A really good video full of helpful advice. I've never shied away from riding in the rain, in fact prior to my test I often went out in the rain on purpose. Your advice on good wet weather gear is important. If you get wet you'll often quickly start to get cold which will affect your concentration. I've recently come back from a trip touring in Cornwall and much of it was wet, sometimes horrendous weather for hours on end. This might sound bizarre but it was actually good to experience extended appalling conditions and hone my riding skills. I feel I've become a far more accomplished rider because of those experiences. Keep up the good work!
Its roundabouts in the wet i dont like, that unnerving feeling of the camber of the road falling away on top of the rain! Corners and braking i just take smoother and im probably not much slower than dry riding. But show me a wet roundabout! 😱
Although I’ve been riding since the 70s, I always watch rain riding videos from people who live in rainier places than I do. Never too late to learn a new life-saving tip.
On more thing important not mentioned in this video...if you ride Touring bike with big windshield like this in in the rain you can treat it with special fluid so that all water gets away while driving so you can have a clear view. It works excellent and I had also good expirience on a cars also.
Lots of very good advice. Thank you. I must say, I was very impressed watching the police motorcycle escort for the Queen’s hearse coming into London from RAF Northolt a few days ago. It was raining and dark, so hats off to those guys.
Thanks. This is agood video for a beginner like me. So true, what you say about tensing up when its wet. I think it's gonna be a while before I'm brave enough to attempt what I just saw. Impressive riding sir.
I drive in several counties, as well as London. Apart from the terrible amout of bad drivers in London, I find Kent motorways to have an abundance of bad/ignorant drivers. Foreign HGV drivers not withstanding... Looking at getting my bike licence next year, your videos are proving to be very helpful for my pre-reading. Thank you!
@Cooked Goose Hi, thanks for your comment. I feel that over the years road courtesy and skill has declined massively in Kent. Very sad. I wish you well with your training and hope it is an enjoyable process. All the best
I've never feared riding on wet roads with my 125cc bike, then I went to test drive a 650cc and crashed it at that test drive by slipping while getting up to higher speed and switch a lane on a highway. I didn't mean to go on the highway but one wrong exit of a roundabout was all it took. I blame it on me twisting the throttle as hard as I would have on my 125, making the rear tire spin out on the white road marking, but now I'm a little scared of slipping out again. (I didn't get hurt and the bike got fixed) I'll pick up the bike from the seller before the end of october and I pray for dry roads. At the very least I'll avoid the highway until I get to know this bike.
I am taking my full Licence in October and have had an excellent summer of riding and building confidence, watching your videos have been an excellent source of information and help especially this one as I am hoping to ride right through the winter wind rain or shine. Thanks again for a brilliant informative video.
I’ve just bought a house in Brisbane, Australia.. been here for 6 years & thinking of getting my bike licence. Absolutely had my heart sink to see you ride right past wraik hill where I used to live within the first 2 mins! What a small world!
@robertm3393 thanks for the comment, good luck with the training and testing over there, Id be interested to know more about the process. Whitstable and Brisbane are quite some distance apart, hope all is going well out there. Im sure the weather is better and you probably have less roadworks! All the best
On that dual carriageway, I'd be doing 65 to 70mph on my old R100RT as its fairing was brilliant in all weathers but on my old VT500E I'd be travelling at around 50mph, purely for visibility.
My rain question is, if you are unexpectedly caught in rain in unsuitable gear on a motorway, and not near an exit, should you stop on the hard shoulder to put on an appropriate jacket and gloves? I personally consider the loss of visibility not having anything to clear the visor, let alone any potential loss of concentration in non-waterproof summer gear, to be a justifiable emergency, but others have disagreed. If your gloves do not have a rain wiper built-in, you can buy cheap rubber ones that sit over a finger, and they are amazing. Had I expected the rain the time I did stop on a hard shoulder I would have worn one, but without it my visibility was being restricted as the rain was too heavy to be significant, but not heavy enough to keep washing away, so the wind just holds it against the visor. But when I first took my CBT I looked at the weather and booked it for a nice sunny day, unfortunately I could not complete it. I was told to look where I was going on the u-turn, told to stop by the cone, so looked down at the cone. But I was told I should come back next week and will manage it next time. The thinking time allowed me to work out what they meant was I should ride into the side of the portacabins but stop when I reach the cone! Because that is where you need to look: straight ahead. As may be expected of why I am saying this, when I went back the following week it ended up pouring down with rain. And another disappointed journey home, this time though because my jeans were heavy with water, but at least I had my certificate. It was definitely for the best as I have never been afraid of rain. Fog is far worse because I wear glasses and if you stop and open the visor then become covered in a mist, keep it closed they are covered in steam. Rain just wants you to be gentle, but fog is always waiting to pounce if you stop. One other rain story is that I once came across a section of flooded road after a downpour so slowed down to cross it. Unfortunately still too fast, the spray looked spectacular but despite wearing suitable gear gravity meant it came back down into my boots even with the trousers legs on the outside. I literally had to pour water out of them after stopping, so since then I also kept clean pair of socks in the top box. So my advice is in summer gear always carry a rain coat, trousers, and a hi-vis vest (because motorcycle rain coats always seem to be black for some stupid reason). In winter just wear waterproof gear. And alway carry spare gloves, a rain wiper, and a clean pair of socks.
Love riding in the rain, but as you point out, so long as it's really, really wet. Slightly damp is just horrible as there may or may not be dry lines..
Great video, my input for what its worth!....been riding daily for 40 years, riding in the wet for 1 hour gives you the same experience as riding for a week in the dry... take care have fun riding!
Good video. At 3.00 he speaks of being able to stop in the distance seen to be clear but we must remember that that distance must be at least twice as far as it would be in the dry. On a merely wet or damp road, rain or not raining we should be doubling our stopping distance behind other vehicles as per the stopping distance recommendations in all road safety publications. Indeed if its raining that bad and it gets darker as a result your vision is impaired and reduced from 100% on a dry day down to say 70 or 60 % or less. It would be stupid to ride at maximum speeds allowable and appropriate to slow down, by at least 10 mph or more to keep you safe in traffic.
I would like to personally thank you for taking the time and effort to make this video. I also have the BMW RT I love it fantastic machine best I've had so far
Hurricane Season is just weeks away here in Sunny Florida, US. Looking forward to practicing what you taught. Rain riding is my least favorite kind of ride, but I have to get to work every day.
I'm grateful i learned over winter up here in Scotland, started in October 2019, passed my Mod 2 in Feb 2020, was in no hurry so took 1 two hour lesson a week, had lots of lessons in the rain, had plenty of lessons/tests cancelled due to high winds, ice, heavy rain etc, when i sat my Mod 1 the rain was bouncing off the ground, it's made me not fearful of the rain, i don't enjoy it though but will get on with it if i have too.
i wonder how many rider's don't realise the amount of oil thrown from their chain onto their brake disk and tyre's, for those who have cleaned their front sprockets out, the same amount of oil exits at the rear, the best thing i bought to overcome this is a SNOTO clean disk from Germany its a fantastic piece of kit, and also keep warm in the rain its a must, stay safe and thank you for your post's i am still here even though i passed my advanced rider scheme, you never stop learning, especially from someone like yourself.
Got caught in a pop up for the 1st time today. Newer rider. Did well, but it's weird. I wanna find the limits, mine and the bike's, in the wet, but I don't want to damage my bike in the process. Good advice. No bike surprises. Gentle.
If your riding on a lot of dual carriageways and motorways wet riding is not too bad but on twisty A roads you have to take your time which car drivers behind you don’t always appreciate and in some cases will try and push you by driving close to the rear. I wear glasses as well and riding in the wet does pose a challenge, I only ride in the rain only if it’s absolutely necessary as I have a car available, riding at night and in the wet is horrible, and I will avoid that as hard as possible. Your vid was helpful though and get an instructors view on wet riding.
