What is it with rain? - Page 2

Para045 · 01-10-2008, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hewie

I never ride the Ducati in the rain.

Why ..... don't need to worry about bolts rusting, water in the electrics, having wet road crap stuck to it etc etc.

And we all know Ducati's stop working whenever anything moist comes near them

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spock

A bike that has been ridden regularly in the rain, gets rust and rot in all the nooks and crannies and is difficult to ever get back into 'showroom' condition.

Guess there is no point washing it then either

I wouldn't be too worried about getting a bike (or car) back to "showroom" condition as most of the vehicles I see in showrooms look quite ordinary, scratches, paint chips etc

I guess it really comes down to what you buy a bike (or any vehicle to do)

I bought my bike to actually "ride" and put heaps of km's on, not as a showpiece to sit in a shed and think about how it is devaluing

Don't get me wrong I am not one of these "hardcore" riders that don't even own a car and ride everywhere because if I get up and it is pissing down I'll take the car/truck but am not worried if it pisses down as I come home or there are "chances of rain", a lot to do with self preservation and convenience of not suiting up in wets

The "never ridden in the rain" or "never crashed" means little to me when looking at ads as it can be almost impossible to tell anyway

Desmogod · 01-10-2008, 12:18 PM

The Duc has been ridden in the rain and both the bike and I hated it, Wog bikes don't like the wet. The R1 is the whore, so she gets ridden in all forms of weather.

thro · 01-10-2008, 12:31 PM

Bah.

At 15k for a 600, or 18k for a thou, sports bikes are consumables. If you ride in the rain, so be it.

I can understand not riding an exotic or collectible in the rain, but if its a typical jap sports bike... meh. NO riding in rain = rider is soft in that case.

OggiEKnoB · 01-10-2008, 01:06 PM

rain is okm , its the wind that shits me

Spock · 01-10-2008, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thro

At 15k for a 600, or 18k for a thou, sports bikes are consumables. .

I wonder if people will still be saying that in a year or two if and when this recession bites...

Either way, I'm glad that the original owners of some of the collectible bikes I have owned over the years (most recently my original 'round eye' fireblade) didn't have the above attitude.

reddog · 01-10-2008, 01:17 PM

It's like people not wanting to take their road bike down a gravel track really.... I take mine all over the place, but it's not a 100K plus italian bike either.

As per the other poster that stated don't wash your bike. You'd be better off getting rain on it than washing it in Perth water.

Spock · 01-10-2008, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reddog

As per the other poster that stated don't wash your bike. You'd be better off getting rain on it than washing it in Perth water.

There are many who swear by 'water-less' bike cleaning.

MADOGA · 01-10-2008, 01:25 PM

Anyone who claims the bike is "never ridden in the rain" either rarely rides or is full of shit,
I don't like riding in the rain and avoid it, that said over the last 6 months Ive been caught in the wet more times than i can count.

Since i dont leave home on the bike if its wet and only get caught by "bad luck " by being in the rain maybe i to can claim "never ridden in the rain", i didnt mean to let it get wet!

Spock · 01-10-2008, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MADOGA

Anyone who claims the bike is "never ridden in the rain" either rarely rides or is full of shit,

There are plenty of 'Sunday riders' who only ride their Ducati 996SPS or whatever on sunny weekends.

Having said that, even when I owned my classic CB1100R I got it wet in the rain every now and again. Of course, I immediately cleaned and dried it and then detailed it (with polish on all the painted parts and WD40 on all the exposed metal parts - so one one would have ever known it had been in the rain.

What rots bikes is leaving them wet and grimy day after day, week after week.

rod · 01-10-2008, 02:00 PM

Torrential downpours are kind of okay as the water is cleaner, water both falling and what's on the ground. If you had the drizzle type of rain here which mixes with dust and pollution and gets into your bike from areshole to breakfast you'd try to avoid it. It makes bikes look old fairly quickly, especially as Spock has said if they're left like that.

Never ridden in rain is probably more of an indication of the type of riding done too or that the owner is a bit fanatical on keeping the bike in top condition.

