Date: 05-11-25  Time: 07:56 am

Author Topic: Another first for me  (Read 10157 times)

simonm

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Another first for me
« on: 16 May 2013, 09:37:58 pm »
I went out in the dry and sun, came back in the dark and wet.  First time I've ever ridden in the wet and I'm wearing leathers...nice.  So I spent the 20 minute ride home on the wet roads with rain coming down, petrified and taking each slow corner at about 5mph.  When I first started on the wet roads the rear end felt all floaty (technical term alert),  I thought the rear tyre was running flat (it felt kinda squishy).  Then accelerating it felt like I was wheel spinning.

Time for a glass of wine to settle the nerves.  God only knows how couriers, commuters and racers cope with it.

I'm glad I did it, I feel like I might possibly be able to do it again in the future if I absolutely had to.

Dead Eye

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Re: Another first for me
« Reply #1 on: 16 May 2013, 10:11:41 pm »
Out of interest, what tyre do you have on the rear? I've ridden in some downpours before and I've never felt the rear misbehave that much. I obviously ride appropriately for the conditions but not so much that I'm crawling along at a snails pace

noggythenog

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Re: Another first for me
« Reply #2 on: 16 May 2013, 10:13:28 pm »
But you still did it simon :thumbup


You know what ive barely ridden in the rain but i think you can probably easily ride at about 2/3 usual throttle & cornering, a few more times in the rain & you'll naturally speed up & relax a bit.


Im taking my bike into the garage for new tyres tomorrow morning & looking at the weather forecast its gonna be pissing rain on my way home & ill be on Brand new yet to be scrubbed front & back tyres & further still they are tyres best suited for dry conditions :eek .


So I've got a plan....im just gonna act normally, albeit as if i was on my bike test ie no unnecessary throttle grabs, nice & smoothe.ill report back but if i can manage it with brand new tyres then it kinda shows how ok wet weather is.


My sisters ex was so petrified about scrubbing in new tyres that he asked my dad to scrub them in for him, foc that!!!! :b

simonm

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Re: Another first for me
« Reply #3 on: 16 May 2013, 10:17:14 pm »
Out of interest, what tyre do you have on the rear? I've ridden in some downpours before and I've never felt the rear misbehave that much. I obviously ride appropriately for the conditions but not so much that I'm crawling along at a snails pace

I think they're ancient bt57's but they have plenty of tread on them.  I have no idea if they're squared off or anything.
http://www.bridgestone.com/products/motorcycle_tires/products/battlax/bt57.html

darrsi

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Re: Another first for me
« Reply #4 on: 16 May 2013, 10:33:01 pm »
After riding a while in bad weather you'll totally understand why there is so much talk about tyres that perform well in wet conditions.
Some tyres completely outperform others in the wet, and if you are like me and ride all year round, with the bike being my only transport, then you can appreciate that sliding even just a bit is not an option that i want.
This is the whole reason i've stuck with the same tyre combo time and again, which are different brands front and rear, because i have confidence in them when it's raining.
You lose that confidence and it will spoil riding the bike and make you a nervous wreck, clinging on for dear life, and going round bends upright at 10mph.  :thumbdown

Punkstig

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Re: Another first for me
« Reply #5 on: 16 May 2013, 10:36:46 pm »
Us couriers (the intelligent ones that is) tend to wear and or carry the right gear so we're dry and comfortable (Rukka for me!)
I cannot rate Michelin road pilot 3 tyres highly enough, they really do what it says on the tin, great in the wet and brilliant mileage, its not just sales gumpf!


If anyone's concerned about not having tyres scrubbed in for the weather then change one on one day then the other next week when the other is scrubbed in, not both at the same time, its gonna be the same price!


My personal advice for riding in the wet- The funky chicken!


It's the best advice I ever read and I pass it on to everyone, give it a go in the dry, you're more relaxed in the dry anyway but still give it a try, but make a more conscious effort in the wet,


On approach to corner make sure you are at a comfortable speed for the severity of the corner (no braking mid corner in the wet!) and flap your elbows, if they don't flap easily you're too tense, its all about relaxing, which we've probably heard many times but mentally its difficult to do, flapping your arms a little helps to tell your brain that your body is relaxed.
when you've done it a few times and feel comfortable give the inner elbow a teeny weeny little wiggle mid corner to remind yourself your relaxed.


