First ride in Rain today. IT SUCKED!!!

[untdavid]

So it was a nice day today. Thought to myself, "gee its a great time to ride. Lets take the bike to work today". I'm so stupid to not check the weather and get hit with a huge T storm right when I'm leaving for work. The storm was bad enough to sound the tornado sirens, which is bad . I swear that storm came from no where and left as quickly as it came. The down pour put a good 2-3 inches of rain down and the winds were crazy. I pulled over to a gas station and thought I would wait it out. I put the kickstand down and start walking to the store. Huge gust of wind knocks the bike over. It was pouring so hard that I lifted the bike and ran into the store as quick as possible. Once the rain subsided I come out to assess the damage. It chipped the end of my clutch lever, cracked the fairing, broke the left turn signal, bent the shift pedal and my leather jacket is soaked. I couldn't muscle the bent pedal back into place so I rode the bike home soaking wet in first gear. I stop at a intersection and realized my turn signal indicator is constant light and not flashing and see what looked to be smoke coming from around the triple tree. Not only that but a truck at the intersection hosed me some more with water as he passed me by.

My first ride in the rain wouldn't have been so bad if I was prepared for it. I guess lesson learned is CHECK THE WEATHER!!! But now I'm worried about the smoking from around the triple tree Is the reason my turn signal light stays lit, b/c of a short? And my leather jacket and gloves smell and look like ass. Anyone have suggestions on how to repair the leather? Google tells me to get some conditioner and apply it before it drys out.

Btw my wife thinks I'm crazy for riding in that weather, but somehow I came home with a smurk on my face. She asked me why I looked so happy instead of pissed. I told her, because even though it all sucked, I learned something new and now I have a reason to upgrade the bike

David

[Syphen]

Wow! The wind actually blew your bike over!? I've never seen or heard of that happening before. Was it parked on a hill/slope?

Riding in the rain isn't bad as long as its warm out and your dressed for the occasion. When its cold AND raining out, I prefer to take the car.

[untdavid]

Maybe it was on a hill, but seriously though the wind was out of control. Don't know if a tornado touched down somewhere, because of the tornado sirens but it felt like hurricane winds. I had a hard time walking to the store when I hoped off the bike.

I'm alittle concerned about the smoking and the shifter. I got it home and bent out the shift pedal, but I'm having a hard time getting it into first now. What is up with that?

David

[wayanlam]

the blinker wont blink if one of the 2 lights are broken, that's why the remaning light just stays on. its a way for the bike to let you know that theres a problem with one of the blinkers :P

regarding the other damage... hard to tell, try taking the farings off, use the occasion to maybe glue the cracked faring together from the inside so you dont risk it getting worse, see if any thing is noticeably bent under the faring.

might pay to take the shift pedal off completely, to straighten her up rather than pulling or hammering on it while its still on the bike. bent clutch handle is easily remedied with a new one. don't try to bend that back, they often snap... since its a rather brittle alu. if you can still use the leaver leave it as it is till you get it replaced. better than having half a leaver, lol

[Alex]

Sucks about the wind blowing it over! I had the same thing happen to my RT. It was sitting there on its sidestand, and while we were talking a huge gust blew it over from the left all the way to slam down on the right side. 570+ lb bike! Would never have believed it if I hadn't seen it myself.

[komohana]

Originally Posted by untdavid

Btw my wife thinks I'm crazy for riding in that weather, but somehow I came home with a smurk on my face. She asked me why I looked so happy instead of pissed. I told her, because even though it all sucked, I learned something new and now I have a reason to upgrade the bike

ahh..finds a ray of sunshine in darkest hours
bummz yer bike got damaged, but your smurk and attitude are weenerz david

aloha

[addy126]

The gusts in Dallas were 60 to 70 mph. I was hiding in a car wash with my Wrangler and dogs to avoid falling trees where I live and the forecast of hail in the fast moving storm. It was one of those fast and brutal cold fronts hitting our humid air...... Its not your fault David, they didn't broadcast that in Dallas until late afternoon.... I made it to the wash in 7 minutes just before it hit. I took my bike to my service guy this morn.... so I didnt have to worry about it outside this afternoon, thank god. Sorry yours took a hit like that.... next time you must look for a windbreak (building, car, structure of sorts) and angle your bike in such a way that it deflects the wind and not catch it.....

[Hedge36]

A little water never hurt anybody



The brushes will definitely kick your butt, though.

[untdavid]

Does riding in the rain hurt anything on the bike? I came home and dried the bike off...

David

[revstriker]

I had the pleasure of experiencing the same kind of ride. Riding up 121 in a down pour with huge wind gusts. I was leaning the bike way over just to keep in in my lane. Not a fun ride.

I was home today and was just about to leave the house on the bike to run an errand. I could see the dark clouds moving in and opted for the car instead. Glad I did.

[Hedge36]

Originally Posted by untdavid

Does riding in the rain hurt anything on the bike? I came home and dried the bike off...

