There are three aspects to this:
1>0vernight Parking in the rain
2>Riding in the rain & on wet roads
3>Tires
1>OVERNIGHT PARKING IN THE RAIN.
If you have covered parking space, very good, park your bike there. Do not waste munny on readymade tarpaulin and other flexible designer covers made of waterproof fabric or plastic. They are more for your mental satisfaction than for protecting your bike. Avoid them. It is better to let your bike get heavily wet in pouring rain whole night than use flexible designer covers. Under a pandal or tent is OK, as long as the fabric does not drape over the bike and does not touch it, it is OK. People may disagree, especially people who manufacture designer covers.
Rains have started. On the next dry or partially dry day, wipe the bike and examine for scratches on paintwork, especially tank, bcoz except for tank, now-a-days mudguards, side panels & etc. of most bikes (except Bullet) are synthetic, so no problem of rust possibility. Make sure whether your bike is synthetic or metallic, and act accordingly. Also check plated parts for spots / regions, especially wheel rims of spoke wheels, where plating has peeled or chipped, and the inside steel is exposed to the elements . Remember, plating is of Kromium or NiCr alloy, and does not rust. The steel under it is Ferrous and rusts. Rust is Oxides of Iron.
Now buy some anti-rust paste in a tin can or a tube (like toothpaste) if available and for ease of use. What I do is, I get some fresh grease worth two bucks from my korner mekanik and bring it in a sheet of folded paper and use it instead of any sophisticated paste kosting many bucks. For me, two bucks worth of Faltu grease does the basic job (of preventing rust) just as well as sophisticated anti-rust paste kosting ten times that amount does, bcoz I am myself a Faltu mekanik, not a sophisticated, Hi-Funda magazine editor, who gets fat revenues from media hype advertisements of such anti-rust paste manufacturers and designer cover manufakchurers.
On the next available sunny day, when you think the bike is dry, wipe each spot with a dry kloth and apply this paste or grease at the spots / regions where paint has scratched or Krome plating has peeled / worn / chipped. Apply it as a thin film of say approx ONE mm thickness with your finger. If you apply thicker layer, better for the bike, but more chance of your clothes touching it and clothes becoming dirty. Be careful for your klothes. For me this is not an issue bcoz everyone knows I am a dirty bastard !
Check battery. Make sure it is not leaking. There are six cells in every battery having six caps. Make sure distilled water level in the battery is up to the given mark and that caps are fitted tight and do not leak, and battery is securely strapped in its komparment.
2>RIDING IN THE RAIN and ON WET ROADS
The biggest danger in the rain is skidding. There is no anti-skid tire which does not skid in the rain. All tires, however fat or thick will skid. Fat tires will skid less that is a fakt. You just have to be more careful on wet roads, than on dry roads. That’s it. No other way.
Make sure there are mud-flaps on both frunt and rear mudguards. This is to keep your klothes and shoes kleen. Some people fit a plywood or PVC or FRP board in frunt of the enjin to protect their shoes. It is true that this board stops flow of air on the enjin cooling fins and enjin gets heated up more. However, in rainy season, general ambient air temperature is easily 10 degree centigrade lower than in summer. So if you are on your daily office or college commute, at normal city speed, and the non-stop one way distance is not more than TEN (10) km, then it is OK. The harm is not much. Again it is a trade-off between your need to keep your enjin kool and your need to keep your shoes kleen. It is YOUR decision. For me, I never put such board in frunt of my bike enjin, bcoz I don’t care if my shoes or pants bcum dirty, bcoz I already told you, I am a dirty bastard!
Always wear a helmet, especially in rains. It not only keeps your hair dry, it also protects your numbskull on which your precious hair is growing. Remember, no numbskull, no hair. Skull is primary. Hair is secondary. Also ensure that you have both rear view mirrors. They may LuuK like donkey’s EARs, but they are life savers. Remember, Donkeys live much longer than Racehorses!
3>TIRES
Keep air pressure in tires as recommended in OWNERS MANUAL. A bit less is OK, but not more.
If your tires are due for change, now is the safest time, though also the most expensive time. Tire dealers know this and hence jack up prices in this season.
The best tread pattern for frunt tire I have found is Ribbed, uni-direktional. Brand is your choice. At rear, Zapper or Nylogrip plus pattern is equally good. |
