Hi Folks,
Planning on my first mini-trip in a couple of weeks. I think I know the basics about watching for oil slicks and painted lines and such. However, how do you keep water from running down your neck and coming in through your face shield? Does the 250 windshield keep much of the rain away from you?
Thanks for any comments.
Regards,
George
how do you keep water from running down your neck and coming in through your face shield? Does the 250 windshield keep much of the rain away from you?
Take the car if you dont want to get wet. Think about what you're asking man. If it starts pouring rain and you pull up to a stop is a windshield going to keep you dry? Think about it.
Not trying to be rude so please don't take this reply that way.
make sure you have somewhere waterproof to store your stuff, its no fun paying for things with wet money. note: not all waterproof jackets actually waterproof the pockets.
Keep further back from the vehicle ahead. it takes longer to stop
standing water may be deeper than it seems i.e its not a small puddle it's massive hole
use the top of your glove to wipe visor clean
carry decent waterproofs in an easy to reach place.
plastic bags inside your boots = water proof
turn your lights up in heavy rain to increase your visability (careful not to blind oncoming driver)
turn your head to one side to let the wind force off water building up on your visor
i wear a gortex 2 piece motorcycle jacket and trousers. i ride all year in them and have been caught in horrific storms where i cant even see its raining so hard and i stayed dry = invest in decent gear
only a couple of times has rain come through the visor and that was because i had to ride with it slightly open to stop the inside steaming up.
the cbr screen is good weather protection and you can duck behind it for some shelter.
the helmet goes further back than my motorcycle jacket collar so water runs helmet onto back and lap and not down my neck.
careful your jumper/ t shirt sleeves dont absorb water from your gloves and pull it all inside your waterproofs, same goes if your clothes are not tucked in properly.
Have a great trip and i hope you get decent weather. looking forward to any pics you take
I asked about whether or not the gloves are meant to be worn on the inside or outside by my dealer when I first got my bike with jacket + gloves, he said it was down to personal preference but that the general consensus was "cold/wet, gloves over jacket, warm/hot, gloves inside jacket". I have always worn my gloves over my jacket though, regardless of weather. Helps in the rain
Also, what Dukie said. Invest in a decent set of gear, if there's any chance of rain where you are going, I'd be wearing gear designed for wet weather riding. I myself have Dri-Rider Speed jacket and Nordic pants, which are awesome for cold/wet days. That and the pants have got swag.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MotoMike
This thread could have been called MILPD or Motorcycles I'd Like to Plasti Dip
From here: If it was up to me, every motorcyclist that ends up donating his organs though no fault of his own should be matched by the enforced confiscation of the organs of the idiot that ran him over.
I'll add - always keep your tires in the tire track from the car in front of you. The car tire will have squeegeed the water away temporarily, and will give you more traction and control. Good tip about the puddles/potholes.
Slow down, increase distances, and ride smart, but be prepared for some added stress and tension when riding in the rain. Try to relax but stay alert and make sure you are not riding tensed and stiff.
EDIT: Another important thing to always do in the rain, as Micheal noted below, is to keep your inputs smooth.
Ride your brakes at low speed to "wipe" the water and any other crap off of the discs, ensure they work.
This will most likely only apply if you park your bike outside of a garage, and it's been raining before you depart. My house is raised above the road level, so I get to test the front and rear brakes rolling down to the road, just to make sure no wildlife/dingos/other-fictional-australian-beast has been gnawing at my brakelines, and the discs are free of animal faeces.
In any case, checking the brakes is good practice as part of your general checkup (lights, oil, etc) before you start blipping out of your street.
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by MotoMike
This thread could have been called MILPD or Motorcycles I'd Like to Plasti Dip
From here: If it was up to me, every motorcyclist that ends up donating his organs though no fault of his own should be matched by the enforced confiscation of the organs of the idiot that ran him over.
Jumping into a car if it is about to rain is for wusses.
Get some decent rain gear; waterproof jacket and over trousers, for a start.
Some rain gear has a soft cloth liner to the collar that absorbs a little water, and prevents seepage. if you don't have that some kind of a scarf can help.
If i am in a colder climate I wear woolen under gear. It will absorb a little seepage without feeling wet, and will keep you warm even if it is a bit wet.
When riding Keep plenty of distance between your bike and other traffic. Travel slower than you would normally, plan well ahead, and be very smooth in your acceleration, braking, and changes of direction. Keep the bike more upright than usual when cornering; shift your body weight into the direction of the corner more (you notice racers doing that when riding in the rain).
__________________ there are old motorcyclists and bold motorcyclists,
but you seldom meet an old bold motorcyclist
i have a cheap $15 neoprene rain suit i carry in my tank bag when im on a longer ride...unless its a big downpour i dont even bother with it if its hot out..i usually dry off in 15 minutes anyway riding up the road....it has a hood that goes on under my helmet..no water down back...no water gets in my face shield...i just turn my head sideways occasionally to blow the water off my shield...slow down and use back brake more is the only other tip..seems you know about the painted lines and rest of it already....during summer months your guaranteed to get rained on around the mountains here during the course of the day
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I DONT BELIEVE ANYTHING I READ AND ONLY HALF OF WHAT I SEE
I rode in the rain today, all I can say is however careful you are dry and sunny, you wanna increase that carefulness and times it by 4 and then you will reach a nice safe level. Remember Safe doesn't necessarily mean drive much slower where you are endangering yourself by gong slower than traffic, but it definitely means being less risky with your cuts, serves, and corners.
Riding in the rain. Hints, tips?