David

Assuming all the connections are good, likely not. The typical problem is water running down the key and into the ignition switch during an extended wet run... that can be fun to troubleshoot.

[sombo]

I also had a downpour ride a couple weeks back.

I was on my way home from work and could see the storms moving in. I was hoping to beat them home. I was about half way home when *drip, drip, drip*..... "uhoh" I thought. As I go over an overpass I can see the rain coming down so hard it's making a slight haze.

*"oh crap"*

If that wasn't bad enough the wind had picked up something fierce. So here I am on the highway getting slammed by the wind whipping back and forth and getting soaked by the rain. Finally made it to a quick gas station to wait out the rest of the storm. Went inside and squeezed the water out of my gloves and socks. Not a pleasant moment in riding lol.

[minuslars]

I've loved riding in downpours when I got caught in it, though I didn't purposely go out intending to. Wet, yes. Dangerous, yes. Fun - YES.

Shouldn't hurt the bike, you just need to make sure to dry and lube the chain and stuff again at the earliest opportunity and spray more silicone lubricant / grease on stuff like the axle bolts, ignition, and the various screws and such on the engine. That's my little paranoid ritual, anyways.

http://www.break.com/usercontent/200...sh-433176.html

[CC Cowboy]

Riding inthe rain isn't that bad. Having to clean the bike after sux. It gets dirty everywhere.

[tjkamper]

Nothing wrong with riding in the rain. Wash it afterwards and lub the chain. And treat yourself to a nice warm drink when you get to your destination.

[CodE-E]

I've noticed a funny smell coming somewhere from the front of my bike when I rode for about an hour on a very rainy day. Dunno what it was, but it smelled lightly of burnt plastic. The steam was probably just water evaporating on the hot parts of the bike, but that alone doesn't explain the smell. :/

[TrueFaith]

Originally Posted by CC Cowboy

Riding inthe rain isn't that bad. Having to clean the bike after sux. It gets dirty everywhere.

I used to ride my bike to work in the rain all the time and that road grit gets in everywhere. Rinsing it off with a hose doesn't get it off or out of every nook & cranny. The chain especially picks it up like a magnet. It's such a bitch to get off I now avoid riding in the rain whenever possible.

[Hedge36]

Originally Posted by TrueFaith

I used to ride my bike to work in the rain all the time and that road grit gets in everywhere. Rinsing it off with a hose doesn't get it off or out of every nook & cranny. The chain especially picks it up like a magnet. It's such a bitch to get off I now avoid riding in the rain whenever possible.

What're you lubing your chain with? On the dual-sports I use good ol' Chain Wax and a Grunge Brush - excellent lubrication and clean-up is a snap, even in some of the nastiest dirt conditions. Highway grime should really be a piece of cake.

[marsha]

Sorry to hear about your bike getting knocked over in the thunderstorm! Glad you made it home safely, sounds like you kept a great attitude about the whole thing.

[DarkNinja52]

im shocked that the wind knocked the bike over to the left where the kickstand is, i feel like if anything it would have blown the other way, but idk, is that usually the side of the bike that falls in the wind?

Yesterday i was afraid the wind would knock my bike over, 50+mph winds in my area according to the web, but i took the bike to work anyway, its hard to say no to a day that doesnt have rain.

but yea, i learned the hard way to check the weather before i take the bike out, it just wasnt as bad as youre experience, glad you're alive and the bike still runs though. could be worse.

[minuslars]

Originally Posted by CodE-E

I've noticed a funny smell coming somewhere from the front of my bike when I rode for about an hour on a very rainy day. Dunno what it was, but it smelled lightly of burnt plastic. The steam was probably just water evaporating on the hot parts of the bike, but that alone doesn't explain the smell. :/

I've noticed this too, I think water boiling off the engine / pipes is a valid theory for both the steam and smell.

Originally Posted by Hedge36

What're you lubing your chain with? On the dual-sports I use good ol' Chain Wax and a Grunge Brush - excellent lubrication and clean-up is a snap, even in some of the nastiest dirt conditions. Highway grime should really be a piece of cake.

I just lube with some Honda HP White Graphite stuff, and use degreaser when it starts getting real nasty. I may have to look into that wax stuff... I already use it on my mountain bike chain, dunno why I don't on my motorcycle.

[miks]

Decided to revive an old thread instead of making another, I've been riding my 09 bike with 09 tyres for around 5 months or so. I've ridden in the rain quite a few times, but everytime I do my bike always feels as if it is slipping under me around corners. Don't get me wrong, I ride much more carefully when raining but its a bloody scary feeling when the bike feels as if its going to slip right under me. I don't lean as much as I do when I ride in the rain, and I slow down alot.

So my questions are;
Is it me just feeling scared and feeling that the bike is slipping when its not?
And, is there any hints/tips for me for riding in the rain?

[SteveL]

“its a bloody scary feeling when the bike feels as if its going to slip right under me”

If you are on IRC tyres they do not feel good in the wet, don’t seem to get up to temperature, in fact they are not good in the dry either.

