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[sadunbar]

Ditto!  I have rode in hard rain and ain't gonna do it unless I'm somehow forced to do it again.  I have spent extended periods (hour or more) stopped under a bridge.  Always get as far away from the road as possible and then get away from the bike (behind guardrail).  I've actually taken a few short naps waiting for the rain to let up.

Best case is to find a convenience store or the like to wait it out. 

A drive thru car wash is always a good port in a storm.


But, like others have said - try not to stop on the Interstate!  I always give my best to make it to the next off ramp at minimum... 

[LRebel]

A drive thru car wash is always a good port in a storm.


But, like others have said - try not to stop on the Interstate!  I always give my best to make it to the next off ramp at minimum... 

Yep, spent some time taking shelter at carwash.  Also bank drive-thru (after hours), pavilion in parks, and once up on a covered sidewalk in front of an office building.

[Hoist!]

Granted it ain't no fun, but my KD Sunglasses w/an open face helmet and leather bandana up to my nose, work OK in the worst rain and fog. At least my glasses don't get fogged up and water doesn't get in my eyes. I have to wipe them with my hand, and my face gets soaked. But I can keep my eyes just above the windshield and see halfway decently. As well as you can expect to see in driving rain anyway. Prolly better solutions, but that's been working OK for me for um-teen years!

I also like what Louis said in his response. Don't slow down to stupid slow speeds. You're sure to get run over by a cage/truck that will say he never saw you. Maintain the same speed as traffic with your flashers on. If that's too much for you to do, then get off the highway until it slows down. I do not own or use a safety vest, but if you're a Nervous Nellie, you might feel better having one. It's intimidating seeing a bike in the rain at speed, so they tend to give you room if your riding normal highway speed. But don't count on being seen and cover your brakes. You never know when you'll have to make an unplanned avoidance maneuver!

Hoist!

[FUZZNUTS]

When I was riding back from Maggie Valley, first I encountered fog that was'nt too bad. But by the time I hit the east/west PA turnpike the rain was comming down in buckets. It got pretty dark in a few spots but as a few of you said I got into the fast lane and kept up with the vehicle in front of me..........kept at least 60 to 70 yards between myself and the car in front of me. Got pretty lucky, she dam near rode all the the way home with me. Anyway, when the rain got that heavy the only way I could see was to sit as upright as I could in the saddle and get a few inches above the winshield the full face helmet that I had on. The wind was just enough to keep the visibility marginal and keep the tailights in view. It took me about 2 1/2 hours riding like this to get home. About 5 miles from home the lightning started, I was really wiped by the time I got home. The only thing that was wet on me was my leather boots. The Gortex tops and bottoms HD suit I have worked very well.        

[screem]

I kive in South West Florida, in the summer months we have heavy tropical down pours most afternoons. I travel across Aligator alley fequently in the summer and have hit some absolutley blinding rains, and anyone who has ridden this road , knows there arent many places to pull over and wait it out. I hwear a half helmet with  Ray-Ban Wayfarer presription sunglasses. Hopefully, before I get soaked I have time to pull over and don my rain suit..Tog Frogs..best out there in my opinion. I use a bandana across my fore head to stop the stinging rain on top and keep water from running down into eyes also. I also use a second bandana below glasses to cover rest of exposed face. For me it is just too hot to wear a full face down here in the summertime...so I find this setup the most comfortable for me. as far as actually ridding. I maintain speed with other traffic out there..70-75 mph. I get in the tire track of the vehicle in front of me , as they have pushed some of the water out of my path for me..4-way flashers running if it is blinding. Leave lots of room...both in front and to the rear.
     The only time I pucker up a bit is when there is severe lightning crashing around. This area is known as the lightning capitol (for good reason too). I have ridden many miles in these type of conditions, ridden safely and without incicdent. This may sound a bit nuts to those who are fairweather riders, but to me weather is a part of the experience. It should be respected, not feared, embraced not hated. If I waited on the weather to be perfect, it would knock 5 months of riding out of my year. The sunshine state aint always so sunny...so get out there and enjoy your local weather.     

[porthole]

Yep - if you don't ride in the rain, you really don't ride.

T-storms - I know you have a lot down there - but if you can hear it you are danger of being hit.

[SPIDERMAN]

Yep - if you don't ride in the rain, you really don't ride.

T-storms - I know you have a lot down there - but if you can hear it you are danger of being hit.

ph
     I don't as a rule take exception to any of your posts. They are usually well thought out and I enjoy reading what you have to say. I do have to take exception to this one however. For 30+ years while living in Maine, I rode in every kind of weather imaginable including a couple of blizzards. Since moving to California 11 years ago, I have gotten caught in T-storms, dust storms, even a tornado outside of Amarillo TX a couple years back riding coast to coast . I have ridden all day in the rain more times than I can count during these cross country ventures. Ok, to the point, I am a C.O.B B. these days with severe enough arthrtitis that I am involuntarily retired. I cannot afford a trip to the pavement any more. As such, I won't ride in the rain. In my opinion, my chances of going down are increased 100% riding in the rain. So by your standards, I guess I don't ride anymore. The previous 40+ years don't count.

