreciate the heads up about lighting! I heard of a rider getting struck and killed not long ago but I thought it was a fluke, the tires apparently don’t keep a barrier to protect us.
Its not the tires that protect you in a car. It’s the metal frame which acts as a Faraday cage. When lightning strikes a car, all the current flows on the frame of the car. With a motorcycle there is no cage like frame. All the current goes through you.
When it's raining you want to wipe your face shield with your glove, but don't. It makes visibility that much worse. Just let the drops roll off with the wind.
Thanks for all the caring and tips for us riders! Love your supertenere, I have a vstrom but I want a supertenere so badly.. 😊
Some mentioned to avoid riding in the middle of the roadway. However most roads have a crown in the lane making the water shed off of middle portion. Oil accumulation usually only occurs in the middle portion when one is at a stop, intersection , tolls or parking garages where vehicles are going slowly. When riding at highway speeds, oil leaking vehicles usually distribute the oil evenly across the entire roadway. I am not saying one should not be aware of the roadway surface, but that one should not avoid the center of the lane as sometimes that is the best position at the particular time. I feel lane positioning is probably one of the best collusion avoidance strategies at our disposal. Riding on each portion of the r
When riding in the rain, stay away form the cattle haulers!
Thank you. Something that I keep coming back to often to keep my skills sharp! Never hurts!
Excellent tips. Even though I don't ride much the rain, it's good to know some tips about how to be more confident.
Ensure good tire tread - rain, or water on the road for other reasons, are when you need the tire tread to channel the water away from the tire grip area to avoid aqua planing.
I like your style, words comments and advices. Well done. Speech+ riding style come together in a trusting, convincing manner. Like that! Kind regards from
Henry
this is great, the rain seems to be never ending lately
I rode a Super Ténéré in my last trip to Madrid. It wa early spring windy cold and got some raining spots over the East “Sierra pobre”. What a delightful ride that was
sky king is absolutely right, Michelin road 4 .i am in north Vancouver B.C. i ride most every day ,lots of rain here . 20.000 kms a year . on my fourth set of these tires , non better.the thing i find most us useful is , gloves with a wiper blade on the back of the thumb NOT on the first finger . it does'nt sound like much of a difference , but just try it both ways you will see what i mean.the support of the whole hand makes it easy to clear the visor in one pass, and keeps your hand in the same position to get back on the bar.the finger blade is less easy to make full contact on the visor in one clean pass. this can interfere with your focus on the road.also get a good visor antifog . i use it once a week weather its raining or not .i also carry an extra set of gloves ,so i have nice dry ones to put on for the trip home.even rain gloves get wet in heavy rain. hope this is of some help.
Excellent tips!
What I like the best in this video, at first before the rain 70mph. One the rain started comming in at a fair clip ... 53mph. That sir, is leading by example ... As one of those 18 wheelers out there I often wonder WHY motorcycles sit behind me in the rain ... Often I'll take an un nessasary exit just so they'll go by!
Kevin I got to be honest when I first came upon your videos I felt bored and in the manner in which you spoke made it harder to stay tuned in to what you were saying but I must admit after giving your videos more of a chance I look forward to each and everyone that I do find. keep up the good work you’re helping me to become a better rider
I grow on you...like mold. 👍
Brilliant tips. I'll be honest though, if it's raining I don't go out on the bike, only if it's dry but I only ride as a hobby, not to commute or for a job. If I get caught in it though it's nice to have these common sense tips, thanks.
Great video Kevin, thanks. You summed up what took me years of riding to learn in a few moments. Spot on information 👌
I'm a new subscriber and want to say thank you for all the information you provide. I take it all to heart and put it in practice. I have watched alot of your videos and appreciate them all sir.
thank you from Kilgore, Tx.
Interesting.. I am just watching this video, and I'm leaving home in DFW tomorrow to ride to Eureka Springs / Ozarks in AR.
Excellent video. I freaked out the first time I rode in the rain, but I'm getting better. Going forward I try to keep in mind this is just another part of the riding experience and preparedness is the key. Thanks for the tips and the links on gear.