How To Ride A Motorcycle In Rain

Riding a motorcycle might just be an activity for some but for the adventurous, it is something
that cannot be explained in word as is directly related to the purest feelings. Riding your
motorcycle, in rainy conditions with beautiful scenery is all you need if you are a motorcycle
enthusiast.

Motorcycle riding is indeed an exciting thing to do, but most of the motorcyclist avoid riding
their bikes when it rains. If you are one of them then know that you are missing out on one of the
most exciting and amazing motorcycling experiences. You will never have a more pure feeling
of connection to nature and surrounding like the one you feel while riding in the rain.

Though concerns are justified as the roads or track gets slippery when wet, motorcycle riding on
a rainy day can be an interesting, exciting and thrilling escapade. You can reduce the risks and
avoid all the hassle if you have a clear mindset of what you are getting into and how to plan to
customize & schedule your bike riding according to the circumstances.

Whether you are someone who has just started riding a motorcycle, or someone who has been
riding it for years and never took your motorcycle out on a rainy day but wish to add this
experience in your bike riding log; then you are at the right place!

This blog post covers everything that you need to know before taking out your motorbike in the
rain. It discusses all the essential equipment and changings that are required to ensure safety
while riding the bike in rain.

- Clothing Required And Considerations:

Obviously, you would not want to get wet and uncomfortable while riding in the rain.
Therefore the first thing that you need to consider is your clothing. We are going to share
the type of clothing you need and what considerations you should make when getting the
perfect clothing for such circumstances.
● The clothing you require before riding a bike in rain includes:
1. A waterproof jacket and pants.
2. Water-resistant overshoes and gloves.
● Considerations for the clothing:
1. Don’t fall prey to cheap clothing.
2. Always choose quality gloves (Racer Elevate and Alpinestars Polar Gore-
Tex, boots(Joe Rocket Meteor FX boots with a DryTech membrane),
jackets & pants (Fly Racing).
3. Make sure that your hands and feet stay dry.
4. Don’t compromise your comfort. Choose comfortable clothing.
 5. Use a bold and bright color to increase your visibility.

- Visor and Helmet Considerations:

When you ride your motorcycle in rain, the biggest problem and safety concern is ‘Visor
Fogging’. Your visor could get fogged up very easily even in the summer rain, and it
could hinder your vision. Therefore it is quite important to use an anti-fog visor/face
shield.

● How to deal with rain on your helmet visor?

There are certain add-ons that you can attach to your helmet in order to make sure
that your visor does not get wet when it’s rainy so that you have a clear vision.
Recently a UK firm, launched a helmet with a windshield which means that this
helmet has a viper on the top which works automatically when your visor gets
wet. It senses the wetness on the visor and works accordingly.

Moreover, the rider can also manually control the viper and use it whenever
seems necessary. If you are not a fan of technology, the most you can do is to stop
at intervals at wipe off your visor. Other strategies might include going for a
helmet with open ends but that might come out to be risky in some scenarios. You
can also lift your visor up and ride your bike without the visor in front.

- Motorcycle Luggage Waterproofing:

Make sure that you have a waterproof cloth that helps in protecting your luggage and
works as a coating for your luggage. Most bikers use aluminum foils and wrap the foil
around their luggage so that they do not get. You can use any waterproof clothing of your
own choice.

● Tire Choice Importance

Riding in rainy conditions is a dangerous activity in some scenarios and tire
quality is very important in determining the ride. If your tires are not properly
inflated or do not bear the load of your vehicle, you may slip in the rain while
taking turns which can cause an accident. It is important to choose tires carefully
and make sure that they are properly inflated to avoid any accidents.

- Importance of Throttle Control When Riding In Wet

Conditions:
The throttle is the main control of the motorbike and while you may feel the urge to drive
fast in rain, it is important to drive carefully and within a safe speed limit. If you ride fast
 and keep on increasing the throttle, you’ll eventually lose control. While taking sharp
turns, and overtaking it is important to adjust the throttle accordingly. However, it is wise
to ride under a safe speed limit.

- Traction and Grip:

One of the reasons why roads get slippery after rain is the oil that surfaces up after the
rain. Along with this, there’s already oil on roads & pavements, especially at spots where
cars and other vehicles come to a stop; worsen by the rain.
To ride smoothly in this situation keep in mind:
1. Slow down your speed at intersections.
2. Avoid running the yellow lights, especially if you have to brake or turn quickly.
3. In case you encounter manholes or sealer pavements, then:
a. Look for a line that you could take around these traction inhibitors.
b. Don’t make any aggressive inputs such as sudden braking or hard
acceleration.
c. Roll over the manholes/sealer pavements without such actions.

Keep in mind that dry pavements offer great maneuverability and superior traction.

● ‘100 points of grip methodology.

You can just utilize 100 percent of your bike and its tires—this was our first
exercise. Those 100 must be separated among different parts of riding: lean edge,
throttle input, speed, braking, and track surface. Utilize such a large number of
focuses and you lose hold. Losing grasp can mean increasing some new
illustrations on your rigging, and what are we not doing today? Crashing!

- Importance Of Cleaning Your Motorcycle After Riding In

The Rain:
Though riding your bike in rain is super exciting, the real headache is what the rain and
wet roads did to your bike. The water, dirt, salt, and grit on your bike tires, brakes, and
other parts not only looks bad but also cause corrosion and damages.

Clean your bike with simple water and good dish soap using a sponge. Once you are done
with cleaning use ACF50 - the anti-corrosion agent. It has many benefits, including:

1. Removes existing corrosion and prevents new for 12 months.

2. Outstanding penetrant and lubricant.
3. Clear, thin and non-drying film.
4. Free from wax, Teflon, water or silicon.
 5. Easy to apply and economical.

- Aquaplaning and how to avoid it?

Bikes with lower tread depth are at higher risks of aquaplaning instead of bikes with
higher tread depth. Tread depth is the depth of the tire with which it displaces water from
the road and grips onto it. Bikes with lower tread depths will not be able to displace water
effectively and may swirl while taking turns. It is recommended that you use tires with
high tread depth to avoid aquaplaning and have full control of your motorbike even when
the road is wet.

The Final Verdict:

So if you really are a motorbike enthusiast who loves to even in wet and harsh weather
conditions then along with having a clear mindset you also need to have the necessary gear and
take precautionary measures to avoid any inconvenience.