How To Ride In The Rain And Wind

It's safe to say that not a lot of men are too willing to give up riding their motorcycles even when it's raining outside. However, sometimes they have no choice but to do this. On the other hand, it's entirely possible to actually ride while it's raining and windy, though this depends on the rider's amount of preparation, skill, experience, and risk tolerance. As long as bikers are willing to give it a try, riding in the rain can be an entirely new set of skills - all they need to do is view this task as another challenge and eventually, it's something they'll start to enjoy doing.

Covering Up

Wearing a full-face helmet is something that many bikers will agree is necessary on a rainy day. Not only will this prevent the wind from blowing things into your face, but it will also prevent stinging raindrops from hitting you in the face as well. In addition to the helmet, it's also important to have suitable clothing prepared, such as a rain suit, which works well for rain that is lighter. The rain gear that you wear should be able to fight off the winds that want to flow both in and around the suit itself. Be sure to also wear a base layer that insulates when it gets wet, which will help you stay more comfortable and remain concentrated while riding.

Vision/Visibility

While riding in the rain, it's no secret that one of the big issues is not being able to see much due to raindrops falling onto the helmet shield, as well as fog building up inside it. Since you will obviously not be able to use windshield wipers, you can instead use a product such as Rain-X on the outside of the shield, while you can also use anti-fog on the inside of it. It's also a good idea to wear lenswear that is either orange or yellow, as this will help you to see things more clearly. Furthermore, when riding, consider wearing a color that is of a high visibility, which will help other drivers easily identify you.

Traction

Bikers are well aware of the fact that wet roads can be extremely dangerous to ride on. The most common sense thing to do is to lower your speed and move as carefully as possible, as well as making sure that you keep yourself relaxed. Smoothly accelerate and use your brakes on a progressive basis. Also, instead of using ordinary tires on your motorcycle, consider using rain-oriented street tires, as these have more sipes and are safer on wet roads.

Wind

Whenever it rains outside, your motorcycle will act as a sort of sail in the wind, especially if the bike is lighter in weight. If you lean into a crosswind, be sure to stay as upright as possible. Experienced riders are aware of the fact that riding parallel with other cars or larger-sized vehicles can block more extreme crosswinds. If you choose to do this, do your best not to block the other driver's blind spot.

These are just a few of the select tips that you should make note of if you wish to try riding in the rain. However, if you are ever in a situation that you feel is unsafe to handle, relax yourself and pull over to the side of the road until conditions improve.