- This topic has 8 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 15 years, 2 months ago by smokeizfire.
Yee Haw!!! Lets do it again….
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February 12, 2009 at 4:25 am #2535MunchParticipant
Man what a ride. No nothing scenic, nothing fast and furious, nothing out of the ordinary ….except….
All day we have had strong winds (for here). Sustained near 20-25 mph with gusts topping 35 mph. Then comes the interesting part. I take computer courses at night so my ride home is around 10:30 at night…. well a line of heavy rain came through at the time I go home.
Can’t tell you how “fun” that was and how much it can wear you out.
I know … “Fun …your nutz, or stupid, or both”…. lol… I really don’t have a leg to stand on to argue that point. However the fun idea was after I got in the house safe and sound.
I am full of pride at the way the ride went. My first time every having to deal with these conditions all at once. Luckily I always keep my rain gear with me. Being that we get really cool at nights I also have my full face with me too. So I stayed dry the whole trip through. Oh yea… the ride is minimum 45 mins. The high winds was fun enough to deal with as you start to realize how much and how quick your brain can compensate for varying shifts. I almost would like to say I kept a better line on my bike then I would be able to in my cage. Now throw the rain in there and things get really fun! Watching walls of rain come at ya at 20+ mph in addition to the needed 70+ mph on super slab to keep from being run over is really interesting.
I learned a couple of things… 1st… Full face with shield down behind a windshield ( I ride a cruiser remember) can make already limited visibility a challenge. The windshield deflect the wind enough or too much rather to keep from using the wind to “clean ” your visor off. which leads to #2…..Huge water drops on both helmet visor and windshield can really be dangerous for visibility when you have headlights coming the other way …or even in your mirrors.So heads up for the rest of ya yet to experience this.
#3 and most important. …. I have come a tremendous way in my riding capabilities. I remember starting and being concerned about mis judging sweepers, exit ramps with sharp hooks, heck even hitting the super slab. Now after all the miles and conditions have paid off and I have been rewarded with the satisfaction of knowing I can handle these, more or less, extreme conditions and not have a moment of panic. I was completely calm and relaxed through out the whole trip!
I absolutely do not recommend this for folks that have not got much riding under their belts. Or have a tendency to get un nerved easily. This is very very hazardous riding!!
With that said… I will shortly take my tired self to the bed and pass out!!! With a smile and sense of pride and accomplishment.February 12, 2009 at 5:05 am #16442Jon D.ParticipantI remember those rides. Love my truck! Anyway, I believe that some Rain X will help with your water issue. Only drawback is everything has to be dry when applied. Time in the saddle is the best teacher and it sounds to me that you have learned and retained those quite well, even having the gear on hand for inclement weather was something I learned the hard way. Congrats on the ride and Glad that your mattress will have company tonight. Can’t think of a better way to end the day. Ride safe and God bless. Jon D.
February 12, 2009 at 8:55 am #16447smokeizfireParticipantGood ole Munch, unfortunately here in SoCal we are in rain season. I guess the rain itself isn’t unfortunate, but the way commuters drive in the rain. Out here it seems people forget how to drive when it drizzles; God help us motorcyclist when it really pours. I had my first “close call” last week Thursday when a van maneuvered in my lane before looking. Do I need to say I chased him down and gave him a verbal thrashing. All he could say was,” I sorry…”, literally. Yeah, his English was as bad as his driving.
I thought about Megaspaz when I asked in a post long ,long ago about rain riding. His response was, “…be extra paranoid..”
The only humor I could find in my short catalog of rain rides is I got caught in the rain the day I went to purchase rain gear. Go figure.
February 12, 2009 at 11:23 am #16449MunchParticipantYea I use a chemical called AquaPel on my visor for my helmet. Its like Rain-x on steroids. Only problem with those 2 is that it requires air flow to push the water off the surface. I haven’t treated my windshield yet which I really need to do. As for the visor though, that windshield does its job really well as far as deflecting the wind up and around the rider. Unfortunately rain is heavier then wind and can go right in between the windshield and me and hit my visor. Will try and remember to treat my windshield today though.
February 12, 2009 at 11:26 am #16450MunchParticipantI agree , if it had been normal business (or after business) hours I would have been alot more paranoid. However around here at near 11 at night…. the roads are near deserted except shift workers. Most of them were going in the opposite direction I was …which means headlights coming my way. Thankfully theres a huge divider between them and me to keep them from wandering to my side and making it a more worrisome thing.
February 12, 2009 at 4:47 pm #16458eonParticipantI had the same feeling of euphoria after riding at night in the rain. At first it is a terrifying experience and you question your sanity, but once you get a bit of confidence the fear recedes and it can be fun. Don’t like doing it in traffic though. The cars will be right on your ass as you take corners which is an unnerving experience. I found 60mph to be my comfort zone. Any faster and I worry about hydroplaning, but when I saw an 18 wheeler catching up with me one night I made dam sure I got to my exit before he caught up with me.
I also found that riding around suburban neighborhoods in the rain a challenge. At less than 30mph, RainX or no, the water was not shifting from my visor right when I needed the best visibility to avoid those driveways and side streets. I ended up riding with my visor up as that was the only way I could see. And I was very aware that the visibility of those in the cars suffered as well so I was on high alert.
February 12, 2009 at 4:54 pm #16459megaspazParticipantThere really isn’t much to riding in the wet. Just be extra aware of your surroundings and keep the bike as upright as possible. Be extra careful on your throttle control and braking. Avoid parts of the road that are painted or shiny… at least be careful on throttling, braking, and leaning if you can’t avoid them. And dress for the weather.
February 13, 2009 at 3:42 am #16470MunchParticipantBingo. Actually I am getting to prefer being on the bike rather then my cage in non lightning producing rain. The tires are more like pizza cutters and handles water like nobodies business. But lean to much and increasing the contact patch you turn that pizza cutter into a car tire like action which can induce hydroplaning. And yes sudden throttle or quick braking will urn quickly into skid, slippage, O Chitness!
February 13, 2009 at 6:07 am #16473smokeizfireParticipantI’m in school as well, from 4pm to 12am. That night I was riding home around 11pm. I guess the guy who almost hit me had Jose Cuervo behind the wheel with him.
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