Riding a motorcycle in the rain can cause a lot of fear for a rider.
Riding in the rain is accompanied by a lot of dangers, just like riding in the sun however, riding in the rain has far more risks.
But the real question is, “is it dangerous to ride a motorcycle in the rain?” Riding a motorcycle in the rain is definitely dangerous, even more so than riding in the sun or on dry terrain, and because of that riding a motorcycle in the rain is intended only for advanced riders.
Riding in the rain has as much risk and requires as much precision as riding in dry conditions. The significant difference between them is that riding in the rain is more dangerous due to the smooth, wet ground, which increases the risk of the rider crashing.
There are many factors that make riding in the rain more dangerous. For instance, water drops onto your goggles, which makes it very difficult to see the road.
Also, the cold and fear of falling from the motorcycle while riding in the rain can increase your chances of crashing.
Despite all that, there are several things you can do to lower your risk of falling while riding in the rain, such as wearing suitable protective gear or preparing your motorcycle for the wet conditions.
Today I will show you all the things you need to know about riding in the rain, plus tips and tricks that can help you be safer in poor conditions.
What You Need to Know About Riding in the Rain
If you are worried about riding in the rain that’s fine, I understand. That’s why I’m going to help you and show you all you need to know.
Can riding in the rain cause damage to the motorcycle?
No. Motorcycles are built to ride in the rain and there is no risk of causing serious damage, unlike other vehicles such as dirt bikes or ATVs that are less designed for wet weather. If you ride your motorcycle in the rain from time to time, it won’t hurt it.
However, riding your motorcycle on sand or in the rain for too long can certainly cause damage to the motorcycle’s graphics and color, as well as cause the bike to rust.
Because of this, I highly recommend smearing your motorcycle with Rust Inhibitor, which will help protect your motorcycle from rust. Also, I highly recommend having a large supply of Rust Inhibitor all year long.
I personally always use this Rust Inhibitor before I ride my motorcycle in the rain. this amazing Rust Inhibitor preserves the metal parts of my motorcycle perfectly from rust and I definitely recommend it. I found this Rust Inhibitor on Amazon for a very cheap price. Click here to view
What are the risks of riding a motorcycle in the rain?
- As I said before, riding your motorcycle in the rain means there is a risk that the metal parts of your motorcycle will become rusty, except if you smear Rust Inhibitor on your motorcycle before heading out.
- The biggest risk of riding in the rain is that there is an increased chance of falling and crashing from the motorcycle because the ground is very slippery.
- Mud can stick to the wheels of your motorcycle, which can slow you down and even prevent you from riding. Mud also increases your risk of a crash or fall, especially when the mud is wet and loose.
- If there is flooding and a lot of water on the road, the risk of you falling off is very high. There is even a risk of water entering the engine, which will cause a lot of damage.
- Another safety risk is that while riding your motorcycle in the rain, your helmet can fog very easily, which makes it very difficult to see. Due to this fact, I highly recommend you buy a good helmet that is suitable for riding in the rain.
- Another risk is cold weather and if you do not wear good weather protection equipment, you can suffer from very severe cold burns that may even require you to go to the hospital. Because of this, it is very important to wear very good protective equipment that warms your body.
- Another disadvantage is that while riding in the rain you can be soaked in water, which makes riding very uncomfortable and not enjoyable. Even I find it insufferable.
Tips for riding a motorcycle in the rain
Now I will give you all the tips you need to help you ride better in the rain and to help you be more confident.
- Ride slowly when there is water – When approaching a very large puddle of water you will need to slow down because it is very easy to crash when riding through a large puddle at high speed. Also, when you are on the road it is very important to be alert and to stand well on the motorcycle so as not to crash.
- Cool your tires – Riding in the rain with cold tires helps increase tire heat, which helps you to be more stable.
- Be alert – When riding in the rain you should be twice as alert compared to riding in the sun or on dry terrain. It is not recommended to ride your motorcycle in the rain if you feel tired.
- Avoid smooth surfaces – I strongly recommend that you avoid riding on smooth tracks, especially on tracks where the infrastructure is not good enough and tends to flood. Instead, I highly recommend you try other riding tracks where there is not a lot of water.
- Relax – It is very important not to be stressed, but to be cool and calm. Don’t make sudden moves or brake too hard because it can hurt you.
- Don’t ride when it snows – Riding in the snow is more dangerous than riding in the rain. Be sure to check the weather conditions so that you know if it is going to snow. However, if you want to ride in the snow, I highly recommend you install embedded snow tires to help you ride more safely.
- Be loose – Do not hold the bars too tightly because you can squeeze them in a position you do not need and accidentally hit the gas, which could lead to an accident. It is very important to release the arms and legs from the brakes and bars and hold it gently instead.
- Ride on dry tracks – Whenever you have the opportunity to ride on dry tracks, I recommend you do so. I would even recommend riding behind the car in front of you. This way you can ride in a drier area because the wheel of a car works like a plough and it moves all the water off the road.
- Wear warm clothing – It is very important to wear warm clothing that will provide good protection for your body for example, socks, gloves, warm clothes and boots. The normal clothes you wear for riding in dry weather will not suffice for riding in the rain.
What riding gear do you need to wear when riding in the rain?
Most of your regular protective gear will suffice however, there are some extra things you will need to wear when riding in the rain that I will show you now.
Water-resistant socks – It’s very important to have good water-resistant socks. Good options are wool or cotton socks. If you want to read more about water-resistant socks, I wrote a post that will show you good socks at a very cheap price. Click here to view
Water-resistant boots – Water-resistant boots are by far the most important thing you need to wear when riding in the winter. Unfortunately, the regular boots you wear will not suffice and you will need to buy good water-resistant boots. I highly recommend you look at this post I wrote, which will show you good water-resistant boots that you can buy. Click here to view.
Water-resistant gloves – Unfortunately, the normal gloves you use will not suffice for riding in the rain, so you need a good water-resistant pair.
I always use these amazing gloves that protect my hands perfectly from cold and water. I was surprised to find out they are cheap to buy on Amazon. Click here to view.
Winter-resistant helmet – Riding in the rain and cold weather will create a lot of fog inside your helmet which makes it very difficult to see therefore, it is very important to buy a good helmet that is resistant to fog and cold weather.
Warm clothes – You can’t wear your regular clothes that you wear every day. It is very important to buy warm clothes that are made from materials such as wool or fur.
Summary
To summarize today, I have shown you all the things you need to know about riding your motorcycle in the rain.
Generally, riding in the rain is not dangerous or harmful to your motorcycle.
Thanks for riding. Until the next time.
