Riding In The Rain

With autumn weather comes falling temperatures and more rain. While the colorful leaves and the coming of the holiday season is nice, the rain can present some serious challenges for motorcycle riders. The extra water on the road greatly reduces traction, and many other low-traction obstacles pop up on top of that.

If you want to stay safe while riding in the rain, you’ll need to wear the correct equipment, plan your trip appropriately, and learn a few riding tricks. Below, we’ve gathered our best advice for riding in the rain. Read on to learn more. When it’s time to invest in some new riding equipment, or if you need maintenance for your motorcycle, stop by Abernathy’s Cycles. We’re located in Union City, Tennessee, and we proudly serve the areas of Memphis, Nashville, and the rest of Tennessee.

Get Equipped

Your riding gear will be your best friend when riding in the rain. Good riding gear will keep you much warmer and drier, and that will give you more ability to concentrate on riding. A good place to start when building up your riding wardrobe is a full body riding suit. A full body riding suit gives you consistent head-to-toe coverage, which is the best way to maintain core heat. If you’re able to maintain core heat, you’ll be able to pump more warm blood to your hands and feet, which will keep them warmer. The best riding suits are fully insulated and waterproof.

Make sure you also pick up some waterproof and insulated gloves as well. Keeping your hands warm and dry is crucial to keeping your fingers loose and mobile, which is important for maintaining the ability to use your bike’s controls. Good riding boots are equally important.

If you’re really fighting cold temperatures, glove, boot, and body warmers can make a big difference. These come in electric and chemical varieties and can provide hours of warmth on the coldest rides.

Identify Low Traction Obstacles

One of the most important skills for riding in the rain is learning to identify low traction obstacles. While rain can reduce traction on the road, it can also worsen other existing low traction areas. For example, when leaves fall off the trees in autumn, they will accumulate on the road and eventually start to break down. Water can hasten this process creating a mushy, mud-like substance which can be more difficult to ride in than snow. You’ll want to avoid leaf-littered roads as much as possible and ride in the cleanest lanes you can find.

The metal plates used in road construction can be extremely slippery when wet. Because they naturally don’t have much in terms of texture, they become similar to sheets of ice when wet. Intersections are another notoriously slippery section on many roads. The problem comes from idling cars. When cars stop at stop signs and stop lights, they drip oil, brake fluid, and transmission fluid onto the road. Over time, these fluids build up, and when it rains, the mixture becomes an extremely slippery slurry. It’s important to slow down far ahead of time and not to brake or accelerate suddenly on these surfaces.

Slow Down

The general trick when riding in the rain is that you need to learn to slow down and take it easy. Many riders will start out cautious but then get more careless as the initial adrenaline wears off. It’s important to maintain a sort of mindfulness towards the riding process when riding in the rain and to plan your stops, turns, and passing maneuvers ahead of time. Being extra vigilant is the best way to increase your chances of getting home safe and sound.

For all your motorcycle needs, stop by Abernathy’s Cycles. Our team of motorcycle experts has even more advice for you, as well as a full selection of motorcycles and riding gear that will get you excited to get on the road again. Stop by our Union City, Tennessee, location if you’re in the areas of Nashville, Memphis, or elsewhere in Tennessee!