Hate getting wet? Then don’t ride a motorcycle!
Just got back from one of the local bike nights with some friends. The ride into the event was non-eventful and pleasant. The ride back though, involved large amounts of that “liquid sunshine” you hear so much about in FLA. After drying off, this experience got me thinking about all those times we as riders get caught out unexpectedly in a rain shower. Clouds move in quickly and what looks like a pleasant ride, suddenly turns into a challenging ride. Since we live in Florida….during the summer it’s going to rain!! Period. It’s like clockwork. So what do we do? Do we ride or not ride? Here are some things to remember when you’ve decided to dodge the drops.
Gear - Oh, yeah, like us chopper guys are going to have a handy set of slickers around to throw on. But if your riding a bagger, crotch rocket or cruiser, trike, etc, then this can be helpful. Chopper guys….remember, ya got to look cool, even if your wet! So either stay at home or wear cool leathers! For the rest of you invest in some all weather riding gear including waterproof boots! The minimum investment you should have on hand when it comes to rain gear is waterproof gloves that fasten securely around your wrist. Not only do gloves keep your hands dry during a rainstorm, but they’ll also help keep them warm too. Another option is purchasing a rain suit to wear over your leathers if you don’t have all weather gear. Waterproof your boots prior to riding in the rain as an extra precaution.
Tires - Diehard bikers, if you haven’t worn out the tread on those puppies, get some new ones quick. Tires with a good tread pattern on them are the safest type to use when it’s raining. This is because, there’s more rubber to grip the slippery road. Still, even with decent tread on the tires, pushing your two-wheeler to the limits in the rain, be it a drizzle or a downpour, is not advised unless you want to hydroplane or worse yet, lay your bike down in front of oncoming traffic or God forbid, the neighbors kids. 
Wait - So what’s the rush? Not like your the head economics decision maker for the nation and the President needs you in DC immediately! Just remember, oil and grease on the road tends to loosen up and sit on the surface during the start of the rain, so allow a solid 15 minutes or so for cars to splash the excess muck off onto the side of the street. Otherwise, you’re just asking for trouble!
Avoidances - Along with those slow walking pedestrians, dogs and random fire hydrants, steer clear of the painted lines on streets and highways and be careful around manhole covers and railroad tracks because they all become extremely slick when wet. Common sense (which i’m told some have) should encourage you to ride in the path of the tire trails left by vehicles in front of you since it will be the area on the road with the least amount of water on it. Regarding manholes and RR tracks…avoid them if at all possible, but if you must cross over them, heed with caution, keeping a steady throttle.
Visor Care - That is, if you wear a helmet! Since we live in FLA, helmets are optional. But so is pulling over and waiting, but thats another discussion. If you are wearing a helmet, remember you can’t see, what you can’t see! So to help eliminate rain from building up on your visor and impairing your vision, you should apply something that helps the rain bead up and roll off easily (such as Rain-X). Remember, your visor may also become foggy while riding and there are products on the market to help prevent that. But, just cracking your visor open a bit every now and again will help quickly eliminate this problem.
It’s been reported that motorcycle riders generally avoid riding in the rain at all costs (that’s what i’ve been told by reliable sources), however, there is still that rare occasion that may sneak up on you and leave you in a compromising situation. Be prepared and alert so that you’ll still be around to ride on future dry weather days as well! Your family and friends will appreciate the extra caution and preparation.
