Caught in the rain

[nj1639]

Well, the weather man said a 20% chance of rain in the late afternoon/evening, and with afternoon temps reaching the low 70's I just had to take the xs to work.
It started raining about a half hour before quit time. I steeled myself to the fact that I was going to get wet as I had no weather gear and home is 20+ miles away. Ya know....you can only get so wet, I mean soaked is soaked. I was a bit put out by the experience 'cause I'm pretty much a sunshine rider, but when I realized that it could have been SOOO much worse if my wife had been on the back, bitchen, screaming and punching the fek outta me, I actually began to enjoy the ride, smiling and all

 

[retiredgentleman]

nj1639 I know how you feel, but a true biker never lets a little rain get in the way of a good ride.

I remember a trip that 2 buddies and myself made through New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. It started well in New York, but as soon as we got into Vermont and those green mountains the skies opened up. None of us had any rain gear We thought it probably wouldn't last, but 2 hours later its still pouring. We ended up going into a motel to wait it out and get dried out.

My buddies were riding a Honda 550 and a Yamaha RD400; I was on my Yamaha XS500C. I know the rain gods are usually friendly towards Yamahas, but I figure we were severely punished because of the Honda

 

[mrpink]

This happened to me the day I removed my front fender. I was doing my valve and cam chain adjustment, thought "Hey, I wonder how it would look without the front tin" Pulled it off, looked cool. Hopped on it to go over to a friends, 2 miles into the trip.... downpour. Now if you have ever been on a bike in the rain with no front fender you cannot feel my pain. It is literally like some is taking a garden hose and spraying you right between the eyes with it the entire time.

Note to self, check the weather before kicking it over.






p!nK

 

[bergoff]

A few years ago 10 of us went to watch a hill climb. It was a blast. We were 3 hours from home and it just poured. My wife is a trooper she didn't bitch until is started to hail. I was almost in tears when we reached my grandparents house to take a break. I don't mind riding in the rain just no hail.

 

[xjwmx]

I got caught in the same downpour as nj, except as the first run on new tires. I figured if I made it back, the slick would sure be washed off of them.

I like riding in the rain in the countryside. The ping sound of it hitting the visor is soothing. When my shoes are full, I consider myself as wet as it's possible to get. Rain in the city makes me nervous though.

 

[ReycleBill]

This happened to me the day I removed my front fender. I was doing my valve and cam chain adjustment, thought "Hey, I wonder how it would look without the front tin" Pulled it off, looked cool. Hopped on it to go over to a friends, 2 miles into the trip.... downpour. Now if you have ever been on a bike in the rain with no front fender you cannot feel my pain. It is literally like some is taking a garden hose and spraying you right between the eyes with it the entire time.

Note to self, check the weather before kicking it over.






p!nK

Gotta love those Rooster tails.

 

[Barb]

Hi Guys,

As anyone from the beautiful Pacific Northwest will tell you, riding in the rain is a way of life here. I *ALWAYS* carry Rudolph (The Red Nosed Rain Gear) on any bike I'm riding, even if I have to bungee it to the seat. Not that I mind getting wet, but if I can avoid it, I'm gonna.

I have the usual: jacket, pants, gaiters, scarf and balaclava, so I stay fairly dry except for my hands. In spite of many applications of rain-proofing, my gloves are wet on the inside in about fifteen minutes. Sigh. I could put on the Hippo Paws, but I change between bikes---BMW airhead and the XS---and the controls aren't the same. (Poor excuse, I know)

Last weekend I was out riding in the rain both days. I had to, I was--after about 45 years of riding--finally getting my M/C endorsement.

The classes run rain or shine, and it poured. And needless to say, I had a ball riding around on a little tiny Honda. In fact, if I can do it, I'll post a picture of it. I'm kneeling to the reader's left with my new friend and fellow high-mile rider, Gina. Right behind me is my brother, who also took the class. He has ridden a bunch, but didn't have rain gear.....he got soaked, but still had fun.

OK, here goes......

