Real World "Rain Riding Survival Skills/Techniques Checklist"

[Gary J]

With the rainy season now upon us, I figured I'd sit down and do a bit of a "brain dump" on the key tools that I've learned to keep in my rain-riding toolbox. Tools that have allowed surviving many years, and many thousands of miles of spirited backroad (and track) riding in the worst possible winter weather conditions.

I've assembled a first-cut list here in this thread, with the hope that the information might be of interest to other forum members that are interested in staying in the saddle on their bikes year-round.

Happy (rain) riding! :teeth :ride

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RAIN RIDERS BIBLE: KEY GUIDELINES​

• BIKE CONTROL INPUTS:

o Be very SMOOTH and seamless in all bike control inputs:

 Coming ON the throttle
 Coming OFF the throttle
 First applying the brakes
 Letting off the brakes
 Steering inputs
 Body movements
 Shifting
 Clutch release

o Avoid a “death grip” on the bars, keeping your hands consciously loose and relaxed at all times (think of your grips as if you’re “holding a marshmallow”)

o #1 mantra of wet weather riding survival: "Don't Tear The Rice Paper!" (concept borrowed from the opening pilot movie from the 1980's TV series called "Kung Fu")

 What's that mean? A 100% attention in looking for every possible way to eliminate sudden increases in "instantaneous load" transferred to the tire's contact patches (during shifting, braking, acceleration, steering inputs, body movements, line changes, etc.) at all times.

o While Cornering:

 Support 90% of your weight with your legs (your butt should be just skimming the seat), via contact point of feet on the footpegs. (Done properly, a day of riding hard in the rain will leave your thigh muscles aching the next day!)

 Focus on keeping your feet/ankles locked into the bike at the pegs as the primary contact point for rider-to-bike connectivity; and control.

 Consciously maintain tight "pulling inward" pressure on the inside of the thigh area of your outside leg, tucked firmly against the bike (slide prevention/control).


• BIKE /BODY POSITIONING:

o Keep the bike as vertical as possible while cornering

o Less bike lean angle achieved via getting body position shifted an exaggerated amount off the inside (for turns)

o Despite some body shifting off bike, keep your shoulders square with the handlebars, while making steering inputs

o Consciously position outside forearm and elbow up high (i.e. "Ben Spies" style), for better steering control during cornering

o Position inside shoulder low, and pointed to the inside of the turn (stretching forward/inward towards the desired target for corner exit)

o Tightly lock ankles, heels, to heel guards/frame/chassis of bike, to provide low center of gravity bike control/contact point for controlling tire slippage.


• STEERING:

o Extremely subtle steering inputs at handlebars; done very smoothly, and gradually (no "quick-flick" countersteering, as taught for dry weather turning).

o Steering inputs through bars done in more of a “tricycle” steering fashion (easing the front wheel to become pointed in the desired direction of turn)


• BIKE OPERATION:

o Have the bike in a lower gear (don’t “bog” engine) for corners, to provide more linear throttle control, for improved throttle steering and F/R weight distribution control (keep from pushing the front tire)

o Minimize shifting while riding contiguous corners. Use smooth roll up and roll down, keeping engine in sweet spot and minimizing instantaneous tire loading


• BRAKING:

o Do all actual slowing-down braking while the bike is straight up and down (no “trail braking”)

o Be 100% back off the front brake before turning into corners

o Intermittently lightly “drag” your brakes to clear water and keep some heat in them, to be at the ready

o Moderate rear brake can be utilized in the rain, to complement the overall smooth braking process

o Brake enough to reduce your speed to BELOW your desired cornering MPH before entering turns (allows for light maintenance throttle without exceeding target MPH)

o Occasionally test for traction levels using deliberate increased level of rear brake pressure (while straight up and down in a safe area) to just break 1-to-1 tire/pavement contact (then immediately release) to calibrate rider’s brain for current traction limits.


