A little bit mad ?

[21QUEST]

Is it normal to actually enjoy the rain this much :lol: . I've always said I don't mind the rain and quite enjoy riding in it but maybe I enjoy it too much.

Coming back from work today it started to rain. A few seconds after the initial 'typical, it rains after being dry all day' I sense myself grinning. The realisation hit me that I was actually relishing the prospect of having a good time in the wet :?

In fact I sometimes think I'm faster in the wet than in the dry all thing being equal. This does really mean I'm taking foolish risk but I just still seem able to find loads of grip :? . I am actually much smoother but motoring. The fact that I know there is less margin for error I guess focuses your mind but I enjoy flirting with line dividing traction and not so much traction if you will(whilst keeping the odds firmly on my side). I have to say again I know I probably sound like a fruit cake :lol: but believe me, that's not the case :? :-k .

Now we all have a bit of a play with cars from time to time but for me I enjoy the play in the wet better than the dry. The dry just seems a bit less involving but in the wet your are putting a bit more work/thought into it what the right hand is doing, putting the power down with a bit more finesse.

In the wet it like- A little bit more , don't rush it and slowing you are inching away whilst getting the bike upright. Then you get to the stage where you can feed it a bit more aggressively(still not as much in the dry mind) and away you go smiling to yourself. I've been known to grin at the driver as I slowly inch away :roll: :lol:

I've had other riders go 'bleeding heck' and I've shrug my shoulders as I actually could have been going faster but then I would be taking risks. Even white lines, drain covers etc are not some much a problem if you are totally relaxed and hold a neutral throttle whilst going over them(best is to avoid of course). A little wiggle and you carry on.

Anyone else actually look forward that much to playing with the rain fairies :twisted: :wink:



Cheers
Ben

[Apophes]

"Knock" "Knock"


Could that be the men in the white coats calling for you

:roll: :roll: :roll:

[Warren]

i know what you mean,

all weather riding here,
i really enjoy it when going for a long ride, sunny as hell, start sweating and getting too hot,

then it opens up, a traditional engilsh downpour,

and i enjoy finding that sacred line on the M25 between lorries where you dont get showered in crud there flinging up from their tyres.

[Demonz]

I'm with you on that. I enjoy riding in the wet as well. I get a kick out of cornering smoothly - staying off the breaks and letting the engine revs take me in and the gentle power back out - all the while keeping the bike steady. Wet roads add a little challenge which and a different dimension to fast speed dry roads.

I hate the cold though. Wet is ok - wet and cold no way.

[21QUEST]

"Knock" "Knock"


Could that be the men in the white coats calling for you

:roll: :roll: :roll:


:) get knocks on the door all the time. Depending on my mood I may tell them to feck off or just ignore. One doesn't have to answer the door. :wink:

I do understand why you would say that though as you are maybe one of many who quake at the thought of rain but that's just that.


Gmonsta, Warren. Yes, that's what I'm talking about.

Wet roads add a little challenge which and a different dimension to fast speed dry roads.

Yep 8)

I hate the cold though. Wet is ok - wet and cold no way.

:roll: pussey :lol: :wink: . Agree wet + cold I'm not much of a fan of.


Cheers
Ben

[Sid Squid]

No, you're not loopy*, I like riding in the rain too, it forces you to be smooth and when you're good at that it improves your riding everywhere. And it's just fun to slither around and have a giggle in the rain.

* Well, you might be, but this doesn't prove it one way or the other.

[gcop]

I ride all year round and I can't say I enjoy riding in the rain. Less grip and less margin for error. I also find I don't have the confidence to lean the bike as much. I don't lean it as much because wet roads can mean a loss of grip at an unexpected moment and I don't want this to happen whilst banked over.

