Tips for ryding in the rain?

[nealperkins]

OK you road warriors, what tips do you have for distance ryding in the rain? Say for visibility, comfort, or whatever. I saw that LaMont got back from a 4000-mile trip and he said, “...mostly in the rain”. So, what are the lessons learned? Who's the first to suggest 'stay home'...

[Bob Denman]

1. SLOW DOWN!
(that's enough for the yelling...)
2. wear the highest-quality raingear that you can.
When you're sitting in soaking wet underwear: it's tough to remember all of the money that you saved...
3. Look over your windshield: not through it.
Your visor (or goggles) will be wet anyway, so there's no need to also look through a wet windshield also.
4. Use the airflow to clean your visor.
Tip your head to the left or right, and the wind will blow the rain off!
5. Be lit up like a Christmas Tree!
Visibility can save your life!

[JayBros]

Bob's five are all important keepers. I would add after slowing down #1A, Substantially Increase Your Following Distance. You could also consider using Rain-X Plastic Water Repellent on your windshield and face shield. It will cause the water to bead up and the wind will blow it off.

[Tango]

Bob left out, put in a trailer. You youngins can ride in the rain. Tom

[ARtraveler]

Posts 2 & 3 have it well put. Have had a few of those 4 hour plus episodes and all of the above surely come into play. We rode because we had to. No park it until it stops was possible.

[Bob Denman]

But Tom: riding in the rain saves all kinds of time that is normally spent in the shower...

[Trailboss]

I've found the minute you pull over and put on all your rain gear, it stops raining.

[Lew L]

Just a little tip------ In a really hard rain put the hood of the rain gear jacket UNDER your helmet. Zero water down your neck. The does a surprisingly good job of keep the rain off you at speed. We came though a Utah downpour with just the jackets on and our jeans never got wet and boots stayed dry.

Kaos

[asp125]

Put on your rain gear BEFORE it starts raining. Unless you like damp clothes under your rainsuit ... like a portable sauna.

[Copperman]

Put on your rain gear BEFORE it starts raining. Unless you like damp clothes under your rainsuit ... like a portable sauna.

That's very good advice. The minute it looks like it even might rain, put them on. Better yet, if you're going to be on the road for a while and you know you're going to hit rain, just wear them. This way there's no lost time stopping to put them on (and maybe getting soaked in the process).

My wife and returned from Quebec last Sunday. We were on the road for 14 days (3400 miles) and it rained for 12 of them. We wore our rain gear everyday but two. And one of those days we got rained on after we stopped at a McD's for food and to find lodging. It looked like rain but we thought we could make it four miles to the hotel. No way! We got soaked.

Don't be afraid to ride in the rain. These Spyders are very rain friendly. Wear your rain gear, slow down a little and enjoy it.

[Trailboss]

I'm taking the rider course first week of July. I want to see what the 2018's have before deciding. Nice to hear that Spyders handle the rain well.

[Tango]

But Tom: riding in the rain saves all kinds of time that is normally spent in the shower...

I have ridden in storms that would drown a fish. Ridden in storms I had no business riding in them. We have all been there doing what had to be done. I'm old. And get cranky when wet. I'll ride in the truck knowing Mushu is safe in the trailer. Tom

[Tango]

Just a little tip------ In a really hard rain put the hood of the rain gear jacket UNDER your helmet. Zero water down your neck. The does a surprisingly good job of keep the rain off you at speed. We came though a Utah downpour with just the jackets on and our jeans never got wet and boots stayed dry.

Kaos

Just bought a Can Am riding jacket that has a waterproof hood in the collar. Hope it never has to be used. But it is there and ready. Tom

[JayBros]

Just bought a Can Am riding jacket that has a waterproof hood in the collar. Hope it never has to be used. But it is there and ready. Tom

My Firstgear Kilimanjaro jacket has a similar hood. Returning from Spyderfest 2016 going over Black Mountain on I-40 I got caught in an absolute frog strangler, bad as any Vietnam monsoon, and had no place to stop and pull on the hood. Keeping the jacket collar closed tightly helped a great bit and the wind blowing over my helmet helped in keeping me from getting a ton of water down my neck.

[SilverFox1]

Just bought a Can Am riding jacket that has a waterproof hood in the collar. Hope it never has to be used. But it is there and ready. Tom


Tom, just a little bit of advice if I may. That's a very well made rain suit you just bought. Wife and I have the same. The little hood that goes under your helmet is fantastic and really works. But only if you can find it when rain is eminent and you are in a rush. It's happened to us several times. LOL.

SilverFox

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Bob's five are all important keepers. I would add after slowing down #1A, Substantially Increase Your Following Distance. You could also consider using Rain-X Plastic Water Repellent on your windshield and face shield. It will cause the water to bead up and the wind will blow it off.

