Riding the FJR in Heavy Rain

[03HiYoSilver]

I won't wait to applaud him, instead I'll aplaud him now for RIDING the bike. The bike does very well in the rain, partly because the pig it is ...hard to hydroplane. Sure, go slower in the wet, but 70MPH? that is nothing and the bike does fine. With a capable pilot it can go around cars in dry, with the same pilot it can do it in wet. My point being if you're not capable of going around cars in the wet, are you capable of doing it in the dry?? ...same factors and often times more important to get away (around) cars and other obstacles in the rain.For this pilot, ice is a much tougher, but sometimes that is what nature deals you ...but in ice, then I'll give the nod to the cages and keep my distance by avoiding them as much as possible.

Reno,

Well said! I'd say Uncle to Ice myself... while in the rain, I was ahead of the cars and not getting crouched upon.

 

[TNT]

I've ridden hundreds of miles in the rain on several different motorcycles and I"ll have to agree the Feejer handles it well. I was in a gully washer and was impressed with the bike as I rode through the river flowing across my gravel road. Pay no attention to those that are scared of riding in the rain..... I don't slow down that much when it's raining, but then I always have good tires on my bikes.

 

[Bustanut joker]

If ya'll in disagreement go back and read my initial response you will read I was only responding to the speed he was traveling in what sounds like heavy traffic. Believe me even the best tread will hydroplane in a one inch deep puddle, and THEN... you are only along for the ride.

Sheesh, I ride in the rain too. I just refuse to get stupid when I do it.

Bet most of the LD riders here do the same. I think it has something to do with self preservation :blink:

Clear 'nuff?

All Hail the Dick!!!!!

:jester:

 

[James Burleigh]

My point being if you're not capable of going around cars in the wet, are you capable of doing it in the dry??

Huh? :blink:

 

[Bustanut joker]

My point being if you're not capable of going around cars in the wet, are you capable of doing it in the dry??

Huh? :blink:

FUZZY BALLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This could get ugly h34r:

:jester:

 

[Midlifefjr]

+1 for not tempting fate - <_<

 

[BBQ]

I spent 5 days in rain in southeast Alaska and stayed dry. The FJR is great and so is my First Gear rainsuit.

 

[RenoJohn]

My point being if you're not capable of going around cars in the wet, are you capable of doing it in the dry??

Huh? :blink:

FUZZY BALLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This could get ugly h34r:

God I hope so, .....guy comes in excited about how well he and the FJR rode in the rain and the safety nazi's come out and bust his balls. Maybe wrong, but usually when I see keyboard jockeys speel advice to others on how ride, typically they're the ones in need of training wheels. Just my $0.02 ..which is more than you're paying for it.

keep enjoyin' the bike HiYoSilver ....I like your spirit. this winter when the storms come in strong ...point that fat old rain lovin' FJR of your up to reno and we'll log some wet miles. ...and give these guys something more to be critical of.

Maybe even hit some snow.

 

[03HiYoSilver]

God I hope so, .....guy comes in excited about how well he and the FJR rode in the rain and the safety nazi's come out and bust his balls. Maybe wrong, but usually when I see keyboard jockeys speel advice to others on how ride, typically they're the ones in need of training wheels. Just my $0.02 ..which is more than you're paying for it.

keep enjoyin' the bike HiYoSilver ....I like your spirit. this winter when the storms come in strong ...point that fat old rain lovin' FJR of your up to reno and we'll log some wet miles. ...and give these guys something more to be critical of.

Maybe even hit some snow.

Reno,

I have to admit, you have more STONES than I have...those were remarkable pictures and you must be a skilled rider to transverse in those conditions! Cudos to ya.

 

[JoeG308]

I agree, the FJR is great in the rain. Today, while riding, I got caught in the rain. I thought about stopping to put my rainsuit on but my jacket kept me dry and I didn't notice my jeans getting wet. The fairing does a pretty good job!

 

[Bustanut joker]

Wait whats that I hear???????????

Yawn <_<

Ya's totally missed my point

:jester:

Oh and reno, I envy the fact you actually trust the cagers enough to ride in that shit BTW whats your speed in the bottom pic?

I'm done.

 

[rayban]

Dearly beloved, we're gathered here to remember our dearly departed brother. Although he was crushed by an inattentive cager who failed to control their own vehicle enough to notice our brother in the adjacent lane, we were still impressed by the fact that our departed brother could skillfully pilot his machine at upwards of 70mph in the stormy conditions. Too bad he was exceeding the safety parameters for such conditions in that he could not safely stop in the distance necessary to avoid the fatal impact.

