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WheelsOfGrace.com | Volume 10 Issue 4 | 29 and you may still be into a lean when you reach them. Look for the crossing signs ahead of time, slow down and stay straight up when crossing. Steel - Manhole covers are enemy number one and railroad tracks rank a close second. Making a turn over the surface of them sets you up for trouble. Avoid them whenever possible, or keep the bike straight up and cross over them slowly. Grated bridge crossings and metal plates are a nasty encounter in the rain. Look at where you want to ride, take it slow and don't try anything fancy, particularly a lane change. Standing Water - Puddles/Pot Holes - It only takes one time to know how this one feels. You cruise through a puddle and after it's too late you realize you just went into a pothole that wants to flip your bike. Or the puddle is deeper then you thought and hitting it at a fast speed can put enough resistance on your front tire to lift your back tire off the ground. Avoid puddles if you can, if you must ride through them... slow down and keep your bike straight up. Oil - It's everywhere and very very hard to spot in advance. Try to ride in the car tire tracks on the left or right side of your lane. The center of the lane naturally has more oil and dirt. Those little red and blue rainbows on the ground mean danger. Ride slow and straight up. Remember the first rain after a dry spell is always the most dangerous. If you're caught in the first rain following a dry spell remember the roads are covered with lots of oil and dirt that will be lifted from the surface in the first 30-60 minutes of a new rain. Lane Position - Avoid riding in the center of the lane, this is where most of the oil will be. Also avoid riding on the right side of the right-most lane, this is where you are most likely to encounter puddles and/or pot holes. Tires - If you thought you might save some money by buying long lasting tires, think again. Such tires are typically not as tacky and have less traction when the rain comes out. If you find yourself riding in the rain often, look for more tacky tires with a tread pattern designed for wet roads. • Wearing proper gear is also very important. • When you are dry and comfortable you will be a better more attentive rider. • You also want to make sure you have the proper eyewear and or visor. Rain Gear - If there is even the slightest possibility of rain, bring your rain gear. Rain gear not only keeps you and your clothes dry, it can actually make you a better rider in the rain. If you are riding cold and wet, you will naturally tense up lessening the control you have over your motorcycle. There are many types of motorcycle rain gear out there and it is recommend that if you will be doing a lot of motorcycle riding in the rain to buy quality rain gear. Note from the writer: I find the more rain gear you carry, the less chance of encountering rain :-) Eyewear/Face Protection - If you know you will be riding in heavy rain your best protection is a helmet with a face shield. This will not only keep your vision clear, it will also keep a good amount of rain off of your face. Again this goes to being comfortable and more focused on your riding than the rain hitting your face. If you do not have (or don't want to wear a helmet with a face shield you should wear either goggles or at least glasses that completely cover your eyes and preferably seal on your face. Either way with a face shield or just goggles/glasses the best lenses for riding in the rain have a slight yellow tint. These will enhance your vision in the low light poor visibility conditions. Remember when riding in the rain, or in the best of conditions, a near disaster (such as sliding in a turn, or hitting a major pot-hole) will throw you off your game. Even after you recover safely, your nerves are shaken and you are out of sync with your bike. A good idea is to find a safe place to pull over, take a deep breath, and calm yourself before going on. Read the above over and over, take precautions, stay alert, follow your reflexes. Nothing makes you a better rider in the rain than, riding more in the rain. WheelsOfGrace.com Volume 10 Issue 4 29