We've all been there... five minutes into the journey. Suddenly, the heavens open, you are soaked to the bone and dread the oil slick on the road.
This fortnightly Blog Post will be covering the basic tips and tricks of how to be careful on the road during wet weather, as well as covering the importance of good protective gear.
Last year 159 days rained heavily out of the year in the UK, due to this it is vital that all motorbike enthusiasts (whether you have just started your lessons or have been riding for over 30 years) know every trick in the book on how to avoid issues on roads during the wetter days of the year. Some of these include:
Be Prepared
Say you have an amazing tour coming up; however, the weather forecast keeps changing its mind. Make sure you are prepared with the correct clothing; you know the journey or map well and that you are riding a bike that you are more than confident with. Another thing to note is avoid high speeds, if you are travelling to an event, it is better to be late than in the hospital because you came off your bike.
Avoid Road Hazards
We all know that rain makes road hazards like potholes ten times worse. Remember DO NOT accelerate when going over any manhole covers, painted lines or anything that is deemed as a hazard on the road as it can cause your back wheel to spin. On average the first half an hour of rain is the worst time to be on the road as it causes the oils and grease to come to the surface and create an oil slick. So, if possible, wait thirty to forty-five minutes before riding.
High-Viz
We get it, high viz is so sexy. However, sometimes pride needs to take a backseat when it comes to safety. Car’s windows can become fogged up as well as your fellow motorcyclist’s visors; as devastating as it is, this means they aren’t going to see your brand new Alpinestars V3 Jacket that you are so proud of. However, adding an element of high-viz to your gear will prevent the chances of an accident in the long run, especially in the rain.
Riding Safely
There is a lot to consider when it comes to riding style when in the rain, remember this is not the time to be popping wheelies, filtering carelessly and, racing (you’re not at MotorGP). Be the rider your instructor would be proud of, avoid leaning too much, breaking too hard and accelerating too fast as this could cause you to skid. The biggest tip to remember is to keep double the amount of space between yourself and a car to increase the amount of reaction time if someone makes a mistake.
Gear
As previously mentioned gear can mean the difference between life and death, even more so in bad weather. At SMC Bikes we have a vast amount of different waterproof gear, the Alpinestars Drystar Andes V3 Jacket in both men’s and women’s styles and in various sizes and colours. Along with this we also have the matching Andes V3 Trousers at a discounted rate of up to 21% off until 03/08/23. These in particular have built in flexible armour as well as vents and removable thermal lining for if the weather goes from wet and miserable to sunny and glorious. These can be found online and in store! More information here: www.smcbikes.com/shop/clothing
We know that some of you out there enjoy riding in all weather types, however it is always important to keep up to date with safety tips. For more information and to keep up with news from us at SMC Bikes please subscribe to our newsletter here: www.smcbikes.com/join-newsletter
All the best and safe riding!
- SMC Bikes Team
