How to learn to ride in the wet?

or if you really want practice take a dirt bike out in the wet on both mud and road.. will learn real quick about how to react to a front end lock up

 

All my riding experience has been with my dirt bike and I'm fairly new to road riding and I can safely say that it's a whole lot different to riding the dirt bike and off road. Yes it might help you with some basics but really I don't think it's worth the hassle. The dirt bike is a lot more forgiving as well.

Since getting my Ls and now Ps I've had to ride on wet roads and in pouring rains a handful of times and for me there is a huge difference in riding attitude between dry road riding and wet. I am usually at 110% on my awareness riding in the wet and I leave double the distance between cars that I usually leave and set up my braking at double the distance I usually do so I never need to put myself in a panic brake situation or run the risk of locking wheels. I have found that taking up the slack in the front brake is always a safe thing to do all the time and I was taught to always apply the front then the back brake gradually constantly adjusting pressure between the two for maximum stopping efficiency. I have found you have to ride with a different mindset in wet conditions because like you have said it's just so easy to have a fall. In wet conditions I try not take notice of the asshat car a meter off the back wheel and just take it easy if you slow down too soon or are riding too slow, who cares? You will be a minute later getting to your destination.

Stay upright does offer a lot of courses and you can use their bikes at a cost of $60 I think I recommend giving them a call and seeing what they have to offer.

 

Yeah, take 10 off in the wet, particularly if your visor is fogged up too much.

Personally, the best thing I did was go on a ride with experienced people in the wet and you will soon find out how fast you can brake, go round a corner etc. My first ride with Canberra Riders was about 600 k's in the wet, up until that day I was a bit tentative on the brakes and corners in the wet. That really sped up the learning process.

With the whole dirt bikes won't help thing, it helps more than your braking. I came round a gravel covered corner in the Snowies, the wheels started to slide when I was cranked over and I just hung off the inside of the bike while pushing the handlebars away from me, bike recovered and we continued on our merry way. That was something I didn't have to think about, it just automatically happened and the only thing I can put that down to is riding dirt bikes a lot. Others might disagree.

 

good one, that was the point I was trying make on trail/dirt riding. luckily CT90 is able to string a cogent sentence together

 

Wow, great stuff - thanks everyone

I phoned Stay Upright, and they don't have access to the skid pan (or they have to pay for it). The best they could recommend was a personal session, which would be good as long as we could actually practice in the right conditions.

Anyway, have fun,

Paul

 

I taught a Learners' course a few weeks ago, very cold and poured all arvo. That's why you wear a coat, I suppose, point being these lucky people had the opportunity to learn how to brake effectively in the wet as their first experience. I wish I'd been that fortunate.
Same technique wet or dry, setup and squeeze, get it right, develop the skill and you will be surprised how quickly and safely you can stop in the wet.
Re the skid pan, it has very abrupt changes of surface and levels of grip, would be pretty dangerous on a bike methinks.

 

wonders never cease

@PaulWay - the only way to learn to ride in the wet - is practice. Every time it rains - go for a ride. Yeh it might sound stupid - but it's not. Every time you ride in the rain you will improve your skills. Dirt riding will help - but when you lose traction on a wet road, it tends to happen a lot quicker than it does in the dirt.......so practice on the road whenever you can.