Rain and poor visibility
In rain, fog, or low sun, choose your speed for the visibility and grip available, even on a familiar road.
Slow down and increase your following distance
A wet road offers less grip, and everyone's view is worse. Spray makes it harder to follow the car ahead, drivers notice motorcycles later, and drops and glare build up on your visor. Leave a larger gap than usual.
Especially slippery surfaces
- wet road markings and painted arrows;
- manhole covers, metal plates, and grates;
- rails and metal running along the road;
- bitumen seams and smooth asphalt;
- mud, sand, and wet leaves.
Crossing a slippery patch
When possible, bring the motorcycle upright beforehand and cross with a steady throttle, avoiding abrupt braking or steering. If you need to slow considerably, do most of the braking before reaching the patch.
Puddles
When you do not know a puddle's depth and have room to go around it, avoid it. Water may conceal a pothole, manhole, rail, or debris. At speed, water between the tire and road can cause a loss of grip, so do not accelerate through a long puddle.
Ride slowly enough to stop in time
In fog or heavy rain, ride slowly enough to stop within the clearly visible stretch of road. A 70 km/h speed limit does not prevent you from riding at 50–60 when you can barely see ahead.
Other road users see less too
Wet windows and mirrors, spray, misting, and headlight glare make it harder for drivers to see. Vehicle pillars also block part of the view. Do not linger in a blind spot or assume you have already been noticed.
Slow down as soon as visibility worsens
If the road markings, road edge, or car ahead start disappearing into spray or fog, reduce speed right away. Do not wait until the clearly visible road is shorter than the distance you need to stop.
Where to slow down early
- driveways and parking-area exits;
- bus stops;
- pedestrian crossings and places where people emerge from behind cars;
- unlit stretches and corners with restricted views.
Low sun makes the road harder to see
At dawn and before sunset, the sun can shine straight into your eyes. An oncoming driver or a driver pulling out may look toward you but struggle to distinguish the motorcycle against the bright background.
Dew
In the morning, road markings, manhole covers, rails, and other metal may be wet even without rain. Reduce your lean before these surfaces and avoid abrupt inputs.
Moving from bright sunlight into shade
After direct sunlight, details in a dark area under trees or a bridge can be harder to see for several seconds. Reduce your pace before the transition so you are not searching for obstacles at the last moment.
An empty road can make you relax too much
There are fewer cars at dawn, and it is easy to gain speed without noticing. Another driver may be sleepy, coming off a night shift, or misjudging distance. Keep a larger following distance: an empty straight road does not by itself make a ride safe.
Motorcycle rain gear helps you stay warm
Soaked clothing makes you cold quickly, and wet gloves make precise throttle, brake, and clutch control harder. Rain gear and dry gloves help you retain warmth and keep the cold from distracting you.
Keep your visor clear
Drops on the outside and misting on the inside can quickly spoil your view. If visibility deteriorates, reduce speed first. If you cannot clear the visor properly while riding, stop somewhere suitable.
Cold makes precise movements harder
If your hands, shoulders, or legs are cold, your movements become less precise. Do not wait until you start losing your feel for the brake and clutch.
Stop if your fingers go numb
Stop and warm up. Before a long ride in cold weather, choose warmer gloves or additional wind protection in advance.
Ride within what you can see
At night, match your speed to the distance over which you can actually see the road and notice an obstacle. The shorter the illuminated stretch, the lower your speed needs to be.
Oncoming headlights obscure details
Do not stare at oncoming headlights. Follow your line, the markings, and the road edge. If bright light makes the road harder to distinguish, slow down early.
A clean visor matters even more at night
Dirt, water, and scratches produce more glare at night. Check your visor and lights before riding. If your view deteriorates noticeably on the road, reduce speed first.
Obstacles are harder to see at night
At night, you may notice a pedestrian, animal, pothole, object in the road, or unlit stationary vehicle too late. Increase your following distance and choose your speed according to how far you can see.