B B

[screem]

ph
      cannot afford a trip to the pavement any more. As such, I won't ride in the rain. In my opinion, my chances of going down are increased 100% riding in the rain. So by your standards, I guess I don't ride anymore. The previous 40+ years don't count.

B B

geez kind od sensitive arent we? Coming from Maine...you get grandfarthered into the all weather riders club...I too have ridden close to 40years myself...it seems that alot of of the newer riders or ones that have returned riding after years of not ridding...are a bit squimish about ridding in any thing but but sunny dry days, I think may be the point. I too cant afford to go down while riding...these ole bones dont heal like they once did....that being said....I have learned to ride in weather...and make adjustments as need to make it a safe trip....I normally wont head out into a gully washer storm...but if one hits while out...I am prepared and confident in my skills to ride safe....and to try to ENJOY the experience as much as possible

[Screamin]

'Tis one thing to be prepared and handle it on your own. I have and do if need be. But, when with a group there are often riders of different abilities and attitudes. When w/ a group, I head for cover. Don't want to go down but don't want to be responsible for another to crash or worse, run into me. I've a couple of good friends that we ride with together a lot. If time allows, we park it and shoot the chit. If not, we follow a lot of the tips mentioned above. Lastly, if I've got the BSR along, there's seldom a reason to jeopardize her and it's just not worth it to have her cold and pizzed off.

[SPIDERMAN]

geez kind od sensitive arent we? Coming from Maine...you get grandfarthered into the all weather riders club...I too have ridden close to 40years myself...it seems that alot of of the newer riders or ones that have returned riding after years of not ridding...are a bit squimish about ridding in any thing but but sunny dry days, I think may be the point. I too cant afford to go down while riding...these ole bones dont heal like they once did....that being said....I have learned to ride in weather...and make adjustments as need to make it a safe trip....I normally wont head out into a gully washer storm...but if one hits while out...I am prepared and confident in my skills to ride safe....and to try to ENJOY the experience as much as possible

Nope, not at all, just making a point that riding styles change for a variety of reasons and nobody should make blanket statements like " if you don't ride in the rain, you don't really ride " without knowing a particular rider's circumstances.

B B

[Keats]

Brian,
I would not take offense to that, you have surely earned you riding wheels and have ridden more than myself and have more experience.

But I think the intent of that statement was to separate those who avoided these conditions by being a fair weather

rider all their life never subjecting themselves to those experiences.

You certainly have not done that and have those experiences. Whether you avoid them now is irrelevant, you have done

that

[WFP]

Having ridden in rain snow hail and ice....





give me a nice sunny day anytime!  If I have a choice, I will choose to not ride in the rain, if there is no choice, then so be it...

[sadunbar]

1.  Rain is o.k.

2.  Cold is o.k.

3.  Cold rain $ucks huge.

4.  Hail $ucks - and hurts.

Have done all of the above, but try hard to avoid 3 & 4 in my advanced age of 49 and general dislike of coldness...

[porthole]

ph
     I don't as a rule take exception to any of your posts. They are usually well thought out and I enjoy reading what you have to say. I do have to take exception to this one however. For 30+ years while living in Maine, I rode in every kind of weather imaginable including a couple of blizzards. Since moving to California 11 years ago, I have gotten caught in T-storms, dust storms, even a tornado outside of Amarillo TX a couple years back riding coast to coast . I have ridden all day in the rain more times than I can count during these cross country ventures. Ok, to the point, I am a C.O.B B. these days with severe enough arthrtitis that I am involuntarily retired. I cannot afford a trip to the pavement any more. As such, I won't ride in the rain. In my opinion, my chances of going down are increased 100% riding in the rain. So by your standards, I guess I don't ride anymore. The previous 40+ years don't count.

B B

Just as many take what you say the wrong way frequently, you do the same on occasion, and you did here.

Some people never will or never have ridden in the rain.

Anyone who has ever put any real miles on the road have been in the rain, eg "riders".
Sunday afternoon riding to only show off your sparklely shiny motor-sickle doesn't really qualify as a "rider", just someone showing their goods.

Were not talking life changes here. My wife is in the same boat. Used to ride but physically can't anymore (but she keeps pointing out trikes to me  )

You forget, I was standing next to you when you got the longest distance traveled award 2 years ago, and the "been there done that got the t-shirt" to go with it..

[porthole]

....I normally wont head out into a gully washer storm...but if one hits while out...

Kind of my original intention. Just get tired of the people looking at the weather forecast next week when planning a ride.
I had enough of that running charters for 20+ years.

I also will pass on starting a trip during a heavy rain - whats the poin?

Most group trips that I have been with, that start in heavy rain are physically exhausting. The whole ride changes with the worries of the rest of the group. Why not just wait it out.

But, getting caught is something different, sometimes you just keep going and "Sunday afternoon fair weather riders" seldom, if ever "get caught".