How to Ride Your Motorcycle more Confidently when it Rains in the Mountains

I see a lot of riders intimidated by rain when they visit the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains. It’s something we all try to avoid, yet its inevitable that someday you’ll be caught in a downpour or ride through the wash of one on your motorcycle travels. The key to riding wet roads with confidence is being super smooth with the throttle and the brakes.

Photo - Rain over Deals Gap / Fontana Lake

Rain over Deals Gap this morning

We all know to slow down and take it easy in the rain. Still, I come up on too many riders who put themselves at greater risk by riding hesitantly and overcautiously.  That car looming up on you also has less grip and his visibility is reduced. Don’t become a hazard on the road when it rains. The crop of tires available for your motorcycle has never been better and the wet grip from a good set of rubber nowadays is amazing. On decent pavement you can usually match the speed of other traffic. Corner with the confidence your tires are up to the task by practicing flowing smoothly on/off the throttle and the brake.  See post – Tire Testing at Deals Gap Here

To fully exploit your tires wet weather capabilities load and unload them gently. There’s a surprising amount of grip available to be used, but sudden or abrupt actions will overwhelm it. A smooth and even approach puts the load on your tires gradually so the reduced limits of grip on a wet road are not exceeded. Demanding less grip for hard braking and aggressive throttle input leaves more grip available for the tire to use cornering. You can and should still use your brakes and throttle in a turn, just use less of them and apply them more slowly and evenly.

Photo - Motorcycles shelter from rain at gas station

Sometimes it's best to let the worst of it pass. Bikes seek shelter at gas station.

The real challenge is getting some lean on in the turns. There’s only so much tire grip available. You can only brake or twist the throttle so hard before you exceed the total grip available and the tire skids. In a straight line, all the weight of the motorcycle and rider is straight down on the tires. All of the tires available grip is used to either propel the bike forward or slow it down. Once you lean into a curve, some of that total amount of  tire grip is used up fighting the sideways push on the tires. The more you lean, the harder the tire has to grip the road to hold on as the sideways push gets stronger and stronger. That leaves less tire grip available to work on stopping the bike as it’s taking more and more of the tires capacity to work against the sideways force. At the extreme, 100% of the tire’s grip is being used to just to fight the sideways push on the tires and keep the bike from skidding off the road. The slightest touch of the brakes or gas at 100% lean demands more grip from the tires and there is none left to give.

Since there’s less tire grip available on a wet road, we all know you can’t lean as hard nor brake as hard. But if you’re smooth and easy with your throttle and brakes demanding less grip from your tires, you’ll have that much more grip left to use leaning into a turn. Find the balance where the grip needed to accelerate or decelerate plus the amount of grip used by the leaning bike doesn’t exceed what your tires have to offer, and carve sweetly and confidently through the curves even in a downpour.

Photo - motorcycle at the Dragon in rain

A confident rider tames the Dragon with grace and smoothness in the rain this morning. Experience made it look so easy.

Practice on the dry days. Learn to judge the entrance speed at which you can cruise smoothly into a turn without using your brakes while holding the throttle steady through it to maintain a constant speed. Do this over and over and you’ll find your confidence improves and you’re comfortably leaning deeper through the curves. Then practice using closing the throttle to slow you into the turn then gently rolling it on to maintain your lean and pull out of it. Next practice gently feathering your front brake well into the turn, during the turn, and to slow on exit. Play with gently using both brakes. Focus on being smooth, gentle, and flowing.

The experience you’ll gain will make your next mountain motorcycle ride in a downpour a lot easier. You’ll be using the skills you’ve gained to ride more confidently and safely at speed. Knowing how your bike behaves in the curves will give you the ability to make the most of the surprising amount of rain grip a modern tire has to offer. The smoother you are, the easier it will be.

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Wayne Busch
Wayne Busch – Cartographer
– Wayne Busch lives in Waynesville, NC, where he produces the most detailed and comprehensive and up-to-date motorcycle pocket maps of the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains to help you get the most of your vacation experience. See them here – AmericaRidesMaps.com 

Motorcycle Gear Review – Fieldsheer Mercury 2.0 Pants – I’m Liking Them in the Mountains

A sunny day, blue skies, balmy temps, what a great day for a spin on the motorcycle. We all revel in such opportunities, but when it comes to motorcycle vacation plans, your schedule does not always fall on those perfect days. All too often the weather is questionable, and with limited time you set off to make the most of it come what may.

