Riding in the rain

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spiderwheels · #1 Post by **spiderwheels** » Sun Apr 20, 2014 1:13 pm

I think the Falco is pretty good in the rain contrary to the idea that it's snatchy and ill mannered. The day I picked mine up it was pouring down and I had 150 miles to ride it home. I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected.

Today is the first day I've been out in the rain since. I headed straight for a bumpy twisty B-road with a few tight 30mph bends and some ??mph sweepers. Now I'm not going to pretend I could set any records but it was effortless to ride smooth, scrubbing off speed ahead of time mostly by rolling off the throttle with some occasional gentle braking. Then opening the throttle again through the corner to keep the load off the front before using the mid-range for rapid progress.

It's all good fun :)

D-Rider · #2 Post by **D-Rider** » Sun Apr 20, 2014 2:37 pm

Mine has been a doddle in the wet since fitting my Gabro chip - the 15t front sprocket helping too.

Before that it was a bit of a handful on greasy surfaces

fatboy · #3 Post by **fatboy** » Sun Apr 20, 2014 5:43 pm

Falcs do have a very useable amount of engine breaking, which makes for fun cornering

They also deliver a lot of gallopers to the rear, so there is a subtle balance to be had,easy to over cook it in the wet.
Sounds like you've found the right mix !
Ride on !

big alan · #4 Post by **big alan** » Sun Apr 20, 2014 6:15 pm

I fined when it is raining I use my car

spiderwheels · #5 Post by **spiderwheels** » Thu Apr 24, 2014 1:04 pm

I still haven't got around to checking if there is an aftermarket chip in the ECU or a 15 or 16 tooth front sprocket.

Though it's got plenty of poke there shouldn't be much drama putting the power down in the wet with the twin's 'big bang' character.

HisNibbs · #6 Post by **HisNibbs** » Thu Apr 24, 2014 5:44 pm

spiderwheels wrote:I still haven't got around to checking if there is an aftermarket chip in the ECU or a 15 or 16 tooth front sprocket.

Though it's got plenty of poke there shouldn't be much drama putting the power down in the wet with the twin's 'big bang' character.

My view is the Falco needs a sensitive right hand. A mate of a mate who's fancies himself as really quick and pulls loads of wheelies bought a Falco and did for a while after, have trouble pulling himself along the ground...

fatboy · #7 Post by **fatboy** » Thu Apr 24, 2014 6:13 pm

I totally agree with HisNibbs,
Repeat- very easy to over cook it in the rain...
The day I bought my falc, riding home from London, changed into 3rd and thought the clutch was slipping till I started to go sideways in heavy rain

slickliner6 · #8 Post by **slickliner6** » Sat Apr 26, 2014 3:26 pm

daren't take mine out in the rain .....ooohhhh nnnnoooooooo..lol

blinkey501 · #9 Post by **blinkey501** » Sat Apr 26, 2014 5:40 pm

slickliner6 wrote:daren't take mine out in the rain .....ooohhhh nnnnoooooooo..lol

Well having ridden your intercontinental ballistic missile I would imagine it would spin the rear when pushed hard in the wet.
But ridden sensibly I would say it would be ok.

fatboy · #10 Post by **fatboy** » Sat Apr 26, 2014 6:17 pm

Was chatting to the Busa boy at work about this, seems the Busa is very similar to the falc in the wet, ok if you stick to around 4000rpm

flatlander · #11 Post by **flatlander** » Sun Apr 27, 2014 9:30 pm

Walking past the bookshop today saw advert for a book called rules of cycling or some such thing
Rule number 9
If you ride in the rain you are a badass no discussion

Not sure if that counts for me though to be fair nearly all my accidents have been in the dry

slickliner6 · #12 Post by **slickliner6** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 10:50 am

fatboy wrote:Was chatting to the Busa boy at work about this, seems the Busa is very similar to the falc in the wet, ok if you stick to around 4000rpm

Yeah very true!!
I don't go out in the rain,but if I get caught out,,,,then so be it,just calm it down a bit

D-Rider · #13 Post by **D-Rider** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 11:57 am

slickliner6 wrote:
fatboy wrote:Was chatting to the Busa boy at work about this, seems the Busa is very similar to the falc in the wet, ok if you stick to around 4000rpm
Yeah very true!!
I don't go out in the rain,but if I get caught out,,,,then so be it,just calm it down a bit

Isn't that just Rule 1 of riding in the rain

fatboy · #14 Post by **fatboy** » Thu May 01, 2014 7:22 pm

D-Rider wrote:
slickliner6 wrote:
fatboy wrote:Was chatting to the Busa boy at work about this, seems the Busa is very similar to the falc in the wet, ok if you stick to around 4000rpm
Yeah very true!!
I don't go out in the rain,but if I get caught out,,,,then so be it,just calm it down a bit
Isn't that just Rule 1 of riding in the rain

One would have thought so !
In truth many people do both car and bike test in spring/summer so dont get chance to experience adverse conditions, then find the limits of their tyres and abilities when it all lets go in a big way

spiderwheels · #15 Post by **spiderwheels** » Mon May 05, 2014 9:09 am

fatboy wrote: One would have thought so !
In truth many people do both car and bike test in spring/summer so dont get chance to experience adverse conditions, then find the limits of their tyres and abilities when it all lets go in a big way

Which is a good reason to get out in the rain and experience it. :D
However, if it starts raining after a period of a few sunny days the roads will be greasy as hell for about an hour and you'd be best not riding at all.