The next level up from "never ridden in rain" is "never seen water" (i.e. never even washed).

Motormaniac · 01-10-2008, 06:59 PM

wow maxo, ur smart aye. I did me r-e test in mandurah, went thru rain where you couldnt see 50m ahead to get there, did the test in the rain, rode home in the rain. Big deal. Only thing i wasnt happy about was my leather jacket leaked a bit...

Pobbler · 01-10-2008, 08:26 PM

I personally LOVE riding in the rain.

Especially at 5 in the morning after finishing work on the weekends...

No cars on the road and heavy rain.

It's an amazing rush!!!

Edit: I've had some close calls though... (the uphill right-hand turn onto Whatley Crescent in Bayswater, from Coode Street) x 2 ... thought i would learn the first time

thro · 01-10-2008, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spock

I wonder if people will still be saying that in a year or two if and when this recession bites...

Either way, I'm glad that the original owners of some of the collectible bikes I have owned over the years (most recently my original 'round eye' fireblade) didn't have the above attitude.

Well, maybe i overstated it a bit... however:

If i'm only going to save say $2000-3000 in value of my bike when i go to sell it by being a sissy and never riding it for 6 months of the year... then... meh.

For the level of performance on offer, bikes are amazingly cheap.

What do you get in the car world for that money? A Hyundai getz?

If i buy a 600 for 15k and sell for 10 in 2 years time, i've blown 5k.

If i buy a commonwhore for 35k and sell in 2 years time for 18k, i've blown 17k.

Sure, they're not directly comparable in terms of utility, but for me, to get to/from work and have a bit of fun after-hours... the depreciation is not really that bad, and the level of enjoyment i'd miss out on from not riding for 6 months of the year is worth the extra depreciation hit - imho.

I maintain: bikes are cheap.

Sure, if its a collectible, its a bit different. A mass produced jap bike is not a collectible though (personal opinion). Well, i mean MAYBE if it has been wrapped in cotton wool for its entire life and not ridden... but thats just because its become obscure to find in that condition.

I buy my bikes/cars/etc to actually USE....

Desmogod · 01-10-2008, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spock

my original 'round eye' fireblade

You have a Jap bike called "round eye"?

Motormaniac · 01-10-2008, 09:38 PM

wow the first thing of desmos that i lol'ed at

Spock · 01-10-2008, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Desmogod

You have a Jap bike called "round eye"?

Look like round eyes to me:

MADOGA · 01-10-2008, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spock

I immediately cleaned and dried it and then detailed it (with polish on all the painted parts and WD40 on all the exposed metal parts - so one one would have ever known it had been in the rain.

What rots bikes is leaving them wet and grimy day after day, week after week.

But that's where you can say the bike is well maintained as opposed to never ridden in the rain, I'm fussy with my bike to the point of obsession and give it a clean at least twice week and an extra going over if I get caught in the rain, but being fussy doesn't mean I can advertise it as never ridden in the rain.

thro · 01-10-2008, 11:28 PM

If i cleaned my bike so fastidiously after every time it's been in the rain, i'd have to wash it at least 160 times a year.

I agree its the best thing to do, but i simply don't have the time.... best compromise i can muster is to spray it with wd40 in the appropriate locations.... and perhaps buy replacement bolt kits/fasteners as appropriate...

Stu · 01-10-2008, 11:50 PM

I really do not believe the arguments that there are detrimental effects on the bike to riding in the rain. Sure, some people don't like getting wet but as for the bike, it makes no difference. I love to see another bike out in a heavy down pour or in stormy weather, to me this shows how much the person has embrassed the motorcycle. To for go the ease, comfort and safety of the car over the freedom, excitement and hardship of the motorcycle. Monetery value, stone-chips and wear come second to kilometres and time for these people. The words 'never ridden in the rain' are worthless to me.

Spock · 02-10-2008, 07:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stu

The words 'never ridden in the rain' are worthless to me.

Oh yeah, I'm sure you'd rather buy a crappy, rusty, high km bike off a person who 'totally embraced motorcycling' than an identical, mint condition low km example off a guy who only rode it on sunny weekends.