THE BIG CHALLENGE OF RIDING IN THE RAIN
 Rain
normally makes a race into lottery. Racing on a wet track
is a real challenge for motorbike riders
Rain is an unwelcome visitor at any time of the season, and
something that predictably, or perhaps, unpredictably arrives
again and again at different places on the planet. Rain is
something that few riders want to see, although its presence
can allow unknown riders to make a name for themselves and
fight to win a race.
In order to ride really fast on wet asphalt, a rider must
really be at one with his motorbike, and feel each millimetre
of any reaction, even the slightest, on a surface that tests
the abilities of the riders themselves, the motorcycles, the
tyres and the technicians, to their very limits.
Dani Pedrosa has not never been a great expert on a wet surface,
quite the opposite in fact, he has always recognized that
it is something that he still has to practise. Although it
is also true that the Repsol Honda Team rider has worked doggedly
to improve his ability in this department, and his latest
performance in the wet confirm this. According to Dani`s own
comments, “in water, the main differences with respect
to the dry are quite clear: you must ride much more smoothly,
leaning over less and much more carefully, taking care that
the throttle is opened gently and above being careful with
the brakes. That does not mean that you cannot go fast, since
there are tracks whose asphalt offers a great grip even in
the wet.” One of the keys lies in the riding style,
since it is important to feel and know the motorbike well
and to be comfortable on it, knowing the limits of each part,
the bike itself, the tyres and the grip that the track provides.
In the dry normally it is easier to find these limits, that
is why you must pay more attention in the wet. The Repsol
Honda Team rider also points out that the “front wheel
is very important in the wet, because that is the one that
gives you your confidence, but recently we have seen that
there are usually more falls because of a loss of grip on
the rear tyre, because you never know the limit of how much
gas you can give until you take the risk. Luckily now the
electronics help you to get the correct engine response, with
much smoother adjustments and a more gradual power delivery”.
Over the last few years, the engine power has been limited
by electronics, that allows different “maps” to
be made, these can vary the power delivery, making it more
gradual and smoother. Moreover, at the present time the traction
control can be increased so that the motorcycle itself can
help to control the reactions more, especially when the track
does not provide a good grip meaning that the bike slides
around a lot.
The first part that is changed when rain appears are the
tyres, and Michelin offers three types of alternatives in
this case: rain tyres, intermediates, or hand cut. These are
much softer types than the usual slicks, this is so that they
can reach a high temperature faster; they have more or fewer
cuts in their surface, according to the amount of water on
the track. These cuts and grooves in the tyre remove rainwater
and so avoid the feared aquaplaning. It is important to maximise
the grip, and that is why the amount of water is taken into
consideration, along with the the track temperature and how
abrasive the asphalt is at the circuit involved.
In MotoGP it is also made necessary to change the brakes
and to use iron discs instead of carbon ones as these require
a very high operating temperature, one that is impossible
to reach in rainy conditions. A change of temperature also
affects the engine, since the rain itself and the water that
the front wheel lifts onto the radiator cools it down too
much, and so it cannot reach an adequate temperature. The
solution, as old as it is effective, is to cover the radiator
with sticky tape. This stops the water cooling the engine
too much and lets it warm up to its optimal point of operation.
The changes to the suspension are also important, with a
much softer setting in the dry. This means that the motorbike
does not exert as much pressure on the wheels, and these in
turn on the slippery asphalt. If priority is given to the
sensations from the front wheel in the dry, aiming to get
more support on the front wheel, in the wet a chassis position
that is set back is desirable, as the bike is easier to control,
and the front wheel grip is less critical when entering curves.
The riding style changes, the reactions are different and
therefore all the adjustments are modified. As the riders
go slower, things can be anticipated better; and if they brake
earlier and more gradually - due to the lower level of grip
and the rider`s caution - the settings will be different.
Even the clothing is different. In first place the helmet,
which has a totally transparent visor instead of a tinted
one in the rain. Additional plastic strips prevent water entering.
The visor is sprayed on the inside with a special product
that allows the drops of water to slide down more easily;
and with a double visor on the interior to avoid the formation
of condensation. Some riders also choose to use a mask so
that their breath leaves from the bottom of the helmet, not
letting it stay in the helmet, avoiding it getting steamed
up once again, stating the obvious, good vision is a vital
factor.
Referring to the racing suit, the riders use a raincoat that
protects them from the water, since as the suit is covered
with holes and made of leather they get soaked in no time
at all, and at the speeds they reach it can mean that the
riders lose a lot of body heat, with the riders getting off
the motorbike shivering with cold. In addition, the leather
that these competition suits are made from absorb a lot of
water and the extra weight can reach several litres, which
in the end would be equivalent to to an extra weight of several
kilos.
It is said that races become a lottery in the rain, and it
is true that these races are the ones that see the most surprising
results, with the most unexpected riders in the limelight.
Nevertheless, it is no less true that some riders have a special
gift when the water appears on the asphalt, and the associated
risks should be measured in another way. It is a question
of confidence, and while a few become confident when faced
with a wet surface, others demonstrate their insecurity in
these conditions. Luckily there will always be rain specialists
that will delight us with their abilities, tested to the limit,
on wet asphalt.
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