How to Handle Unexpected Weather While Motorcycle Riding

You can try to plan your motorcycle ride for a day that has a favorable weather forecast, but Mother Nature may have other ideas. You might be in the middle of your pleasant weather ride when you get hit with sudden heavy winds, rain, or other unexpected weather. The time to figure out your safety action plan is not in the middle of the storm - it's long before you hit the road. We want all of our patrons to stay safe in inclement weather, which is why we've created the following safety guide. If you want more safety tips or want to explore motorcycles for sale, visit Loewer Powersports & Equipment in Alexandria, Louisiana. We also proudly serve those throughout Rapides Parish and Lafayette.

Decide Whether to Keep Riding

When you get hit with unexpected weather on your motorcycle ride, you'll need to decide whether you should keep going or if you should wait out the poor weather. You'll want to consider a few factors when making the call.

Your Riding Level

The less experience you have, the more you should consider waiting for the bad weather to improve. Newer motorcycle riders won't have as developed skills or muscle memory, which can make it harder to safely navigate the poor road conditions caused by bad weather. The worse the weather is, the more riding experience you need to safely handle it.

Your Motorcycle

Next, make sure your motorcycle can handle the tough roads. You should have enough fluids to make the journey (and handle any necessary detours). All your lights should be clearly visible. Your tires should have enough tire tread and tire pressure to maintain the required traction. If your motorcycle isn't in tip-top shape, wait out the storm.

Your Riding Buddies (or Lack Thereof)

If you are riding with others, you have access to a safety net in case anything happens. If your motorcycle experiences issues or you crash, you will have people ready to assist you. If you are riding solo, you will want to be more hesitant about continuing your ride.

Adjust Your Riding Style

If you decide to continue on, you will need to make some adjustments to your riding style. Remember that poor weather can compromise road conditions and create obstacles. For example, heavy rain can create slick areas that you should treat like black ice. Slippery roads will result in vehicles taking longer to brake than normal, so you will want to leave extra space between your motorcycle and the other motorists. If you need to come to a stop, you'll have enough time and distance to do so.

You'll also want to try to limit how much you make sudden changes to your speed and direction. Try to avoid slamming on your brakes and instead slowly engage your brakes. Try to avoid sudden jerks to the left or the right and instead ease into a turn or lane change.

Remember that bad weather can also affect your endurance. It's one thing to maintain focus on a beautiful, sunny, blue-sky day. It's another to stay focused when rain and wind are pelting your body and hurting your visibility. You will likely need to take more breaks than normal so that you can keep your focus up.

We hope you found our safety guide useful. For more safety strategies or to check out motorcycles for sale, visit  Loewer Powersports & Equipment. Our expert staff is happy to chat with you, answer your questions, and provide advice on the right model for your lifestyle. Whatever you need, you can find it with us!