I got caught with wrong gear in a similar storm recently, soaked heavy Mcycle jeans 👖 are not pleasant. I now carry a set of Oxford Rainseal with me at all times. And make more of an effort to observe the forecasts
From what I understand there maybe a loss of some 10% only of available grip levels on a wet road. That said if your tyres are well worn down and the water is standing and that could just mean 1 or 2 ml. then you could aquaplane and thus lose all grip altogether. So make sure your tyres have a good tread and can take wet riding. Many riders believe that its only when its raining but grip levels can fall if a the road surface is wet or just damp at any time and that may include early morning dew. etc. There is also an understanding that the first 10 or 20 mins. of rain or light rain is the most dangerous as it brings out the oils and the debris that has been left standing on the road surface but after that initial rain the surface is cleaner and less likely to contain bad substances.
MPMT(motorcycle pwr training), quick question. If a person has an extended motorcycle(4" or 5" or OEM length) with a 300mm rear tire, how will that perform in the rain; as far as grip or slippage is concerned? Thanks sir...
Be careful with Rain X on your visor in the dark. I've seen You Tube reviews of it, whereby it creates dazzling effects on light, to your vision. Maybe create a comparison yourself.
The worst situations in any weather are where traffic lights/roundabouts are located close to a garage. Drivers over fill with fuel and can spill it on the road.
Good video on wet riding and spot on with description. There is a lot more grip on good tyers then one would think in the wet. However, as a 1200Rt daily rider, you should really be in Rain mode on wet roads like that and not in Dynamic mode. Abs and traction intervene much sooner in Rain mode for a reason. Dynamic allows a bit of slip which is the last thing you want on a wet road...
thank you for your comments. Yes, rain mode is very helpful, however, i rarely select it, probably because of my style of riding. Having been brought up on powerful bikes with no electronic aids I tend to ride as if I dont have them, but of course they will intervene should i make an error of judgement. I still ride the older RT as well and this doesnt have any rider modes, and has only 15bhp less. For newer riders or those less experienced with powerful machines, then the various modes are of great help. Ride safe, all the best
At 23.20 we were on a dual carriageway going some mph and passing a petrol station on both sides of the road but no warning of the increased possibility of diesel spills by HGVs leaving those stations fully loaded with diesel.
My only worry in the rain is aquaplaning on motorways. It hasn't happened on the bike yet, but if it's anything to go by when driving a car, it'll remain a fear.
Very good video, and relevant comments - thank you! I’ve been commuting the last week in similar conditions on motorways. Practice, appropriate waterproof gear and always staying relaxed are critical to stay safe, riding an RT help also 😊. The only thing I would add is to wear glasses with yellow lenses. I find that they improve visibility significantly in wet conditions with overcast sky. The yellow lenses increase contrast, and can even be worn when there’s little light. Stay
As you pointed out my biggest worry in the wet is cornering. You mentioned that typically in the wet grip is reduced by 25%. Does this mean that if I only use 20 to 30% of my bike's grip on tarmac in the dry that I probably won't detect any difference in grip on wet tarmac?
there is some truth in that, I dont detect any change in grip in the wet generally. But it is always difficult to know what your grip % is at any given moment, plus in the wet metalwork, road paint and tyre deposits can reduce grip further in combination with rain. It also lowers tyre and surface temperatures. This is why smooth control use is essential as it stresses the tyre grip less. All the best
Your videos have been a great help to me. I wanted to do my DAS with Invicta but the bikes are too big for me (I’m 5ft) but managed to find a school with a lowered bike. My test is in 2 weeks ☺️
@5ft_Fifi hi, glad the videos have been helpful, sorry to hear that you couldnt use Invicta, but glad you are doing your DAS. I wish you well with your test. If you ever need any help post test let me know, all the best
@@MotorcyclePWR thank you very much. I might just do that so thank you. Ride safe & thanks for your videos, they’ve been a great help. Would you mind sharing what camera/mic set up you have please? Either via comment or a video? Thanks 😊
Your examiner will expect you to make safe and suitable progress within the speed limit at a speed suitable for the conditions. I know this sounds vague, but no you don’t have to be at the max all the time, but you shouldn’t cause a problem to yourself or another road user by a speed that is too low. I would hope your instructor can go into more detail with you during training. All the best.
You shouldn't be doing anywhere near 60 on most country lanes!. Please don't be one of those road users that sees a NSL sign and then tries to do 60 when it's dangerous.
Good sound advice to give the tyres the maximum amount of grip. However if you see when he returns to the inside lane at about 13.50 just look at the lines on the tarmac ahead of him There are several obvious lines ahead of him. The inside track of a cars tyres and the outside track of the same appear to be shinning, reflecting what light their is on them. That indicates that those two areas of tarmac are well worn areas of the road. As such they have less available aggregate [ chippings ] and therefore they are slippery when wet. . On the other hand you will see that the mid line or sump line is not as shinny as cars tyres will rarely drive over that area and so it contains more useful aggregates and is therefore giving a much safer grip levels when wet and or in rain than the shinning areas. . At 14.20 he is in the inside lane and talks about the chevrons painted on the road. At about 70 mph. his dry stopping distance in the H.C is recommended to be some 315 ft. and he went on to say that we should be about 4 such chevrons apart. He then more or less immediately moves to be behind a van that has just overtaken him and it can clearly be seen that he is now only one chevron behind that vehicle. If we should double the safe stopping distance in the wet then at his approx. speed he should be some 600 ft over 200 metres. or more behind anything. However he is only one chevron behind that van . PS I believe that those arrows as you say or chevrons are in fact only 40 metres apart so if one just sees 2 arrows at 40 metres its only just over 40 metres or 130 ft. much too short of the 315 ft in the H.C. at 70 mph. Perhaps the advice should be leave space ie. see 4 chevrons giving one 3 x 40 being 120 metres or 390 ft. a much safer stopping distanced but more is needed if wet.
Really helpful. However nowadays it’s so hard to avoid white paint. What sort of tolerance do we have, as in is it ok based on everything you said or avoid at all cost like metal works?
@ThePorts77 Thank you for your question. Its not avoid at all costs, but care must be taken. Some road paint is flatter than others and has little effect, but modern new raised paint can cause stability issues; you will often feel the tyres skip a little if you ride on it. The real problems occur if you are travelling fast and / or when you accelerate, brake, corner. There may be situations at heavily painted junctions where you cant avoid paint, so remembering that gentle use of controls will help keep traction. Sudden is bad, smooth is good! I hope this helps, experience will gradually help you, all the best
I don't know about the UK, but I can tell you that where I live (SA) the grip on those large white or yellow directional arrows (as well as zebra crossings) is very close to zero, and it can be pretty tricky avoiding them. I simply avoid riding in the rain as far as I possibly can.
I passed my direct access on the 10th of jan so basically 2ish weeks ago, got my first bike, a Ninja 650, and been riding it every day since. I had never rode a bike in the wet before, then mod 2 test day comes and its PISSING down, i couldnt see 200m in front of me. I still passed with only 1 minor 😂 i went to pull away from the parking spot where the instructor told me to pull over and i forgot to put it in gear. So 1 minor for that. I am enjoying the wet and icy riding i must admit. I fitted heated grips and a double bubble screen. Job done.