Steve

[karlosdajackal]

Originally Posted by SteveL

“its a bloody scary feeling when the bike feels as if its going to slip right under me”

If you are on IRC tyres they do not feel good in the wet, don’t seem to get up to temperature, in fact they are not good in the dry either.

Steve

I respectfully totally disagree based on 3200 miles on IRC's in all weathers.

I also think the OP should tell us what tire pressures he is running, what rear pre-load and how much weight he is carrying on the bike (him/gear/luggage). I think the pressure is too high at the front and the pre-load or pressure is to high at the rear, but Its just guessing without this info.

[SteveL]

“I respectfully totally disagree based on 3200 miles on IRC's in all weathers.”

You may disagree now but when you have ridden on other tyres you will see the difference.

Steve

[miks]

Bit of extra info, tyre pressures should be 30/32, but haven't checked for a week or 2. Pre-load set up is at notch 2, and I weigh roughly 75-78kgs with gear and a backpack.

[karlosdajackal]

Originally Posted by miks

Bit of extra info, tyre pressures should be 30/32, but haven't checked for a week or 2. Pre-load set up is at notch 2, and I weigh roughly 75-78kgs with gear and a backpack.

Book recommend should be 28/32. At 30/32 (which i've tried) the front has no grip in the dry and is lethal in the wet, think we found your issue

Preload sounds about right.

[karlosdajackal]

Originally Posted by SteveL

“I respectfully totally disagree based on 3200 miles on IRC's in all weathers.”

You may disagree now but when you have ridden on other tyres you will see the difference.

Steve

I have, metzlers and dunlops, and still disagree.

[miks]

Cheers Karl, will change my tyre pressures tomorrow.

[demp]

Yeah, I'm paranoid about how I park the bike even when it's not windy... I'm sure there's people staring at me going "Wtf is he doing?" when I'm in a parking lot moving the bike around till it's leaning the right way I don't mind rain so much(as long as it's reasonably warm out), but I hate when it gets really windy, you were in a good mood riding it home in 1st gear? XD I think I'd be very frustrated and upset lol

Originally Posted by CodE-E

I've noticed a funny smell coming somewhere from the front of my bike when I rode for about an hour on a very rainy day. Dunno what it was, but it smelled lightly of burnt plastic. The steam was probably just water evaporating on the hot parts of the bike, but that alone doesn't explain the smell. :/

Yeah mine does that too, not quite a burning plastic smell... but definitely a different one

[ScraitT]

This is just an educated guess based on my years of dirt riding verse my 2-3 times of rain riding and knowing the smell...

Basically it's burning dirt. When riding in the wet, dirty/muddy road water gets thrown up onto the header. Normally, in the dry, any dirt thrown up just makes the engine slightly dusty. In the wet, the water hits the headers, the heat evaporates the water almost instantly, but dirt doesn't evaporate. The dirt clings to the header and burns.

No big deal, nothing you can do about it, doesn't hurt anything. And we are just talking small amounts of road dirt, not caked headers after a ride. The most that will happen is your headers will discolor, darken, and eventually get surface rust if you do a lot of wet riding and don't clean them.

I guess I could be wrong, but it's a pretty distinct smell, so I'm pretty sure thats what it is.

[demp]

Originally Posted by ScraitT

This is just an educated guess based on my years of dirt riding verse my 2-3 times of rain riding and knowing the smell...

Basically it's burning dirt. When riding in the wet, dirty/muddy road water gets thrown up onto the header. Normally, in the dry, any dirt thrown up just makes the engine slightly dusty. In the wet, the water hits the headers, the heat evaporates the water almost instantly, but dirt doesn't evaporate. The dirt clings to the header and burns.

No big deal, nothing you can do about it, doesn't hurt anything. And we are just talking small amounts of road dirt, not caked headers after a ride. The most that will happen is your headers will discolor, darken, and eventually get surface rust if you do a lot of wet riding and don't clean them.

I guess I could be wrong, but it's a pretty distinct smell, so I'm pretty sure thats what it is.

That sounds about right

[Dano]

I hate riding in the rain, I will if I get caught in it and I carry a rainsuit for those occaisions. Everyone should remember the first 15 mins or so after it starts raining is dangerous for a motorcycle, the oil imbeded in the asphalt from cars starts to rise and lay on the surface making it extra slippy, give it some time to wash off before you ride out. On my SV I got caught a couple of times in the rain on the way home from work and since the front cylinder is right out in front the sparkplug would get wet and a I would end up riding a mile or two home on one cylinder as the front would cut out. The remedy was a fender extender but damn did that suck..On my first ninja 250 in the early 90's I got caught in hail, that hurt bad until I could get under a overpass.

[Cedilla]

I don't mind the wet too much as long as its warm, and I'm not going anywhere where I have to be dressed nice or clean.(I usually would not take the bike anyways, due to having helmet hair, and smelling of exhaust fumes.)