MOTORCYCLE RIDING TIPS #4: MONSOON RIDING TIPS

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Riding in monsoon can be pretty tricky considering the fact that roads become slippery and dangerous. 

The potholes present in the roads get filled with water and can become pretty difficult to spot and could lead to a disaster for motorcyclists because unlike cars there's no seat belts to protect them. 

Hence, it becomes very risky to drive during rains. Some people have a choice to take their cars out during rains but some do not have that choice as motorcycle is their sole means of transport. If you're in that category you'd have to take your bike out even when it rains heavily. 

There are some people like myself who love riding in rains. There's no other feeling like that of raindrops hitting your face, those cold monsoon winds and the smell of the rains. If you take your motorcycles out during rains, you need to take some precautions so as to save yourself from any harm that could happen. 

So, here are a few tips to ride in rain and prevent any disaster from happening:

Tyres: 

The first and most important tip would be to check your tyres. If you have old or worn out tyres, replace it with a new one immediately as this is the sole cause of slipping crashes during rains as experienced by me firsthand. I've had my friends telling me to change tyres but I was persistent to see how long a tyre will last if not replaced. This led to a tyre slip while braking and ended up in a crash. So, always check your tyres. Keep in mind that there should be enough tread left in it. 

Brakes: 

You need to be very gentle on the brakes during rains. If you apply a bit too much of pressure on the brakes, it could lead to locking of tyres and if that happens, it may lead to a crash. If your front tyre locks, there's a very high probability of crash because you'll not be able to control it. However, if the rear locks, you could somehow manage to take control of it. So, put less pressure on brakes and also, put equal pressure on both brakes.

Engine Braking: 

According to my experience, engine braking does wonders during monsoon as it doesn't lock the wheels and helps in slowing down in extreme slippery conditions where you cannot apply traditional brakes. Learn how to do engine braking. 

Keep distance: 

Keep two times more distance (compared to dry) between the vehicle in front of you and you. For eg: If you keep a 3 cars distance during dry season, keep at least six car distance for your safety in case you cant stop on time. The car in front may apply sudden brakes and if you're pretty close to it, you'll end up rear ending it if you don't maintain much distance.

Rain Gear: 

Wear proper gear for the rains such that it wont allow the water to seep in and distract you while riding. Also, its preferable to wear yellow color or other fluorescent rain gear as it enhances visibility and other drivers can spot you easily.

Watch out for puddles: 

While riding through a puddle and splashing water can be fun, it can be very dangerous as you cannot guess it's depth. therefore avoid going into puddles completely if you happen to spot it. It can be normally very hard to spot puddles a they're filled and you can't make out the depth. 

Better Lighting: 

Try to get extra set of lights fixed so as to spot the hidden obstacles on the road easily at night. Here's a suggestion for a good set of lighting that I've been using for a year and a half and has worked pretty well for me. You can go for them or find better ones as per your needs. 

Vision: 

Keep your eyes running back and forth on the road scanning it at all times and being alert for any obstacles. Keep your helmet visor clean at all times. There will be a lot of dead bugs while you ride through those highways which blind you. Carry wet and dry tissues to keep cleaning the visor. 

Oil on Roads:

Watch out for colored surfaces on roads which look similar to rainbows. These are usually an indicator of oil spills on the road and can be very slippery to just go over it. Totally avoid going on such colored surfaces. Also avoid shiny (read metal) and soft surfaces. 

Aquaplaning:

At times, you spot a puddle full of water and plan to go full speed ahead to have fun of splashing the water. Never do it as going fast over such surfaces causes a phenomenon known as aquaplaning in while the tyres just glide over the water without having any contact with the road surface. You don't have any control over the vehicle in such situations and it's best to avoid aquaplaning.

Riding Speed: 

This is one of the most important facts. Keep your riding speed to a minimum where you know you have full control of the bike in case situation gets out of hand. Also, keep in low gears mostly so that engine braking can do the slowing work for you and you don't have to touch on brakes.

Relax:

This is one of the most important facts. Relax. Don't stress over the situation that its raining. This ends up making you pretty stiff while riding and because of that you'll not be having good reflex actions to save yourself in case of hazards. Don't stiffen yourself. Instead relax and ride. 

Ziplock:

Always carry a ziplock to keep all your valuables such as wallet, cellphones and other documents to protect them in case it pours suddenly.

These points will ensure that you're safe on the roads during the monsoon. I'm not human and might have missed out on a few points. If you think I've missed out something, kindly write down in the comments below.

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