F and L in the Rain: Part Deux
Well, let's see now; we've got our bikes and our bodies ready for riding in the rain. It's time to get our heads right.
The reason I spent the first post on seemingly trivial things (like the condition of the bike, and keeping warm and dry) is because in order to not fear, nay even LIKE riding in the rain, we need to remove distractions (wet, cold feet, hands and bodies), worries (is that bald tire gonna put me on me arse?) and irritations (not being able to see).
First, lets talk about what happens when it rains; (sounds kinda stupid, but trust me, you need to know this stuff).
A.The absolute most dangerous conditions for a motorcyclist are the first few minutes of a rainstorm, especially after a prolonged dry spell.
Why? Next time you ride, take a look at the center of your lane, especially at intersections and stoplights, (you do ride to the right or left of the center of your lane, right?). That black, slippery looking goo (you know, the stuff you put your foot down in at the last light and nearly dropped it) is the accumulation of cars' leaking antifreeze, oil and tranny fluid, with a little a/c condensate, gasoline, power steering and brake fluid thrown in for good measure. When it rains, those petrochemicals rise to the surface, and the mechanical action of cars' tires that have come down the road before you actually EMULSIFY that mix into some of the slipperiest stuff known to mankind. Its like riding through petrochemical mayonnaise. The good news is, that in a heavy rain, it washes away quickly.
I once fractured my hip when the car in front of me spun out, and I grabbed a handful of brake. We had gone weeks without rain, and it had just started a heavy mist/light rain. I was on an offramp that was so greasy with this mix, that I fell back down when I picked myself back up from the fall.
Soooo, if I find myself in the beginning stages of a rain, in a position where I'm going to be doing a lot of stops and starts; like in downtown traffic; I may wait a couple of minute for it to rain harder. Sounds silly, and I know it runs contrary to "common sense" to resist the urge to "beat the rain", but if I'm going to be wet anyway, why not wait till I can have the most traction?
B.Different road surfaces offer differing amounts of traction...learn to "read the road".
This is as true in the dry as in the rain, but doubly so. Brand new asphalt leaches oils in the rain, (you can see that in the oily "rainbows" sitting on the top of standing water)...and offers a challenging surface in the rain, as does old concrete that has been polished by thousands of tires, and which can become heavily rutted and worn, leaving a deep water track with up to a half inch or so of standing water right where you are used to riding. You may have to ride out of the usual right or left of center where you normally do in the dry, to prevent hydroplaning. Be observant, and be flexible, changing with the changing conditions.
Tactics for learning to love the rain.
Have your gear with you. Do I need to belabor this?
Next time it rains, and you have some free time, go suit up (yep, helmet, too). Go on out on your bike, put it up on the centerstand (if you have one) and sit on the bike. In the rain. Feel silly? Don't . Now is the time to work out the kinks in your gear. Get that collar adjusted so you don't have an annoying trickle going down your neck. Gloves not as waterproof as you thought? Do you get better coverage from tucking your pantlegs into your boots, or over the tops? Answering these questions now, in the driveway, is easier and safer than 300 miles from home on a dark, unfamiliar road, with stiff fingers, cold feet and a fogged up shield.
Now go for a short spin, just a couple of blocks, to make certain your adjustments work in the wind, too. If you have a large school or empty parking lot close by, now would be a good time to pop on over and practice how the brakes and acceleration feel at low speeds. Practice just like you did when taking the MSF course (you DID take the MSF course, right?), but at lower speeds, trying for smoothness overall, NOT speed. Just do 15 minutes or so, don't make a big deal out of it.
Now go home, strip your gear and hang it to dry (don't wad it up or pack it away wet, it will mildew, eechh!), have beer or whatever, and savor the experience.
Next time the weatherman says it's going to rain, take your bike and gear to work; on purpose. Adjust your speed about 10-15% down; add 50-100% distance between you and the other traffic, depending on amout of rain, visability and traffic. Somebody wants to cut in on you, let'em. You're driving for you, today. Relax, let the traffic flow, and you flow with it. Safely, confidently, and be relaxed.