Please ensure that his tombstone gives him proper credit for successfully driving that fast...right up to the point where someone else killed him due to his own fault for going too fast to stop safely or avoid an obstacle/vehicle.

 

[Fencer]

I was caught in the heaviest storm I've ridden in today. I did not bother to put on my rainsuit as it was a hot day and did not mind the rain.

I will say in lighter rain, If I stay above 60 I stay pretty dry. Today I HAD to slow down to about 45 at times with standing water puddling on the road from the downpour. By the time I got home, NOTHING was dry. As I type, my boots are in front of a fan to (hopefully) dry out for an A.M. Ride. Water came in from everyplace, BUT THE BIKE HANDLED VERY WELL.

P.S.

You ain't gonna catch me on the ice with 2 wheels

 

[Scotty]

I had to make an emergency trip to visit my family in Ohio and decided to take the FJR. I had all bags loaded including my topcase with Laptop and clothes. When I got to Ohio, my family and friends thought I was nuts and could not believe I could make such a trip in 7 hours on a motorcycle. Anyways, on the way back on I-75, I founded myself riding in a Rain deluge/Thunder Storm(even some hail was in the mix) in Kentucky to Tennessee. When it started, I stopped off and put on the Dennis Kirk rain jacket and kept going.
The rain was so bad on the 6 lane highway, cars had their emergency blinkers on going about 40-50mph in the Fast Lane. So the hard part was not the rain, but getting around all the cars in the fast lane not moving over. I was going about 50-70mph and was going around them like pylons. To my surprise, I was not getting wet and the FJR handled this marvelously and better than expected. I have the Pirelli CorsaIII on the front and the PR on the rear. I think the CeeBailey windshield +4+2 flip in the down position help create a nice airpocket around me and most of the rain blew around me. Only my very lower pant legs at the boot area got wet.

The heavy rain riding lasted for about 2 hours and made it home safely. Even when passing big semi's, the excellent aerodymanics of the FJR, buffetting was almost nill.

The FJR never ceases to amaze me and with the conditions mentioned above, this really impressed me. Most bikers(and some cars) could not tolerate this but under a bridge...but not the FJR. I did have some vibration in the front when going over 80mph and found out when I got back, the Front tire was a mere 10grams off balance so now the vibration is gone.

So I thought I would share my experience on riding a FJR under these conditions, an impressive maching that never ceases to amaze me.

 

[Scotty]

Very skilled rider but a little short on common sense

I had to make an emergency trip to visit my family in Ohio and decided to take the FJR. I had all bags loaded including my topcase with Laptop and clothes. When I got to Ohio, my family and friends thought I was nuts and could not believe I could make such a trip in 7 hours on a motorcycle. Anyways, on the way back on I-75, I founded myself riding in a Rain deluge/Thunder Storm(even some hail was in the mix) in Kentucky to Tennessee. When it started, I stopped off and put on the Dennis Kirk rain jacket and kept going.

The rain was so bad on the 6 lane highway, cars had their emergency blinkers on going about 40-50mph in the Fast Lane. So the hard part was not the rain, but getting around all the cars in the fast lane not moving over. I was going about 50-70mph and was going around them like pylons. To my surprise, I was not getting wet and the FJR handled this marvelously and better than expected. I have the Pirelli CorsaIII on the front and the PR on the rear. I think the CeeBailey windshield +4+2 flip in the down position help create a nice airpocket around me and most of the rain blew around me. Only my very lower pant legs at the boot area got wet.

The heavy rain riding lasted for about 2 hours and made it home safely. Even when passing big semi's, the excellent aerodymanics of the FJR, buffetting was almost nill.

The FJR never ceases to amaze me and with the conditions mentioned above, this really impressed me. Most bikers(and some cars) could not tolerate this but under a bridge...but not the FJR. I did have some vibration in the front when going over 80mph and found out when I got back, the Front tire was a mere 10grams off balance so now the vibration is gone.

So I thought I would share my experience on riding a FJR under these conditions, an impressive maching that never ceases to amaze me.

 

[RenoJohn]

I'm done.

LOL, too bad, i was waiting for more insults and keyboard riding advice {insert sarcastic grin here}
I jumped in here because I got a kick out of HiSilvers excitement about enjoying some spirited riding in bad weather with the FJR. If you ride much, bad weather is going to catch up with you sooner or later. Where I live, unless you want to sit home for 7months out of the year, you're bound to catch some sooner rather than later. Typically you leave home in OK weather, but sometimes a day or two later getting back home things have changed.

