Do many of my Stryker owning brothers/sisters ride in the rain? I've been riding for a year and I live in sunny SoCal, so lots of rain is not really an issue. People in Ca can't drive worth a **** when the road is dry. How do you handle turning on the wet road?
Inclement weather riding
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I'm also in so cal. It rains often enough. I'm usually riding in it when it does. Just keep calm and carry on.
Keep in mind any usually minor mistakes you might make are going to have more serious consequences. Keep it more upright on concrete and it slow turns. Steady throttle on normal turns. Go easy on the brakes and think further ahead. Jerking the throttle around or over braking or panic reactions will put you down faster than anything else. Visibility is worse, so keep more distance between you and everyone else.
Keep in mind any usually minor mistakes you might make are going to have more serious consequences. Keep it more upright on concrete and it slow turns. Steady throttle on normal turns. Go easy on the brakes and think further ahead. Jerking the throttle around or over braking or panic reactions will put you down faster than anything else. Visibility is worse, so keep more distance between you and everyone else.
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I live in central Fl, so I am well acquainted with rain... unfortunately... anyway, the Orlando drivers here are **** on 4 wheels!!! Same thing as Mentat IX says, just go easy. no sudden jerks, stops or starts, and I usually wait til the initial rain starts if I know I am going to get caught in it. Around here, black ice is the oil on the road that rises to the top right after rain starts and it is just that... ice. If someone wants to go faster, let them go around you, and if they can't, too bad for them. I just had replaced both tires, and on the way home, got caught in a heavy downpour. So brand new, still slick tires and a heavy downpour.... great!!!! not exactly..... Guy behind me actually started honking at me, to which I flipped him off and he went flying around me. Just be patient, leave in plenty of time so you do not have to rush anywhere.
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All good advice. I don't mind riding in the rain - in the summer, it's actually a welcome treat to cool you off after a long day in the sun. Traction isn't bad - don't freak out and you'll be fine. Drive slower, stay alert, and keep the bike as straight up as possible. I second the "wait 15 minutes or so" - this lets the oil and slick stuff wash off the road. After that, it's not bad. Also - stready throttle, no hard accelerations, and be gentle on that brake!
also - from experience - the painted stripes on the road and manhole covers can be slippery as owl poop. Be careful, especially at intersections when making a turn - cross those painted lines on the road with your bike as straight up as you can get it. Do NOT lean into a curve while crossing a painted line. trust me.
also - from experience - the painted stripes on the road and manhole covers can be slippery as owl poop. Be careful, especially at intersections when making a turn - cross those painted lines on the road with your bike as straight up as you can get it. Do NOT lean into a curve while crossing a painted line. trust me.
Oh, yeah, painted lines are slippery as heck when it rains. Especially those big turn lane arrows. Avoid those like the plague. Unless you have to do something jerky to do it, anyway. 8)
As far as waiting 15 minutes... where I am in so cal, its not really practical. The rain usually moves around in cells, and in my 65 mile ride to work on a rainy day I might pass through two or three cells of rain and then some dry areas, can't really tell where they're going to pop up... I never could see how waiting around would work and get me to work on time.
As far as waiting 15 minutes... where I am in so cal, its not really practical. The rain usually moves around in cells, and in my 65 mile ride to work on a rainy day I might pass through two or three cells of rain and then some dry areas, can't really tell where they're going to pop up... I never could see how waiting around would work and get me to work on time.
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Ok, I can see riding in and out of pockets of rain. Only thing I can think of there is to stay on the high side of the lane, not in the center. This way, any oil will run off away from you instead of into you. And Brad, it must be nice to feel cooler after a rain... here it feels like you are in a sauna after a rain. the roads don't get cooled down enough, and they just steam afterwards, lol. But, For year-round riding, I'll deal with it!!!
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I personally hate riding in the rain but like these folks have stated, it's all about self control and being patient
I live in Oregon so I get to ride year round due to mild temps but 9 months of it is light rain. If it hasn't rained in a week or so I wont ride on the 1st rain due to the oil on the roads. Watch out for sewer covers & train tracks they are so slippery when wet.
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