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PLEASE HAVE A SAFE 2010 | Have a website? Link to Netrider | |
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[ ]Motorcycles: wet riding By Peter Barnwell
No matter if you ride daily, once a week or only ride on weekends, eventually you are going to have to ride in the rain. Here are a few points, on wet weather riding from Honda's HART Rider Training School. Accident investigation data show that in 85 per cent of accidents involving motorcycles, riders have not used the brakes correctly. In other words, they have not applied the brakes at all, applied to much (locked up) or used to little or too much front or rear brake. It would seem that very few motorcyclists regularly practice emergency braking in the dry let alone the wet. Waiting for the next emergency to practice braking is not a great technique. Instructors are regularly asked, "How hard can I brake in the wet?" The answer is simply to try it. The only way to get better at braking is to practice. This is not advocating waiting until the next downpour on the way home from work, in heavy traffic. The idea is to ease into it with some practice in the dry, somewhere safe away from traffic, starting at a speed at which you feel comfortable. You can always seek expert instruction and supervision from a rider training school that will improve and refine your riding skills. Once you have practiced and feel confident, increase the speed gradually and work up from there. When you are comfortable with the dry, try braking in the wet again at a comfortable speed and increase the speed as your confidence increases. Many riders are concerned about the amount of grip/ traction a motorcycles tyres may or may not have particularly in corners. In the wet they have less grip than in dry conditions. A solution is to limit the demand on tyre grip you need. Be smoother, don't change anything too suddenly – accelerate, brake or change direction. To improve tyre grip, a rider can adjust their body position. If the rider shifts their body position to the inside of the motorcycle when turning, the motorcycle will not have to lean over as much, allowing greater tyre contact on the road and more grip. GP racers offer very obvious examples of the use of this technique albeit at an extreme level. Tyre tread depth is important in the wet. The more tread the easier it is for tyres to disperse water, therefore bald tyres in the wet reduce grip. It is a myth that lowering tyre pressure helps the tyres to heat up and give an increased contact patch. Recommended pressures help grip by allowing the tyre to maintain the correct shape and keep the tread open to disperse water. Something else to keep in mind is following distance behind another vehicle. Would a car stop quicker than a motorcycle in the wet? Generally the answer is yes because a car has the advantage of four wheels and a greater combined tyre contact area. If the car driver panics and locks the wheels, the car will generally just slide. Motorcycles tend to fall down when the wheels skid. In the wet leave a greater distance when following another vehicle. If you were to make an error and lock a wheel when applying the brakes, having a greater following distance will give you more time to release the brakes and then re-apply. Wet weather makes it hard to see and look ahead, particularly in heavy rain. Keeping your visor clean will help water bead away. Looking further ahead, particularly in the wet, is one of the hardest things you will have to do on a motorcycle. The further you look ahead the more likely you will be able to anticipate and respond early to changing road conditions and the actions of other road users. Once you are wet, cold will set in not long after. The colder you are the more feeling you loose, particularly in your fingers and toes. Feel is an important part of riding a motorcycle. Braking, clutch control and gear changing all require feeling to operate efficiently. Being cold also takes focus off your riding. Buy some decent wet weather gear. Try having a set of wet weather gear small enough to fold up and store in the bottom of a backpack, seat bag or under the seat. Being able to pull it out during a downpour and not get soaked will make your motorcycling more enjoyable. There is no need to stay at home because of the weather report. All content is © 1996-2010 Netrider unless otherwise noted Privacy Statement | Contact Us | Disclaimer | Forums Terms & Conditions |
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