Yesterday we had some rain which slowed to a nice steady drizzle.  With 70 miles under me I got in the gear and ventured out for some rain practice in a relatively controlled area.  I locked the rear brake up.  I locked the front brake up.  I locked them up together.  I broke the tire loose from low speed rolls.

I am loving my first bike.  It is so cool to be able to buy such a machine on the used market for so cheap.  It allows me to think of my skills and learning to ride rather than how much I paid for it.

It is raining again.  Any thing you guys like to practice on days like this?  Low speed maneuvering in particular.

RC

Quote from: Rough Customer on December 15, 2011, 12:03:36 PM
Any thing you guys like to practice on days like this? 

Not dying.

Well that makes sense.

I figure that these things are gonna happen so I would like them to happen on my terms before they happen on their own.  She already got some dings on her anyway.   

smart idea. 

sadly my practice has been unexpected and unplanned. hahaha

moron cars pulling out in front of me, lockin the back tire up & it starting to go sideways.

Been caught in all kinds of rain tho.
never had a handling problem because I take my sweet time in wet conditions.

the worst was a VERY bad downpour!
started when I was about 5 to 8 miles from my moms....
by the time I got there, even my underwear was Drenched enough to squeeze water out of em! hahaha
thank god for extra clothes at moms!


biggest learning experience of my first season riding this past year tho.
when it comes to gravel and dirt, either in it or approaching...
Go veryyyyyyyy slowly and Ease on the brakes.

had a superman dive after work one morning pulling into a dirt parking lot to relax a few mins from a bad night at work.
didnt see the gravel at the edge of the pavement.
front tire locked up and the whole bike instantly went sideways (as if you dropped it on its side from a stand still)

so now im extremely cautious around dirt & gravel.

just a lil somethin to be mindful about.

I backed out of the garage, cranked it, idled, waited,....warmed up and then it started raining.  I put it back in the garage.

Quote from: Rough Customer on December 15, 2011, 12:03:36 PM


Yesterday we had some rain which slowed to a nice steady drizzle.  With 70 miles under me I got in the gear and ventured out for some rain practice in a relatively controlled area.  I locked the rear brake up.  I locked the front brake up.  I locked them up together.  I broke the tire loose from low speed rolls.

I am loving my first bike.  It is so cool to be able to buy such a machine on the used market for so cheap.  It allows me to think of my skills and learning to ride rather than how much I paid for it.

It is raining again.  Any thing you guys like to practice on days like this?  Low speed maneuvering in particular.

RC

Rain riding is good stuff if you take your time and keep a good amount of space from cagers. Not too much lean in curves, stay off the painted lines, leaves, and man-hole covers, easy smooth braking, and most of all, keep that rain-x on the visor for better visibility! 

Anyone who doesn't ride in all weather isn't a real rider imo. The only weather I wouldn't ride in is weather that prevents my bike from starting. Good on you for taking rain as a learning experience.

I'll go do cones in the rain occasionally. Thanks to that, locking up my brakes from time to time, and sliding my rear tire downshifting too fast I've become an accomplished rain rider and typically take the highway home in the rain because I know my bike well enough.


The more you sweat in practice the less you bleed in battle. Motorcycle skills practice is highly underrated. If you ride like it's a sport, you'll ride for a long time. Meaning practice, when you screw up meditate on it, and when you go do battle let your thoughts go and let your body do the reacting. It's faster than you are anyway.

Quote from: Dr.McNinja on December 16, 2011, 09:14:27 AM
Anyone who doesn't ride in all weather isn't a real rider imo.

So I can't be a cool motorcycle dude anymore because I don't ride during winter months? 

Not everyone can afford to put studs in their tires to ride on icy roads. If you enjoy riding on icy roads, more power to you, bub.

My experience riding in the rain applies only to my KLR650, but I'm sure it's similar to any other motorcycle. Though, I did have some Kenda K761's on it.

Imagine plowing through puddles so deep the splash throws your feet off the pegs. Yep. Been there, done that. Was coming back from an 80 mile ride and when I got 20 miles or so from home, it turned into a sideways raining torrential downpour. By the time I got home my feet weighed about 10lbs from all the water in my boots and I didn't have my rain pants on (did stop to put on my rain jacket though).

 

Riding in the rain may not be the most fun thing in the world to do, but it is part of the cycling experience, and one most riders would do well to embrace it from time to time. You never know when you might get caught out in the rain someday, and I would rather be comfortable with riding in it rather than having to go learn a new set of skills when you really need it most!

I don't shirk from rainy days. I am fairly well prepared when it does happen, and have the experience to be comfortable with it.

Quote from: applecrew on December 16, 2011, 10:26:39 AM


Riding in the rain may not be the most fun thing in the world to do, but it is part of the cycling experience, and one most riders would do well to embrace it from time to time. You never know when you might get caught out in the rain someday, and I would rather be comfortable with riding in it rather than having to go learn a new set of skills when you really need it most!

I don't shirk from rainy days. I am fairly well prepared when it does happen, and have the experience to be comfortable with it.

Great attitude to have. If you don't have the cajones to ride a motorcycle in the rain you shouldn't be riding at all because you'll eventually get caught in it and without experience you're doomed.

What about when you've already done that?  I road all winter a couple years back on my first bike: rain, sleet, slid on ice, more rain, did i mention shaZaming rain?!!!!  People at work thought I was completely insane.  Nowadays, I just don't want to and don't.

I've always loved riding in rain. Its like your in a cocoon, viewing the world as though they are completely alien to you.
The GS500 has been through puddles deep enough that the intake was in danger of being flooded and come out the otherside okay and ridden for quite a while afterwards to make sure my electrics weren't soaked and it would let me restart later.
I must say my road boots and "water proof" pants did not like that. Water proof my saturated socks. There was also mud in places I'd never seen before but it cleaned off eventually.

Quote from: Shaddow on December 19, 2011, 05:27:20 PM
I've always loved riding in rain. Its like your in a cocoon, viewing the world as though they are completely alien to you.
The GS500 has been through puddles deep enough that the intake was in danger of being flooded and come out the otherside okay and ridden for quite a while afterwards to make sure my electrics weren't soaked and it would let me restart later.
I must say my road boots and "water proof" pants did not like that. Water proof my saturated socks. There was also mud in places I'd never seen before but it cleaned off eventually.

Maybe a Klr is in your future!!!

Quote from: Dr.McNinja on December 16, 2011, 09:14:27 AM
Anyone who doesn't ride in all weather isn't a real rider imo.

mmmm, all conditions means 150 mph on a frozen lake at 20F, right ? do you need two wheels or are you as badass as this guy ?

Believe it or not, I was actually thinking of getting some dirt tires for my GS500! Dirt bike/gs500 ftw! It should be fun... The weight prob wouldn't be the funnest, nor would be the stiff forks, but Hey! MUDDIN TIME!

Kenda k270 on a gs = win

Do not expect pavement to be the same. Or the forks to be anywhere near adequate. The engine would be fannnnnnnntastic though.