[Administrator]

Original Article:
Riding in the Rain and Wind

Please discuss the Motorcycle.com article Riding in the Rain and Wind in our Motorcycle Forums below. Use the reply button to let others know your comments or feedback on the article. Constructive criticism is always appreciated, along with your thoughts and personal opinions on the bikes and products we have tested.

 

[cloud9]

Will riding in the rain cause any accelerated rust or wear to occur? I've always wandered why so many ads mention the bike has never seen rain as if it is detrimental to the motorcycle's health.

 

[sarnali2]

yes and no. water borne grit will get into pivot points like kick stands and drive chains but a few good sprays of penetrating oil will have them working again just fine.

Modern bikes are sealed up pretty well and don't really have any trouble with rain, the only reason people put that in ads is to infer that the bike has been babied

 

[seruzawa]

Ha! If my bikes never got rained on they'd also never get washed!

 

[12er]

Ha! If my bikes never got rained on they'd also never get washed!

Know that one

 

[59132]

While mentioned in the article, I would like to stress how important different types of asphalt and rain change the handling of a bike. I've been riding off-and-on for 30 years now, and during a recent rainstorm I found myself sliding along the asphalt at 65 MPH after hitting a patch of pure tar! In my area they do a lot of "chip and seal", that's where they pour tar down on the road, then pour rocks on top of that. Those are pressed into the tar. This works OK for a while, but when the rocks come out of the tar, it leaves nothing but tar. When wet, tar by itself is a very slick substance. I didn't see the tar patch, but my front tire sure did. Fortunately, I wasn't injured other than some minor scrapes and bruises, nor was the other motorcyclists who found that same patch of tar ten minutes after I did, and also lost control of his bike at 65 MPH.

You really have to pay even more attention to the ground surface during rain storms.

 

[ericrosten]

Will riding in the rain cause any accelerated rust or wear to occur? I've always wandered why so many ads mention the bike has never seen rain as if it is detrimental to the motorcycle's health.

There are products on the market for treating metallic surfaces against salt, acid, and other corrosive substances. Sharkhide™ comes to mind. I haven't used any of these kinds of products, but for longevity it makes sense.