All the gear, no idea!!
Discussion
Been riding almost a year now and have just upgraded from a Monster to a CBR 600RR & I'm loving it!
Things going well in the dry, leaning into the turns, counter steering & sometimes I remember to do both at the same time!! Almost rid of the 'target fixation' syndrome and generally building confidence, smoothness and a little bit of pace, ahem officer!!
Then comes the rain and it all unravells!! I start target fixating as I go into a bend and almost want to keep the bike at a perfect 90 degrees to the road, unwilling and unable to lean. Completely lacking in confidence and experience around what grip the tyres will give me. Help!!
Is the only cure experience? I'm thinking of a Haslam track day to generally get a better understanding of what the bike can do, the levels of grip etc etc. Does this only happen to me?
Where does one get the answer to all the SFQ's that I have? We're told to get your tyres warm before getting too carried away on a ride. How long does this take, how will I know, what difference does that have in thet wet?
I'm 37 but feel like when I was 17 and just passed my car test. Still, got to start somewhere.
All the gear but no idea!!
Things going well in the dry, leaning into the turns, counter steering & sometimes I remember to do both at the same time!! Almost rid of the 'target fixation' syndrome and generally building confidence, smoothness and a little bit of pace, ahem officer!!
Then comes the rain and it all unravells!! I start target fixating as I go into a bend and almost want to keep the bike at a perfect 90 degrees to the road, unwilling and unable to lean. Completely lacking in confidence and experience around what grip the tyres will give me. Help!!
Is the only cure experience? I'm thinking of a Haslam track day to generally get a better understanding of what the bike can do, the levels of grip etc etc. Does this only happen to me?
Where does one get the answer to all the SFQ's that I have? We're told to get your tyres warm before getting too carried away on a ride. How long does this take, how will I know, what difference does that have in thet wet?
I'm 37 but feel like when I was 17 and just passed my car test. Still, got to start somewhere.
All the gear but no idea!!
I'm also fairly new to motorbikes, and although I've ridden in the wet a lot I still worry. I try to ride smoothly, I ride a reasonably good line thru bends, but every now and again I get a slide I wasn't expecting. Nothing huge admittedly, but if I was pushing it I would lose it, so I don't! I occasionally get a little wheel spin, I have never locked up in the wet under brakes.
So, you do not have "no idea", the public road can have very slippy surfaces, ride smoothly and always be ready for surprises.
shane
So, you do not have "no idea", the public road can have very slippy surfaces, ride smoothly and always be ready for surprises.
shane
Me too, joining my local bike club has been invaluable, I've been adopted by some of the fastest riders who all come out with me, let me follow them to copy their lines, then follow me to watch and debrief me after.
I feel like such a girl and give myself a hard time, but they're so patient, don't push me or hurry me. I know if they want to go fast they will and wait for me.
Might be worth thinking about?
I feel like such a girl and give myself a hard time, but they're so patient, don't push me or hurry me. I know if they want to go fast they will and wait for me.
Might be worth thinking about?
I'm 36 and in my 3rd year biking. Rain used to be a huge issue for me. However, commuting through the city in all weather helps...you just get used to it. You stil have grip and your brakes will still work....just not as effecive as in the dry obviously, so smoothness is the key. I guess it's just practice. Sorry ot a lot of help really!
Biggest thing is relax.
If you tense up you will feel every little move the bike makes and it will make you even more nervous.
If you tense up, every little move you make is transferred to the bike and it feels skittery (you can prove this to yourself in the dry by locking your arms and holding your body rigid while you try to ride fast).
Keep your gaze up, look just as far ahead as you do in the dry and hang loose.
Think calm thoughts like "Camomile tea...
"
If you tense up you will feel every little move the bike makes and it will make you even more nervous.
If you tense up, every little move you make is transferred to the bike and it feels skittery (you can prove this to yourself in the dry by locking your arms and holding your body rigid while you try to ride fast).
Keep your gaze up, look just as far ahead as you do in the dry and hang loose.
Think calm thoughts like "Camomile tea...
"Totally with you on the feedback thing. I'm very comfortable on my Hornet in the wet, but on the D675, i tense up as i feel every little thing the bike is doing. The softer bike is more confidence inspiring, so softening up my body on the stiffer bike is the way ahead - just need to bloody relax and do it!!
robstvr said:
Totally with you on the feedback thing. I'm very comfortable on my Hornet in the wet, but on the D675, i tense up as i feel every little thing the bike is doing. The softer bike is more confidence inspiring, so softening up my body on the stiffer bike is the way ahead - just need to bloody relax and do it!!
I think you are right. I am quite lucky in that wet riding doesn't bother me, and never has. In fact at the Haslam race school the instructor commented that I was faster when raining than in the dry! However since riding the Bandit in all weathers, and the GSXR just for fun, I notice it more when on the GSXR in the rain.
