Riding on wet roads, how fast is too fast? [Archive]

Versatile337

11-13-2010, 12:40 PM

I was riding around on the wet roads a little today and I noticed that you can really see how far you leaned over by what part of the tire is wet. I've ridden in full out thunderstorms before so I'm not really new to the rain but I was kinda curious about a few things. I'm sure someone has found the line where things start getting really sketchy. I was wondering on an asphalt road with little to no debris on a low speed 90 degree turn, at what point do you get nervous? At what degree of lean or at what speed? I still have an inch and a half of tire left on both sides that doesn't touch the ground when it rains and I have bt021s which are kinda made for the rain. I'm really conservative obviously but I wanted to become a little more confident in wet conditions so I'd appreciate if you would share.

MACK

11-13-2010, 12:44 PM

bluewave18

11-13-2010, 12:55 PM

Too many variables.

Versatile337

11-13-2010, 01:24 PM

Too many variables.

I tried to make it as specific as possible.

No debris or oil. Standard 90 degree turn
Asphalt. Rained hours ago, no puddles just wet ground.
You know my bike, my tires. What other variables are there?

triumphant675r

11-13-2010, 01:30 PM

I always feel like my tires are gonna slip out when the road's wet. I think it's a mind thing with me, I haven't pushed it far enough to feel the limit.

ddgtomahawk

11-13-2010, 01:33 PM

Just feel the bike as you ride.

navigator

11-13-2010, 01:48 PM

If you have to ask, you need more time in the saddle.

We don't know your ability, smoothness on the brake and throttle, quality of suspension and its settings, brand and type of tire, road temperature, tire temperature, tire pressure, your alcohol level, your awareness level, your reaction time, how much sleep you had last night, when you last got laid, and what mood are you in.

Do a track day in the rain to find your personal answer to this question. That will remove a lot of the variables from the equation.

And finally, if you crash, you can correctly assume you were going too fast for that particular situation.

Versatile337

11-13-2010, 01:53 PM

If you have to ask, you need more time in the saddle.

We don't know your ability, smoothness on the brake and throttle, quality of suspension and its settings, brand and type of tire, road temperature, tire temperature, tire pressure, your alcohol level, your awareness level, your reaction time, how much sleep you had last night, when you last got laid, and what mood are you in.

Do a track day in the rain to find your personal answer to this question. That will remove a lot of the variables from the equation.

ok, don't know how to rank my ability or smoothness
Stock suspension dialed in by MU
Bridgestone BT021 (mentioned in first post)
temperature 65 degrees
tire temp - cold. started at 72 degrees
No alcohol
Extremely aware
My reaction time is .36 seconds when I'm focused
I slept 9 hours last night
I got laid over a week ago
and I'm in a good mood

bluewave18

11-13-2010, 02:23 PM

150 then. If you eat shit, you know it's too fast.

Hail

11-13-2010, 03:09 PM

I have read that under ideal conditions, like you mentioned in the OP, you still have 80% or so of the traction you do when it is dry. Just like a car, slow down a bit when it rains. Most of us already don't ride at 100% of what it is capable of.

The only time I worry on wet roads is when I get on concrete that has pebbles or seashells protruding. That shit is like driving on ice. There are a few back roads like this in the Galleria are like behind Micro Center.

BLiP

11-13-2010, 04:27 PM

Ive done stoppies once or twice in the rain and a few whoolies but ask me how many times I crapped myself becuase I locked the front wheel up while doing a panic stop in the rain there are so many different varibles its not worth it to even try to see what the limit is on wet roads just ride to enjoy and take it slow!

Grimace

11-13-2010, 08:38 PM

Just feel the bike as you ride.

this

Squoddybody

11-13-2010, 08:41 PM

this

+1

It's a FEELING not an exact science. :thumb:

Sometimes I feel as though I can go much faster than traffic, and sometimes I FEEL as though I cannot.

Grimace

11-13-2010, 08:47 PM

I've also found that that FEEL is a lot easier to pick up on the Pirelli's I have now than the stock tires I used to have. Don't know about other brands though.

drksollomb

11-13-2010, 08:59 PM

I rode all year round rain,cold, windy days, just get used to ur bike and ride to ur comfort skills if ur nervouse about rain don't ride in it

triumphant675r

11-13-2010, 09:02 PM

I've also found that that FEEL is a lot easier to pick up on the Pirelli's I have now than the stock tires I used to have. Don't know about other brands though.