If you enjoy riding in the rain then good luck to you. Go for it and when you fall off be sure to post back here. Be interested to hear how much you enjoy it then. :)

[DanAbnormal]

I used to hate it but I now love it when it really pelts it down. The pathetic drizzly stuff is just annoying but the proper thunder rain is awesome. Cornering can be a bit scary, especially when the front goes a bit but then I guess I should not be getting my kneedown either........! The way I see it, with your kneedown the bike is more upright. :wink:

[Apophes]

nah rain dont bother me average 12k a year on bike
even snow dont stop me as long as its not to deep
just dont like / enjoy riding in it thats all :):):):)

[Demonz]

I ride all year round and I can't say I enjoy riding in the rain. Less grip and less margin for error. I also find I don't have the confidence to lean the bike as much. I don't lean it as much because wet roads can mean a loss of grip at an unexpected moment and I don't want this to happen whilst banked over.

If you enjoy riding in the rain then good luck to you. Go for it and when you fall off be sure to post back here. Be interested to hear how much you enjoy it then. :)


Each to there own - I'm a weekend rider so I dont mind riding if its wet (or dry). A riding pass is a pass in my life - gotta make the most of it when its granted by the boss :lol: I can imagine commuting daily one would get sick of riding in the rain or cold.

I dont like falling off though :cry: I agree there is less grip - but I think the margin for error is the same. A margin is made by the rider. e.g. I can decide to ride slower and reduce the margin for error.

When its dry I reckon my margin for error is similar to when its wet - because I ride faster and harder. Therefore the margin for falling off is probably the same as when its dry. Tis my theory anyway :wink:

[jonboy99]

I just find riding in the wet dull - can't lean the bike anywhere near as much as you never know when there's a really slippy bit on a corner, can't brake as hard so just end up tootling about. Smooth is what I love, but have to combine it with some decent speed.

[suicidesam]

Dont jump at the chance to go out in the rain if i dont have to, but use the bike for work so I'm riding in it more often now. With the wet weather miles stacking up the confidence grows in the bike... its quite a laugh to pass someone in a car with the back wheel spinning :shock:
Got a fright the first time i done it.. not planning on making it a habbit though :wink: :lol:

[vulcan666]

Can't say I really like rain riding, mostly because the cagers are that bit more dangerous. I sure as heck go slower and watch even more carefully.

Put it this way, if you find you can go faster in the rain, you're really being conservative in the dry. :)

[hovis]

i got cought out in a storm this afternoon.......it was super
i couldnt see too well but i liked it all the same :shock:

[Stig]

No, you're not loopy*, I like riding in the rain too, it forces you to be smooth and when you're good at that it improves your riding everywhere. And it's just fun to slither around and have a giggle in the rain.

* Well, you might be, but this doesn't prove it one way or the other.

Agreed, on all counts. I used to hate riding in the rain. I now like it. I've found out that the bike will lean far more than I would have thought. And it's cool when you feel the back end sliding around on the power out of corners. For me, it's far easier to control the slide than when it happens in the dry. I still get a bit of a twitch when both tyres slide on a bend, but am getting used to it. :lol:

I'm also nowhere near as twitchy when riding over manhole covers and bits of road crap on the bends in the dry. I know the tyres will grip again so long as I don't do anything stupid.

[Razor]

I got caught in a storm today, leather jacket and jeans so got soaked through.
I had to filter for about 2 miles to get home and actually got off the motorway early to take in some of my fave local road. I figured I was already wet so another 30 minutes wouldn't change anything.

Makes you appreciate the dry days tho don't it?

[philipMac]

The thing I dont like about the rain is reduced vision.
I find I have to leave the visor open sometimes when i am not moving too fast, cause of all the drops, and then snap it closed when i speed up.
And then in the bits in between i am squinting like a lunatic.

Rain is fun though. But... I just dropped my yoke when a NYC taxi pulled straight in front of me, I touched the brake a bit hard, front locked, and I was turning, so I ended up sliding at an angle. I thought I could get it back, but there was a truck spilling over into my lane, and I clipped the side, and I got knocked down.

At that point though I the bike was almost stoped. So... shrug, not such massive rain fan right now.

Oh, by the way, Nates Motosliders... golden.