[mattl]

Thanks for sharing. Before getting my Chieftian my riding experience was that of sportbikes, trackdays and racing. I always loved the rain events on the track. I was on a 600cc 2002 CBR, no ABS, no TC - it was all feel and knowing your bike/personal limits. Rain on the road is a different animal, since there's cars who can't see you and a poo ton of oil that comes to the surface when the rain starts. I've only got about 800-900 miles on my Indian and about 20 of them were in light rain. Not bad, not super excited about it either (This is my first bike in about 8 years), also doing the shifter recall and state inspection. Riding in the rain is great if you're not cold and don't panic. The bike wants to stay up, and as mentioned earlier, position your weight lower and towards the inside of the corner to reduce the lean angle and brake and throttle inputs should be like receiving a hockey pass with an egg as the puck - nice and smooth.

Don't need a bad ass biker card to be a smart biker, ride within your limits and you and the bike should be able to ride tomorrow too.

 

[Dr.Shifty]

This is from a ride some years ago - heading west out on the flat country of western NSW. I stopped to put my wet weather gear on before hitting the storm. It was like riding through a waterfall but I knew it was only a few miles wide so I powered on and came out the other side pretty soon.

Other riders who were coming up from the south were forced to stop and take refuge standing on the seat of a bus shelter. The water running across the road where they stopped was up past the rims of their bikes.

Anyone who's ridden in Tasmania (biker heaven) knows that they will have rain sooner or later. Rain in Tassie comes in on the storms that start blowing from South Africa and across the Southern Ocean. It's not for the faint-hearted.

 

[Triumph900]

I don’t know
But I’ll sure bet
If you ride in the rain
You’re gonna get wet....(limerick cleaned up...)

 

[Lost Hillbilly]

Try riding the BRP this time of year, Pop ups every evening from 15 min to several hrs. Thunder lightning, 2 to 4" of water running down the road with patchy fog and a temp drop from the low 90's to the mid sixties in just a few minutes.
Then having to ride the twisties down off the mountain..LOL good times...

The absolute worst rain I ever rode through was just at the southern end (beginning?) of the BRP. We were a group of 4 riders going to Gatlinburg for the night. I later learned that 2 large storm fronts met right on our route. Couldn't see mroe than a few feet. Dragging along at about 10 mph tops. I later got to the parking deck at the hotel and poured water from my boots. Gatlinburgh had flooding that evening. Shops shut down. It was a crazy tale that I hope is the worst I ever see.

 

[OR Jim]

Set out with 2 others last August for an extended ride up the Oregon and Washington coast and 2 hours in the weather did a 180 so we rode until the next town for lunch and a decision (rare to get rain here summer and early fall) Went from sunny and 70 in the 5 day to pure freaking rain. So we did a 180 and went down the California coast. Wanted to re-plan for this year and now that's clearly a no go.

 

[LongRoadHome]

Definitely a message thread with some interesting stories.

I’m out riding today, tonight right now, been dodging thunderstorms.

Luckily my worst experience was a bunch of years ago trying to get home before dark and hit by a gully washer storm. Slowed me up so darkness fell.

I was huddled behind the windshield following the double yellow line in the middle of the road and came upon a beagle standing right on the line.
I was only moving about 20 miles an hour but I couldn’t see hardly a thing and managed to miss the dog.

 

[Davetac1]

I don’t know
But I’ll sure bet
If you ride in the rain
You’re gonna get wet....(limerick cleaned up...)

You're a poet,and don't know it!!! I'm impressed! lol lol lol

 

[solomnoak]

Living in SD, you will ride in the rain at some point in time. what makes SD fun is that we can have shall we say changing weather conditions. The following attachments were when we were at Sturgis in 2019 and had ridden down to Fort Robinson in Nebraska and we got caught in a very quick developing prairie storm event. Don't like to ride in the rain but sometimes there is no where to go, so you ride until you can park. The double rainbow is at the little bar at the Nebraska / South Dakota State line. Wife wears rain gear but being 6'5" any rain gear jacket seems to have half length arms so then you might as well just get wet. Only usually takes about 50 miles to dry out and your good to go. Traded my trusty voyager in on this 2016 Indian.
Dimock Cheese is about 15 miles south of Mitchell SD on SD 37, locally made craft cheese and sticks from the local meat locker and some distilled local spirits. You can catch 37 off US 50 west out of Yankton or head south on 37 to HWY 50 if you are heading South East. You will pick up I-29 about 30 miles north of Sioux City Iowa.
Moose

 

[joleyred]

I see a couple references to "pinlock helments" here. I've seen the term before but I don't know what it is or how it effects fogging. Can someone enlighten me?

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[LongRoadHome]

I see a couple references to "pinlock helments" here. I've seen the term before but I don't know what it is or how it effects fogging.

It’s a second layer of plastic put inside the face shield, there is a thin gasket around the edge. It’s held in place by a ‘pin’ on each side after bending the plastic.

I don’t know if it’s available on any type of helmet, I’ve only had it on full face helmet.
For the most part it does prevent fogging. I still managed to cloud mine a little sometimes and had to crack the visor open.