I have the rossos and I can really feel it, It could be why I'm so cautious/paranoid be cause I can feel eeeverything. Fine with me, keeps me in check.

sunday_rider

11-13-2010, 09:49 PM

If road conditions are good , no debris, oil, gravel and the turns are like CR long sweepers, i can say that you can still go pretty fast safely if you are smooth, i usually go about 10-15 miles slower than when pavement is dry running on my pirelli's corsa 3s!

Grimace

11-13-2010, 09:54 PM

crazivi3tdude

11-17-2010, 05:06 PM

A. Fck it, stay home
B. Super fast straights, then walk the corners
Trial and error have huge consequence when refer to bikes, simply you cannot afford it!

Guitar Man

11-17-2010, 07:56 PM

I go slower so I will not find the limits. I worry more about other people on the road and how experienced they are in the rain. I was caught in a torrential down pour a few months back and everyone on the highway dropped anchor. I elected to ride the shoulder because I thought it was safer. I'm sure they thought "That dudes crazy as hell!"

MudBug

11-17-2010, 09:59 PM

I just ride. Different speeds for different corners, a lot depends on my mood. I don't want to find the limit seeing that new plastics for my bike are higher than giraff pussy and hard to find.

Grimace

11-17-2010, 10:19 PM

I just ride. Different speeds for different corners, a lot depends on my mood. I don't want to find the limit seeing that new plastics for my bike are higher than giraff pussy and hard to find.

Took me a sec, but HA HA!

bonez409

11-29-2010, 01:06 AM

Riding ability is more important than speed. There is a 90 degree turn by thr house that is yield to turn I hardly ever slow below 35. but I know the corner and widen it out to a sweeper. and if the ass end kicks out I dont freak hit the brakes or some dumb shit like that. some tires dont like the rain and when they break loose thats it your down. I personaly like it dry ,or all wet I hate that drizzle shit. nothing worse than oil and greasey water.

Helios

11-29-2010, 01:44 AM

Sorry I have nothing good to contribute but...

When I first got my sports bike (coming from a cruiser), about a week later I didnt check the weather for the next day (I work nights). Rode to work and when I got off in the morning it was a pretty good downpour. Wasn't supposed to let up for the rest of the day so I couldn't sit it out. I still had the original tires on the bike at the time. I headed out and immediately started slipping in corners, coming to a stop and, unfortunately, also lost traction slowing down on a freeway on ramp for traffic. It's daylight when I get in to work AND when I get off work so I had my smoke visor on. It was very overcast and visibility wasn't great.

It was also very fucking cold. I was completely freaked out, exited and stopped at a McDonalds for about 30 mins, soaking wet and freezing cold. I took the feeder all the way home.

Maybe just a mental thing now, but I refuse to ride in the rain.
Pussy? Yup.
Do I care? Nope.

Houston Terrell

12-05-2010, 03:03 PM

I would be more worried about road surface then anything.. ashphalt is as most know waaay more slick then concrete. Best advice i could give is get into parking lot with somone else wanting to practice wet road riding, and get used to the rear tire getting a bit loose and not panic. I think the most dangerous thing about in the rain would be if you panic when the rear gets a bit loose and make the situation way worse then it was to begin with. Get comforable riding in a parking lot getting the bike loose and you will be way more confident riding in the rain... I ride basically the same wet or dry just a bit more concious of others and slightly easier on the brakes when its wet or when on ashphalt. You would be suprised how well tires stick in the wet as long as you do not jolt them too much getting on throttle or brakes....... Just takes practice

XBIKE

12-05-2010, 05:18 PM

I always slow it down on wet roads. I never push the limit to find out how fast is too fast.

Badchev

12-05-2010, 11:24 PM

I rode back from New Braunfels with a freind in a DOWN POUR.........the whole way on backroads on my Busa. Not a bit of a problem, just had to concentrate and be smooth..........we did stop at a car wash to smoke a cig, and they had to mop the floor in Faytteville several times. :-/
Most of us live in SE Texas.......your gonna get caught in the rain.......slow down and and be smooth.........dragging knee is probably NOT gonna happen except in the worst case. That will probably be TOO fast.:shrug:

Renzo

12-11-2010, 01:14 AM

I heard that if you eat shit in the rain on wet streets, the road rash and crash is not as bad as in dry weather.

gtdrivr

12-11-2010, 12:58 PM

Renzo

12-11-2010, 04:27 PM

No flames yet?

ScooterTrash

12-11-2010, 04:28 PM

its to fast ifn' you crashed, at that point try and back it off a notch next time.

Versatile337

12-11-2010, 06:23 PM

:rofl::rofl:its to fast ifn' you crashed, at that point try and back it off a notch next time.

