Rain or Shine, we will ride! Here are 4 tips that will help you overcome the rain while riding your motorcycle

The weather these past few months have been, admittedly, nothing short of horrible. The sun has been playing hide-and-seek with us for quite some time now. Since the start of the ‘Ber’ months, from September ‘til now, we got our fair share of gloom and doom. Unfortunately, it does not seem to be letting up anytime soon.

Image: (Xinhua)

So, in case you get caught in the heavy downpour of our indecisive sky in the middle of the day (or night), here are four tips that will help you on your journey.

1. ATGATT

All The Gear All the Time is a mantra you should always be repeating whenever you’re gearing up for a ride. Invest in quality waterproof gear to enjoy your ride under the rain. Supplement your gear with a waterproof shell and make sure it fits snugly. We recommend you look for gears that pack small and are easy to put on and off.

2. Keep a Clear Shield

Windshield wipers aren’t just for cars. They’re for helmets, too. Buy a good one so you won’t have to keep turning your head left and right to get the droplets off the surface of your helmet like a wet dog. Or you could also resort to a built-in squeegee for your gloves so you can just wipe the drops of rain away.

3. Wear bright colours

Even if it’s not your usual fashion style, wearing bright colours on a rainy day will increase your chances of being seen. And that’s all that matters in those kinds of situations. Reflective stickers also help. Ensure all your lights are working and remember to signal early before reducing your speed so you won’t get rear-ended.  Stay safe, be smart. Lastly, create the best line of sight for you and your machine when you’re adjusting lane positions and be wary of puddles or debris on low spots in the road.

4. Make smart decisions

To minimize the risk of hydroplaning, slow down. It’ll give you more time and space to respond to potential hazards. Maintain a good distance from other vehicles, be gentle when braking or accelerating over road paint, tar snakes, railroad tracks and construction plates which have tendencies to become extremely slick when wet. If they’re unavoidable, slow down as much as you can and keep an upright position.

5. Be Smooth

Although there’s a good amount of grip on wet roads, it’s still important to be smooth and recognize that traction is reduced compared to drier conditions.  While cornering, reduce your lean angle. And to make sure that the front tire won’t have to fight against upper-body tension, relax your arms and brace your legs and lower torso against the peg and gas tank. Additionally, it is important to lean your upper body towards the incline of the curve to allow the bike to stay upright.