Riding in Bad Weather
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If you live in the UK, it doesn't matter
if you're a 1500 mile per year weekend biker or a seasoned courier, at
some point your going to get caught in the rain. Knowing how it will
affect you and your bike should help you adapt your riding style to cope.
Although many advanced riding texts argue that your approach to riding
in the wet should be no different than dry, it doesn't mean that
you shouldn't take extra care. Often car drivers make relatively
few adjustments, simply opting to switch their lights and wipers on and
continuing at the same speed despite the extra hazard. However, given
the statistics for accidents in poor weather its fairly obvious that there
are one or two adjustments we should all make. |
As a motorcyclist it's harder to ignore the
changing situation, as both you and your bike perform very differently
in the wet. The reduction in tyre adhesion will be the most obvious
difference, typically around 50% but it can be significantly more
with soft compound sports tyres (having a dry weather bias). Although
this is not to say that a hard compound touring tyre will necessarily produce
more grip, just that the change will be less noticeable.
We are all taught that braking distances
are doubled in bad weather and that we should compensate appropriately,
but it is easy to forget how it also affects acceleration and cornering.
The section on maintaining traction in the guide to cornering explains
briefly how tyre grip works and shows the three way balance between cornering,
acceleration and braking. The key focus when riding in
the rain is smooth control and forward planning.
Smooth Control
This is not just about being gentle
on the brakes and throttle, but also ensuring that you balance your need
for grip. In dry weather it is easy to accelerate away from a turn even
when the bike is banked over, but the risk of a slide increases in the
wet as your available grip is split between cornering and accelerating.
If you aim to complete the turn before you accelerate, your demand for
grip will be reduced. The same applies to cornering - if you settle
your entry speed early, you will be less likely to need to brake mid corner.
Forward Planning
Last minute reactions should always
be avoided, particularly in the wet. If you plan ahead you should
be able to anticipate where you need to brake, position and accelerate.
This will enable you to make better use of engine braking for corners and
junctions, rather than just relying on the brakes.
Engine braking reduces the risk of skidding,
as your wheels are unlikely to lock up. However, it is important
to be sympathetic to your bike, by allowing the revs to drop before changing
to a lower gear. If you change down too early, you risk momentarily
locking the back wheel and could potentially strain the engine, gearbox
and chain. It's also important to note any following traffic, which
may be expecting to see a brake light before you slow down.
How does bad weather affect the rider?
If you were lucky enough to remember
your waterproofs, then you will be able to proceed in relative comfort.
If you didn't, then after about 10 minutes , you will be soaked through.
Apart from being unpleasant, you will after a while start to feel cold
and will be more reluctant to move about on the bike. It is important
not to underestimate how this affects you. I once got caught in a
summer down pour while out on a ride - by the time I got home, I was shivering
and could hardly speak. It would be difficult for me to claim I was
able to concentrate and keep full control of the bike in those conditions.
Visibility is also reduced in bad weather,
so riding with your lights on and wearing some high visibility clothing
is also important.
Summary
Wet weather riding doesn't have
to be avoided. If you give yourself more space, compensate for other
drivers who don't adjust and focus on smoothness and planning, you will
reduce the risks. Additionally, keeping an eye on how the rain affects
you will also help prevent you from making mistakes.
Buying a good
set of waterproofs will also help !
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