Davekg

12-28-2010, 01:38 AM

conditions dictate...... conditions will never be exactly the same, you gotta be able to recognize that and adapt as they change.... I never ride as hard in the rain or for that matter drive as hard in it...

Bevo

12-31-2010, 05:44 AM

You don't even have to be moving to drop your bike. A kid on a Busa put his foot down on a painted arrow at PP1. The pavement was covered with dew and down he went.

fatbikez

12-31-2010, 07:54 AM

You don't even have to be moving to drop your bike. A kid on a Busa put his foot down on a painted arrow at PP1. The pavement was covered with dew and down he went.

that had to suck.. but back to riding in the rain.. a good set of a tires will channel the water threw and rain will not be a huge problem.

ALLWAYS12

12-31-2010, 10:04 AM

The formula for speed is. Outside temp + tire temp. Divide by how many tires your bike has. +
degree of corner. Give or take 1-100mph

Stang Man

12-31-2010, 10:33 AM

Like everyone has said, too many variables.

Biggest thing to remember is BE SMOOTH. No sudden brake or throttle input because once a tire breaks loose in the wet, its hard to bring back.

I was at an autocross in the Mustang @ the HPD track. My first run was in the dry and before I completed second and third runs, a torrential downpour came through. I really had to smooth out my driving, but I was actually faster in the wet by my t hird and final run. I can't attribute it all to driving smoother though, as I had a better feel for the track by the third run.

Pyrogenic

01-03-2011, 03:00 PM

Stay relaxed and smooth with your movements, and you will be fine. I have ridden I10 in a torrential downpour (2-3" of water flowing across the road) with no problems. I did catch myself admiring the wake from my front tire a few times.

I have done 120ish on wet (not raining) roads with no hint of any instability. I know, flame away.

Hell, my bikes did better in the rain than my cobra. Those 295s would just float.

110 mph in 2-3 inches DEEP of water?? LOL! Sorry - that's too much.. you were probably riding in 1/2 max of water, which would still cause a wake and lots of splashing.

-----------

Otherwise - bikes can handle lots of traction on wet road - just look at the racers in the rain! But asphalt... on public roads.... scary in turns. Asphalt is petroleum based - it would scare me to not be very careful.

Also, professionals not only have sweeter gear, but are much more adept at throttle and brake control. Those are what will getcha. the bike can handle it, but the rider usually can't (in the corners). I know my throttle is a bit off of smooth accelerating out of corners. Heck, if you hit a wet tar-strip on asphalt, you're going down. even in the dry those can be catastrophic.

The question is - are you ready for the repairs, or not? I'd err on the side of caution on 90* asphalt public road turns....

Pyrogenic

01-03-2011, 03:03 PM

The formula for speed is. Outside temp + tire temp. Divide by how many tires your bike has. +
degree of corner. Give or take 1-100mph

do you mean degree of inclination of the corner, or radius? ;)

SGT USMC 0311

01-03-2011, 04:21 PM

You don't even have to be moving to drop your bike. A kid on a Busa put his foot down on a painted arrow at PP1. The pavement was covered with dew and down he went.

Good point, hell just walking to my car a few weeks ago in dress shoes and dress pants I slipped on a rock and ate it. :rofl:

Shit happens so gear up.

gtdrivr

01-06-2011, 03:51 PM

110 mph in 2-3 inches DEEP of water?? LOL! Sorry - that's too much.. you were probably riding in 1/2 max of water, which would still cause a wake and lots of splashing.

-----------

Otherwise - bikes can handle lots of traction on wet road - just look at the racers in the rain! But asphalt... on public roads.... scary in turns. Asphalt is petroleum based - it would scare me to not be very careful.

Also, professionals not only have sweeter gear, but are much more adept at throttle and brake control. Those are what will getcha. the bike can handle it, but the rider usually can't (in the corners). I know my throttle is a bit off of smooth accelerating out of corners. Heck, if you hit a wet tar-strip on asphalt, you're going down. even in the dry those can be catastrophic.

The question is - are you ready for the repairs, or not? I'd err on the side of caution on 90* asphalt public road turns....

Huh??? 110 MPH? Never said that...

7cain

01-06-2011, 04:25 PM

A safer means of practice would be to gear up and go find a field, grass is very slippery and you wont have to wait for it to rain. This won't tell you how to ride in the rain but it will teach you how to handle the bike when it looses traction both front and rear, braking and accelerating, and at slower speeds (without doing nearly as much damage to the bike). Your balance and control of throttle and brake are going to be what saves you (unless you are balls to the wall). My house in the hill country has 1/4 mile of twisty granite gravel and no houses before I hit pavement, never went down but I sure learned what it was like to loose grip. When it happens, it happens FAST!