I recently got a 125cc scooter and all week its been strong wind and rain, I'm watching this tl try get some knowledge as I'm frankly very scared and don't have any confidence.
hi, it can be quite daunting riding in such weather conditions. I would suggest start riding short local journeys on roads you know well to gain confidence. I wish you well
I did my mock Mod 1 in a downpour & much of DAS & early post test essential post test development riding in winter & rain....Glad I did so. I am also mindful of water submerged potholes. Not tensing up arms and shoulders helps & lots to be said for not fighting the bike if a slight slip detected. Bike will most often try to correct itself if we relax & don't make aggressive reactive or other inputs. On rurals running water can carry gravel from banks into carrageway. The right tyres make a difference...I read a pro review of my BT023 Bridgestones & the pro tester said he had not lost them in wet despite trying to find. I also practice , (careful), braking & emergency braking in wet up to motorway speeds.....Zero rider aids so perhaps not for faint hearted...(easy does it) 😉 Every day a school day ...Still learning every time I ride. Just sharing my additional thoughts which may help others viewing this excellent video..(Not even suggesting I am sharing breaking news to video maker 😉) Thanks for the (very good) vid 👍
Passed my MOD1/MOD2 a few weeks ago purposely in august to avoid rainy season & school traffic… I only use my bike as a week end hobby & I am yet to drive in wet conditions so this video was very beneficial although a bit scary! Riding a bike efficiently & safely takes time & is a real craft which takes a lot of practice so I’ll be taking it one step at a time. Looking at the video, I have a question which may have been addressed: in wet conditions, whatever the road type (motorway, A, B roads), other vehicles tyres leave dryer marks, like dryer rail tracks on the road. Do you ride in those dryer tracks or do you avoid them? Thanks Phil, see you soon, Cedric.
Hi Cedric, thank you for your question. There are a few different ways at looking at this. One theory is that water is dispersed by car tyres so that there is less water to disperse and therefore aquaplaning is less likely. However, it may be that this area of the road can be more polished by wear or have rubber deposits and therefore offer less grip. The solution then would be to ride on the apparently wetter centre position. However, this may give you more water to disperse, and on many roads vehicle tyres push other debris such as leaves and twigs into the centre which has its own stability issues. So I tend to vary my thinking on this one, and my position may not always be "the best", but sometimes its difficult to assess the quality of the road surface. It is easier though to spot heavier water and debris. I hope this helps, all the best
it's all about coinfidence and practice with a healthy dose of common sense i suppose. As a newbie i'm not entertaining going out in the rain or likelihood of it yet as i'm still getting to 'grip's' with feeling safe cornering and not leaning too much in the dry on lanes with a bit of gravel or a tad of dampness. I know i'm often travelling at speeds much slower than possible or being too cautious on steep hills with sharp bends, but even feeling a little bit that i may get out of control is sickening lol. I've had plenty of spills racing on my bike when younger to know how much biting asphalt hurts at much lower speeds, so dont want to risk anything now im a lot older. It's coming bit by bit, and hopefully by next spring when i plan to do a DAS and take my test i'll be pretty much there. thanks for the vid and GL.
Yes absolutely. Unfortunately for many years motorcyclists dont figure too highly in highways planning. Grippy covers are more expensive apparently....
I add old cross ply tyres on my bikes years ago and no ABS or Traction Control, so I think modern bike are a lot better. Also if you have fitted high quality tyres which are good in the wet like Michelin Road 6 it makes a difference and proper tyre pressure’s. I agree don’t just yank the throttle on which you shouldn’t even do in the dry.
Very good video. I believe one of the challenges is that many riders do not ride in the rain. So they have no experience and will get tense when they are 'surprised' by a sudden shower. And that can easily happen on a beautiful day in summer. I believe it is prudent to actually go riding in the rain just to gain experience. The only thing I hate: it makes the bike very dirty...
My dad is like that, he won't ride at all If there is even the smallest chance of a rain shower. (So the bike basically sits not being ridden for 80% of the year). Meanwhile there's me on a 125cc ped commuting no matter what it's doing outside apart from the very rare snow we get these days. I'm confident in the rain and have zero issues with doing it.
Thanks for the educative video. In Uganda nowadays it’s raining cats and dogs. How do I handle the front brake in order to reduce my stopping distance in rain. Thanks a lot
thank you, the best way is to keep brake use smooth and progressive. Never grab or use it suddenly. If you have to use it whilst cornering do so with the utmost care and dont use it as firmly as you might in the dry. Hope this helps.
Hello, i'm very interested in the brand and model of the fluor jacket that you carries everyday. I'm use my bike (2010 fjr 1300) every single day all the year, and in winter it's very important that the cars could see me. Thanks in advance.
i use a jacket which is manufactured by Sioen and the material is flexothane. It is worn over my proper bike kit and has no armour or safety cert. I cant find these specifically for motorcycles anymore but here are jackets made from this material you could wear as an overjacket.
Unfortunately some drivers and riders mistakenly believe that they can actually stop in less distance than the safe stopping distances recommended in the H.C but some of them don't live to tell us about it. If we did give that safe stopping distance then if its too far then all is well and good we end up safely stopped but if we profess to be able to stop in a far shorter distance and don't then we are not only putting ourselves in greater danger but all other road users as well. When we hit them. The H.C gives us a minimum of 2 seconds and at higher speeds it should be more than 2 seconds as taught to police officers in the dry. It could be 3 or 4 or even 5 seconds space to be on the safe side. However the DVSA in their un wisdom ways states categorically that its always a 2 second rule and makes no mention of it being a minimum at all and that could place road users in greater danger at higher speeds. Lets also remember that the H.C also says that motorcycles and HGVs will take longer to stop so we need to be at least that 2 second gap at all times but maybe a 3 second rule would be safer and as such is applied in some other civilised countries. Don't forget that the full stopping distances only apply to being on a dry straight road so if lent over to any degree we will no longer have 100% of our braking and steering capacity available to us., The more we lean the less steering and braking input we have left to maintain a good safe grip in the roads surface. So that should be born in mind in the wet and on bends at any time.
Thank you, much appreciated. I guess the mic nestled in the chin guard protected by the chin curtain plus big screen is helpful. Glad you like the video, all the best
Must admit I do feel like I freeze if caught out in the rain....and I dont like it...... I love yours videos learnt so much from them. Phil can I ask....did you used to ride Police bikes....
At 15.00 plus being on the motorway he actually said that he was positioning himself in the worn areas as it apparently contains less water. The areas worn by others car tyres and in doing so he is making an error as that area is devoid of aggregates. We can easily see several lines appearing ahead of him on the tarmac on that roads surface., What I can see there are several well worn places or positioning that have now lost a lot of their aggregate . Aggregate helps to give us grip but those areas are now very shiny with only tar or bitumen left. These lines or positions are generally in positions 1 and 3 and taught to advanced riders and if you regularly use them then be aware that if they are shinning and wet they could be more dangerous when it comes to losing grip and/or increasing ones braking or stopping distance due to that lack of grip. However the sump line or position number 2 has more grip as it will still have more aggregate left, it not being run over regularly. Plus it could be safer as it is heated up and dries out sooner by the cars hot engines sumps running over it. Yes many a manhole inspection cover is in that sump area but not on motorways or dual carriageways. On a dry and even a wet road and being driven over in a straight line and not on a curve or bend its not going to be a much concern however the other danger besides being wet and slippery is that it could be a dropped cover and then one has to be aware that one is hitting it at speed then the bounce that it gives to your shocks can de stabilise your front or rear end. So dropped covers should be avoided.
It's all about assessing the road, weather and traffic conditions continually so ultimately there are no totally hard and fast rules. What's good in one situation may not be good elsewhere.
@@MGman100 I totally agree with what you are saying. My aim was to point out a potential risk and therefore a danger that some if not many riders are not aware off. I hope it will sink in and make some riders more aware of the dangers on our roads, of something that they assume is a constant and therefore take for granted. That all roads give the same amount of grip.. but they don't. As a result of that lack of knowledge if we chose the wrong path we can run into more trouble. On a wet road which it was I would prefer to ride well back giving twice the safe stopping distances and in position 2 for most of the time and that is the sump position. This position generally has more aggregate and therefore more accessible grip than the well worn and shinning positions 1 and 3 which maybe just tar alone and therefore has none or little useful or available grip left especially when wet.
Very good on a dual carriage way but recently got my blackbird after 35 years of not riding, riding around the block to get my confidence up but want to ride to work, country roads very bendy, riding carefully should be fine i hope, any advice? Wait till the summer is not an option, im itching.