Photo-rain-happens

Don't let a rain storm ruin your travels. With the right gear, you just keep on going.

I’ve given up on counting on the predictions. There are days when I must ride regardless. With most of my time spent in the Smoky Mountains, you can rarely trust a forecast or plan with certainty on what’s happening over the next hill or ridge top. Best to adapt the Boy Scout attitude of “Always be prepared”. Leathers and chaps have long been retired. Nor can I be burdened with always packing a decent rain suit. A good one is not only bulky but costly. You have to stop and put it on, stow it when wet, I can’t be bothered. I have embraced synthetics and come to value the gear produced by Fieldsheer.

Case in point, a situation I see repeated all too often. I got a call last week that some magazine writers from Florida were in town and wanted someone to show them some great rides. I knocked off for the day, and headed over to meet them. Who can’t use a little more publicity.  The storm clouds were gathering and there was obvious rain to the southwest. No problem, we’ll head for the blue skies to the northeast and skirt around it.

By the time we saddled up and got ready to leave, the first wave of rain had hit up high near the Blue Ridge Parkway where they were waiting. It was still sunny a few miles down the road and I knew we could pass through the shower and get ahead of the storm which would hang to the south. Dressed in blue jeans, T-shirts, and skid lids, they were not only saturated by the time we reached the bottom of the hill but couldn’t see where they were going with their open faced helmets. I lost them at the first gas station as they sought shelter. I circled back, and we waited for the shower to let up to return them to the motel. Their day was ruined. I headed out, rode for a bit, and returned home bone dry in my synthetic gear. How many have wasted their valuable motorcycle vacation time waiting in shelter or cutting things short when they become wet, cold, and miserable from a brief shower? Don’t let it happen to you, plan ahead and be prepared.

Photo-motorcycles-shelter-from-rain-at-gas-station

An hour wasted at a gas station that could have been better spent for proper gear.

I’m long acquainted with Fieldsheer motorcycle gear. It’s my everyday year-round riding apparel. My jacket, now 4 years old or more is still waterproof, and the ballistic cloth has survived going down at highway speeds without significant damage, the protective armor built in insuring I walk away from spills with little more than my ego impacted. After three years I’d done enough to my old pants to warrant a replacement. The occasional knee down and a spill or two had loosened the stitching in the crotch and I had a minor leak. Santa blessed me with a new pair of Mercury 2.0 pants, and after six months, I can give them a preliminary rating – stellar.

The quilted lining served me well through the winter. Comfortable and warm, it has been removed now that the summer heat is here. I really appreciate the small zipper controlled thigh vents that are easily opened while riding. Full side zippers insure that should the temps really climb, I can add even more ventilation. With repeated forays through some heavy downpours I can attest to their being waterproof. Sizing runs a bit large, though that probably contributes to comfort – plenty of room to move around without restriction. The velcro waist bands make for quick cinching when I make those trips into the weeds to commune with nature. The fly is so well gusseted as to be useless as an avenue for quick relief, but in exchange water tight.

photo-filedsheer-mercury-pants

Available in black or silver, Fieldsheer Mercury 2.0 pants are versatile and practically indestructible while offering comfort and function..

You can find FIELDSHEER MERCURY 2.0 PANTS online for under $150.00. They’ll serve my purpose for 95% of the riding I do, with a set of mesh pants as back up should I decide to head for more tropical climes (not likely). I no longer plan around weather, waste time parked under overpasses or sit out storms slurping endless cups of bitter truck stop coffee. They also come in silver, and womens versions.

Rain is temporary. Good gear endures and keeps you riding and should be part of your motorcycle touring kit. If that’s important to you, I highly recommend these pants.

Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27f3Uq49PcU

Fieldsheer Site: http://www.fieldsheer.com/site2009/IE/product/mercurypant.htm

Other Reviews:

http://www.stromtrooper.com/showthread.php?t=27272

http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/gearbox/122_0901_fieldsheer_adventure_jacket_mercury_pants/index.html

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Wayne Busch

Wayne Busch - Cartographer

 

– Wayne Busch lives in Waynesville, NC, where he produces the most detailed and comprehensive and up-to-date motorcycle pocket maps of the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains to help you get the most of your vacation experience. See them here – AmericaRidesMaps.com