Riding in the Rain | Episode 19 | The PowerDrift Podcast

What if we told you monsoon was the best time to ride your motorcycle? Confused? Shumi breaks down riding in the rain and explains everything that you need to do to ensure you have a ride as fun as any time else in the year.
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[@sudeeppandya5578]

You reminded my first 1500 Kms road trip on my P220 during monsoons and it rained 80% during my entire ride. What a memorable ride it was back in 2008! Good ol times!!

[@powerdriftofficial]

Sounds like fun!

[@manasupadhyay2979]

Wow.. this kind of reminds of the first time I got to ride my neighbour's 220 on a rainy day, coming from a humble P150. It's been over a year now, but I can still recall every single detail - the weight of the front end, the air circumscribing me, the wet and broken roads...all of these factors made me put a lot of effort. And, I was duly rewarded on that particular ride, more so, by the torque of the machine...absolutely brutal. I still remember laughing like a maniac upon experiencing the grunt :D

[@sKhaba741]

Please share your thoughts on riding on slippery road, especially in hilly terrain. There are cases where even ‘break’ doesn’t work. In NH 39 , due to heavy rain and landslide, riding is too hard on slopes . Rain and layer of eroded soil make it very hard .

[@selvaranijana3447]

@@powerdriftofficial .

[@powerdriftofficial]

Hey #PDArmy, we hope this makes riding in the rain fun for you! Do let us know if you want to know about more stuff!

[@kingstonberyl]

Hello Shumi thanks all the great tips. I ride a bike which doesn't have ABS and many of my rides are in the night time during the rains (Mumbai to Lonavala for chai). Can you give some tips on how to do emergency braking under such conditions?

[@manishpokherel8861]

Wishing to see the detail comparo video between fully Synthetic & mineral engine oil & about the API rating...

[@hetpatel1250]

The wisdom of "your crotch does get wet, and you will survive it" is on point!

[@harenasher]

Great podcast. Apart from tires, which I agree are damn important, You could hit a bit on the following points too 1. Keeping your visor clean 2. Wearing a full face helmet, ideally equipped with pin lock 3. Having yellow lights on vs the white LED the world seems to love 4. How to prepare your helmet for the rain 5. Avoid riding in slippers or crocs or sandals

[@revmachine2662]

Yeah this is what i wanted to know!

[@Ankitkumar95]

I started watching the video wanting to know answers related to the helmet.

[@sourabh_mishra]

9:43 this is what I've always tried to explain my Mom whenever I go out during ride.. Thanks for these podcasts Shumi ♥️

[@RajeshZmoke]

Tip: Trust your tyres (unless its completely bald or slicks), because most of the commuter motorcycles in India come with Intermediate tyres which can handle wet conditions ;)

[@manojmanumanojmanu5894]

iiiiit

[@adityaceo]

Totally agreed 👍 Rains make you to concentrate more and ride becomes more engaging

[@powerdriftofficial]

Absolutely!

[@thridevsuvarnan8208]

I was riding through Arakku Valley with my friends and had to bare through torrential rain and some flash flood moments. Till this date it is one of the most memorable riding experience I ever had and will cherish! 🌈♥️

[@powerdriftofficial]

Oh wow!

[@aproudindian1862]

I like the way u say it shumi....I start feeling it....u got amazing communication skills brother apart from your riding skills

[@powerdriftofficial]

He's the man!

[@nithinv5099]

They're all Automobile Journalists. They are supposed to very good in communication, you need knowledge about Cars and also you need strong language. No two ways about it.

[@gunjalpratiksha3486]

@@nithinv5099 ]]]}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

[@nithinv5099]

@@gunjalpratiksha3486 ???

[@amitkanade1983]

11:40 focus on the skills and the speed will come to you... Words of wisdom... Easily ignored

[@iamkrishna17]

The difference between getting wet by rain and by taking a shower is consent.

[@faerak]

Rode 20km in the rain just 2 days ago on my scooter. Its a nice and pleasant experience. But wear a raincoat i must say, riding wet long distance is not good for health as the cold can get to you.

[@shu_mar]

That’s not true. The link between being wet and catching a cold is tenuous at best

[@faerak]

@@shu_mar its not but it increases the chances. Sore throat, runny nose are other ailments that may develop from being wet for long time.

