Riding in the rain

[rebls]

Just curious with bike week coming up on Delmarva and rain in the forecast, who sets out in the rain? I'm really not much on riding in the rain. If I get caught in it thats one thing, but I don't venture out if it is raining. No windshield on the bike which I'm sure helps but vision suffers so much with my full face I feel a little uneasy.

[Big-X]

I don't care for it but then again I have not rode in the rain much. We got caught in April in a downpour and had about 50 miles to ride. I hydroplaned a time or two and just didn't care for it or feel safe.

So no, I doubt I would either.

[Mer]

I have ridden in the rain quite a few times, but like you guys have mentioned I rarely start out in it. I would think a windshield would actually help matters (if it's not above your eye level). Mine is a short one and it does keep alot of the rain off of me. As far as rain on your face shield goes, try using Plexis on it to keep the rain rolling right off. No, in a torrential downpour nothing is really going to help, but it will help in the moderate rain.

Also, if it starts raining I'd try to get off the road for a bit until the oils and such are washed off the road. The most dangerous time to ride in the rain is the first 15-30 or so when the oils and grime from the road are being stirred up.

I won't ride in a storm or a heavy downpour, it's just not worth the risk.

[chazb458]

Got caught in some rain about a month ago for the first time in years. I don't mind the cold but the the rain I don't even like to drive in. Too many knuckleheads on the road. I only had the half helmet on and even with the Honda shield I couldn't keep the rain out of my face. I'd prefer the full face helment for rain. Plexis does wonders.

[FL_VTX_GA]

Rain doesn't make a bit of difference to me. South Florida is just too hot for a windshield so I pack my Darien everywhere I go. Symax keeps my head dry. I have to be dry when I get to work and this combo works fine. I'll get to work and shed the Darien and I'll be dryer than anyone else in the place.

Metzler ME880 tires make a BIG difference. I get a much better grip with these tires in the rain than I got with the OEMs on dry pavement. I never used first gear in the rain until I ditched the "Lops".

Do the "Ground Fix" ASAP. Rain seems to hasten corrosion.

[Knight]

The times i have been caught in the rain i havnt enjoyed much,
without a shield and an open faced helmet rain can be painful
at hwy speeds.

I have only headed out in rain if i was heading for home
til last weekend when we set out in the rain for a 9 hour ride to
a rally of western Canadian X'rs in Ainsworth BC :drunk:

With my Memphis Fats 21" and rain gear and a grin and bare
attitude it wasnt all that bad , it didnt rain the whole way there
or all of the way back, but it did the whole weekend we spent in BC

Lessons Learned

: you will get wet
: your hands and feet will be freezing once they get wet
: your ability to see will be limited or non-existent
: wearing plastic bags over your socks only works for a while
: water pools in the cager's tire tracks
: your bike will become so dirty you might not recognize it
: X'rs have the abillity to drown even with out any water present :drunk:

[ROSHOLT1]

About a month ago my wife and I set out on a beautiful Saturday afternoon with intentions of doing a little shopping and catching some dinner in a nice little town about 50 miles east of home, NO rain in the forcast and 85 degrees when we left, T shirts and jeans weather and I had emptied our pullovers out of the saddlebags to make room for anything the little lady wanted to purchace. After dinner we set out for home and saw some dark clouds on the horizon (no big deal) as we were going the clouds were moving much faster than I thought and 20 miles from home we were caught in a down pour I found an underpass to pull into down in a valley and the rain kept comming harder and harder and then the underpass started to flood, I am sitting there holding up the bike and my wife and she is laughing her butt off after 45 minutes the rain stopped and the water is up to the bottom of the frame, and the temp dropped about 20 to 25 degrees, we head for home and my wife is not finding it so funny anymore as the temp is now in the low 60s and she has goose bumps on her goose bumps. Yesterday another nice day,I asked her to go for a ride with me she says sure and comes out of the house with a sweat shirt, pullover, leather jacket and a rain jacket, I just chuckled, women, always overpacking.

[Mer]

I am sitting there holding up the bike and my wife and she is laughing her butt off after 45 minutes the rain stopped and the water is up to the bottom of the frame, and the temp dropped about 20 to 25 degrees, we head for home and my wife is not finding it so funny anymore as the temp is now in the low 60s and she has goose bumps on her goose bumps. Yesterday another nice day,I asked her to go for a ride with me she says sure and comes out of the house with a sweat shirt, pullover, leather jacket and a rain jacket, I just chuckled, women, always overpacking.ROFL!! I can picture this too!!!
I always carry my raingear with me and at the first hint of a chance of rain I will stop and put my gear on. My husband on the other hand rarely puts his raingear on. I guess he thinks we'll outrun it. lol. I don't know how many times he ends up riding home completely soaked and I'm all warm and dry in my rain gear. lol. Someday he'll learn......maybe. LOL

[ROSHOLT1]

My Wife says it's like a guy asking for directions it'll never happen

[djvtxcsc]

I agree with Mer,
The first minutes of a rain storm are the perfect time to find a Starbucks

[Retro Rocket]

My Jeans and T Shirt are my rain gear. Who cares if you get wet ? Thats all part of the fun. Of course its not if your going to work and have to sit in wet clothes all day. I rode yesterday in jeans and a t shirt and people were asking me if I was nuts being it was only 59 degrees. Could of fooled me... it didn't feel that cold.