There's a book out call "The Art of Racing in the Rain". It has little to do with riding or driving in the rain really, but it's a good read when it's raining out and you can't ride.

I'm kidding a little. The book is about a dog that thinks he's a human and is told through his eyes. His owner is a race car driver who's specialty is racing in the rain. He is sought after for that reason. To wit -

All of the information by other posters above is really good and one should be aware of those dangers when riding in the rain. But, it's something that you have to have a feel for. You need to be able to let go of control a little bit and understand that the bike (or race car) may do things on wet roads that it won't do on dry roads. If you are intimidated, or over correct (i.e. try to force control) you will likely end up in someone's small, home done, driveway. Or worse.

I'm lucky. I was raised on dirt bikes where traction is reduced throughout the ride (vs being on pavement). I learned what a bike does when the front end slides or the back end kicks out. This experience translated all the way to my bagger on wet roads. Am I drifting around corners? Of course not. But I feel comfortable with the reduced traction offered by a wet road and I know how to compensate when things get squirrely.

My advice. Get out on a dirt bike. The rest is just a learning experience that will happen in time.

PS - I would love to ride in the rain right now. Hotter than hell and dry as a bone.

 

Get a cup of coffee and check the TV guide for the speed channel and the next F-1 racing show. Then sit and be amazed by how fast they will ride in the rain. Every time I watch those guys Rossi, Hayden, etc. ride a bike much faster on a wet race track than I ever do on the highway in the dry. The more i watch them the more my pulse slows down and I realize that with good judgement and practice I can ride quite safely in the wet.

Baggs

 

There's not much more advise I can add. People have said metal is slippery, but so is wood. Railroad ties and crossings. These are more slippery then ice. Hit them strait and don't brake. Avoid the center and far edges of the roads and painted lines.

Otherwise, ride like normal. Last week I went out and rode in the rain on purpose. I enjoy a nice ride in the rain from time to time. The only time I don't like it is when I on my TO work. Coming home at night, don't care.

 

I got caught in the rain this weekend, and I'm glad I did.. the world didn't end, I didn't go down, I just got wet. Now I won't watch the sky so closely before taking the bike out.

 

1. Traction is going to vary based on surface. Concrete, Etched Concrete, Asphalt, Macadam all going to be different. Rougher the surface, better the traction. Like others said watch out for metal rails, grates, manhole covers.

2. Road paint is extremely slick when wet. Think oil on Teflon. Hit markings, square and upright as possible. So if you have to turn, take it slow. SLOW!

3. The rain mixing with the oil is a lot worse in cities, than rural. Especially poor, neighborhoods, since the beaters are oozing fluid. If you ride in bad neighborhoods ride slow, and easy.

4. If you can't see, slow down. If flash flood type rain, turn on flashers so Cagers can see you, and get under cover ASAP. Same for lightning storm. You know the drill!

 

Tar snakes in the wet will make you pucker from time to time as well....

 

From the sounds I am hearing outside, sounds like I will be riding home in the rain.

 

Good post.
I would add a bright neon green vest for rain travel. I have one in my bag always and I know that the visibility has increased a lot when used.
Not that it has anything to do with traction of course, but I found it to be a reaaaal important addition to rain and gloom travel.

 

For me, generally the overarching theme is ANTICIPATE even more and Try and do everything as smoothly as possible.

Smooth easy braking, easy leans and changes in direction, and mostly Easy throttle both on and off. Things I recall that shocked me my very first time riding in the wet were that the brakes were wet and were barely there the first time I went to use them. And even though I'd read all over about the dreaded cross walk stickers/paint I still was amazed at how slowly you can be going and they are still like ice.

Yes, those fat white cross walk stripes are the worst things out there.
Even at very slow speeds they can cause your tire to slide out if you cross them at anything other than parallel, such as when turning at an intersection even at only 5-10- MPH.

 

It's dangerous enough out there when the sun is shining.