I am 100% confident in the wet on the Bandit, but feel less so now on the GSXR. Think it is also down to the ABS on the Bandit as well - but relaxing also helps.
haven't really got a problem riding in the rain, prefer not to but just go carefully on the corners when it is, diesel becomes more of a problem if there's any on the road and a manhole cover gave me a fright shortly after passing my test as the back end stepped out when riding over one on a corner.
i ride all year & even been out in snow when ive had too. it'd just be nice to say i was at about 50% of the limit there rather than just i wasnt at the limit. if you see what i mean?
problem i had with the 14 the front felt skippy & unsteady in the wet, where its currently in bits i found it had almost no fork oil which could definatly explain that. so once its back up things should be a lot better.
problem i had with the 14 the front felt skippy & unsteady in the wet, where its currently in bits i found it had almost no fork oil which could definatly explain that. so once its back up things should be a lot better.
It is VERY rare for a bike tyre to suddenly let go totally in the wet without the addition of something like diesel or the rider does something suddenly and with force, like slamming on the brakes or dumping the clutch. Like a car, the tyres will begin to squirm and slide a little as the grip limit is reached.
This means that, as long as you are smooth and progressive you will be able to feel when you are getting near to the limit or, probably more realistically, feel that your are no where near the limit because things aren't sliding or squirming.
As has been said above, relax and ride smoothly (which is a good approach – wet or dry) and concentrate on the vanishing point rather than the tarmac 10ft in front of you.
This means that, as long as you are smooth and progressive you will be able to feel when you are getting near to the limit or, probably more realistically, feel that your are no where near the limit because things aren't sliding or squirming.
As has been said above, relax and ride smoothly (which is a good approach – wet or dry) and concentrate on the vanishing point rather than the tarmac 10ft in front of you.
Smoothness really is the key. As mentioned, the slightest hint of nervousness is felt and exagerated through the bike.
I started racing TZR250's this season for a bit of fun. So far, races at Donington and Snetterton have seen me compete in a hailstorm, torrential rain, oil spillage and for a breif moment, some sunshine. Never even having done a trackday in the rain before, my first wet race had my rear end twitching. The bike was a bit as well!
Tyrewarmers didn't really help traction, because we had been stood for 15 mins before getting on the track. So it was all about taking it easy, braking before leaning in and putting the gas on progressively.
Its amazing how tyres will cope in the wet.
I started racing TZR250's this season for a bit of fun. So far, races at Donington and Snetterton have seen me compete in a hailstorm, torrential rain, oil spillage and for a breif moment, some sunshine. Never even having done a trackday in the rain before, my first wet race had my rear end twitching. The bike was a bit as well!
Tyrewarmers didn't really help traction, because we had been stood for 15 mins before getting on the track. So it was all about taking it easy, braking before leaning in and putting the gas on progressively.
Its amazing how tyres will cope in the wet.
trumpet600 said:
Smoothness really is the key. As mentioned, the slightest hint of nervousness is felt and exagerated through the bike.
I started racing TZR250's this season for a bit of fun. So far, races at Donington and Snetterton have seen me compete in a hailstorm, torrential rain, oil spillage and for a breif moment, some sunshine. Never even having done a trackday in the rain before, my first wet race had my rear end twitching. The bike was a bit as well!
Tyrewarmers didn't really help traction, because we had been stood for 15 mins before getting on the track. So it was all about taking it easy, braking before leaning in and putting the gas on progressively.
Its amazing how tyres will cope in the wet.
And lucky pantsI started racing TZR250's this season for a bit of fun. So far, races at Donington and Snetterton have seen me compete in a hailstorm, torrential rain, oil spillage and for a breif moment, some sunshine. Never even having done a trackday in the rain before, my first wet race had my rear end twitching. The bike was a bit as well!
Tyrewarmers didn't really help traction, because we had been stood for 15 mins before getting on the track. So it was all about taking it easy, braking before leaning in and putting the gas on progressively.
Its amazing how tyres will cope in the wet.
Stouffer said:
Then comes the rain and it all unravells!! I start target fixating as I go into a bend and almost want to keep the bike at a perfect 90 degrees to the road, unwilling and unable to lean. Completely lacking in confidence and experience around what grip the tyres will give me. Help!!
Is the only cure experience? I'm thinking of a Haslam track day to generally get a better understanding of what the bike can do, the levels of grip etc etc. Does this only happen to me?
No. If it's any comfort it took me an embarrasingly long time to get used to riding smoothly and confidently in the wet (years and years). I was pretty sIs the only cure experience? I'm thinking of a Haslam track day to generally get a better understanding of what the bike can do, the levels of grip etc etc. Does this only happen to me?
t in the dry for an absurdly long time too. It just comes down to getting your brain on side and to do that you just need time spent. There are courses that will speed up the process too.Throttle control needs to be smooth, if you shut off midcorner you unload the rear tyre and risk sliding, roll it on through the corner and you maintain balance.
It's well publicised that many accidents are as a result of riders thinking they are travelling too quickly into a corner and going straight on, where as if they committed to the corner they would get round, modern sportsbikes have much more ability than most of us mere mortals.
I learnt a lot from doing CSS and would recommend it to anybody with aspirations to ride quickly.
It's well publicised that many accidents are as a result of riders thinking they are travelling too quickly into a corner and going straight on, where as if they committed to the corner they would get round, modern sportsbikes have much more ability than most of us mere mortals.
I learnt a lot from doing CSS and would recommend it to anybody with aspirations to ride quickly.
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