| Author | Message | ||
     Theslacker |
I'm going to pick up a new '09 XB9sx this weekend from a dealer that is 3 hours away. The weather forecast is 80% chance of heavy rain. I know it sounds like a stupid question, but how well do the XB's handle the rain? I'm a little concerned about riding a bike I'm not familiar with in the rain with brand new tires. | ||
| Ghost_rider33 |
The rain sucks. Avoid rapid change of direction, and quick stops. My helmet fogs up if it's closed all the way. Cracking it open helps the fog. If it were me, I would be looking for a truck to haul the bike. Just my .02 | ||
| Juniorkirk |
i've had to ride 3 hours in the rain before with my bike. It's more of a mind game. The bike will do fine if you ride it like ghost says. take a rain suit, that's all i have to say. | ||
| Sticks |
The original equip Syncs that were on mine were awesome in the rain. I'd imagine those are still what they put on the City? | ||
| Froggy |
Come ride with me an Hammer in the rain.  | ||
| Buellridersww |
I had ridden in the rain few time for all day riding. The Buell will do fine as long you take your time (no speeding, such such). Watch for streaming water path or puddle since you will feel the hydroplane effect. Just relax and take your time..... Oh yea watch for crazy drivers as usual. | ||
| Hammer71 |
LOL rain You'll be fine | ||
| Mnbueller |
Rain suit RainX on the visor Follow all traffic laws Ride in the tracks of cars, not in the middle of the lane, watch out for others You'll be fine! I have only ever had the syncs on my XB, handles the rain as good as my car does, minus the windshield wipers. | ||
| Roysbuell |
A new bike, with brand new tires, heavy rain and a 3 hour ride is a recipe for disaster. You can take all the precautions you like but the facts remain. A new tire has a coating on it to help keep it from sticking to the mold and it takes time for it to wear off this limits the traction of the tire and along with a slick wet surface you will have very limited traction. So forget about evasive maneuvers. As far as everything else you have to remember that a bike has a limited area of visibility and in heavy rain other drivers will have an even harder time seeing you. IMO finding a truck would be better. But as long as your aware of the risks and you are willing to accept them just ride safe. | ||
| Gaza |
Take rain gear. If it`s not 100% PVC with welded seams and looks stupid it`s not waterproof and you will feel like crap after 3 min of riding while you feel every drop seeps deeper and further into your clothes. I will attach a pic of the type of gear im talking about.....trust me, I have spent a lot of $$$ on ¨Waterproof gear¨  | ||
| Jaimec |
I'm MELTING! What a world... what a world... | ||
| Roysbuell |
Now THAT is high visibility! I like it! Any brighter and it would require batteries. | ||
| Teh_nub |
Depends on the tires... Rain really isn't that bad, just be smooth in steering, acceleration, and braking and you'll be fine... | ||
| Theslacker |
Thanks for all the suggestions! I decided to borrow my dad's truck and haul it back that way. I just had a bad feeling about riding it in the rain. I haven't had a motorcycle wreck in 21 years and didn't want to ruin that record. | ||
| Paint_shaker |
Your on badweather bikers and asking about riding in the rain?? You'll be fine, new tires and all. If you really want to be safe, live in a concrete hosue with padded walls and never come out... | ||
| Sloppy |
I had a track day at Laguna Seca in the rain. Great experience. It's amazing how much grip you get AS LONG AS YOU ARE SMOOTH! Remember SIPDE and SLLR... | ||
| Teddagreek |
I like the Rain no one to wave at, and I haven't melted yet..  | ||
| No_rice |
Come ride with me an Hammer in the rain. LOL rain You'll be fine lol, i remember trying like hell to remember to keep my knee off the ground at march badness simply because i didnt want to trash my rain pants. god, all it did was rain... but it was still a riot! my very first time at a track(second day of running the 1125 preproductions at road america) our last session ended in rain. i had spent most the day running with tripp nobles. i mean, when a guy like that keeps telling you at the end of every session how much fun we just had and to make sure you get lined up right behind him again because he wants to make another run at it, well what are you going to do! anyway, our last session of the day the sky was very dark and we all knew it was about to rain. tripp decided him and i were going to wait until the last possiable minute to leave before the previous group made it all the way back around so we could run hard for a bit before we got held up by traffic again. he also said that once it started to ran, that buell would shut us down with even a sprinkle so we had to make this one count. he told me if it started to rain to just stay on his tail as long as he could keep us on the track. well half way through the session a couple