R1100S as a rain bike?

[maericks]

So, winter is approaching here in the SF Bay Area, and I may be doing quite a bit of rain riding on my R1100S. How is it as a rain bike? Does the toolkit under the seat get soaked? Anything else I need to worry about or deal with?

[Terry Keasler]

Yes, the tools do get wet along with anything else in the neighborhood. Just the other day, I noticed some rust on a couple of tools.

T

[pdonnell]

same hear, same rust.

[MichaelT]

Wouldn't hurt to spray the tools with a spray lube with PTFE as an additive. Wurth's Rost Off Extra or Tool Saver by Spray 9 come to mind.
BTW, the 'S' is fine for a rain bike, just cover your feet with something waterproof =)

Mike

[Danhunt]

Hi:

The S is a great Rain bike, I had lotsa fun on it last year. Had to augment everything gortex though with good old ruberized raingear. The water is pretty much driven into everything on your person. Also one needs a fog city shield as even cracking the visor ever so slightly resulted in cherry red eyes by the end of the day. After weeks of rideing the Bay Area the bike was definitly grodey, I thought I had ruined every finished surface on it. In the spring I gave it a thorough cleaning, the tar spots were the worst, and it looked pretty good again. And yes the tool kit does get damp, especially that sponge thing that holds the bottom side tools tight.

Tomorrow my passenger and I head out for three days of rain riding and camping in the Siera foothills. We'll see if we got the gear sorted out right yet.

later,

daniel

[This message has been edited by Danhunt (edited 10-26-2000).]

[doberman]

Yes, the toolkit gets wet.
But its a great bike bike in the wet, especially if you have ABS (saved my ass a few times).
I have the Michelin Pilot Sports mounted,
and they work great in the rain.

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Safe Riding

Bent

[EDWARD SIMONIS]

G'day guys. The only prob. i find with riding in the rain, is it lifts a lot of tar off the road. This sticks badly to the exhaust system. I fitted a small hugger to the back and this keeps a lot of crap off the cat. But the front crossover takes a lot of cleaning. Degreaser, autosol and elbow- grease. Other than that, the way an S makes power gives you lots of feel in less than perfect conditions.

[Paul Wishnafski]

I have to agree with doberman. I have the Pilot Sports as well and they have been the best rain tires I've ever had. The balance of the S, combined with the ABS and Pilot Sports allows me to ride close to dry levels on the right roads after the initial slickness is washed off. Rode from Virginia to Connecticut in moderate to heavy rains at a fairly good clip with not one incident of slippage or hydroplaning.

Safe riding,
Paul W.

[tokriha]

I have driven about 8000 km in rain this year (it rains often on the west coast of Norway), my experience with the bike are as follows;
- The tool set corrodes quicly, especially the tools thats in contact with someting.
- Brake caliper bolts has started to corrode.
- Moist in the rear light (got a new rear light from my dealer).
Else, the bike seems to stand well to be used under rainy conditions. In addition I often spray crc/5-56 on bolts, engine, etc....

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Tom Kristen (Norway)

[roger albert]

Hi all,

Coating the tools with a bit of wd40 and then putting all of them (individually or by the tray) in a large ziplock bag has worked well for me. No rust yet anyway.

later
roger