Thanks for your comments. A great motorcycle, i hope you enjoy it. After a break from riding my advice would always be some individual refresher training. But if not possible, next best thing is to gain as much as you can from videos such as mine and when you ride take it easy, dont rush anything and practice. This time of year particularly work on super smooth braking, throttling and clutching. I hope this helps
Great video. I just need rain to practice. Autumn is here, and why should i stop riding because of rain was put riding for 40yrs because of negative views rain not going to stop me now. 🤔 😢😂
You mentioned that one of your students almost fell off on a roundabout while slipping on a drain. You went on to say he failed and that you would have failed him. Can you tell us what he was supposed to do if he didn't know the roundabout. I'm doing my test soon and I'd like to know. Love your videos BTW Thanks
@Michael Dickinson Hi thank you for your question. So part of riding is constant assessment of the road surface. As a biker its important to identify areas which could affect stability. This necessitates looking well ahead, as we dont want to be riding looking down at the ground not far from in front of us, but keeping the eyes moving is important. If we travel at a speed so that we can assess the road surface, then we shouldn't be in a situation often that causes us to have stability issues, hence one of the reasons we may ride slower in wet or slippery conditions. In this particular incident I spoke of, the rider was waiting to join a roundabout turning left, the two drain covers were clear to see as he waited for his gap but he went over both whilst leaning and accelerating. In the dry there would likely have been no issue, but wet, potentially dangerous. I hope this helps to some degree and that your course instructors expand on this more during training. Glad you are enjoying the vids, All the best
@@MotorcyclePWR Thank you for the reply. So he'd stopped and failed to see the hazard, ok 👍 Thanks again for sharing your valuable experience, much appreciated.
STOP IN THE DISTANCE THAT YOU CAN SEE TO BE CLEAR....... And on your side of the road. Good advice but remember that in all wet road surface conditions and not just when it raining that one should be double the recommended safe stopping distance no matter on what road you are on. He is on a dual carriageway with a 70 mph speed limit and if doing that speed then the safe stopping distance believe it or not is about 220 yards or 190 metres. that's over 600 ft or more. Do many riders or car drivers give 600 ft as safe distance behind anything on in the wet . No they do not they generally give the stopping distance or less as if the road were dry and that makes all roads and most drivers more dangerous we when in the wet.
As a Motorcyclist,riding in heavy rain can also be instructive as to how many Motorists remain unaware of their Demisting systems. Many motorists have their recirculation setting permanently On,which leads to fogging which worsens in extremely wet situations. This makes it far more difficult for you to gauge and take information from such drivers,who often appear to INCREASE their speeds in severe conditions !!! 🙄
I noticed that every ride in the rain videos on yt , people are using Adventure bikes, that means naked/super sport are totally undriveable? in the uk let's say winter/spring conditions? .
I must admit I like to avoid motorways as they are not very enjoyable and in the wet the spray , I would rather go slower on an A road and take my time also good gear if your cold and wet you can’t ride safe.
I guess as a rider that started on a bikes without ABS that I have learned the safety margin of the breaking even in the wet and how to use brakes properly. Even with ABS you should never ever lock your brakes.
I find being on a sports bike in rain is more of a problem. All the weight is transferred over the front, all the braking is more likely to happen on the front. Half the riding experience was me waiting for the front to slip away. Being upright seems to give a more controlled feeling, riding with your butt cheeks half the time in fear.😂 The places i always watch out for is diesel on roundabouts, and those outside petrol stations. Man hole covers are another arse clencher. In the wet it's like driving a large HGV when it rains. You have a large stopping distance and slow cornering speeds. You have the same problem with idiots in cars as they do. I do at least 10mph less in 60 & 70 limits. Never get comfortable in the wet close behind another vehicle. Another problem is riding on old hard tyres. The amount of riders on older low mileage bikes that do get caught out in a shower are asking for trouble.
...wearing a mask alone in the car because he was just in the grocery store and soon to stop at the hardware store and it's perfectly comfortable and he's not thinking about masks. 🙂
It's all good until you can't see shit. RainX on visor before going out. Just chill and stay back from the cars in front less spray even when the neverending rain stops.
Silly boy, you know the Met Office likes winding up bikers...last Tuesday riding from London to North West Devon, forecast overcast, off I go and within minutes drizzle and eventually, heavy rain, standing water and mega-spray from artics. On the way back Met Office decided they'd had their fun, predicted a gusting to 25 mile chilly easterly...luckily ttwo sets of batteries for my gloves😅
So boring if you have to ride a motorcycle like that being overwhelmed of every single detail just get a car much better and you will achieve your 100% safety, whats the point mate just get a car
Where is the mention of overwhelmed ? Its idiotic statements like this that reflect in so many car drivers, which is why bikers have to be so cateful. Cars arent 100pc safe, and poor drivers are far from it. You obviously don't have the ability to ride a bike 🙄
A really good video full of helpful advice. I've never shied away from riding in the rain, in fact prior to my test I often went out in the rain on purpose. Your advice on good wet weather gear is important. If you get wet you'll often quickly start to get cold which will affect your concentration. I've recently come back from a trip touring in Cornwall and much of it was wet, sometimes horrendous weather for hours on end. This might sound bizarre but it was actually good to experience extended appalling conditions and hone my riding skills. I feel I've become a far more accomplished rider because of those experiences. Keep up the good work!
Rider of 19 years on road and it doesn't matter you need to ride with the attitude that you have everything to learn.
Brilliant video.
" Don't surprise the bike" Love it! That's a great bit of advice made easy to remember by the expression. 😄
Its roundabouts in the wet i dont like, that unnerving feeling of the camber of the road falling away on top of the rain! Corners and braking i just take smoother and im probably not much slower than dry riding. But show me a wet roundabout! 😱
Although I’ve been riding since the 70s, I always watch rain riding videos from people who live in rainier places than I do. Never too late to learn a new life-saving tip.
On more thing important not mentioned in this video...if you ride Touring bike with big windshield like this in in the rain you can treat it with special fluid so that all water gets away while driving so you can have a clear view. It works excellent and I had also good expirience on a cars also.
Lots of very good advice. Thank you.
I must say, I was very impressed watching the police motorcycle escort for the Queen’s hearse coming into London from RAF Northolt a few days ago. It was raining and dark, so hats off to those guys.
Thanks. This is agood video for a beginner like me.
So true, what you say about tensing up when its wet.
I think it's gonna be a while before I'm brave enough to attempt what I just saw.
Impressive riding sir.
Glad it was helpful! Thank you
I still get nervous after 19 years all year round for work, weirdly humming a song you enjoy is a good way of relaxing into the ride.
I drive in several counties, as well as London. Apart from the terrible amout of bad drivers in London, I find Kent motorways to have an abundance of bad/ignorant drivers. Foreign HGV drivers not withstanding...
Looking at getting my bike licence next year, your videos are proving to be very helpful for my pre-reading. Thank you!
@Cooked Goose Hi, thanks for your comment. I feel that over the years road courtesy and skill has declined massively in Kent. Very sad. I wish you well with your training and hope it is an enjoyable process. All the best
I've never feared riding on wet roads with my 125cc bike, then I went to test drive a 650cc and crashed it at that test drive by slipping while getting up to higher speed and switch a lane on a highway. I didn't mean to go on the highway but one wrong exit of a roundabout was all it took.
I blame it on me twisting the throttle as hard as I would have on my 125, making the rear tire spin out on the white road marking, but now I'm a little scared of slipping out again. (I didn't get hurt and the bike got fixed)
I'll pick up the bike from the seller before the end of october and I pray for dry roads. At the very least I'll avoid the highway until I get to know this bike.
I am taking my full Licence in October and have had an excellent summer of riding and building confidence, watching your videos have been an excellent source of information and help especially this one as I am hoping to ride right through the winter wind rain or shine. Thanks again for a brilliant informative video.
