Riders on the Storm

[badiozam]

So I was riding back from CSU San Marcos yesterday and it started pouring all of the sudden. I started thinking about hydroplaning in my car and I figured it'd be real bad joo joo on a bike... any suggestions?

[Robert]

So I was riding back from CSU San Marcos yesterday and it started pouring all of the sudden. I started thinking about hydroplaning in my car and I figured it'd be real bad joo joo on a bike... any suggestions?

Avoid puddles and ride slower like you would on a car :thumbsup:

[zx6racer]

i always go fast, the faster you go the drier you stay!

[speedster1219]

Go to Palomar like us...weee. (http://www.hypercycles.org/forums/showthread.php?t=300)

seriously...stop and grab some coffee or drinks and wait it out..but if you have to ride, then ride SLOWER like Robert said and be 150% aware of all surroundings. No obsessive leaning...just take it real easy...

[blndweasel]

Actually I think it might be harder to hydroplane on a bike, simply because of the shape of the tire and the concentrated amount of weight that resides in that small patch of contact pattern. The reason it happens on a car is because the water that's trapped beneath the flat part of a tire has no place to go, and since water isn't compressable, it causes the tire to lose contact with the ground. I'm no expert or authority on this by any means; that's simply hypothesis.

I would think the thin contact of the front tire would "slice" through puddles a bit better than a wide, flat car tire. Nonetheless, you have to ride slower in the rain anyways, if not simply due to the overwhelming presence of idiotic / inexperienced / not-fully-committed-to-what-they're-doing cagers.

Some of it, I'm sure, also has to do with tread pattern. The GT-501 Dunlop on my bike has a channel right down the center of the tread profile, and this I would assume was designed to help deal with water dispersion.

You know what would be interesting is to take a beater bike, dress up in full gear and actually try to get the thing to hydroplane. Trying first at normal speed, then perhaps trying during acceleration when more of the weight is shifted rearward.

I ride a ninja 250, which is light, has a very small contact pattern, and I have ridden my fair share in the rain (i.e. more than 20 times). What I find is a bigger concern in wet weather is pure and simple traction (most notably rear-wheel lockup), and the wind that often times accompanies inclement weather. I probably don't need to mention that I REALY HATE riding in the wind more than I hate riding in the rain... couple times I've found myself in a near 3/4 lean, with massive countersteer, just trying to maintain my lane position because a gust picked up and just nudged my insignificant baby ninja off towards the side of the road...

(insert whining complaint about wanting a bigger, better, faster bike here)

the blonde weasel

[CBR250RR]

Riders on the storm :rockon:

[Crayziness]

I ride a ninja 250, which is light ... I probably don't need to mention that I REALY HATE riding in the wind more than I hate riding in the rain... couple times I've found myself in a near 3/4 lean, with massive countersteer, just trying to maintain my lane position because a gust picked up and just nudged my insignificant baby ninja off towards the side of the road...

(insert whining complaint about wanting a bigger, better, faster bike here)

:werd:

but i still love my baby :) i just hate the wind...

[MrCrashRR]

biggest thing to worry about is other driver.

in the rain, people cannot stop as fast, lights dont reflect as well, and cagers windshield are streaked and blurry.

ride safe, try to not worry about the bike so much, it was handel pretty well in the wet if you are smooth.

just stick it in a higher gear, and stay as far away as possible from all cars, because its unlikely they see you, and even more so in the event that you crash, a cager who cant see and drive in the rain is that last thing you want behind you.

good luck,...i road through ice/snow on rennsports, and that was not fun, but it stuck.

just give yourself a big enough buffer that if you do go down you wont get run over.

[LiN Mae]

Nonetheless, you have to ride slower in the rain anyways, if not simply due to the overwhelming presence of idiotic / inexperienced / not-fully-committed-to-what-they're-doing cagers.

It doesn't seem like the rain add to the idiot-ness of cagers... I always seem to get cut off by these guys regardless of the weather (GET OFF THE PHONE, DANGIT!).

I try to stay off my bike when it rains because I get pretty cold easily. I don't like having to wipe the rain off my visor either. I think these guys have pretty sound advice though. Oh yah, watch out for the reflector thingies and the paint, because that gets pretty darn slick when it's wet as well.

Ride safe!

[MrCrashRR]

It doesn't seem like the rain add to the idiot-ness of cagers... I always seem to get cut off by these guys regardless of the weather (GET OFF THE PHONE, DANGIT!).

I try to stay off my bike when it rains because I get pretty cold easily. I don't like having to wipe the rain off my visor either. I think these guys have pretty sound advice though. Oh yah, watch out for the reflector thingies and the paint, because that gets pretty darn slick when it's wet as well.

Ride safe!

good point,.....damn that paint is soooo slick,....i remember sliding because of paint lines more than anything else when it comes to riding

[r1brip]

i always go fast, the faster you go the drier you stay!

:cheers:

[zx6racer]

well just got home from school and decided to test theory of mine. rode down from aero drive in the rain and did all speeds from 65-135 in full tuck. never lost traction as far as hydroplaning goes, quite a bit of wheel spin when bringing the front end up but got used to that by the time i got home. conclusion: very hard to hydroplane a bike unless in full tilt or running through a large and lengthy puddle. be safe all and keep the shiny(waterspotted now) side up!!!

[badiozam]

well just got home from school and decided to test theory of mine. rode down from aero drive in the rain and did all speeds from 65-135 in full tuck. never lost traction as far as hydroplaning goes, quite a bit of wheel spin when bringing the front end up but got used to that by the time i got home. conclusion: very hard to hydroplane a bike unless in full tilt or running through a large and lengthy puddle. be safe all and keep the shiny(waterspotted now) side up!!!
Wow, I don't know what to say... you risked your life for me?!? I'm touched. Seriously though, thanks for the advice and I really really do appreciate it, but man don't test sh!t like that no the account of me... something happened I'd feel terrible.

[zx6racer]

Wow, I don't know what to say... you risked your life for me?!? I'm touched. Seriously though, thanks for the advice and I really really do appreciate it, but man don't test sh!t like that no the account of me... something happened I'd feel terrible.
LOLOLOL thAnks for worrying about me man but i grew up riding in the rain so it really was not a big thing( rains all the time in texas). just stay smooth unless you wanna play with that rear wheel spin!!( so much fun :rockon: )

[Bart]

good point,.....damn that paint is soooo slick,....i remember sliding because of paint lines more than anything else when it comes to riding

When I took MSF, the instructor said they put teflon in the paint to keep it from getting as dirty from the elements and that that's why it gets so slick when wet. :)

[deathblow]

Yep, like Josh said, just be smooth. Rode in the rain yesterday also, just keep in mind that you need extra time to accomplish everything, i.e. brake, accelerate, etc...

[badiozam]

Yep, like Josh said, just be smooth. Rode in the rain yesterday also, just keep in mind that you need extra time to accomplish everything, i.e. brake, accelerate, etc...
Makes sense... it's just like you would in a cage. I guess it's good to know that it's harder to hydroplane, cuz that's where I'd see the biggest problem. You can hydroplane in a cage for a little bit before gettin into trouble, but on a bike ...