The joys of driving and riding in the wet
Discussion
You're not the only one, I have enjoyed it too over my 25-odd years of riding and driving.
In cars, although it can be fun, it's not what I would describe as, I dunno...visceral is the word maybe...as on a bike? For example, a small slide in a car is not usually a massive problem, whereas on a bike it CAN be a wee bit more interesting at best...to I guess fatal at worst?!
That said, I always enjoyed the challenge on a bike for years on the road. Had one or two 'heart stoppers' over the years, but generally as you say, I enjoyed the challenge of riding smoooooo-oooooothly, to give the best progress with as little risk and as few control inputs as possible.
On a bike, it is all about loading the tyres and moving the centre of gravity around as gently as possible...but once planted, then using that to your advantage.
It stood me in good stead, because once I started racing bikes, many of my wins and podiums came in the wet. Seems that many racers don't like the wet, so that's maybe half of the field eliminated as competition even before the lights go out!
I built a bit of a reputation as a wet-weather specialist. One of my favourites was in changeable conditions. If it had been pissing down, and then stopped raining maybe 15 minutes before I was due to go out, (especially in the late spring / summer) I used to go down to the holding area on slick tyres. Once I got there, everyone else was on wets, lol! Some of my competitiors used to look down at my tyres, and see my slicks - I used to think that this alone was a significant psychological advantage to me haha!
By being careful, FEELING the bike, being smooth on the controls, I often passed and left behind many riders on wets on a wet track. A lot of it is psychological. And then if the track started to dry out a wee bit, even if it only gave me a 12 inch strip of drying tarmac, well then I would clear right off and win by miles.
I am glad that, when I die, I will have memories like this:
I lived near to Snetterton racetrack for a few years. Hence, being my local, I started to learn it really well. I knew where there was grip / bumps etc. and where there wasn't. Hence, in the wet, I could put in a good lap, even on slicks. However, the standing water and puddles used to stay on the back straight for quite a while after the rain had stopped. But I used to LOVE it when even in 5th and 6th gear at 180mph, I would hit puddles and the rear wheel used to spin up and slide sideways! That's the sort of thing that life memories are made from
In cars, although it can be fun, it's not what I would describe as, I dunno...visceral is the word maybe...as on a bike? For example, a small slide in a car is not usually a massive problem, whereas on a bike it CAN be a wee bit more interesting at best...to I guess fatal at worst?!
That said, I always enjoyed the challenge on a bike for years on the road. Had one or two 'heart stoppers' over the years, but generally as you say, I enjoyed the challenge of riding smoooooo-oooooothly, to give the best progress with as little risk and as few control inputs as possible.
On a bike, it is all about loading the tyres and moving the centre of gravity around as gently as possible...but once planted, then using that to your advantage.
It stood me in good stead, because once I started racing bikes, many of my wins and podiums came in the wet. Seems that many racers don't like the wet, so that's maybe half of the field eliminated as competition even before the lights go out!
I built a bit of a reputation as a wet-weather specialist. One of my favourites was in changeable conditions. If it had been pissing down, and then stopped raining maybe 15 minutes before I was due to go out, (especially in the late spring / summer) I used to go down to the holding area on slick tyres. Once I got there, everyone else was on wets, lol! Some of my competitiors used to look down at my tyres, and see my slicks - I used to think that this alone was a significant psychological advantage to me haha!
By being careful, FEELING the bike, being smooth on the controls, I often passed and left behind many riders on wets on a wet track. A lot of it is psychological. And then if the track started to dry out a wee bit, even if it only gave me a 12 inch strip of drying tarmac, well then I would clear right off and win by miles.
I am glad that, when I die, I will have memories like this:
I lived near to Snetterton racetrack for a few years. Hence, being my local, I started to learn it really well. I knew where there was grip / bumps etc. and where there wasn't. Hence, in the wet, I could put in a good lap, even on slicks. However, the standing water and puddles used to stay on the back straight for quite a while after the rain had stopped. But I used to LOVE it when even in 5th and 6th gear at 180mph, I would hit puddles and the rear wheel used to spin up and slide sideways! That's the sort of thing that life memories are made from
It reminds me of a certain 2 great drives ive had in my life:
1 in a b7 rs4 and a convoy of 5 cars heading down the e40 to Nurburgring. thunderstorms and heavy rain all the way. the other cars where panicking with their semi slicks etc but I had cruise control on and made steady progress all the way there - dunno why, this really stuck with me as a great one
drive 2 was in a e90 m3 - Loads of fog and damp roads: wow what a rush, sideways out of every turn with minimal effort required (thanks long wheel base) just a huge smiling inducing slow drive
every other great one though has in common a beautiful sunny day
1 in a b7 rs4 and a convoy of 5 cars heading down the e40 to Nurburgring. thunderstorms and heavy rain all the way. the other cars where panicking with their semi slicks etc but I had cruise control on and made steady progress all the way there - dunno why, this really stuck with me as a great one
drive 2 was in a e90 m3 - Loads of fog and damp roads: wow what a rush, sideways out of every turn with minimal effort required (thanks long wheel base) just a huge smiling inducing slow drive
every other great one though has in common a beautiful sunny day
Strangely I prefer the wet on the road to the track. Always annoys me that I've paid all that money and not really getting the full benefit. Also ruined somewhat by a trackday at Rockingham where I was epically fast in the wet on road tyres...until I locked up, slid the front and ended up buried to the axles in the gravel trap. Although I didn't fall off after that wasn't able to push hard enough to warm the tyres to get them warm enough to get some grip...
I've had some epic wet weather rides, although I prefer it to be properly wet than the rain+diesel+leaves we can all too often get this time of year.
I've had some epic wet weather rides, although I prefer it to be properly wet than the rain+diesel+leaves we can all too often get this time of year.
The mx5 is particularly entertaining in the wet, on T1-R's it'll slide ever so controllably and on quiet roundabouts it's really quite good fun at slow speeds. I just don't like getting it wet too often because I'm convinced it'll just dissolve away around me!
The commuting Juke is just a pain in the wet, it spins up the front wheels very easily and isn't much fun to drive although when cornering it has reasonable grip.
The commuting Juke is just a pain in the wet, it spins up the front wheels very easily and isn't much fun to drive although when cornering it has reasonable grip.
Not a fan. This has come from early days of driving knackers, having a towel over my knees and a sponge to mop up the footwells.
In terms of others, there's too many d
heads who either drive too close, decide to brake harshly or refuse to turn their lights on and just assume they'll be alright.
In terms of others, there's too many d
heads who either drive too close, decide to brake harshly or refuse to turn their lights on and just assume they'll be alright. Used to enjoy wet trackdays when I did them in a bog standard MX5 as you could suddenly keep up with the not-so-well-driven big boys. Once I had put some track tyres and a turbo on it though it was far more capable in the dry and a bit irritating in the wet. I think my Vortx will be rubbish in the wet but not tried it yet. Basically the more effective a car is on a dry track (powerful, stiff, track tyres etc.) the less effective it is on a wet track to some extent.
On bike trackdays it's ok when it's properly wet but when it's patchy it's rubbish as you never quite know where you stand.
On bike trackdays it's ok when it's properly wet but when it's patchy it's rubbish as you never quite know where you stand.
Edited by T0MMY on Wednesday 8th October 16:59
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