Hi Nick, i am glad the videos have been helpful and i wish you well with your course and tests. Ride safe
Very nice narration and smooth english with nice British augmentation. Enjoy our train of thoughts as well. Logical and conclusive. Thank you.
Passed my mod 1 and 2 last week. Got lots of good stuff from your videos. Now enjoying my VFR 800.
Awesome! lot of great information during video.
I’ve just bought a house in Brisbane, Australia.. been here for 6 years & thinking of getting my bike licence. Absolutely had my heart sink to see you ride right past wraik hill where I used to live within the first 2 mins! What a small world!
@robertm3393 thanks for the comment, good luck with the training and testing over there, Id be interested to know more about the process. Whitstable and Brisbane are quite some distance apart, hope all is going well out there. Im sure the weather is better and you probably have less roadworks! All the best
On that dual carriageway, I'd be doing 65 to 70mph on my old R100RT as its fairing was brilliant in all weathers but on my old VT500E I'd be travelling at around 50mph, purely for visibility.
My rain question is, if you are unexpectedly caught in rain in unsuitable gear on a motorway, and not near an exit, should you stop on the hard shoulder to put on an appropriate jacket and gloves? I personally consider the loss of visibility not having anything to clear the visor, let alone any potential loss of concentration in non-waterproof summer gear, to be a justifiable emergency, but others have disagreed.
If your gloves do not have a rain wiper built-in, you can buy cheap rubber ones that sit over a finger, and they are amazing. Had I expected the rain the time I did stop on a hard shoulder I would have worn one, but without it my visibility was being restricted as the rain was too heavy to be significant, but not heavy enough to keep washing away, so the wind just holds it against the visor.
But when I first took my CBT I looked at the weather and booked it for a nice sunny day, unfortunately I could not complete it. I was told to look where I was going on the u-turn, told to stop by the cone, so looked down at the cone. But I was told I should come back next week and will manage it next time. The thinking time allowed me to work out what they meant was I should ride into the side of the portacabins but stop when I reach the cone! Because that is where you need to look: straight ahead.
As may be expected of why I am saying this, when I went back the following week it ended up pouring down with rain. And another disappointed journey home, this time though because my jeans were heavy with water, but at least I had my certificate. It was definitely for the best as I have never been afraid of rain. Fog is far worse because I wear glasses and if you stop and open the visor then become covered in a mist, keep it closed they are covered in steam. Rain just wants you to be gentle, but fog is always waiting to pounce if you stop.
One other rain story is that I once came across a section of flooded road after a downpour so slowed down to cross it. Unfortunately still too fast, the spray looked spectacular but despite wearing suitable gear gravity meant it came back down into my boots even with the trousers legs on the outside. I literally had to pour water out of them after stopping, so since then I also kept clean pair of socks in the top box.
So my advice is in summer gear always carry a rain coat, trousers, and a hi-vis vest (because motorcycle rain coats always seem to be black for some stupid reason). In winter just wear waterproof gear. And alway carry spare gloves, a rain wiper, and a clean pair of socks.
Love riding in the rain, but as you point out, so long as it's really, really wet. Slightly damp is just horrible as there may or may not be dry lines..
I’ve always used that coating which makes the rain roll off your mirrors and helmet visor
yes it can be quite helpful, i remember it back in the 90s!
Great video, my input for what its worth!....been riding daily for 40 years, riding in the wet for 1 hour gives you the same experience as riding for a week in the dry... take care have fun riding!
Good video. At 3.00 he speaks of being able to stop in the distance seen to be clear but we must remember that that distance must be at least twice as far as it would be in the dry. On a merely wet or damp road, rain or not raining we should be doubling our stopping distance behind other vehicles as per the stopping distance recommendations in all road safety publications.
Indeed if its raining that bad and it gets darker as a result your vision is impaired and reduced from 100% on a dry day down to say 70 or 60 % or less. It would be stupid to ride at maximum speeds allowable and appropriate to slow down, by at least 10 mph or more to keep you safe in traffic.
I would like to personally thank you for taking the time and effort to make this video. I also have the BMW RT I love it fantastic machine best I've had so far
Thank you, much appreciated
Great video as always mate. Could you do one for night riding including rural roads ? ;)
Thank you. Yes its on the list of to do's, but will probably be late autumn. Many thanks for your suggestion
Hurricane Season is just weeks away here in Sunny Florida, US. Looking forward to practicing what you taught. Rain riding is my least favorite kind of ride, but I have to get to work every day.
Thank you for your comment. Take care during the hurricane season, all the best
I'm grateful i learned over winter up here in Scotland, started in October 2019, passed my Mod 2 in Feb 2020, was in no hurry so took 1 two hour lesson a week, had lots of lessons in the rain, had plenty of lessons/tests cancelled due to high winds, ice, heavy rain etc, when i sat my Mod 1 the rain was bouncing off the ground, it's made me not fearful of the rain, i don't enjoy it though but will get on with it if i have too.
i wonder how many rider's don't realise the amount of oil thrown from their chain onto their brake disk and tyre's, for those who have cleaned their front sprockets out, the same amount of oil exits at the rear, the best thing i bought to overcome this is a SNOTO clean disk from Germany its a fantastic piece of kit, and also keep warm in the rain its a must, stay safe and thank you for your post's i am still here even though i passed my advanced rider scheme, you never stop learning, especially from someone like yourself.
nice to hear from you and good points to consider. Probably why I like shaft drive! ride safe
Got caught in a pop up for the 1st time today. Newer rider. Did well, but it's weird. I wanna find the limits, mine and the bike's, in the wet, but I don't want to damage my bike in the process. Good advice. No bike surprises. Gentle.
You won't damage your bike, just be very sensible and careful. The rain itself won't damage your bike I leave mine outside all the time.
If your riding on a lot of dual carriageways and motorways wet riding is not too bad but on twisty A roads you have to take your time which car drivers behind you don’t always appreciate and in some cases will try and push you by driving close to the rear.
I wear glasses as well and riding in the wet does pose a challenge, I only ride in the rain only if it’s absolutely necessary as I have a car available, riding at night and in the wet is horrible, and I will avoid that as hard as possible.
Your vid was helpful though and get an instructors view on wet riding.
I got caught with wrong gear in a similar storm recently, soaked heavy Mcycle jeans 👖 are not pleasant. I now carry a set of Oxford Rainseal with me at all times. And make more of an effort to observe the forecasts
From what I understand there maybe a loss of some 10% only of available grip levels on a wet road. That said if your tyres are well worn down and the water is standing and that could just mean 1 or 2 ml. then you could aquaplane and thus lose all grip altogether. So make sure your tyres have a good tread and can take wet riding. Many riders believe that its only when its raining but grip levels can fall if a the road surface is wet or just damp at any time and that may include early morning dew. etc. There is also an understanding that the first 10 or 20 mins. of rain or light rain is the most dangerous as it brings out the oils and the debris that has been left standing on the road surface but after that initial rain the surface is cleaner and less likely to contain bad substances.
PS good vid, hadnt thought about the smudging of wiping road spray around your visor....I'll know gor next time
MPMT(motorcycle pwr training), quick question. If a person has an extended motorcycle(4" or 5" or OEM length) with a 300mm rear tire, how will that perform in the rain; as far as grip or slippage is concerned? Thanks sir...
You should try Rain x on your visor and windscreen and mirrors. I don't mind the rain but it's horrible to ride in the wet after dark.
Be careful with Rain X on your visor in the dark. I've seen You Tube reviews of it, whereby it creates dazzling effects on light, to your vision. Maybe create a comparison yourself.
The worst situations in any weather are where traffic lights/roundabouts are located close to a garage. Drivers over fill with fuel and can spill it on the road.