• THROTTLE:

o SMOOTH!

o Maintain a light maintenance throttle roll-on all the way through turns (prevents overloading front tire)

o Never chop/reduce throttle position once committed into a turn (see item below)

o IF a need to slightly reduce speed once in a corner does arise, DO NOT reduce existing light maintenance throttle; instead using subtle ease-on/ease-off application of rear brake to adjust pace (smoothest, and most non front/rear weight bias transferring method of decreasing MPH)

o Use slight increase in throttle, as-necessary, to help the bike finish off turns (“throttle-steering”)

o If bike starts to lose traction, in pushing the front tire, immediately apply slight increase in throttle (light roll-on) to potentially recover by moving the greater load/force bearing to the rear tire

o Recognize the value of throttle as the primary tool for traction sampling


• LINE SELECTION/TRACTION:

o Look far enough ahead to put the bike on a path that avoids passing over the following (poor/zero traction zones)
 Painted road markings (centerlines, arrows, outside edge fogline marking, etc)
 Metal grates, manhole covers
 Tar snakes
 Pavement seams/bumps/patches/etc

o IF unavoidable, and crossing over any of the above:
 Do so with the bike as vertical as possible
 Don’t touch the brakes until past obstacle
 Stay loose on the bike and controls

o Regularly scan well ahead to identify road obstacles (rocks, branches, dropped tree branches, etc) early enough to have time to adjust accordingly

o Alternatingly scan road surfaces in your near-field, for any previously undetected “gotchas”
 Maintain a smooth maintenance throttle (not accelerating or decelerating)
 Look ahead past the obstacle, to where you “want to go”
 If crossing RR tracks, do so as close to 90-degree angle as possible

o Never fight physics! Immediately upon sensing the slightest of tire slippage while cornering, give physics what it wants by allowing the bike's line to drift slightly outward; just enough for that extra energy to release. The moment the tire regains 1-to-1 grip; return to focusing on keeping the bike on a slightly adjusted version of the original target "line".


• TIDBITS:

o The following can be done as a tool for occasional traction level sampling to sync up rider's brain with current grip levels, when conditions look to have changed.

While riding in a clear, safe, traffic-free area at low speed, in a straight section of road, remove feet from pegs and allow soles of boots to lightly skim pavement surface momentarily to sample traction levels present.


• BIKE SETUP:

o Raise tire pressures 2-3 PSI from normal dry weather cold-temps. Optimizes contact patch-to-rider feedback, improves rider/bike control, and maximizes water dispersion from tread sipes.

o Soften up suspension settings (decrease compression damping, and potentially decrease spring preload)

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Any questions, just let me know.

Gary

 

[BillSmith]

don't park it after parking

Gary,

Great list. Might I suggest detailing a short section on the subject of picking a parking spot and initial take off from such.

Seen and experienced many a whoops! moment from encountering leaves in the gutter, wet gasoline at the pump block, putting a foot down at a signal light or stop sign and having a foot slip slide away, kickstands sinking in wet roadsides, etc.

 

[ChainLash]

Wow, thanks Gary! What a helpful and comprehensive list.
Should be made a sticky at least through the rain season.

 

[Wack]

"o f bike starts to loose traction, in pushing the front tire, immediately apply additional throttle (light roll-on) to potentially recover"

Is this instead of correcting into the slide? Would the above also work in dry conditions?

 

[aminalmutha]

- Doing block-long, 4th gear burnouts in the rain at 25mph.

 

[trackdayz729]

thanks Gary. I'm going to print this for my son to read and apply on the track.

 

[AOW]

I have a question regarding street tire psi increase.
Wouldn't increasing the tire pressure decrease the amount of contact patch? (image attached) With the majority of commercial moto street tires being "all season", are PSI changes for wet/dry really necessary?

 

[Flying Pig]

I lowered the pressure of my tires by 2 pounds front & rear under the notion that a lower tire pressure = more grip (if not dangerously low).

However I will trust your knowledge as you have much more experience in this department and I was just experimenting. (Haven't felt any noticeable difference yet, but my senses probably aren't all that acute either.)

