So I have had my bike for four months and will be taking a long ride this summer. I have yet to ride in anything but dry road conditions. What are your tips for the riding during the rain or even if the road s are just wet. Rain gear suggestions would also be helpful.

Be smooth as silk on the controls. No abrupt speed changes - acceleration or deceleration. Take nice wide turn lines so that you don't need to lean as much. The tires grip relatively well in the wet, but don't take traction for granted and you'll be fine so far as the bike is concerned.

Do the normal stuff, like make sure the tires are properly inflated.

As far as gear goes - it depends on how long your ride is. I have a wind and waterproof liner that I can put in my jacket and one for my pants, but that's not as good as an actual rain suit and sure doesn't protect my hands. In other words, it's fine for a shortish ride or light rain, not so awesome for the downpouring.

The following thread from the South Bay Riders forum is extremely educational: http://www.southbayriders.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36351

What are your tips for the riding during the rain...
Don't.

I hate rain and so does my bike. But if you half to, yeah, pretend you are on ice and even more invisible (as if it were possible) to cars. Always be in one gear higher than you think is right (lower RPMs) and if it gets bad find a safe place to pull over and rest it out.

Oh and remember no matter how much you try, you will get wet and your luggage will too. Zip-Locs are your friend.

Oh and have a second pair of gloves/socks, because if you do get all wet you'll want to change them as soon as you can.

I've used a set of "clasic" old school Frogg Toggs (http://www.froggtoggs.com/) to great effect. Not perfect but works, is light, packable and breaths. They have since come out with a whole line of new stuff including what I would probably look at to replace mine, the
Elite (http://www.froggtoggs.com/catalog/2008catalog/page20.asp).

Decent rain gear makes a huge difference. Rain suits are generally better than 'waterproof' textile gear, which tends to leak at the crotch. Overgloves will keep your hands dry. My AStars Ridge boots do in fact seem to be waterproof. Some sort of anti-fog solution is essential, as your visor will fog in 70 degree rain worse than it will in 25 degree sunshine.

Tar snakes are quite slippery when wet. They'll wake you up if you're a bit leaned over when you move over one. (I just rode home from work in a fair to middling downpour, and was thinking that I don't think I've ever heard a story of anyone going down because of a tar snake, but that little wiggle as your tire slides over it at 60 mph is ... invigorating.)

Hydroplaning has (obviously) worse consequences on two wheels than four, but the smaller contact patch makes it less likely that you will actually hydroplane.

Best,
.cyb
________
LovelyWendie99 (http://www.lovelywendie99.com/)

Look for the nearest underpass/gas station and wait it out.

Buy tires with high silicon content and deep treds.

I hear ya on the tar snakes. I rode on some of those during a hot day and I thought something was wrong with my front tire until I figured out it was the road. If they are squirrley on hot days I can imagine they can unnerve you in the rain. I am not seeking out rainy days to go riding but if I get caught in it I'm looking on ways to keep from doing something stupid due to inexperience. Thanks for the tips keep them coming. I did not realize that you steve master of the known universe and all things motorcyle that you would be timid in the rain. Surely your sticker free swing would allow you to dodge the raindrops.

I did not realize that you steve master of the known universe and all things motorcyle that you would be timid in the rain. Surely your sticker free swing would allow you to dodge the raindrops.

Not only that, he totally missed the opportunity to jump on cybil's "they leak at the crotch" statement above... :thinking This kinder, gentler version of super sneaky's for the birds! :lol:

I did not realize that you steve master of the known universe and all things motorcyle that you would be timid in the rain. Surely your sticker free swing would allow you to dodge the raindrops.

Not only that, he totally missed the opportunity to jump on cybil's "they leak at the crotch" statement above... :thinking This kinder, gentler version of super sneaky's for the birds! :lol:

Aww, I'm losing my touch. I need a vacation.

As for the rain. I was suggesting that he wait the rain out. When it's me, I keep going, my supreme hotness vaporizes the water before it touches my glorious body! :P

lmao steve

It's great to get exposure to it. The third time I rode my bike was in the rain in March on the highway for an hour and a half. I was freezing even though I had some good gear.
And no matter what you'll have a puddle of water right at your balls and they get very very cold so don't be surprised if you can't feel yourself down there after about 15 minutes.
A warm shower fixes everything though!

As far as tips, keep your helmet visor up about two notches to avoid excessive fogging, also breathe through your nose and just pay super close attention. The bike has way more traction than you think but certain hazards like the metal gaps between bridges and highway can be as slick as ice, also the mysterious pothole that there is no telling the depth of because it's filled with water. So just relax a little bit and focus as much as possible. If you have an undertail kit you have a hella cool rooster tail too.