Good video on wet riding and spot on with description. There is a lot more grip on good tyers then one would think in the wet. However, as a 1200Rt daily rider, you should really be in Rain mode on wet roads like that and not in Dynamic mode. Abs and traction intervene much sooner in Rain mode for a reason. Dynamic allows a bit of slip which is the last thing you want on a wet road...
thank you for your comments. Yes, rain mode is very helpful, however, i rarely select it, probably because of my style of riding. Having been brought up on powerful bikes with no electronic aids I tend to ride as if I dont have them, but of course they will intervene should i make an error of judgement. I still ride the older RT as well and this doesnt have any rider modes, and has only 15bhp less.
For newer riders or those less experienced with powerful machines, then the various modes are of great help.
Ride safe, all the best
At 23.20 we were on a dual carriageway going some mph and passing a petrol station on both sides of the road but no warning of the increased possibility of diesel spills by HGVs leaving those stations fully loaded with diesel.
No one is infallible......🙄
My only worry in the rain is aquaplaning on motorways. It hasn't happened on the bike yet, but if it's anything to go by when driving a car, it'll remain a fear.
Just ride a 125 and you'll never have enough power or speed for that to be a concern
Very good video, and relevant comments - thank you! I’ve been commuting the last week in similar conditions on motorways. Practice, appropriate waterproof gear and always staying relaxed are critical to stay safe, riding an RT help also 😊. The only thing I would add is to wear glasses with yellow lenses. I find that they improve visibility significantly in wet conditions with overcast sky. The yellow lenses increase contrast, and can even be worn when there’s little light. Stay
I haven't heard of using yellow tint lenses
As you pointed out my biggest worry in the wet is cornering.
You mentioned that typically in the wet grip is reduced by 25%.
Does this mean that if I only use 20 to 30% of my bike's grip on tarmac in the dry that I probably won't detect any difference in grip on wet tarmac?
there is some truth in that, I dont detect any change in grip in the wet generally. But it is always difficult to know what your grip % is at any given moment, plus in the wet metalwork, road paint and tyre deposits can reduce grip further in combination with rain. It also lowers tyre and surface temperatures. This is why smooth control use is essential as it stresses the tyre grip less. All the best
Thanks so much for these excellent video's which were a big help to me. Only riding a year and passed my test first time!
Great to hear!
Very good
I drove in Torrential rain with strong gusting side winds up the M6 last winter, but i was toasty warm in my one zzzeee. You can't beat Common Sense
Your videos have been a great help to me. I wanted to do my DAS with Invicta but the bikes are too big for me (I’m 5ft) but managed to find a school with a lowered bike. My test is in 2 weeks ☺️
@5ft_Fifi hi, glad the videos have been helpful, sorry to hear that you couldnt use Invicta, but glad you are doing your DAS. I wish you well with your test. If you ever need any help post test let me know, all the best
@@MotorcyclePWR thank you very much. I might just do that so thank you. Ride safe & thanks for your videos, they’ve been a great help. Would you mind sharing what camera/mic set up you have please? Either via comment or a video? Thanks 😊
Got my mod 2 soon am expected to go 60 on country lanes and 70 dual carriage ways in the wet
Your examiner will expect you to make safe and suitable progress within the speed limit at a speed suitable for the conditions. I know this sounds vague, but no you don’t have to be at the max all the time, but you shouldn’t cause a problem to yourself or another road user by a speed that is too low. I would hope your instructor can go into more detail with you during training. All the best.
You shouldn't be doing anywhere near 60 on most country lanes!. Please don't be one of those road users that sees a NSL sign and then tries to do 60 when it's dangerous.
Good sound advice to give the tyres the maximum amount of grip. However if you see when he returns to the inside lane at about 13.50 just look at the lines on the tarmac ahead of him There are several obvious lines ahead of him. The inside track of a cars tyres and the outside track of the same appear to be shinning, reflecting what light their is on them. That indicates that those two areas of tarmac are well worn areas of the road. As such they have less available aggregate [ chippings ] and therefore they are slippery when wet. .
On the other hand you will see that the mid line or sump line is not as shinny as cars tyres will rarely drive over that area and so it contains more useful aggregates and is therefore giving a much safer grip levels when wet and or in rain than the shinning areas. .
At 14.20 he is in the inside lane and talks about the chevrons painted on the road. At about 70 mph. his dry stopping distance in the H.C is recommended to be some 315 ft. and he went on to say that we should be about 4 such chevrons apart. He then more or less immediately moves to be behind a van that has just overtaken him and it can clearly be seen that he is now only one chevron behind that vehicle. If we should double the safe stopping distance in the wet then at his approx. speed he should be some 600 ft over 200 metres. or more behind anything. However he is only one chevron behind that van .
PS I believe that those arrows as you say or chevrons are in fact only 40 metres apart so if one just sees 2 arrows at 40 metres its only just over 40 metres or 130 ft. much too short of the 315 ft in the H.C. at 70 mph. Perhaps the advice should be leave space ie. see 4 chevrons giving one 3 x 40 being 120 metres or 390 ft. a much safer stopping distanced but more is needed if wet.
Really helpful. However nowadays it’s so hard to avoid white paint. What sort of tolerance do we have, as in is it ok based on everything you said or avoid at all cost like metal works?
@ThePorts77 Thank you for your question. Its not avoid at all costs, but care must be taken.
Some road paint is flatter than others and has little effect, but modern new raised paint can cause stability issues; you will often feel the tyres skip a little if you ride on it. The real problems occur if you are travelling fast and / or when you accelerate, brake, corner.
There may be situations at heavily painted junctions where you cant avoid paint, so remembering that gentle use of controls will help keep traction. Sudden is bad, smooth is good!
I hope this helps, experience will gradually help you, all the best
I ride as if my tyres are much thinner during the rain
I don't know about the UK, but I can tell you that where I live (SA) the grip on those large white or yellow directional arrows (as well as zebra crossings) is very close to zero, and it can be pretty tricky avoiding them. I simply avoid riding in the rain as far as I possibly can.
Never had an issue with grip on the white lines.
I passed my direct access on the 10th of jan so basically 2ish weeks ago, got my first bike, a Ninja 650, and been riding it every day since. I had never rode a bike in the wet before, then mod 2 test day comes and its PISSING down, i couldnt see 200m in front of me. I still passed with only 1 minor 😂 i went to pull away from the parking spot where the instructor told me to pull over and i forgot to put it in gear. So 1 minor for that. I am enjoying the wet and icy riding i must admit. I fitted heated grips and a double bubble screen. Job done.
Thank you for your comment. Congratulations on passing your test, nice result. Glad you are enjoying your biking, ride safe
I recently got a 125cc scooter and all week its been strong wind and rain, I'm watching this tl try get some knowledge as I'm frankly very scared and don't have any confidence.
hi, it can be quite daunting riding in such weather conditions. I would suggest start riding short local journeys on roads you know well to gain confidence. I wish you well
Great video, very informative 👍 ride safe 😎
I did my mock Mod 1 in a downpour & much of DAS & early post test essential post test development riding in winter & rain....Glad I did so.
I am also mindful of water submerged potholes.
Not tensing up arms and shoulders helps & lots to be said for not fighting the bike if a slight slip detected. Bike will most often try to correct itself if we relax & don't make aggressive reactive or other inputs.
On rurals running water can carry gravel from banks into carrageway.
The right tyres make a difference...I read a pro review of my BT023 Bridgestones & the pro tester said he had not lost them in wet despite trying to find.
I also practice , (careful), braking & emergency braking in wet up to motorway speeds.....Zero rider aids so perhaps not for faint hearted...(easy does it) 😉
Every day a school day ...Still learning every time I ride.