Thanks for the wholesome reminder, Gary :thumbup

 

[budman]

Good stuff Gary...:thumbup

For the newer riders I would suggest a parking lot for the rear brake traction check mentioned above. I think that affords not only a safer environment to try it, but a great focus as well.

Once comfortable with doing that I think what Gary said is a good tool for your wet riding bag.

 

[Gary J]

I have a question regarding street tire psi increase.
Wouldn't increasing the tire pressure decrease the amount of contact patch? (image attached) With the majority of commercial moto street tires being "all season", are PSI changes for wet/dry really necessary?

Great question AOW!

There’s a key point of understanding to clarify regarding these references to tire pressures set for dry weather riding vs. steady rain conditions, as per what I’ve found to personally work best through lots of real world testing at speed, on and off the track.

That point being to understand that the bullseye to be achieved is tire pressure during operation. With the initial starting PSI set at whatever pre-ride pressure is needed to achieve that dynamic target goal.

In the case of starting out from the garage (“cold” pressure) on a rainy day with tires set to 2-3 PSI higher than would be done on a dry/warm riding day, if one looks at the situation from the pressure during operation perspective, actually the target pressure in both of the two conditions is intended to be very close to the same. Not really much (if any) “higher”.

How can that be? Well think about trying to keep a camp fire warm and burning when the wood is getting a constant water bath from a heavy rain. The non-stop dosing with water constantly taking away heat from the wood, as fast, or faster than it can generate those BTUs.

Well when riding in heavy rain conditions, with deep water constantly splashing on the tire's tread surface off the roadway, the temperature of the tire 20 minutes into the riding is likely very close (or potentially even less) than the temperature (say 60 degrees) at the time leaving the garage ... just after setting pressures.

On a warm/dry day, 20 minutes into that same backroad twisty ride, might have the tire temps at least 30-40 degrees higher (say 100 degrees F?).

Tire starting at 32 PSI setting in the garage, when “cold” (60 degrees F):

- @ 60 degrees F: 32 PSI
- @ 100 degrees F: 35+ PSI

So if the target pressure during operation is 35 PSI, the starting (out of the garage “cold”) pressures would need to be:

- Dry/Warm day: 32 PSI
- Wet/rainy day: 35 PSI (2-3 PSI “higher”)

So in reality, by setting the tire at 3 PSI “higher” pressure in the garage before a ride, you’re not really running “higher” tire pressure while out on the road. As such, the illustration showing an overinflated tire’s profile change, would not apply in the case of this rain riding tire pressure setup.

Hope that helps explain the inner "why" of what took a lot of years of experimentation (going up and down with pressures) and reading the results from the outcome of the feedback given back by the bike, to the rain riding tire setup quest.

 

[Flying Pig]

Thanks for the breakdown. After being grilled about setting the pressure when the tires are cold on a normal day, I forgot to take into account that tires heat differently based on the surrounding temperature/conditions. I appreciate the clarification

 

[Carlo]

Good list.
Riding in the rain is something that any motorcycle enthusiast living in Oregon has to become proficient at, and I agree with 99% of what's been presented in the list.
I'll get to the 1% in a bit.

I think such a list should also include things to pay special attention to in wet conditions. Crosswalk lines, manhole covers, and particularly the fact that a first rain of the season, or for us up North, the first rain after a dry spell, will bring a lot of embedded oil out of the road surface. And let's not forget freshly fallen leaves. Those are like covering the road with grease.

My 1% nitpick is about shifting body position to reduce lean angle of the bike. I'm not sure what, if any, real value that would have, and I would offer that for inexperienced riders who haven't learned to "hang off" in corners, it's probably not a very good idea.
I presume the rationale for reducing lean angle by shifting the lower body position is to keep more of the treaded portion of the tire in contact with the road to avoid trapping water under the contact patch and hydroplaning.
Given that cornering should be done slower than in dry conditions, the lean angle of the bike will already be reduced, and there's little likelyhood of reaching a smooth part of the tire in a corner.
I've argued my opinion about "hanging off" before, and I accept that many sportbike riders prefer to do it even in conditions where it's not really necessary, but I don't think that it's a good idea to suggest shifting body position on the seat to an audience that will include many inexperienced riders, who might attempt to follow the advice, having never tried it before, get into trouble.