Me? I make the best of it, sometimes dealing with stuff you'd rather not, sometimes not being able to make it, but the fact is you're on a bike and not much is better than being on a bike so I put on a smile and enjoy it. Personally, I think the FJR does fine in adverse weather, good protection, stable and some spirited riding is often the best way to keep distance from cagers. And, ...welll I enjoy spirited riding. My take on HiSilver's post is that he does the same, yet he caught a bunch of flack for it on this thread. IMO unwarranted flack. If you want to show him how to be safer, then show him on the bike. Ridicule from a keyboard will get this hick from nevada's attention. All in fun, your choice whether "good" fun or not.

Bottom pic i'm going about 15MPH +/- and attempting to keep myself upright and 2) avoid wayward cagers. I remember debating whether to turn around, but that would mean dealing with going DOWNhill which is much more challenging in snow. The road being closed made my choice for me and I did have to back-track. Not recomending riding in this stuff, but for *ME*, i'm much more comfortable in this environment than I am down in sothern CA on dry pavement watching my riding partners lane split at highMPH -that is not my environment, but for some it is and I'm in no position to tell them how to ride.

Bottom line, we should all ride our own ride, and what is not for some, need not be a source of ridicule for others, we all have our own ride to ride and we're all responsible for our own ride.

...from reno, ride safe and have fun ...whatever that is for you and I'll do the same. ....john

 

[painman]

Darn it, I like Silvers attitude also John. I never did much riding in the rain and for years avoided it like the plague. But on the way to WFO-6 I hit a super cell in the middle of nowhere on hwy 50 and nowhere to pull over and no turning back. And believe me I was praying to the man up stairs to help me through and He did. But you know what, it was a blast and something I'll never forget and it made me want to ride that much more and if it rained, so be it. And if conditions allow, 80 sounds good to me so go for it, shoot if 90 is safe, rock on I know the NHP didn't care. Ride your ride Silver and don't let the dweebs tell you what to do.....now, as far as riding where I might have to chain up...I might have to work my way up to that one.... :blink: PM. <><

 

[RenoJohn]

Darn it, I like Silvers attitude also John. I never did much riding in the rain and for years avoided it like the plague. But on the way to WFO-6 I hit a super cell in the middle of nowhere on hwy 50 and nowhere to pull over and no turning back. And believe me I was praying to the man up stairs to help me through and He did. But you know what, it was a blast and something I'll never forget and it made me want to ride that much more and if it rained, so be it. And if conditions allow, 80 sounds good to me so go for it, shoot if 90 is safe, rock on I know the NHP didn't care. Ride your ride Silver and don't let the dweebs tell you what to do.....now, as far as riding where I might have to chain up...I might have to work my way up to that one.... :blink: PM. <><

Pain,

LOL ...yeah, many of us got some good rain on the WFO jaunt, and what a treat it was warm!! For me that was a real unique luxury as typically when the stuff falls from the sky it is COLD and miserable.

I spend way too much time in the pocket of Nevada that you mention. Good place to talk to the guy upstairs because few distractions ...and when you live a renojohn lifestyle there is always a long list of things to apologize to the guy upstairs for so I find myself out there often.

Riding moto-bikes is good fun, HiSilver gets it and always fun to bare witness to that.

check out this pic of WFO rain

and the pics of rain in utah on the final page(about 1/2way down) of my trip report:

HERE(CLICKY)

and finally here are some pics of that special pocket of nevada that you mention -a thankgiving ride report a couple of years ago:

Here(Clicky)

Next time you're in the area, let me know, we'll chase the state's windmills with the FJR's while high on peyote.

...renojohn

 

[snap1945]

Had a track day that turned into a real soaker. Put up the window and ran merrily around the track. Stayed MUCH drier than my classmates and drew many envious looks. (for you safety critics: the class emphasis was on smoothness of control application due to the rains) Kudos to you ice riders, I wont even try that.

 

[Jon]

It's an unfortunate fact that motorcyclists love to tell stories of extremes -- riding in extreme conditions, for extremely long distances or dealing with extreme obstacles. Let's face it, the story is more interesting the more out of the ordinary it is.

The only trouble with this is that the more common extreme stories become the more likely it is for less-than-average riders to attempt to mimic this kind of behavior. I had some extreme riding experiences in my youth, but I'm careful who I share them with. For example, I never bring them up during the MSF classes I teach. I have talked about them with a close circle of riding friends who understand the risks involved.

So, I don't think it's wrong to talk about extreme rain-riding experiences, although I for one would not have ridden that fast in heavy rain. Let's just remember who the audience is when we make our extreme reports.