 

[Dr.Shifty]

I see a couple references to "pinlock helments" here. I've seen the term before but I don't know what it is or how it effects fogging. Can someone enlighten me?

As LongRoadHome says, it adds a second layer inside the visor with a small air gap. Pinlock is one of several brands of similar gadgets. I used one called Fog City for a long time when living in a colder climate. The Fog City also darkened in sunlight.

The difference with the Pinlock is that it's held in place with two pins that fit into holes that are drilled into the visor. Some helmets come with pins already installed. Inserts are swappable. Others, like Fog City, are permanently stuck in place with the adhesive strip around the edge.

They all work pretty well. The cheaper ones might not be as optically even and so can give a wavy view.

 

[chrisdcraft71]

I have the though pattern that I want to experience the elements as much as I can because I don't fell at all comfortable because of lack of experience in the elements. I will get caught in the elements an I want to be as ready as possible.i live in middle Tennessee.

Head east. Get in the Smoky Mtns. often enough and you’ll eventually get wet.


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[Dwayne Alexander]

I plan on doing that. Smokeys is my favorite place to go.

 

[SilverFatBoy]

A friend sent me a YouTube video a while back (I wish I could find it), where a biker was riding in a torrential downpour, on a 4 lane highway. All of a sudden, a pickup truck hits his bike from behind. As he slides down the rain-soaked highway,on his butt, he swivels around & flips off the pickup driver... cussing & cursing the entire time.

 

[Malboo]

I ride every day to work so am used to the rain what I don't like is getting caught in the rain with no leggings and getting soaking wet

 

[One More Time]

This time of year it's a 20% chance every afternoon around here so eventually you will get wet. The last SUPRISE I was part of was last falls "Get Together" in Hot Springs, AR. Being somewhat local, me as well as several guys I knew left our rain gear at home because there was no mention of rain that weekend and with my wife every spare inch will be filled. Well we all got drenched on the poker run and the rain continued the better part of the day. Would I do it again? Hell yeah. The wife not so much.

 

[Dwayne Alexander]

Yes I got caught in the rain today. It was fine just a quick down pour and it was over.

 

[Big Red 1]

Here is just more evidence of the wussification of Steve Sidoti. I have been riding almost 40 years, over a quarter of a million miles, and have only ridden once in the rain. I know, I immediately lose my badass biker card because of that statement. But today, coming home from Cave Creek to my home in Gilbert Arizona, I hit a very hard rain for about 20 miles. It was so hard that my goggles were useless, so I had to take them off and duck down behind my windshield to try to see where I was going. I got behind another vehicle and kept a safe distance, but I just needed somebody to track the lanes for me. When I got home I talked to two of my Oriental friends about this. Wut Da Chit told me I was absolutely crazy for not checking the weather first. Ho Lee Phuc told me I was nuts for being out there among all of the Phoenix drivers who have no clue how to drive in the rain. I have to admit, it was very uncomfortable for me. So there you have it. I am a wuss.

I too have been riding for about 40 years, but you are doing a MUCH better job of not getting rained on. ps, I hate riding in the rain, it should be avoided like the plaque...if possible but it just happens.

 

[RonDale]

Here is just more evidence of the wussification of Steve Sidoti. I have been riding almost 40 years, over a quarter of a million miles, and have only ridden once in the rain. I know, I immediately lose my badass biker card because of that statement. But today, coming home from Cave Creek to my home in Gilbert Arizona, I hit a very hard rain for about 20 miles. It was so hard that my goggles were useless, so I had to take them off and duck down behind my windshield to try to see where I was going. I got behind another vehicle and kept a safe distance, but I just needed somebody to track the lanes for me. When I got home I talked to two of my Oriental friends about this. Wut Da Chit told me I was absolutely crazy for not checking the weather first. Ho Lee Phuc told me I was nuts for being out there among all of the Phoenix drivers who have no clue how to drive in the rain. I have to admit, it was very uncomfortable for me. So there you have it. I am a wuss.

I’ve rode in so much rain it ain’t funny. On my RM & my RK for over 45 yrs. good tires are key. Myself & a few close riding buddies have a saying if your worried about the rain you’ll never ride your bike. When it’s raining I’m usually going faster. I carry a full face helmet with me on any long trips just for rain days.

 

[Hiking Mike]

Here is just more evidence of the wussification of Steve Sidoti. I have been riding almost 40 years, over a quarter of a million miles, and have only ridden once in the rain. I know, I immediately lose my badass biker card because of that statement. But today, coming home from Cave Creek to my home in Gilbert Arizona, I hit a very hard rain for about 20 miles. It was so hard that my goggles were useless, so I had to take them off and duck down behind my windshield to try to see where I was going. I got behind another vehicle and kept a safe distance, but I just needed somebody to track the lanes for me. When I got home I talked to two of my Oriental friends about this. Wut Da Chit told me I was absolutely crazy for not checking the weather first. Ho Lee Phuc told me I was nuts for being out there among all of the Phoenix drivers who have no clue how to drive in the rain. I have to admit, it was very uncomfortable for me. So there you have it. I am a wuss.

The first day of my basic rider course was the rainiest day in Denver in more then a year. So at least I got that out of the way!