 

[infraboy]

Just want to add that for under 100$ you can get a nice 1 or 2 piece rainsuit to wear over your gear, very nice to have.

Also WATERPROOF boots are very nice, although some are more or less waterproof than others as














Personally while riding, I have found myself just taking it a bit easier, being slower/smoother transitioning into the turns. Leaning off the bike isn't totally necessary at the slower pace.

 

[Brown81]

Great stuff. Valuable info here. :thumbup

I have to admit I do not like the sound of this though (in bold):

o Steering inputs through bars done in more of a “tricycle” steering fashion (steering into the direction of desired turn), using subtle eased inputs through the bars to almost “will” the bike in the desired direction of travel.

It sounds too much like "have faith the bike will turn". Which while recommending someone to NOT countersteer at the same time.

I think I get the gist of it, it seems a bit vague and untechnical. Certainly quick and radical counter steering inputs are not a good thing in the wet, but counter steering isn't nullified by wet pavement.

 

[Brown81]

Also, if you do lose the rear a bit, you'd better be prepared for massive counter steering input.

 

[Lunch Box]

Good stuff (as always) Gary. There are lots of useful bits of information there that most of us experienced riders know. Still, the reminder is VERY useful. For the newer riders I would suggest focusing on three things (detailed very well by Gary):

1. Slow down
2. Make everything SMOOTH
3. Relax your grip (this is the toughest for new riders, especially when they are panicked or nervous.)

Cheers, Gary!

-Aaron

 

[ScottRNelson]

Have the bike in a lower gear (don’t “bog” engine) for corners, to provide more linear throttle control, for improved throttle steering and F/R weight distribution control (keep from pushing the front tire)

I'm not sure that I agree with this one if you're riding a powerful bike like my KTM 990. It's too easy to slide the rear tire at higher engine speeds both from giving it a little too much throttle or from engine braking if you let off too much. I don't have the same issue with my XR650L.

 

[Mehran]

Good stuff Gary :thumbup

...
On a warm/dry day, 20 minutes into that same backroad twisty ride, might have the tire temps at least 30-40 degrees higher (say 100 degrees F?).

Tire starting at 32 PSI setting in the garage, when “cold” (60 degrees F):

- @ 60 degrees F: 32 PSI
- @ 100 degrees F: 35+ PSI

So if the target pressure during operation is 35 PSI, the starting (out of the garage “cold”) pressures would need to be:

- Dry/Warm day: 32 PSI
- Wet/rainy day: 35 PSI (2-3 PSI “higher”)
...

Bike manuals and tire manufactures recommend different PSI settings and it's generally the max PSI. Where/how would one determine the optimum PSI (solo, 2-up, 2-up plus bags)?

In the example above, PSI went from 32 to 35 after some riding. Is the "delta" of 3 PSI a measure for "optimum" initial PSI? Or perhaps the 10% increase is a more universal measure? Or is it something else :teeth?

 

[Gary856]

My near-newbie wet ride input – as in riding in any new/unfamliar condition, take it slow physically and mentally to ease into the wet-mode.

- Keep speed in check and allow for more braking distance, whether coming to a stop, or before entering a turn.

- During the first rain of the season I was a little tense at first, because I was still in the dry-mode. After a couple of hours riding in the rain, I adopted to the condition, the brain got desensitized, the body relaxed, and the wet roads became “normal”.

 

[RRrider]

Having moved here from Germany where you get many more wet days than dry days, a mental game I played was to view a wet day as an opportunity to train/practise being as smooth as in could (ala Gary's excellent post at the beginning), and I viewed dry days as an opportunity to practise cornering and leans. It helped me enjoy both the rainy and the sunny days. I just avoid going out with my sport bike tires if there is snow or ice on the ground - more of an issue in Germany than in the bay area.

Thx for post Gary!