ReconRat Posted November 19, 2012 Report Share Posted November 19, 2012 So I guess it will be kinda warm again for the last two weeks of November and maybe the first week of December. So I guess I'm still riding.Today a co-worker was annoying me by saying my bike tires don't have traction in the rain. Not without tread. Qualifier doesn't have much tread, and it's one of the best rain tires around. I don't get it, what doesn't he understand? He seems to think the tire will just sit there and spin like on ice. I tried to explain tire compounds, but that didn't help.Motorcycle tread channels some water, but it's real task is to stabilize the tire between forces of cornering vs acceleration/braking. It's nice to both at the same time.Then two of the guys started in on hydroplaning. Bikes don't hydroplane at the same speeds as cars. It's that rounded tire thing. Nearly called me a liar when I said I'd done over 100 mph in the rain and it didn't seem too bad.The co-worker has a bike, so I said come with me in the rain. That sort of stopped the conversation...I think his bike has zero traction/grip in the rain...What other tires work well in the rain? There are a few touring tires that do well, and have some decent tread life. So far I'm using RoadSmart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonik Posted November 19, 2012 Report Share Posted November 19, 2012 What other tires work well in the rain? There are a few touring tires that do well, and have some decent tread life. So far I'm using RoadSmart.For me on the cruiser side, Avon Cobra radials. I buy them specifically because they do so well in the rain. Added bonus is the wear is really good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBrown57 Posted November 19, 2012 Report Share Posted November 19, 2012 Love my Road 2's I take it easy in the rain regardless just to be safe.I did not know about the hydroplaning bit, learned something new! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whaler Posted November 19, 2012 Report Share Posted November 19, 2012 Bridgestone BT023 are great in the rain as well as in the dry.Michelin Pilot Road 2 are great in the rain and dry, but mat as good as 023 IMHO.Continental Road Attack are great in rain, but not quite as good as the two listed above.Some people just do not understand or have the capacity to understand. They take their limited experience/opinion and apply it to all things, then disregard reality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonik Posted November 19, 2012 Report Share Posted November 19, 2012 I did not know about the hydroplaning bit, learned something new!They will hydroplane, just not as easily as a car. Just changed the link, so you can see it sink and know it was hydroplaning.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2nQyEMZw00&feature=related Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBrown57 Posted November 19, 2012 Report Share Posted November 19, 2012 I was under the thought that they would lose it easier than a car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReconRat Posted November 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2012 ...I did not know about the hydroplaning bit, learned something new!It's somewhere above freeway speeds. I'm not anxious to find out.Any high speeds I've done in the rain, I did straight without risking turns.Freeway speeds are high enough in the rain. And if it's deep water, all bets are off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonik Posted November 19, 2012 Report Share Posted November 19, 2012 And if it's deep water, all bets are off.It's the puddles that will ruin your day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidersDiscount Posted November 19, 2012 Report Share Posted November 19, 2012 ...What other tires work well in the rain? There are a few touring tires that do well, and have some decent tread life. So far I'm using RoadSmart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hailwood Posted November 19, 2012 Report Share Posted November 19, 2012 Bridgestone BT023 are great in the rain as well as in the dry.Both these and the previous-gen -021's are great tires in both the wet and dry. On my roadtrip earlier this year, we wound up riding in heavy rain/wet roads for the last 300 miles through the mountains of WV/TN/NC and my FZ1 with -021's didn't miss a beat.Modern sport/sport-touring tires typically have really great wet traction because most of them use high-silica tread compounds. The pattern doesn't really come into play much until the water depths start increasing (i.e. the puddles you mentioned), in which case hydroplaning does become a factor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoblick Posted November 19, 2012 Report Share Posted November 19, 2012 Pilot road 2 or 3I have been in downpours over higheay speeds with no issues on the road 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyler524 Posted November 19, 2012 Report Share Posted November 19, 2012 Pirelli Diablo Rains are amazing. 75-80 mph full lean without a problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJC1000rr Posted November 19, 2012 Report Share Posted November 19, 2012 Note that race rain tires are NOT DoT/street legal, and should not be used outside of a closed course/track. Nor adviseable at near $400/set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdonn Posted November 19, 2012 Report Share Posted November 19, 2012 Pilot road 2 or 3I have been in downpours over higheay speeds with no issues on the road 2Pr3's ROCK... I love these tires an they are awesome in the rain... I haven't had any kick-outs even on semi-aggressive stops. Turning on these is great as well!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyler524 Posted November 19, 2012 Report Share Posted November 19, 2012 Note that race rain tires are NOT DoT/street legal, and should not be used outside of a closed course/track. Nor adviseable at near $400/set.Ha I was only being a smart ass. On the track though, it is amazing at the grip they have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pokey Posted November 19, 2012 Report Share Posted November 19, 2012 Pr3's ROCK... I love these tires an they are awesome in the rain... I haven't had any kick-outs even on semi-aggressive stops. Turning on these is great as well!!!100% agree, and I can attest at how good the Pirelli Angels are too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyler524 Posted November 19, 2012 Report Share Posted November 19, 2012 I never have had any issues with Q2s in the rain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkow97 Posted November 19, 2012 Report Share Posted November 19, 2012 yeah, I was thrown by the thread title too. "rain" tires are not "wet" tires.Race rains are to be used when there is standing water, or a consistently saturated surface. Any decent street tire should still be safe in wet conditions; it just won't offer the same levels of grip that it would in the dry. Or rather, the pavement offers less grip. The tire remains constant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Butters Posted November 19, 2012 Report Share Posted November 19, 2012 my PR2s are fine in the rain....under poor judgement and having a lot on my mind, i once did 152 (indicated) in the rain on the PR2s and had no slippage or hydroplaning....i wouldnt do that all the time obviously, but it wasnt instant deaththe main thing to watch for in the rain is painted lines on the road....i went left around a car that was turning right (slowly) and shifted gears as i passed, and the back end kicked out a little on the painted lines....almost lost the vmax once coming around a corner and cutting it too wide and hitting the painted center line in the rain....that stuff is like ice...doesnt affect cars as much because they have a larger contact patch, but when your whole bike tire can fit on those lines, they can be dangerous Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sporttour Posted November 20, 2012 Report Share Posted November 20, 2012 Avon Storm 2 Ulta tire offer excellent wet traction on my ST1100. I get about 15k on the rear and 22k on the front. The downside is these tires create a significant front end wobble - only a problem if you don't keep your hands on the grips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdonn Posted November 20, 2012 Report Share Posted November 20, 2012 The downside is these tires create a significant front end wobble - only a problem if you don't keep your hands on the grips.Seems to be a pretty HUGE problem to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReconRat Posted November 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2012 (edited) Avon Storm 2 Ulta tire offer excellent wet traction on my ST1100. I get about 15k on the rear and 22k on the front. The downside is these tires create a significant front end wobble - only a problem if you don't keep your hands on the grips.ST1100s are known to wobble, mostly tire but maybe frame design.BT023s don't seem to wobble on the ST1100, if you believe the internet. Edited November 20, 2012 by ReconRat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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