-
I have been forcing myself to go out in the damp on the GN125.
My experience since November:
Better/new tyres help confidence (psychologically more than physically I guess).
Diesel is everywhere.
Even big bikes take road naps sometimes.
Get consistent braking distance down to centimetres in the dry, and accept it is miles long in the wet.
Keeping loose is key.
Keeping loose is especially important when the rear decides to fishtail. Mostly learned this forgetting that my stopping distance needed to be miles not centimetres/diesel patches, and applying a tiny bit more rear brake than I wanted, since I wasn’t slowing down enough in the distance I had.
Still no offs so far and still enough wet days to come.
Saw a guy with his big bike on the side of the road in wet weather, having come off (not sure if crashed, crashed into, diesel etc). It still happens to the big bikes.
I actually quite liked riding with the roads totally flooded with water. Preferred it to that awkward rainy slippy thin layer.
pdlouche-
Science time! (or lies told to me by my instructor)
Tarmac absorbs/ fills with oil/ diesel that is being constantly deposited by vehicles, when a light rain/ drizzle comes this is denser than the oil and forces the oil up to the surface, making it a slippy nightmare.
Heavy rain washes this away down drains/ to the gutters, but before that happens be extra cautious. -
Yeah I'm getting out there and riding regardless of weather, I've hardly driven the car other than family miles since getting it last year hence allllll the miles. Got Michelin Street Pilot on the rear, the Avon Runner on the front will be due a change before autumn. Its all in my head, I know, I've not even come close to coming off on a corner and in the sunshine I'm loose and relaxed. But cycling I'm just a shit descender also, especially if there are turns to navigate or its damp.
Confidence is all there otherwise, no problems filtering and braking, I'm confident in my anticipation and observation. I think a heavier bike will help me feel more planted in the damp, I'm only 65kg and the ybr is... 85kg? I don't even feel heavy enough to make the rear suspension work fully.
I love it though. Once I get something bigger I'll keep the 125 for as long as it holds out for the cheap commute and for Mrs Y to learn on.
DethBeard
Yukirin
A year has flown by and the little YBR 125cc plods on and on. 21k miles I've done now, bringing its total to 53k. Its been pretty good, just needing regular oil changes, 2 bulbs, air filter, new rear tyre, two chain and sprocket sets, clutch cable and a bit of soldering where the plug between the magneto and reg/rec melted... I kind of feel like I should be doing more to maintain it but it just keeps going and engine wise it feels/sounds fine.
What's eating me is my complete lack of confidence in the damp still and wether the caution is justified. I just can't relax which is counter intuitive, I know.
So it's time to start looking into this full licence malarkey, I wasn't intending to do the cbt again so need to crack on!