It's never been safer. Modern bikes on modern rubber. You should have been on Dunlop trailmasters or Yokohama's in the 70's. Not to mention two strokes with powerbands like a switch. Learn them skills!

Riding in the rain is not dangerous at all...its the dangerous rider in the rain who causes problems...as do dangerous car/truck drivers.
I enjoy riding in the rain as long as its not too cold and i am wrapped up and can stay dry.
The wind is a different thing all together.I have just got home from a trip to Morocco and from Tarifa to Alicante it was a nightmare.Spain was on high alert Wednesday with winds gusting up to 120kph.I decided to go for it....because i am stubborn/stupid and i wanted to get back home.The trip back took 9 hours.It was the most difficult gut wrenching journey of my entire life and when i actually arrived home...shaking like a leaf....i burst into tears through sheer relief.I am not ashamed to admit that....as a bike rider it was extremely challenging and i now know i have the balls to do something like that.Maybe i was stupid to set off knowing the conditions were bad but the motorway was generally clear except for on the outskirts of the bigger towns where conditions merited very slow speeds for the considerate riders/drivers...as for the rest you just try your best to steer clear of them and predict their next move.
As for the comment on being 'allowed' to ride in the rain thats stupid and akin to saying you cannot ride in the sun because there are more people out enjoying the weather therefore the roads will be dangerous.Each rider or driver is responsible for his/her own actions and you ride according to the conditions.
Who is going to stop me from riding in the rain or wind or sun?No one mister because i am a BIKER.
Thank you and happy biking y'all

__________________
Dean

Well, all I can say is good for you, you conquered you're own fear by doing that.
I used to sail a lot in the mediterranean, I was a sailor,7 years, and everyday we printed a satnav weather fax, which would tell where the bad weather was coming from, and which way it was going and how long it was going to last. If you go to the capitainerie's office in any port, they could give you such a printout/copy. You might even be able to head north or south (or east or west for that matter)of such a cold front and go around it, if you've got the time. I'm guessing that on a bike, one should always have time to make a detour to be safer. Try that out one day, I can tell you, I missed many a big storm like that, in the middle of the med.
ta-all-the-way

[quote=deandean;169181.Spain was on high alert Wednesday with winds gusting up to 120kph.I decided to go for it....because i am stubborn/stupid and i wanted to get back home.The trip back took 9 hours.It was the most difficult gut wrenching journey of my entire life and when i actually arrived home...shaking like a leaf....i burst into tears through sheer relief.[/quote]

Aye it was windy last Wednesday I will admit that!
I take it it was a Sidewind or at least 45 Degrees to you most of the way home then? I know what you mean about the stress n the tears...... its not fear its just a massive release of tension that has no other way out.
Be glad, be very Glad you werent on a Goldw**g or some other awkward piece of machinery like that!

Glad you made it home safe Dude, you must have passed Sax on the way home? you coulda popped in for a coffee lad!

Martyn

We had a bit of rain in Sharjah this week; the heaviest January rainfall on record. It didn't stop the hardy bikers out here though. We just avoided the puddles.
Stephan

Attached Thumbnails

 

Bernard; this is a site for world travellers, people who enjoy crossing countries with small revolutions, coup d' etats, mountain passes, deserts,salt flats, endless miles in hail storms, crossing rivers somehow when the bridges have been washed away........and you are scared of the rain???
GET A LIFE, or a Mondeo!
you ruined my friday..........
Ch

Waterfox, NO!

If Bernard doesn't like the rain,,, GOOD,! it's "DANGEROUS" Innit?......
so if he dont like it, He will stay in... Meanin WE can play in it safely without some idiot ( I don't believe you used the word M*n*eo on this site..........) in a C*r trying to take out a Biker enjoying the Rain!

And Matt gotta tell you Bloke..... that CZ would be safe in the Rain "HI VIZ" Yellow! Boy I bet you got some stick fer that, mind, i will say this, they have got better... they were orange or Snot green when i were a kid.
with styling that made MZ envious.

Martyn

Oo Oo Oo Acid Rain get it, that's double damn dangerous.

Why are cars 'parked in the river?

__________________
'He who laughs last, was too slow to get the joke'
Never confuse the map with the journey.

what a strange little thread... I shall dive in!

Okay - so riding in the wet - frankly I find my riding better in the wet because I'm *forced* to apply everything I've learnt on my advanced riding course with the IAM - I'd go as far as to say I was safer in the wet than the dry.

Cold - well frankly these days there's simple no excuse to be on a bike and to be cold. I remember well my early days, when gore-tex was £4000 per square meter and I froze my nuts off in all weathers heading over two valleys to get to my apprenticeship on a CZ 125. Idiotic.

But as time has passed, and as my training has progressed, and the bikes have got better, not to mention gore-tex is slightly more affordable - it's never been safer, or more comfortable to ride the roads when wet and cold.

m

__________________
------------------
http://thelondonbiker.com/blog

Watch some of my camp cooking videos

AIM: mattcashmore
SKYPE: matthewcashmore
MSN: matthew@matthewcashmore.com

Ombrophobia- Fear of rain or of being rained on.

Motorphobia- Fear of automobiles.

Basophobia or Basiphobia- Inability to stand. Fear of walking or falling.


BasiMotorOmbrophobia - So I guess Bernard has a fear of falling off motorcycles when its raining, looks like that might be Bloody rare

About 1 in 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 PROPER BIKERS HAVE IT.

Well looks like He is either RARE & Loneley or not a proper Biker.

My money is on BOTH!

Martyn

I still havent got a f*@kin clue what point bernard was trying to make but i bet he wrote it whilst it was raining.:confused1:

Dodger, your comment that Brits are very concerned about what they are "allowed" or "not allowed to do" is very interesting. I love the English, I thank God I live under a system of Common Law in my country (USA) BUT there is a major major historical difference that effects our life perspectives. Technically English citiziens are "Subjects" of the Crown. Rights are conferred (given) or taken away by the Crown to the subjects. In the US, it is the citizens that confer rights to the government. Our inalignable rights are granted by a higher power (ie God not a frigging King), the right to liberty, equality and pursuit of happiness. We are not guaranteed happiness, just the pursuit thereof. As citizens we grant the governemnt the legal authority to make law on our behalf and for our favor, not the favor of the Crown. It is a vastly different concept.

Let's look at gun control real quick - the human right to protect yourself is inalienable. This cannot be taken away. We are allowed to have guns, not so we can hunt rabbits (although that is fun) but so we can protect ourselves against the government, tyrants, and criminals.

That's all I going to say about that!

Bugger! Give me a king I can shoot any day than a mythical god!

John

__________________
Nostradamus Ate My Hamster