..... Make sure the RAIN-X ......is for PLASTIC ... it's a completely different formula ..... and put it on both sides of windshield and Face shield if you use one .... it helps with preventing FOGGING .......Mike

[nealperkins]

..... Make sure the RAIN-X ......is for PLASTIC ... it's a completely different formula ..... and put it on both sides of windshield and Face shield if you use one .... it helps with preventing FOGGING .......Mike

Does F4 recommend this product on their windshields?

[Roadster Renovations]

Very good lists, everyone!
Another thing to be aware of is hydroplaning. If you hit deep enough water fast enough, it will happen. DO NOTHING! Slightly back off the throttle and let the nanny do her job until you regain control. That has saved my bacon several times.

[Joerolwing]

OK you road warriors, what tips do you have for distance ryding in the rain? Say for visibility, comfort, or whatever. I saw that LaMont got back from a 4000-mile trip and he said, “...mostly in the rain”. So, what are the lessons learned? Who's the first to suggest 'stay home'...

I try to stay off Interstates also, you don't get a lot of protection from truck overspray.

[loisk]

One more thing - take more short breaks - riding in the rain, especially on challenging roads or in traffic, is high concentration stuff.

[Roadster Renovations]

Couple of years ago took the wife to Michigan for her birthday. We were able to dodge some of the rain in the area, until we got lost with the GPS. While finding our way back on a frontage road we hit 15" of standing water at about 20 mph! Not only did we get immediately soaked, but the water was projected above us from the frunk and windshield, so about 1 1/2 seconds later 10-15 gallons of water landed right on us both. We looked at each and busted out laughing.
So, moral is to be careful, but keep you sense of humor if possible.
We rode our clothes dry and it turned out be a really great day. And we will always remember the waterfall above us!!

[Tango]

Just bought a Can Am riding jacket that has a waterproof hood in the collar. Hope it never has to be used. But it is there and ready. Tom


Tom, just a little bit of advice if I may. That's a very well made rain suit you just bought. Wife and I have the same. The little hood that goes under your helmet is fantastic and really works. But only if you can find it when rain is eminent and you are in a rush. It's happened to us several times. LOL.

SilverFox

I hear you. Only way it will work. And it's just the jacket, lots of vents, removable liner. They had a rack of them at the homecoming sale. Originally $770, marked down 70% off. I got the last one. Girl working the event said they went like hotcakes. And were gone in 4 hours. Tom

[SPYD1]

Watch the weather reports. Maybe you could adjust your timing to avoid some of the rain or severe weather. I agree with avoiding interstates. The big rigs passing you are blinding you with water. I don't have them but I bet those Baker air wings would be helpful for your passenger.

[Peter Aawen]

I ryde in the rain... often!! I don't specifically go out seeking it, but I certainly don't avoid it or not ryde cos it's wet. There may even be the odd occasion when I DO ryde just cos it's wet!! And here in Aust, the country widely described as 'a land of droughts & flooding rain', just ryding in the rain to the next big city or into the next State means it's often gonna be a loooong WET ryde! As a result, ryding 18 hours or so in the rain or doing a thousand kms or more in a day of solid rain (ie, down-pour type frog drowning duck swamping RAIN!) is probably something that I do at least a few times a year; with numerous shorter, less soaking stints thrown in for good measure!! So all that said, I hafta agree with the first couple of replies as well as those that recommend slowing down a tad, putting the rain hood on under your helmet, & leaving yourself more space ahead - saaay twice the normal space between you & the vehicle in front (& behind if you can too!)

But I'd also add a pair of rain booties to keep your boots dry (tuck their tops under the rain trouser legs so rain doesn't run down the trousers & into your booties) and strongly recommend that you drop 1 or 2psi off your normal tire pressures, which will markedly reduce the likelihood of hydroplaning & increase your traction & braking ability significantly in the wet too; generally without any impact on anything else; after all, you are going a little slower due to the rain anyway, aren't you?!

On top of that, if you've got an RT, then fitting one of the Rivco trunk mounted extendable racks will work WONDERS at keeping the rain off your back &/or not down your pillion passengers' neck!! The horizontal deck on top of the trunk acts as a 'whale tail spoiler' & keeps the tubulence behind the Spyder DOWN & below the back of the Spyder. Even if you aren't carrying anything on it, the effect is still there & protects you well, but it can be improved a bit more by carrying something or even just putting a flat 'anything' on the rack deck - I use a piece of 1/8th marine ply cut to size if I don't have anything else (like the BRP half cover - btw, open the 2 back/side seams fm the lid opening to the antenna holes, re-hem, & add a strip of elastic to the tail & it still fits & works well!) strapped onto it. My regular pillion passenger loves the improvement it's made to keeping her back dry, & I gotta say I appreciate it too!

That's all for now, I'm going ryding - it's Sunday here & I'm meeting some others a couple of hours away for lunch & an afternoon ryde... oh yeah, it is raining too, but the 'high wind' & 'flooding in low-lying area' warnings from BoM are for late evening, so we're good!

[WA5VHU]

We use MyRadar on our phones to see where the weather is. Almost live radar for your local area, zooms out to nationwide.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d....myradar&hl=en for Android.