sprinkles landed on my shield, then a fair amount more. tripp sat up and looked back at me, then the sky, held his hand up like when your feeling the rain, gave me a thumbs up, i gave him one, then we leaned back down and really lit the wick! by now it was coming down pretty good and in the back of my head i kept thinking, well physically if his bike can do it mine can to so i just kept pitching it into the corners. i will never forget coming through the carousel at road america running full tilt(well for me, probably not for him) in the pouring rain with my knee on the ground throwing up a spray all over the place. it was one of those moments in your life where everything just comes together and you wonder how things could be more perfect. and you know whats odd is that it WAS so perfect mostly because it was pouring rain on me... sorry for rambeling, it just got me thinking of rain riding while i sit here indoors at work on a nice cool day that i should be out riding! back on topic, the bike will do great. you just have to get to a point where you truely believe that. do everything a little slower then you normally would. no sudden direction changes or throttle imput or hard braking unless you actually have to. i love to simply because it makes the bike slide around and is alot of fun to drift the thing about. just ride nice and smoothly and you'll be fine. wait for a dry rode day to really get used to your new bike. | ||
| Spacecapsule1 |
I bought my bike brand new after trading in my Blast and had to ride it home 3 hours in the rain. No probs. Except the bike is now covered in rust. Headers, Exhaust, parts of the mirrors, various fasteners, 4 wiring harness failures (not sure if thats rain related) SO..... keep that in mind..... your bike will suffer from riding in the rain. (Message edited by spacecapsule1 on September 11, 2009) | ||
| Union_man |
Anyone see the IRONY? www.BadWeatherbikers.com  | ||
| Reepicheep |
Neat story Rice. I worry more about the guy behind me in the rain then I do about myself. That, and wet street paint or wet steel street repair plates. Other then that, the bike has lots more traction then I give it credit for. Rumor is that it'll be extra slick for the first 15 minutes or so until the old oil gets washed off the roads, but I never noticed a difference. | ||
| Delta_one |
I ride in the rain all the time and ave had no issues other than some rust on the D&D look out for tar snakes and tone down the suspension a bit, I set my bike up very firm and in the wet it will drift even on moderate corners if I don't dial back the rear preload and compression damping. get into a good tuck and it all fine. I put my butt on the passenger section of the seat and lay on the tank for some shielding, a glance left to right now and again will clear off the last of the water on my visor. and slip the clutch ALOT! the chassis is very forgiving when the grip gets low, I have never had a severe shimmy or even close to a tank-slapper but I have swatted the back end out quite a few times, the bike is rock solid with ZERO frame flex, it will maintain its composure very well. +1 on the good gear. mine isn't bright, but it should be but as far as the tires and the mold release agents, if it hasn't been worked off with test rides then I agree a truck is the best option. | ||
| Zatco81 |
I don't have a "Bad Weather Bike" so I don't ride in the rain. It's a Firebolt and we all know what happens when you mix fire and water... | ||
| Delta_one |
but lightning and water and you get quite a show!! | ||
| U4euh |
Come ride with me an Hammer in the rain Careful there, we've seen the pictures of your last bike! | ||
| Delta_one |
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| Drkside79 |
Frogg Togs makes good rain gear from what i hear. I normally just get wet | ||
| Delta_one |
camo the official wet weather gear of the raining champions  | ||
| Metalstorm |
Xbs handle fantastic in the rain with the right tires. With the Scorpion Syncs I never slowed much down even in major downpours. They work exceedingly well in the wet. I'm on Diablo Rosso's now and just got a chance to try them in the rain about an hour ago. They're alright. At speed limit speeds and slightly above they felt great. I didn't have the balls today to see if they stick like the Syncs do at high speeds in the wet. But I can say that they stick well at a brisk (can still get a ticket if not careful) pace. | ||
| Swordsman |
My bike runs like hammered poo in the rain. Dunno why. Does great any other time, but coughs like an old lady at the slot machines when the rain falls. Plug wires seem good... go figure. ~SM | ||
| Theslacker |
I ended up hauling it by truck to my parents house (about halfway home). I'm glad I did as it was heavy rain the whole way. Once to my parents house the rain stopped, so I unloaded and rode the rest of the way home. Hit a little rain on the way, but nothing that caused any problems. Love the bike so far! |
