Riding Conditions
Riding in the Rain on a Motorcycle: Before, During and After a Wet Ride
Slow down before wet curves, brake gently with both brakes and ride in the tire tracks. Rider-handbook rain technique, plus when to pull over.
Riding a motorcycle in the rain is mostly about traction. Slow down before wet curves and slippery patches, keep every input smooth, use both brakes gently, and ride in a car's tire tracks. The road is slickest just after the rain starts, before surface oil washes to the side.
Stay visible, stay warm, and pull over for lightning or flood water. This guide is part of our riding in bad weather hub. Still deciding whether to ride at all? Read is it dangerous to ride a motorcycle in the rain.
Key takeaways- The first minutes of rain are the most slippery, before surface oil washes off the road.- The front brake still works on wet pavement. Squeeze it gradually and go gently on the rear.- Ride in a car's tire tracks. The left track is often best, depending on traffic.- Leave three seconds or more to the vehicle ahead.- Leather isn't waterproof, the store's own blog says, so wear a rain layer over it.
Before you ride: bike, gear and plan
Check the bike
Wet roads leave less room for a bike that isn't right. Before every ride, check tire pressure and tread, lights, brakes and fluids. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation's T-CLOCS checklist covers tires, controls, lights, oil, chassis and stands. It says to check tire pressure cold and adjust it for the load. On a tour, our pre-trip checklist puts these checks in order.
Rain gear over leather
Leather gear won't keep you dry for long. Leather Collection's own blog says leather resists water for a short time but isn't waterproof. The store says the same of its vented summer gloves: a light shower is fine, but heavy rain soaks through.
So plan on a rain layer. The California Motorcycle Handbook says to layer clothing in cold or wet weather, and that good rain suits made for riding don't tear apart or balloon at speed.
Visor and visibility
Ride with the face shield down and locked. It keeps rain off your face. A shield also needs some airflow to stop fogging, and it should be free of scratches. Skip tinted shields at dusk or night.
Make yourself easy to see. Keep the headlight on. A motorcycle with its light on is twice as likely to be noticed. Bright orange, red, yellow or green outer layers and reflective strips help drivers pick you out.
The first minutes of rain
Wet pavement is at its worst just after the rain starts, before surface oil washes to the side of the road. Ride with extra care in that window. If a shower catches you, a short stop under cover lets that first slick spell pass.
Roads also dry unevenly. Rain dries faster on some sections than others, so a dry stretch can end in a wet, shaded patch.
Many riding guides give a fixed waiting time after rain begins. None of them cites a source, and their figures don't agree, so we don't give one here.
On the road: seven adjustments
1. Slow down before curves and slick patches
On a slippery road, the bike needs more distance to stop. Slow down before you reach a slick surface, not on it, and slow down before wet curves in particular.
2. Make every input smooth
Any sudden change of speed or direction can start a skid. Roll the throttle on and off gently, and shift, turn and brake as smoothly as you can.
3. Brake with both, gently
Use both brakes. The front brake still works on a wet surface, so squeeze the lever gradually to avoid locking the front wheel, and press the rear brake gently. Never grab the lever. The front brake supplies about three-quarters of your stopping power.
4. Ride in the tire tracks
The middle of the lane is where oil, antifreeze and other fluids collect, and it's risky when wet. When the rain starts, ride in a car's tire tracks. The left track is often best, depending on traffic and road conditions. Take care when you put a foot down at stops, because the center of the lane is slick there too.
5. Leave three seconds or more
In normal riding the handbook asks for two seconds of following distance. Open it to three seconds or more when the pavement is slippery.
6. Look further ahead
Scan at least 10 to 15 seconds ahead. In the rain, that gives you time to spot puddles, painted lines and metal covers before you reach them.
7. Keep the bike straight over gratings
Rain grooves and bridge gratings can make the bike weave. That wandering feeling is generally not dangerous. Relax, hold a steady speed and ride straight across.
Surfaces to avoid when wet
Where you can't avoid one, keep your speed, steering and braking as smooth as possible across it.
| Surface | Why it matters | Fact |
|---|---|---|
| Painted lane markings, arrows and crosswalks | Lose grip when wet | – |
| Manhole covers and steel plates | Lose grip when wet | – |
| Brick paver crosswalks | Lose grip when wet | – |
| Center of the lane | Fluids collect there | – |
| Puddles and standing water | You can't tell how deep they are | – |
| Wet leaves | As slippery as wet pavement | – |
| Gravel, sand and mud | Collect at road edges and on curves | – |
Stay warm: rain and hypothermia
The handbook warns that long rides in cold weather bring severe chill and fatigue, and numb hands make the bike harder to control.
The CDC notes that hypothermia can happen above 40°F if rain or sweat has chilled you. Early signs are shivering, exhaustion, fumbling hands, confusion and slurred speech. If you or a riding partner show them, stop. Get indoors and out of wet clothing, and warm the chest, neck, head and groin first. A body temperature below 95°F needs medical help right away.
Our riding in bad weather hub covers cold, wind chill and heat in more depth.
When to pull over
Some rain isn't worth riding through.
- Lightning or thunder. The National Weather Service says no place outdoors is safe when thunderstorms are around, and open vehicles don't protect you. Wait 30 minutes after the last thunder.
- Water over the road. The NWS says 6 inches (15 cm) of fast-moving flood water can knock over an adult, and 12 inches (30 cm) can carry away most cars. Never ride around barriers on a flooded road.
- Rain after dark. Night riding already means slower speeds and longer gaps. Rain on top of darkness is a good reason to call it a day.
- Early hypothermia signs. Shivering or fumbling hands mean stop and warm up.
On a multi-day trip, a planned rain day is easier than a forced one. If you're camping, see motorcycle camping in the rain.
After the ride: drying leather gear
Dry wet leather slowly. For its summer gloves, the store says to take them off and let them dry at room temperature, never with a hair dryer or heater, because fast heat can stiffen leather. Once they're dry, add a little conditioner.
Gloves for wet rides
A dry spare pair of gloves is worth packing for a wet day. Leather Collection motorcycle gloves are hand-stitched cowhide, 0.8 to 0.9 mm (about 0.03 in) thick. Styles run from vintage and race gloves to vented summer gloves.
The store doesn't list a waterproof glove. For its summer gloves, it suggests carrying rain covers on wet trips. Their vents move the most air at riding speed, and the store says those gloves aren't waterproof.
Related guides
- Riding Ireland's west coast? See our Ireland motorcycle touring guide for rainfall by month.
FAQ
What is the 12 second rule on a motorcycle?
The California Motorcycle Handbook doesn't use that phrase. It tells riders to scan at least 10 to 15 seconds ahead. In rain, that longer look gives you time to spot slick paint, metal covers and puddles.
How long should you wait after it rains to ride a motorcycle?
No source we read gives a set time. What the handbook does say: roads are most slippery just after rain starts, and they dry unevenly, with shaded spots, bridges and overpasses staying slick longer. After a thunderstorm, the NWS says to wait 30 minutes past the last thunder.
What do motorcyclists do when it rains?
They put on a rain layer, slow down, ride smoothly in the tire tracks and leave more room. They pull over for lightning, flooding or early signs of hypothermia.
margumi Editorial Team
margumi articles are researched from published sources, cited in the text, and reviewed before publication.