so last night i got initiated......got caught in an average rain. then it stopped and the road was just really wet.

i must admit.......made me nervous, and surprisingly, found I had to MAKE myself push on the bars to get into the turns, even at a reduced speed.

just drinking from the well of wisdom here again. other than the common sense stuff, go slower, drive ahead, control the braking....any tips or nuggets for a newb?

thanks.

thanks Greg,

i was a little conflicted because it does the same here at times, but in the back of my mind i was thinking "that is where the oil will release first".

i would rather be more cautious than crazy, but i was too nervous to suit me on that ride.

i appreciate the input.

Serow,

the hot cocoa was sounding like a really viable option at the time. when i got home i was ready for a toddy, hot or cold.

forunately for my first time i was not that far from home.  it was a good test for me, but left me with more questions than answers.

i was solid staying away from paint. guess i just have to learn to trust her at an angle. baby steps.

thanks for the input.

I hate the mess that riding in the rain leaves on the bike!  Which reminds me, I still need to clean mine, since I got caught in a little shower the other day.  

Its not quite time of the year yet... but in addition to all the other stuff above, watch for wet leaves when the trees start to turn.  Talk about slick as snot!

Back in the dark ages when tires were not nearly as well designed and brakes were all drum and of questionable stopping power in dry conditions I rode sometimes 100 miles in the rain. Everything stated above is good advice. I'll also add to be very sure your tires are in good condition.plenty of tread,designed for rain useage and properly inflated. Remember always your tires are you connection with terra firma. If the tires are not up to the conditions...........your body WILL be kissing mother earth!

I've been riding in the rain since... 1978 ? But I'm still here to tell you about it, so it can't be all that bad...

My tips and observations :

1) You can see through a rainy helmet visor much better than through a windshield with no wipers, so it ain't all that bad;

2) Like Serowbot said, lift the visor that inch (or half inch) you need to get a little circulation of air to prevent misting;

3) Watch out for stupid drivers who drive in misted up cars (many will keep the ventilaiton vents shut and just wipe the screen with their hand  )

4) Lights on all the time, when there's too much mist raised by trucks etc, flick the left indicator (cars will take it as the left indicator of a car and avoid pushing into your right side)

5) If it rains a lot where you live, get used to it ! BUT, on the bright side, with A/T or rain tires rather than the typical semi-slick cruiser tires, you will still have excellent traction  

An example by Pirelli
- - - - - - - - - - A/T MC tire - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - MT66 (my ride) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Pirelli Supersports Semi-slicks


6) In a neighborhood, don't be shy and waste that horn ! Honk at anything, regardless, just to let then know you're there (many pedestrians will look down when walking in the rain)

7) If you have a good quality jacket, fine; now buy a pair of rain chaps and Totes, roll and tuck them in your tool roll (you DO have a tool roll, I presume?)

8) GLOVES ! When the weather looks like it'll rain, use waterproof riding gloves, or gloves with a woolen lining, to keep your fingers warm and dry.

Oh yeah, for fogging...

Savage_Rob wrote on 06/07/12 at 09:42:59:

I've heard that's good stuff, but haven't seen any around here. I used one of those Fog City things that sticks on the inside of your shield, and it work great for the first winter, and ok for the second one; after that things started fogging up some, but way better than nothing at all.

In addition to manhole covers and paint stripes and road ruts I'd like to add railroad tracks and those little plastic turtles they put between lanes. There's a route to work that I will not(!) ride in the rain because you cross the same track twice going into and out of sharp corners, and it's real hard to hit them completely straight.