Just sharing my additional thoughts which may help others viewing this excellent video..(Not even suggesting I am sharing breaking news to video maker 😉)
Thanks for the (very good) vid 👍
thank you for your comments here AW8, great thoughts and practice is essential , ride safe and take care
Passed my MOD1/MOD2 a few weeks ago purposely in august to avoid rainy season & school traffic… I only use my bike as a week end hobby & I am yet to drive in wet conditions so this video was very beneficial although a bit scary! Riding a bike efficiently & safely takes time & is a real craft which takes a lot of practice so I’ll be taking it one step at a time. Looking at the video, I have a question which may have been addressed: in wet conditions, whatever the road type (motorway, A, B roads), other vehicles tyres leave dryer marks, like dryer rail tracks on the road. Do you ride in those dryer tracks or do you avoid them? Thanks Phil, see you soon, Cedric.
Hi Cedric, thank you for your question. There are a few different ways at looking at this.
One theory is that water is dispersed by car tyres so that there is less water to disperse and therefore aquaplaning is less likely. However, it may be that this area of the road can be more polished by wear or have rubber deposits and therefore offer less grip.
The solution then would be to ride on the apparently wetter centre position. However, this may give you more water to disperse, and on many roads vehicle tyres push other debris such as leaves and twigs into the centre which has its own stability issues. So I tend to vary my thinking on this one, and my position may not always be "the best", but sometimes its difficult to assess the quality of the road surface. It is easier though to spot heavier water and debris. I hope this helps, all the best
it's all about coinfidence and practice with a healthy dose of common sense i suppose. As a newbie i'm not entertaining going out in the rain or likelihood of it yet as i'm still getting to 'grip's' with feeling safe cornering and not leaning too much in the dry on lanes with a bit of gravel or a tad of dampness. I know i'm often travelling at speeds much slower than possible or being too cautious on steep hills with sharp bends, but even feeling a little bit that i may get out of control is sickening lol. I've had plenty of spills racing on my bike when younger to know how much biting asphalt hurts at much lower speeds, so dont want to risk anything now im a lot older. It's coming bit by bit, and hopefully by next spring when i plan to do a DAS and take my test i'll be pretty much there. thanks for the vid and GL.
thank you Bob, i wish you well with your biking development, ride safe
A little fast for my taste. Nice video.
I don’t understand why shiny drain covers are used in the middle of the road especially on roundabouts. It’s an obvious hazard and unnecessary.
Yes absolutely. Unfortunately for many years motorcyclists dont figure too highly in highways planning. Grippy covers are more expensive apparently....
Because services like electric and water run under the roads.
I add old cross ply tyres on my bikes years ago and no ABS or Traction Control, so I think modern bike are a lot better. Also if you have fitted high quality tyres which are good in the wet like Michelin Road 6 it makes a difference and proper tyre pressure’s. I agree don’t just yank the throttle on which you shouldn’t even do in the dry.
oh cross plys were awful. Yes, modern bikes help out a lot, you really had to get it right on the older bikes!
Solid information
Very good video. I believe one of the challenges is that many riders do not ride in the rain. So they have no experience and will get tense when they are 'surprised' by a sudden shower. And that can easily happen on a beautiful day in summer. I believe it is prudent to actually go riding in the rain just to gain experience. The only thing I hate: it makes the bike very dirty...
I try to see it as a Buddhist exercise, being aware of wanting to tense up and then finding it easier to chill(in both senses)😂
My dad is like that, he won't ride at all If there is even the smallest chance of a rain shower. (So the bike basically sits not being ridden for 80% of the year). Meanwhile there's me on a 125cc ped commuting no matter what it's doing outside apart from the very rare snow we get these days. I'm confident in the rain and have zero issues with doing it.
Great video
Been out riding today seen
Black circle dome shaped camera on UK lamposts and roundabouts got any idea what are they used for
thank you, i believe that these domes are CCTV observation cameras
Are those speakers on your dashboard?
They are speaker grills, radios are optional extras on some BMW’s
Thanks for the educative video.
In Uganda nowadays it’s raining cats and dogs.
How do I handle the front brake in order to reduce my stopping distance in rain.
Thanks a lot
thank you, the best way is to keep brake use smooth and progressive. Never grab or use it suddenly. If you have to use it whilst cornering do so with the utmost care and dont use it as firmly as you might in the dry. Hope this helps.
@@MotorcyclePWR thanks a lot
Hello, i'm very interested in the brand and model of the fluor jacket that you carries everyday. I'm use my bike (2010 fjr 1300) every single day all the year, and in winter it's very important that the cars could see me. Thanks in advance.
i use a jacket which is manufactured by Sioen and the material is flexothane. It is worn over my proper bike kit and has no armour or safety cert. I cant find these specifically for motorcycles anymore but here are jackets made from this material you could wear as an overjacket.
@@MotorcyclePWR Thanks a lot.
Thanks Phil, great video. I love riding in the rain, but as you say in your commentary I do feel a little bit over cautious.
Excellent.
Unfortunately some drivers and riders mistakenly believe that they can actually stop in less distance than the safe stopping distances recommended in the H.C but some of them don't live to tell us about it. If we did give that safe stopping distance then if its too far then all is well and good we end up safely stopped but if we profess to be able to stop in a far shorter distance and don't then we are not only putting ourselves in greater danger but all other road users as well. When we hit them.
The H.C gives us a minimum of 2 seconds and at higher speeds it should be more than 2 seconds as taught to police officers in the dry. It could be 3 or 4 or even 5 seconds space to be on the safe side. However the DVSA in their un wisdom ways states categorically that its always a 2 second rule and makes no mention of it being a minimum at all and that could place road users in greater danger at higher speeds.
Lets also remember that the H.C also says that motorcycles and HGVs will take longer to stop so we need to be at least that 2 second gap at all times but maybe a 3 second rule would be safer and as such is applied in some other civilised countries. Don't forget that the full stopping distances only apply to being on a dry straight road so if lent over to any degree we will no longer have 100% of our braking and steering capacity available to us., The more we lean the less steering and braking input we have left to maintain a good safe grip in the roads surface. So that should be born in mind in the wet and on bends at any time.
Your vids are superb 😉
How did you get such good audio on a motorway! I presume the large screen helps? Well done sir!
Thank you, much appreciated.
I guess the mic nestled in the chin guard protected by the chin curtain plus big screen is helpful. Glad you like the video, all the best
@@MotorcyclePWR 😁🤜🏻🤛🏻
Now you mention it, that audio is crystal clear. 🎉
Must admit I do feel like I freeze if caught out in the rain....and I dont like it......
I love yours videos learnt so much from them.
Phil can I ask....did you used to ride Police bikes....
I have a R1200RT-P I have the screen almost at its lowest the airflow then clears my visor.
yes its quite useful, though i find more noise at that position. Seat height and body length make a lot of difference, as does helmet. All the best
A lot of people do not know that tyres have a life of 5 years max and should be replaced regardless of thread.
Great advice - especially other road users being more of a threat 👍 Hate riding in the rain anyway because it’s so bloody depressing 👍
At 15.00 plus being on the motorway he actually said that he was positioning himself in the worn areas as it apparently contains less water. The areas worn by others car tyres and in doing so he is making an error as that area is devoid of aggregates. We can easily see several lines appearing ahead of him on the tarmac on that roads surface., What I can see there are several well worn places or positioning that have now lost a lot of their aggregate . Aggregate helps to give us grip but those areas are now very shiny with only tar or bitumen left. These lines or positions are generally in positions 1 and 3 and taught to advanced riders and if you regularly use them then be aware that if they are shinning and wet they could be more dangerous when it comes to losing grip and/or increasing ones braking or stopping distance due to that lack of grip.
However the sump line or position number 2 has more grip as it will still have more aggregate left, it not being run over regularly. Plus it could be safer as it is heated up and dries out sooner by the cars hot engines sumps running over it. Yes many a manhole inspection cover is in that sump area but not on motorways or dual carriageways. On a dry and even a wet road and being driven over in a straight line and not on a curve or bend its not going to be a much concern however the other danger besides being wet and slippery is that it could be a dropped cover and then one has to be aware that one is hitting it at speed then the bounce that it gives to your shocks can de stabilise your front or rear end. So dropped covers should be avoided.
