Earlier this year and during the rainy season I was at the offices of The BONE broadcast studios when a co-worker said, “Zakk, do you have a death wish?”
As I was peeling off my rain gear from the motorcycle ride into the city I presumed to understand the timing of such question, “No. But I’d rather be dead than be stuck in two hours of traffic”
Joking (mostly) aside. The rainy season is here once again and my fellow riders should all stay safe. And, when possible, dry too.
Safety tips for riding in the rain have been well documented but they still should be reminded..
- Make sure your tires can handle damp traction
- Accelerate and brake slowly
- Try not to ride immediately after it rains when surfaces are most slippery
- Avoid shiny and smooth surfaces
- Don’t trust puddles
- Be visible
As for staying dry I have a couple tips to share too. While having a rain suit is an obvious suggestion here are some things I do to help enhance its effort to stay dry…
Instead of waterproof riding gloves I use scuba diving gloves. They are much more cost-effective (I got a good pair for less than $15 while many online motorcycle gear retailers would cost as much as five or six times more!) The scuba diving gloves keep my hands warm, dry and the grips on them are fantastic too.
Use cinch straps to secure the bottom of your rain suit. This helps counter the inevitable amount of moisture that will crawl up your ankle and then sink into your riding boots. Wet socks are never comfortable.
One last tip that I cannot stress enough…. have an extra pair of clothes at work to change into when the rain come down hard. No matter how tightly wound in rain gear you make yourself, water finds it way everywhere. As a backup, have some dry clothes stored at work to change into when the downpour is just too heavy. You’ll be grateful you did if you’ve every been stuck in wet clothes for an entire day.
For riding safety video go HERE
To share a riding event to be promoted on The BONE connect with @ZakkRadio