Going back to dry weather- want to be able to corner a little faster? We all hear about looking where you're going target fixation etc etc, you think 'I do that though' - make a point to Physically turn your head to look through the corner, not just moving your eyes. Ever been a little too fast into the corner and your arse starts twitching like a bunny rabbits nose?- wiggle the inner turn elbow and physically turn your head, you WILL make the corner, the bike is more capable than you, you'll be fine!


That's me done anyway!

darrsi

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Re: Another first for me
« Reply #6 on: 16 May 2013, 10:48:52 pm »
@Punkstig, i would've said there's a bit of The Birdie Song in there, as well as the Funky Chicken!  :lol

noggythenog

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Re: Another first for me
« Reply #7 on: 16 May 2013, 10:52:56 pm »
It would be rude of me not to try the funky chicken...




"What you doin???"


"Eh...the funky chicken"....


"Who tought you that???"........


"Ehhh.......Punkstig!!!"..................


"Ah....ok.....laters.......dont call me!".... :lol


Cheers punkstig ill try it tomorrow jus for the crack. 8)

Punkstig

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Re: Another first for me
« Reply #8 on: 16 May 2013, 10:58:45 pm »
I'm awaiting the 'OMG Funky fuckin chicken works' and the obligatory 'PunkStig is a leg-end' titles in the general section tomorrow chaps, lol


Tbh, because its a fun thing in your head its easier to remember!


I do stupid miles but still do this to make me feel comfortable out there!

Punkstig

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Re: Another first for me
« Reply #9 on: 16 May 2013, 11:02:03 pm »
I also sing 'East bound and down' (smokey and the bandit theme) to myself on long journeys but that's for a completely different post!

noggythenog

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Re: Another first for me
« Reply #10 on: 16 May 2013, 11:09:06 pm »
I also sing 'East bound and down' (smokey and the bandit theme) to myself on long journeys but that's for a completely different post!


  :stop :stop :stop :stop :stop :stop :stop




 :D

Exupnut

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Re: Another first for me
« Reply #11 on: 16 May 2013, 11:14:28 pm »
Just imaginin u goin round a corner in the wet @ 5mph flappin ur arms up and down while shittin urself Si hahaha

simonm

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Re: Another first for me
« Reply #12 on: 16 May 2013, 11:16:34 pm »
Just imaginin u goin round a corner in the wet @ 5mph flappin ur arms up and down while shittin urself Si hahaha

Yah, frickin hifuckinlarious.   :lol.  I bet I was too.

Chris

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Re: Another first for me
« Reply #13 on: 16 May 2013, 11:19:26 pm »
HAHAHAHAHA!!!
 
Awsome comments with some very great advice Punkstig.
 
Can't wait to hear the east bound and down story  :lol
 
For me, going out on a ride in the sun and then returning home in the pi$$ing rain can be quite a common occurance. making sure your gear is good and waterproof helps to keep you dry, warm and relaxed. I constatly talk out loud to myself when I feel I'm in a situation where I might tense up as it helps me to stay relaxed. I just talk about looking where I want to go, stay relaxed, the bike can do more than me so have confidence in the tyres, throttle on slowly as you're making the turn etc etc
 
Chris

Exupnut

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Re: Another first for me
« Reply #14 on: 16 May 2013, 11:21:23 pm »
Anyways... If u wanna corner without ur pants fillin up u shud ask Merv the Swerv aka our very own christoT ;-)

simonm

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Re: Another first for me
« Reply #15 on: 16 May 2013, 11:26:05 pm »
I find the whole thing a lot easier when I concentrate on the riding rather than the physics of having a handwriting sized contact area between me and a messy ending  ;)

e just given Jack a bottle feed for the night and he looked at me and gave me a beaming smile.  At the moment anything could happen and I'd still be ecstatically happy (if that's even a word).

