riding on rainy days!

[01gsxr1k]

good morning!
how bad is it for sportbike to use on rainy days?

[siriuschris]

Don't do it, man! DON'T DO IT!!!



It's fine, just like any other type of motorcycle.
Just know how to ride on wet roads and such.

[01gsxr1k]

well this is becouse i just got caught up for about an hour on monday morning, and on tuesday about halfway to my work the digital dashbord started to go on and off, any ideas?

[Aracheon]

Sounds like a short. Double check under your windscreen to be sure the rubber boot that goes into the gauge cluster is secure. That's been happening on my R6, where the tach works intermittently. Pulled the connector, blew it out with a can of air, resecured the boot, and now it works great.

Also check the pinouts on the connector to be sure none of them are coming loose.

[Sully]

Also make sure your tires can grip in the rain :)

[Devaclis]

Don't be scurred. Riding in the rain is no biggie at all. Your tires will be fine, your bike should be ok. The only thing to really be careful of is the white stripes crossing intersections. Try VERY hard to not hit them. If you have to cross one, keep the bike up and try not to take them while turning.

Really, you are not riding like you are on the track are you? If not then don't worry about it. It is just wet.

[MetaLord 9]

and watch out for puddles. Ever hydroplane a bike? not fun.

[Devaclis]

I have. It is not too bad. Just don't panic. Riding in imperfect conditions does not take talent, a degree, or special training. It only takes common sense. Some people like to profess that riding in the rain or snow or wind is harder than it is. Just ride in the damn stuff. Carl, Dysco, can I get some help on this? ;)

[pauliep]

I've been told riding on the wet roads has a negitive effect on your chain. Something about all the dirt, oil, and other shit gets in and on your chain to ruin the bearings/rings. I can't say from experience because I don't spend a lot of time out in the rain on my motorcycle.

Anyone have experience or opinions on this?

[Devaclis]

I ride ALL year. Rain, snow, sun, hail, dirt. No ill effects on the bike at all. You just need to keep up on your maintenance. I lube the chain every weekend or 400+ miles. I have not had Mag Chloride destroy anything on any of my bikes. I have not had rain or snow ruin anything on my bike. I have been in water up to the top of my front fender. No problems.

I have seen some chains that have had the o-rings go sooner than normal due to riding in really dirty conditions. The rain should not do too much tho.

[SupermotoMJ]

at least you'll get a free cleaning..

[salsashark]

One other thing... get a quality rain suit. They are worth their weight in gold! I wish I had remembered mine this morning as I look at the downpour going on outside... hopefully it will be over by the time I leave. But on the upside, it only took about an hour to dry out this morning.

[Devaclis]

My ass crack and crotchular region are still soaked from the ride in at 6;30 this morning. I need better rain gear.

[Joecycle]

+1 on the rain gear. I had my Joe Rocket Alter Ego pants this morning and I wasn't extremely impressed. My legs were fine but the rain seemed to find a way into my crotch and get me a little wet.
I'm always mindful of painted lines/marks on the pavement, and this morning there was A LOT of oil surfacing, especially in the intersections, but again, keep the bike upright and try not to be too harsh on shifting & braking.
One thing I would like to do is put something on my face shield. Either RainX, or cat crap. I don't know, any suggestions? All I do know is visibility is my main concern over road conditions.
Other than that, it's no big deal! Hell, I'll take a rainy day on the bike over a cage any day.

[salsashark]

I'm pretty sure it's a fieldsheer, but I picked up my rain suit a couple of years ago at performance and have never had a problem with it. OK, the only problem was when it stopped raining and the sun came out, then it was like riding around inside a sauna.

A quality rain suit can also help when riding on very cold days. keeps all the warm inside.

[ZiaThunder]

I find that riding in the rain is kinda fun, but only if you have GOOD gear on. As stated above, just use common sense. The most touchy time in the rain is suring the first few moments, until the oil washes off. If it makes you nervous to rid just park at a gas station for awhile.

[jimwallace]

riding in the rain is no problem. if you are having problems with your bike then something is wrong. either you have a real problem (ie. short) or a little problem (ie. dust boot is loose/missing). the only real equipment you need in rain is good tire, (with tread). i wear my leathers when riding in the rain. i will spray them with camping waterproofer (doesnt last long in the crotch region as it gets rubbed off but if you spray some on before riding in the rain it makes a huge difference. i cant attest to rain gear as i have never owned it. as for snow just slow it down. slush and packed ice are the dangerous stuff....but not nearly as dangerous as sand...thats the stuff that scares the tar out of me. by the way if you see frost on your bike in the morning take that as a sign of frost on the road and ride accordingly. (that bit of advice from personal experience) dangerous stuff as there is no real sign of it on the roads.

[Joecycle]

i will spray them with camping waterproofer (doesnt last long in the crotch region as it gets rubbed off but if you spray some on before riding in the rain it makes a huge difference.


AWESOME IDEA! I know what I'm doing tonight. And really, the only problem area for me was the crotch region.

[jimwallace]

make sure you get the area underneath (ya know a womans crotch area) and all the way back around the butt crack area other wise you'll end up looking like a woman with bad bladder control.

[jimwallace]

as for the visor fogging up (if you have that problem) go to a scuba diving shop and pick up some mask defogger. costs bout 5 bucks will last you forever and works great.

[Devaclis]

Thumb squeegees FTW!!!

[jimwallace]

what does ftw mean damnit.....i cant figure that one out.

[Devaclis]

For The Win!! :)

[Sully]

For The Win

[Devaclis]

^^ FTL Too slow!!!

[Sully]

:321: :D

[dirkterrell]

And really, the only problem area for me was the crotch region.

You should make that your sig line.

Dirk

[Sully]

Unless your GSXR_SNAIL going into Buckley, then it's not a problem :bigeyes:

[Joecycle]

You should make that your sig line.

Dirk

Actually I might be able to be a spokesperson in a commercial with sayings like that.

[01gsxr1k]

thanks a lot for your comments, i'll be buying my rain suit this weekend price of gas going insane and i guess i better get used to rainy days. Thanks a lot guys!