Is riding a motorcycle in the rain bad? Riding a motorcycle in the rain is not exactly safe. Besides, it is obvious that the motorcycle gets less traction, and you’d want to avoid some actions like suddenly steering inputs.
Is Riding a Motorcycle in the Rain Bad?
No, it is not bad to ride a motorcycle in the rain. Besides, it is equally dangerous when you ride on dry pavement because one mistake results in a crash.
Overall, riding a motorcycle is more dangerous than staying in your bed, but not as dangerous as Russian Roulette. If you scale the risk between remaining in bed and Russian Roulette, you’d have to determine when it is dangerous. So, it depends on you whether riding a motorcycle is dangerous or not.
It would not be surprising that riding a bike in the rain is potentially deadlier than on a dry road. The common reason is the reduction in tire traction since the road is slippery, poor vision, and other road user’s visibility. Your motorcycle may not have an anti-defogging tool or windscreen wiper, which causes the visor to steam up, thus, poor vision.
If your helmet visor has a pinlock antifog screen, it remains clear while you ride in the rain, preventing steaming. When you clean the visor carefully, drops of rainfall go off almost immediately.
A rain suit is necessary when riding in the rain, and a brighter color – yellow or orange, is preferable to enhance road visibility.
Being an experienced motorcycle rider is a plus when riding in the rain. Moreover, most modern bike tires grip excellently in wet conditions, and ABS brakes keep the wheel from locking. Unfortunately, the science behind getting more tire traction for a motorcycle reduces its lifespan.
Riding a motorcycle in the rain is not bad; what is bad is your “fear of a crash”. So, before you get on the motorbike, prepare yourself for the challenges. The fear of a crash makes you unrelaxed and stiff on the motorcycle, which affects how you handling and performance.
How do you ensure safe riding in the rain?
Riding in the rain is risky, but you can compensate for it by observing the following practices:
Gear
Prepare your riding gear. You can enhance riding performance in the rain with water-resistant gear designed with Gore-Tex or similar windproof and waterproof fabric. Make sure to have your passenger helmet.
Visibility
Make sure your visor is clean to enhance visibility. A clean visor keeps the lens from having water splat but allows beading. However, when you turn your head slightly while riding, the wind blows it off. Make sure not to ride closer to any vehicle when turning your head. If your glove has finger squeegee blades, wipe the visor. If your visor has no antifog, open it slightly to get rid of steam.
The color of your gear must be visible. Get reflective or bright colors to help other road users see you.
Riding
To ensure safety when riding in the rain, maintain smooth inputs and a reasonable distance from motor vehicles ahead of you.
Road Surface
The road surface becomes slippery when it rains, and you must be cautious of where you ride. Avoid pedestrian path paints, manhole covers, and steel plates to avoid slipping.
Comfort Level
If the rain level and cold are excessive for you, do not ride the motorcycle. Take dinner or shelter under a highway overpass until the rain subsides.
What do motorcyclists do when it rains?
When it rains, motorcyclists typically slow down and avoid matching the brakes suddenly. Most of the time, it is helpful to coast through the puddle and squeezes the clutch for safety while riding in the rain.
If the condition requires higher speed, try to keep the current speed and avoid abrupt changes capable of reducing motorcycle traction. Your motorcycle tires play a role in the rain, though.
Meanwhile, most motorcyclists or bikers do not practice riding in the rain; they feel it is bad to ride in the rain. Common excuses people make not to ride in the rain include cold, getting wet, packing dirt in the motorcycle, and having to drive carefully and slowly. Thus, some bikers become awkward when circumstances force them to ride in the rain, sometimes affecting experienced road users.
Final Thoughts
Rain is not safe for riding, but circumstances may force you to meet schedules early. You would not want to stay back, especially if it’s not heavy rain.
When you experience riding a motorcycle in the rain for some hundred miles, it begins to get normal, and you find it easier to deal with. Moreover, you would eventually find it more familiar and fun to ride in the rain, regardless of cold or getting wet.
Finally, before you get on the road, prepare yourself and do the obvious stuff like wiping your visor. While riding, enable hazard light, reduce your speed and avoid use brakes and acceleration gently. Make sure to maintain a reasonable distance from the motor vehicle ahead.
