Wet weather motorcycle riding tips

Nervous of riding in the rain? Don't be. The basics of riding well in the wet are the same as riding in the dry, you just need to think a little harder...

Posted: 13 October 2010
by Tim Dickson

SOME PEOPLE ACTUALLY like riding in the rain. Really, they do. And there's a reason for it. The challenge of wet weather machine control can be as appealing as riding in the dry, perhaps more so. But for others, riding in the rain is such a fearful prospect that they simply don't bother.

That's the wrong approach. If you ride a bike in the UK you're going to get caught out more than once in a while, so developing wet riding skills should be high on your agenda. And there's no secret to it: the key to swift, safe riding in the wet is no different to that in the dry - you need to be smooth, relaxed and confident. Those three things are the building blocks of good riding no matter what the conditions. If you find it's necessary to make significant changes to your riding in the wet in order not to feel like you're constantly about to crash, there's probably something that needs addressing with your riding overall, not just when the heavens open. The trouble with modern suspension, brakes and tyres is that they are so good that many basic riding errors are masked or can be got away with in the dry. But once it's wet there's only so much a set of decent tyres can do, and heavy-handed steering inputs or clumsy throttle and brake control will manifest themselves as confidence-shattering twitches, slides or crashes.

So relax and be smooth - which is easier said than done if the thought of riding in the rain scares you rigid.

Click here for page two of our wet weather motorcycle riding tips guide.



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wet weather riding tips, advice, winter riding, motorcycle tips, advanced riding, braking, accelerating, cornering
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Discuss this story

This article has been more than helpful.It has open my mind into a new way of riding.I have found myself at times when it was raining to stay off my bike and drive my car.I have now learnt through this article that i was avoiding to teach my self to learn how to experience wet weather riding by driving my car instead of my bike.This article is very true in fact once riding in the wet i found myself thinking to hard also holding the grips tighter than normal when i am riding in dry weather and also not using much throttle when cornering in the wet.it felt like that i was not going to make the complete turn and the bike felt harder to control.once out of the corner i felt that i was battling to gain throttle revs due to being in a higher gear.how all very true is this article.this is something that all bike riders should read experienced or not.

Posted: 23/04/2012 at 06:02

To me, there is no joy in riding in the wet - it makes every other idiot on the road forget how to drive!

On a bik, just be a little more careful, keep a bit ore distance, and be smooth.

In a cage - you have 4 wheels, brakes, a roof - it is not NEARLY as difficult as people make it!

Your car can handle worse than a bit of rain. Don't start driving like you've passed your test yesterday!

Posted: 01/05/2012 at 16:15

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