Dead Eye

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Re: Another first for me
« Reply #16 on: 16 May 2013, 11:56:23 pm »
It certainly is a word ^^

The contact patch may seem crazy but its how you use it that counts ;) Don't worry simon, you'll get better the more you ride and its good to push your boundaries - pretty sure I've developed better as a rider being out with the LoFo's as the riding gets a bit crazy at times but helps you to understand the limits of your machine better. I noticed this more when I went out solo the other day, doing things without thinking that I usually had to really concentrate on :)

ChristoT

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Re: Another first for me
« Reply #17 on: 17 May 2013, 12:16:01 am »
Anyways... If u wanna corner without ur pants fillin up u shud ask Merv the Swerv aka our very own christoT ;-)

God, if I get this amount of banter for my "normal" riding, I hope to God I never stick it in a hedge - I'd never hear the end of it!!  :lol :lol

stevierst

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Re: Another first for me
« Reply #18 on: 17 May 2013, 06:17:13 am »
I also sing 'East bound and down' (smokey and the bandit theme) to myself on long journeys but that's for a completely different post!
I sing that one when I'm doing a long ride too! (i used to be a HGV driver) so don't worry punkstig, there are a couple more of us oddballs out there :o:D::)
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ponkster

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Re: Another first for me
« Reply #19 on: 17 May 2013, 07:34:10 am »
I cannot rate Michelin road pilot 3 tyres highly enough, they really do what it says on the tin, great in the wet and brilliant mileage, its not just sales gumpf!


- me too - the best tyres I've used and yet on the the review sites they get quite an average review - I guess tyres are just a personal thing.
 
I agree about relaxing ( not sure about the chicken) - just keping it steady with a smoth throtle roll on through the corner , you more likely to get all out of shape tensing up and chopping the throttle - keeping the gas steadily going on will increase the preasure on your back tyre and maintain your contact patch.

hightower

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Re: Another first for me
« Reply #20 on: 17 May 2013, 08:24:31 am »
Being new to the game, I tend to take corners as upright and steady as possible - I keep telling myself that it IS slow, but speed will come with experience. Two tips I read somewhere which I try and use are:
 
1) Get your speed down before the turn in, and then gently turn the throttle back on (not accelerating, just so the tyre is still driving) for the corner. Apparently this 'positive throttle' gets you more grip than just free wheeling it round the bend.
2) Drive some weight on the opposite peg and lean off. So for a left hander, right foot bears the weight on the peg, and lean off the left. This keeps the bike more upright and the peg trick keeps your centre of gravity low (rather than if all your weight was on your backside on the seat).

AdieR

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Re: Another first for me
« Reply #21 on: 17 May 2013, 10:06:51 am »
Wet riding brings a few issues, esp for those new to it.

My advice:
Make sure your tyres are at the right pressure (depending on load, it'll be something like 33F / 36R normal, or 36F / 42R loaded or two-up): some people reckon you should drop pressures (logic being "it increases the contact patch") - many newbies do fall for this (inexperience). If your tyres aren't right, nothing else will be.

Relax. If you're not relaxed, you'll end up "fighting" with the bike. I generally let the bike "do it's own thing", if that makes sense.

Decent kit: nowt saps your concentration like being cold and wet. 

Finally: keep going out in the wet - couriers cope with it, because they're always out in it and thus get better at wet riding (practice makes perfect). There's no substitute for road miles.

FWIW, my bike is on Battlax BT020's atm, and never moved a millimetre in the wet. The back is due replacement in the next 500 miles or so due to squaring with a Conti Road Attack 2 being lined up as my (experimental) choice of rubber.

simonm

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Re: Another first for me
« Reply #22 on: 17 May 2013, 10:17:38 am »
My issue is that in the wet anything other than completely vertical means potential slip and that's a bit too scary for me.  I definitely want to go out in the wet but I either need more experience or training.  I talk about training a lot but then I'm tight fisted about spending the mulah.

stevierst

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Re: Another first for me
« Reply #23 on: 17 May 2013, 10:26:02 am »
In the wet smoothness is the key. You 'can' ride at 3/4 speed, but you must be smooth on the inputs. And don't rise like your on ice, stay loose and enjoy the great British weather ::)

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simonm

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Re: Another first for me
« Reply #24 on: 17 May 2013, 10:28:57 am »
I have to admit the sound of the rain on the lid was absolute bliss.
 :b :thumbup