If you stiff arm it, your going to do two things; you'll miss the subtle signals your bike is trying to tell you about road conditions, and traction, and, you'll feed back all that tension and stiffness into the bike, making you feel like you're riding on "knifes edge"; which makes you more tense, which causes more bad feed back....on and on. ....Relax.....take deep, slow breaths. I find when I'm riding "behind the curve", feeling slightly out of control and tense; that nine times out of ten, I'm holding my breath. This does two things; it adds to the tension, and it deprives my poor, sad old brain of much needed oxygen.
BREATHE, and BREATHE some more.
Look down the road.
If it's true in the dry, it's truer in the rain. Looking down the road futher does a couple things for me. Obviously , it "opens up" my perspective...I get to see more of what is around me, earlier. It also has the added benefit of allowing me to plan the "what If's". What if that car runs the red light? What if that van changes lanes? What if there is a branch lying in the road around that next curve? Playing the what if game allows me to start planning for, rather than reacting to, the little "surprises"that get thrown our way, giving me more time to evade under less than ideal conditions.
Looking down the road also gives me the added benefit of "slowing things down". Staring at a point in front of the front wheel makes things feel like everything is flying at me; looking down the road slows that feeling down, giving me a greater sense of control and making my riding smoother.
Practicing these simple techniques will make you not just better, more relaxed rain rider; they'll make you a better everyday rider, adding to your confidence, and smoothing out your style.
See ya out there.
OTB
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Surviving Misinformation
If you're new to riding, and new to this and other forums, you're gonna be bombarded with opinions on everything from which brand of (tire, bike, aftermarket pipes, helmets...ad nauseum) to; are wheelies ok, what size bike is best for beginners, should you wear gear, and on and on. Seems like everybody (including me) has an opinion and is willing to voice it loudly. If you hang around with riders, you're gonna hear some pretty, uhm..., AMAZING stuff.
So how does a new person sort through all the competing voices to find the few nuggets of "truth" through all the chaff?
I'd like to say that everybodies "truth" is valid, but physics has some immutable laws, and the punishment for violating them can be, if not fatal, down right painful and/or permanent.
I'd like to be able to say to you that you should go read a bunch of books on motorcycling, and that will answer all your questions. Unfortunately, that approach is just like basic computer programming ; Garbage in, Garbage out. Just because somebody got published, doesn't make it good. I once bought and read a book on motorcycling and touring on the recommendations of a reviewer in a motorcyle magazine; one of the "tips" the author gave was that in the event of not being able to avoid a crash, that you "lay 'er down" and ride out the slide on top of the bike! He even gave drawings and diagrams to show how it should be PRACTICED, (he did not, however, provide photographs of himself "practicing"). HMMM...just didn't seem to ring true to me.
When I first started riding, an
experienced rider friend of mine told me he
never uses the front brake...."that thing'll throw you over the handlebars, man". Hmmm...who is right.
By the same token, when I was riding a short while, I read an article by Kevin Cameron about "countersteering". Didn't sound right to me, but I went out and tried his techniques, and THEY WORKED!
Depending on where you are as a practitioner of this sport, there are a couple sources you can count on:
Most of the stuff the MSF courses teach you, although there is some variation from different instructors on detail items like rear brake usage and the like, but overall; good solid info and techniques.
ANYTHING by Kevin Cameron. He's an engineer by trade, so he gets a little dry and throws some heavy math in once in a while, but he also has the talent for explaining difficult physics concepts to the non-engineer. If you are going to have a successful riding career, it helps to know the "why" so you can sort through the, uhm....., crap you're gonna hear. Motorcycling is ALL ABOUT harnessing the physical laws to work for you harmoniously...that's why it FEELS so good when it's done right.
Anything by Nick Ienatsch, including this book:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/189...73564?n=283155
Anything Reg Pridmore has to say:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/188...73564?n=283155
I did not include Keith Code's books, in that some of the info is a bit dated, a few things are just wrong, and they are not easy to understand for a newcomer.
As well, you may want to check out these links:
http://www.sportrider.com/ride/RSS/1..._braking_tips/
http://www.datacraftsystems.co.uk/te...chniques_left/
It's up to YOU, the rider, to become knowledgable. You'll have more fun if you know not just the how but the why; you'll make fewer mistakes, and be able to judge and analyze your own riding better......which makes it "click" for you faster and more frequently....and makes it fun, faster and safer.
I've seen the question over and over again...."when is this gonna feel natural for me?". I don't know; how much effort do you want to put into it?
Welcome to a whole new world.
Ride with you soon.