Dealing with extreme weather conditions is a routine part of riding a motorcycle. As a motorist, you will have to eventually ride in the heat, rain, snow, and other extreme weather conditions. Most motorcyclists avoid extremes because of how dangerous they tend to be, but sometimes there’s no avoiding it.
In this post, we will be talking about the rain and suggesting tips to keep you safe while you ride.
Why Riding in the rain so dangerous
Riding a motorcycle in the rain can pose various hazards and vulnerabilities which make it particularly dangerous. During a downpour, the asphalt gets wet, and your level of control and grip reduces. You can’t accelerate or decelerate as easily as you could otherwise. In the rain, the road also feels harder to navigate with debris coming to the surface. Fixtures like reflectors, tar snakes, paints, manhole covers, and steel plates also become less visible in the rain, with the splatter obstructing your view.
What can you do prepare yourself to hit the road
Most riders don’t set out from their home, aiming to ride in the rain. However, if it’s the season and you suspect that you might have to deal with slick roads, you should do well to prepare yourself.
Threaded Tires
When you are riding on slick asphalt, you won’t have the level of control you typically have on dry ground. You want to offset that with extra-grippy tires with more threads. The thread will spill the water out faster and help you retain more control as you ride.
Waterproof gear
Your body will be vulnerable while you ride at high speeds in the rain. You might suffer from hypothermia or catch a cold, which can compromise your ability to drive. The best way to ensure this doesn’t happen is by investing in waterproof clothes and best waterproof motorcycle gloves while you ride.
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High-quality reflective goggles
High-quality reflective goggles ensure that you maintain complete visibility while you ride. Bad weather plus poor googles make a truly horrible riding experience. If you ride with a pair of goggles not designed for it, your visibility will suffer, and water will make it into your helmet or goggles or choice, further souring your experience. A full-face helmet with fog coating and reflective visor will serve you better. It will keep the water out and ensure near-complete visibility.
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Riding tips to help you ride right during the rain
Maintain a slow and steady speed
You want to maintain a moderate and consistent speed during your ride in the rain. Don’t blaze through flooded roadways, portholes, depressions, or the asphalt in general. As we’ve mentioned, you have less control in the rain, and you have a smaller margin for error. One wrong move and you could spin out and gravely injure yourself.
You should take care to keep ample distance from the vehicles in front and behind you while you drive since all vehicles have an increased braking distance.
Brake properly
If you find that you are losing control of your bike, or you have a sudden need to drop in speed to protect yourself, don’t slam on the breaks. That is a recipe for disaster. What you want to do instead is ease off the throttle slowly and regain your grip. Also, if you are stuck in a porthole, try not to grip the bar too tight and steadily drive until you clear the hole.
Always choose the drier lane
Whenever you get the chance, opt for the drier lane while you ride. They offer better traction and reduce your chances of making a mistake.
Don’t ride if you can
Don’t ride in the rain if you are not prepared for it. Even if you have the appropriate gear consider staying at a hotel before resolving to just ride in the rain instead. Don’t take the risk if you can easily avoid it.
