Motorbikes - Stay Safe In The Wet

THE KEY TO RIDING HAPPINESS IN THE WET

The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has tips for riding in wet weather from its director of standards Mark Lewis. While many choose to put their bikes away for the winter, Mark will guide you through how to make your riding experience in wet weather a safe and enjoyable experience.

Mark is a former advanced police motorcyclist with 37 years of biking know-how. He also rode police bikes operationally in London and one year clocked up 18,000 miles on 'blue lights' and siren duty. He has also been an examiner for police motorcycle students.

Always begin with pre-ride checks of tyres, lights and lubricant. Too little tread, sidewall damage and low pressure could each contribute to sudden loss of grip or tyre failure which could bring a bike down.

While all bikes imported into the UK from 2003 do not have a manual light switch, if yours is older don't forget to switch your lights on if you have doubts at all if you feel you might not be seen, especially in poor conditions or at dusk.



. Make all your inputs; whether steering, braking or acceleration as smooth as you can. There is only set amount of grip available for the tyres, so make all changes in acceleration, steering and braking smooth, progressive ones.



. You should keep your visor clean and if you don't have a pin lock system, ensure it is treated with a fog-resistant product.



. Be aware that visibility will be serious...