It's all about assessing the road, weather and traffic conditions continually so ultimately there are no totally hard and fast rules. What's good in one situation may not be good elsewhere.
@@MGman100 I totally agree with what you are saying. My aim was to point out a potential risk and therefore a danger that some if not many riders are not aware off.
I hope it will sink in and make some riders more aware of the dangers on our roads, of something that they assume is a constant and therefore take for granted. That all roads give the same amount of grip.. but they don't. As a result of that lack of knowledge if we chose the wrong path we can run into more trouble.
On a wet road which it was I would prefer to ride well back giving twice the safe stopping distances and in position 2 for most of the time and that is the sump position. This position generally has more aggregate and therefore more accessible grip than the well worn and shinning positions 1 and 3 which maybe just tar alone and therefore has none or little useful or available grip left especially when wet.
Very good on a dual carriage way but recently got my blackbird after 35 years of not riding, riding around the block to get my confidence up but want to ride to work, country roads very bendy, riding carefully should be fine i hope, any advice? Wait till the summer is not an option, im itching.
Thanks for your comments. A great motorcycle, i hope you enjoy it.
After a break from riding my advice would always be some individual refresher training. But if not possible, next best thing is to gain as much as you can from videos such as mine and when you ride take it easy, dont rush anything and practice. This time of year particularly work on super smooth braking, throttling and clutching. I hope this helps
@@MotorcyclePWR thanks for the advice
Great video. I just need rain to practice. Autumn is here, and why should i stop riding because of rain was put riding for 40yrs because of negative views rain not going to stop me now. 🤔 😢😂
Will get my CBT on 29 Sept. It is raining in the PM 😄 Free advanced training in the rain 😀. Ok I am a bit nervous.
Don't be nervous, do the practice and you will be fine 👍
you will indeed be fine, im sure you will have a fun and informative day, ride safe
How did it go mate
If you have to go over paint or a wet metal road covering, I assume the action is to release the throttle prior and stay loose?
yes pretty much, the thing is to not suddenly change speed or direction when on a slippery surface. Trust the bike and relax.
If I have a ram air intake in the front end of my bike is it ok to ride in the rain do I risk water getting inside my carburetor engine and ruin it?
yes no problems to my knowledge. Many ram airs came out back in the day, ive not heard of issues.
It diverts water away from intake into carbs.
Not sure how it works on individual bikes but haven't heard it being an issue so it must work
Poor vision is the worse thing about riding in the rain.
It's the steaming up and the anti fog spray just doesn't really work for long, so you need to crack your helmet slightly.
Never compromise safety for a position.
I want to learn bike riding
Good luck if you decide to train to ride, have fun!
You mentioned that one of your students almost fell off on a roundabout while slipping on a drain. You went on to say he failed and that you would have failed him.
Can you tell us what he was supposed to do if he didn't know the roundabout.
I'm doing my test soon and I'd like to know.
Love your videos BTW
Thanks
@Michael Dickinson Hi thank you for your question. So part of riding is constant assessment of the road surface. As a biker its important to identify areas which could affect stability. This necessitates looking well ahead, as we dont want to be riding looking down at the ground not far from in front of us, but keeping the eyes moving is important.
If we travel at a speed so that we can assess the road surface, then we shouldn't be in a situation often that causes us to have stability issues, hence one of the reasons we may ride slower in wet or slippery conditions.
In this particular incident I spoke of, the rider was waiting to join a roundabout turning left, the two drain covers were clear to see as he waited for his gap but he went over both whilst leaning and accelerating. In the dry there would likely have been no issue, but wet, potentially dangerous. I hope this helps to some degree and that your course instructors expand on this more during training.
Glad you are enjoying the vids, All the best
@@MotorcyclePWR Thank you for the reply. So he'd stopped and failed to see the hazard, ok 👍
Thanks again for sharing your valuable experience, much appreciated.
STOP IN THE DISTANCE THAT YOU CAN SEE TO BE CLEAR....... And on your side of the road. Good advice but remember that in all wet road surface conditions and not just when it raining that one should be double the recommended safe stopping distance no matter on what road you are on. He is on a dual carriageway with a 70 mph speed limit and if doing that speed then the safe stopping distance believe it or not is about 220 yards or 190 metres. that's over 600 ft or more. Do many riders or car drivers give 600 ft as safe distance behind anything on in the wet . No they do not they generally give the stopping distance or less as if the road were dry and that makes all roads and most drivers more dangerous we when in the wet.
💯 Great videos
thanks, much appreciated
As a Motorcyclist,riding in heavy rain can also be instructive as to how many Motorists remain unaware of their Demisting systems. Many motorists have their recirculation setting permanently On,which leads to fogging which worsens in extremely wet situations. This makes it far more difficult for you to gauge and take information from such drivers,who often appear to INCREASE their speeds in severe conditions !!! 🙄
Are you looking through that screen as you ride. I realise you are on a body cam.
No i see over the top even in high position
I can tell by your description of aquaplaning that you have never done it
I have aquaplaned in the past, albeit briefly and without loss of control
I noticed that every ride in the rain videos on yt , people are using Adventure bikes, that means naked/super sport are totally undriveable? in the uk let's say winter/spring conditions? .
no,.... good tires on any bike you are safe if you ride with care and respect for the rainy weather.. I ride a naked bike MT07
They shield you better from road spray. I always take my 125 ped out when it's raining as my legs and most of upper body don't get wet.
4:29: good rain LOL................ sounds like BR's the 'wrong sort of leaves' debate
🤣 yes good point!
I must admit I like to avoid motorways as they are not very enjoyable and in the wet the spray , I would rather go slower on an A road and take my time also good gear if your cold and wet you can’t ride safe.
I guess as a rider that started on a bikes without ABS that I have learned the safety margin of the breaking even in the wet and how to use brakes properly. Even with ABS you should never ever lock your brakes.
I find being on a sports bike in rain is more of a problem. All the weight is transferred over the front, all the braking is more likely to happen on the front.
Half the riding experience was me waiting for the front to slip away. Being upright seems to give a more controlled feeling, riding with your butt cheeks half the time in fear.😂
The places i always watch out for is diesel on roundabouts, and those outside petrol stations.
Man hole covers are another arse clencher.
In the wet it's like driving a large HGV when it rains.
You have a large stopping distance and slow cornering speeds. You have the same problem with idiots in cars as they do.
I do at least 10mph less in 60 & 70 limits. Never get comfortable in the wet close behind another vehicle.
Another problem is riding on old hard tyres.
The amount of riders on older low mileage bikes that do get caught out in a shower are asking for trouble.
...wearing a mask alone in the car because he was just in the grocery store and soon to stop at the hardware store and it's perfectly comfortable and he's not thinking about masks. 🙂
It's all good until you can't see shit. RainX on visor before going out. Just chill and stay back from the cars in front less spray even when the neverending rain stops.
Silly boy, you know the Met Office likes winding up bikers...last Tuesday riding from London to North West Devon, forecast overcast, off I go and within minutes drizzle and eventually, heavy rain, standing water and mega-spray from artics. On the way back Met Office decided they'd had their fun, predicted a gusting to 25 mile chilly easterly...luckily ttwo sets of batteries for my gloves😅
So boring if you have to ride a motorcycle like that being overwhelmed of every single detail just get a car much better and you will achieve your 100% safety, whats the point mate just get a car
Where is the mention of overwhelmed ? Its idiotic statements like this that reflect in so many car drivers, which is why bikers have to be so cateful. Cars arent 100pc safe, and poor drivers are far from it.
You obviously don't have the ability to ride a bike 🙄
I take it you dont ride.
Rain sometimes happen. And it's less boring than being at the hospital for a month.
Did your parents have any kids that actually lived?
Passed my mod 1 and 2 last week. Got lots of good stuff from your videos. Now enjoying my VFR 800.