First Ryde In The Rain, Front A Little Slippery

[mark4Jesus]

This morning while taking my RTL for the 9300 mile service I found the only rain storm in East Tennessee! Wasn’t bad at first, but finally got bad enough I stopped under an overpass and put on my rain gear. It was coming down hard and I was on I-75. Found out that when I I got above 50 the fronts (Federal Evos) wanted to hydroplane. They were on it when I got it and look pretty new, lots of tread to go. Traction was fine until it got really heavy. Not sure any tire would have done much better in that. Other than that very happy with the ride in the rain.

What have others experienced with fronts in heavy rain?

(P.S. Doing this on my phone, hope it comes out understandable!

 

[Saluda]

Post showed fine. Stock tires on my Spyder. Heavy rain a few times, speeds were up there. No problems experienced. There are different levels of heavy rain though.

 

[Flamewinger]

Curious what psi you have in the tires? The Kenda’s should have between 18-20 ish. Maybe too high a pressure makes the tires harder and not ride so well in certain conditions.

 

[MNBK]

Stock tyres on my 2016 F3T and rode about 450 miles in medium to frog drowning rain at freeway speeds and no issues.

 

[gkamer]

Not to mention

There are different levels of heavy rain though.

Not to mention different definitions.

 

[mark4Jesus]

Curious what psi you have in the tires? The Kendra’s should have between 18-20 ish. Maybe too high a pressure makes the tires harder and not ride so well in certain conditions.

Set them to 16 yesterday. Manual said 15 +/- 2. Would it be different since they are Evo’s?

 

[mark4Jesus]

Not to mention different definitions.

True! Lots of water was coming out from under the sides of the fenders.

 

[SpyderAnn01]

What rear tire do you have?

 

[mark4Jesus]

What rear tire do you have?

Kenda with 9k on it. Close to replacement. I have been trying to decide if it was the rear, but don’t think there was any fish tailing. Just felt and looked like the front moved. Have 28psi in the rear.

 

[SpyderAnn01]

Kenda with 9k on it. Close to replacement. I have been trying to decide if it was the rear, but don’t think there was any fish tailing. Just felt and looked like the front moved. Have 28psi in the rear.

Hmmm, I usually felt that the hydroplaning was caused by my rear tire. I had the Evo with a Kumho on the rear and that was not a good combination on wet roads. I run the Federal Firmoza with a General Altimax and don’t have hydroplaning issues, unless there is a lot of standing water-then it doesn’t matter what you’ve got for tires.

 

[mark4Jesus]

Hmmm, I usually felt that the hydroplaning was caused by my rear tire. I had the Evo with a Kumho on the rear and that was not a good combination on wet roads. I run the Federal Firmoza with a General Altimax and don’t have hydroplaning issues, unless there is a lot of standing water-then it doesn’t matter what you’ve got for tires.

Was surprised, I would have thought the rear would before the fronts. While I was waiting on mine, looked at the fronts on the new ‘18’s and they looked like they would be better at moving water than the Evo. There was a lot of water on the road, probably some standing. Two hour ride home now. If I hit rain again we will see. Looks clear now.

 

[Bob Denman]

 

[ARtraveler]

I have also experienced hydroplaning when going through water at over 50 mph. After "nanny" saved my bacon twice, I figured out not to go to fast on roads covered with water.

I run OEM Kendas.

The manuals (2011 & 2014) have a statement about hydroplaning somewhere. BRP did the usual CYA.

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

HYDROPLANING

#1..... ALL tires will Hydro-plane at some speed :yikes: .......... #2. you want to delay that as much as possible, so decrease the PSI's ( in a car tire ) to 14 ..... yes you can safely do this ..... #3. what a tire looks like is really meaningless ...( except for DOT legal race day tires - or if they are bald :gaah:..... #4.... the weight bias front to rear ( if not exaggerated ) is not as important as over-all vehicle weight, this is for mostly straight line running ( tight curves change things ) ...... #5.... as Ann pointed out - it's possible it was the rear tire that Hydro-planed. ................. Spyders are probably more likely to Hydro-plane sooner than a two wheel Mtc. when the roads are wet ..... Braking not accounted for ..... Hopes this helps ..... Mike :thumbup:

 

[crazycanuck]

View attachment 161273

one time riding home from Colorado there was lightening on both sides of the freeway with no overpasses or exits in site; finally after about 20 miles of this nonsense I see a exit and a motel 6, i literally had to dive in to the front door nojoke:banghead:

 

[RapidSpyder]

one time riding home from Colorado there was lightening on both sides of the freeway with no overpasses or exits in site; finally after about 20 miles of this nonsense I see a exit and a motel 6, i literally had to dive in to the front door nojoke:banghead:

That would make for a little bit of a pucker factor.

 

[Chupaca]

Agree

:agree: especially on the tire pressure as you have much stiffer sidewalls on the car tires. But it seems you did quite well in the downpour :clap:

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

T

What have others experienced with fronts in heavy rain?

Hydroplaning!!!

 

[Bfromla]

Know my rear has on crappy Louisiana black top in the ruts around 55-64mph only time nanny has appeared, stock tire over pressure & simi bald was replaced shortly there after (16k m) no problem with fronts (also stock) except for dodging roadkill first the few thousand miles thankfully. Up to 44k m now might need a rear tire mid season:dontknow: Ryde it till I do, it's doing ok.

 

[mark4Jesus]

I have also experienced hydroplaning when going through water at over 50 mph. After "nanny" saved my bacon twice, I figured out not to go to fast on roads covered with water.

I run OEM Kendas.

The manuals (2011 & 2014) have a statement about hydroplaning somewhere. BRP did the usual CYA.

Was it on the fronts or rear?