 

[Barb]

Rats. One more try:

 

[Barb]

Mrfrrrfff.......what can I be doing wrong. One more attempt...

 

[xjwmx]

45 years of riding without a license? And from Oregon to Montana? I've got 15,000 mi on my learner's permit but I did take the class at 0 mi. Just lazy. Plus those DMV pictures are awful... Reminds me of a certain Addams Family episode where they they try to find the genius photographer who took Gomez's picture at the DMV to do a family portrait.

 

[Barb]

Ummm....well, about 45 years. 11,000 miles last year, including a little trip to North Carolina last summer.....I guess it was time to get legal, huh?

I just figured that I knew how to ride, and that should be enough, but when they started the mandatory confiscation of the bike if you are stopped without an endorsement, I thought that in fairness to the bikes, I should do what I can to ensure their safety....

So as long as I'm posting again, here goes the *LAST* try at a picture: (Even following instructions doesn't seem to always work......kinda like a K2F on a Norton...)

 

[xjwmx]

I'd help you with he pictures if I could, but I can't, because it's so easy I just do it by instinct.

 

[Chuck]

How is the XS 650 in the rain? I live in Pacific Northwest like Barb. I have been avoiding the rain but got caught this morning, wasn't supposed to rain. So I wonder about rust, corrosion, water in bearings and places its not supposed to be. P.S. I kept the fenders on out of respect for whats natural here.

 

[scabber]

I was born wearing a rain suit and not my first wet ass the way I look at it. What worse than no front is an extended springer no fender and a bobbed rear. Like following a hydroplane race boat. My xs not that bad you just have deal with the rain and not the roster tail.

 

[retiredgentleman]

How is the XS 650 in the rain? I live in Pacific Northwest like Barb. I have been avoiding the rain but got caught this morning, wasn't supposed to rain. So I wonder about rust, corrosion, water in bearings and places its not supposed to be. P.S. I kept the fenders on out of respect for whats natural here.

The XS650 works very well in the rain. Its tougher than us humans. For heavy rain you must have rain gear to put on.

This summer I was on a 5 day trip into British Columbia and of course it rained on 3 of the 5 days. Each of the 3 days it rained hard for about 2.5 to 3 hours. I also had some hail. I had full rain gear in my saddlebags, which I quickly put on when the skys opened up. I stayed completely dry with the exception that my leather gloves would get wet through after a couple of hours. Rain covers go over the nylon saddlebags, and keeps them dry.

Water does not get into bearings and it did not bother my ignition or any electrics. My ignition coil (yellow in the pcture) is mounted out in the open just in front of the engine, but had no problems. I have the small alternator cover plate mounted on spacers so that there's a cooling air flow for the alternator. When the rain starts I removed the spacers and closed up the alternator.

You have to use more chain lube as the rain drys out the chain. When I got home I had to do a lot of cleaning of the bike. I took the brake calipers apart because there was dirt and sand in the calipers. With a proper cleaning (time consuming) there was no corrosion that I could see.

 

[Ghetto]

I have gotten stuck in the rain twice on the way back from Laconia Bike Week. (1.5 hours away) Once with no gear, this year with my XS650 Hoodie. Ya not fun.

 

[ProSimex]

Its not the rain that bothers me, its the sudden gusts of wind that put me into on comming traffic! That and feeling like im beeing waterboarded when my bandanna fills with water.

 

[I am Carbon]

Its rainin on me now.

 

[azman857]

Misty rain and an open face helmet W/ goggles, felt like contant needle pricking on the face. That was my first experience with rain while rideing. 30+ years back. Now its full face helmets and one peice rainsuit. But it almost never rains here in AZ.

 

[Chuck]

Misty rain and an open face helmet W/ goggles, felt like contant needle pricking on the face. That was my first experience with rain while rideing. 30+ years back. Now its full face helmets and one peice rainsuit. But it almost never rains here in AZ.

I am thinking of one of those insulated one piece suits. Maybe some rain gloves, maybe some gators.