Novice in the rain

Total novice due to get SV back from garage tomorrow. Keen to ride as haven't touched it since test pass on July 14th. Weather forecast = heavy rain for the next 4 days. Ride or wait for dry weather?

ride it,just take it easy avoid the usual stuff(white lines /overbanding etc)and watch the engine braking ,dont go down 2 gears and let the clutch out fast it'll let you know how sticky i.e dry roads can b and vice versa .take it easy

Yup, get out there! You don't want to become one of them fair weather bikers this early in your career!
As jim said watch out for white lines and also manhole covers - both can be very slippy if you're turning and/or accelerating/braking.
Go out and get wet!

Originally Posted by Nekkid

Yup, get out there! You don't want to become one of them fair weather bikers this early in your career!
As jim said watch out for white lines and also manhole covers - both can be very slippy if you're turning and/or accelerating/braking.
Go out and get wet!

Accelerating and braking across slippy stuff isnt a problem if you're going straight. Its the corners that'll catch you.

I was in the same situation last november. Had passed my test a month or two before getting the sv. Picked it up from the dealer and had a long wet, rainy ride home. I think that was one of the best confidence boosters possible.

Watch the lines and give your self all the space possible.

Good luck......

Of course if you hit diesel you are going down....

I didn't worry when I had an old CD175 and commuted all year round but nowadays my bikes are too expensive to insure and I can't fix them with scrap heap parts so I avoid the rain.

Plus I like them to stay clean and shiny so I am a fair weather rider.

Wait mate.

P.S. I assume the bike isn't brand new with brand new tyres? If it is then definitely stay out of the rain.

Toypop speaks words of wisdom

Being a self-confessed fair weather rider who's ended up riding in a lot of rain I'd say wait if your a total novice. Get a feel of things in the dry, get confy with the bike. THEN go out when its a little wet, and slow everything down and take more time especially with breaking and keep the throttle gentle.
Avoid stops on the white paint and metal, and heavy handed acceleration of the same. Same on wet bends.

You will very soon get used to it. When learning theres always a few freaky moments in the wet, but after a bit you realsie they happen.

And like Toypop says watch for oily stuff.

No shame in keeping dry. Just dont be afraid of the wet or get in a mindset where you worry too much about the wet. That would be the argument for getting stuck in. But for a total novice on an SV I'd say treat yourself to some dry miles first.

Originally Posted by Toypop

P.S. I assume the bike isn't brand new with brand new tyres? If it is then definitely stay out of the rain.

Nothing wrong with that so long as you're careful. Types will scrub in enough after a hundred miles or so, brakes at 150ish. If it is brand new, you'll be wearing the engine in and staying below 5,500rpm anyway.

T'is the way I did it, after a few days at 5,500 you get a bit bored, but it's well worth the wait. Esp as I know I'll probably be keeping the engine for most (if not all) of it's sane working life (120k+ miles). If the engine lasts longer than that, I'll be extremely chuffed.

End of the day, it's your ride, and your skin/bones. If you have trouble sleeping at night because you're just buying the bike (like me), then get some decent wet weather gear & get yourself out. If you're not that excited, it can wait, can't it? If you do find yourself singing in the rain, do as posted above, and ride safe

Edit: P.S. Due to my commute (namely the distance and the fact it's via mountains), I have little choice. I can set off with bright sunshine, get 20mins away from home and be a good few hundred feet higher up, and covered in rain. 5mins later, I can have the sun visor down in my lid. Fair weather? What's fair about it?

Further edit since Dr Rich posted at the same time: I consider myself to be a complete novice, only having spent a short time on a CG125 before the SV. The SV is having it's 600mile service tomorrow. Didn't stop me getting wet (but I have also ridden off-road a fair amount, and have a certain respect for tarmac).

I think I'm just going to ride round Leeds in circles and then if it buckets it down I can nip to the nearest family members' house. Just dying to get out and get familiar with the bike. Not scared of the wet being a downhill mountainbiker.

b.t.w. - it's a 99 curvy so no wearing in the engine, although the brakes and tyre will be new.

To be honest mate the only reason I don't ride in the rain is the cleaning issue. If I had a servant to wash and maintain my bike I'd use it all year round aside from bad icy days.

Riding in the wet is not as dangerous as people make out in terms of crashing on your own although cagers do go into dozy mode..