[@MumbaiMotorhead]

This is international level of moto lessons delivered with simplicity and panache. Cheers to Shumi ❤️

[@powerdriftofficial]

Thanks a ton, comrade!

[@mybestfriend129]

@@powerdriftofficial l

[@vic110291]

Fantastic podcast and advice as always! I had a rain-ride skid last year while avoiding a pedestrian who suddenly started running across the road. Confidence got dented, but I gradually got back to it, and this podcast just reinforces how beautiful rain rides can be!

[@JG-wg6uc]

My most memorable ride was when I quit a job I hated and rode home in the rain. I even extended the 20 min commute to a 45 min one. Always love riding in the rain.

[@daksh_saroha]

Specs gang out here struggling

[@atharvawaikar5061]

Not much broo ...use a helmet with good venting and you'll be just fine

[@harrisashraff]

I am a little bit late for motorcycling. But I had the best ride so far while riding in the rain. Thanks, shumi. As you said most of the limitations are mental rather than being physical.

[@bharathmenon9037]

Finally! A podcast I've been waiting for, for a long time; and what a podcast at that! Thank you PD and Shumi! ❤

[@powerdriftofficial]

Hope you enjoyed it, Bharath!

[@bharathmenon9037]

@@powerdriftofficial Absolutely! Thank you once again. Keep up the fantastic work guys!

[@Sonu19424]

The way I got to know my motorcycle and got connected with it was when I did a monsoon ride across four states ..that was a thrilling experience and will always be etched in my mind

[@fakawmasama163]

I really do love riding in the rain and being rewarded with a beautiful monsoon sunset. ASMR

[@shu_mar]

Yes! It’s amazing!

[@AreaofInterestTV]

To the point 🔥🔥🔥 Shumibaba ❤🙏

[@the_lostadventures]

Bangalore is all re opened from today.... I was excited to get my motorcycle to get it serviced after a long time on this spl day... But nothing more SPL TO SEE A NOTIFICATION FROM POWER DRIFT ON A WORLD MOTORCYCLE DAY and Shumi with his amazing podcast 😍❤️

[@shu_mar]

Awesome! C19 isn’t over yet! Be cautious !

[@thridevsuvarnan8208]

Bro.. weekends are also open in Bangalore?

[@amitshah1630]

@@thridevsuvarnan8208 not yet, only allowed on weekdays.

[@liveitout]

Thanks shumi, this podcast really helps me... (I've fear riding in rain)

[@powerdriftofficial]

Slowly and steadily you can get over that fear! And then you'll know the real fun! :D

[@Anshughild]

One of my best riding memories is of riding in the rain in the wet muddy areas in Auroville. Wet + muddy, talk about lack of traction, it was awesome

[@ric_jonas]

Really encouraging for amateurs like us to go out and try riding in the rain 🌧 Thanks and let such podcasts keep coming 🙏

[@shashankrao6202]

Much needed info 🙏🏻 I had a bad crash and it cost me Govt job☹️ I thought Rain, wet road and cow dung were the culprits but, in the end, it was I.

[@powerdriftofficial]

Glad to know this could help you, Shashank! Also, sad to hear what happened.

[@shashankrao6202]

@@powerdriftofficial thank you ❤️🙏🏻

[@somakadityaray8793]

A few years back, we went to pondi for independence day ride, when i was returning from pondicherry to chennai, it got dark and rained heavily but instead of stopping i kept on riding, shivering from cold and stopped only for chai-sutta break after the rain paused... one of the best motorcycle experiences of my life. BTW it was a FZ V1 and back then i used to ride like a maniac. Rain riding surely is a great teacher and so is Mr. Shumi.

[@shu_mar]

Terrific! Thanks for listening!

[@anslem83]

Tip: Keep a pair of latex gloves under your seat.Can be worn under your gloves in the rain,keeping your fingers dry.

[@siddheshkumbhar9577]

I feel the same way rainy season is great and memorable times to ride ❤️

[@yuunjac]

Now that I think about it... it is true that riding in the rain, at night and freezing cold wind are my most memorable experience. The feeling of seeing the rain stop or reaching safety... gosh...

[@SriramViswanathan]

Shumi has a ton of experience, riding 🙏. I am not an expert, but the below has helped me: 1. Wear good quality full bike gear (always, whether its wet or dry). 2. Make sure your motorcycle has soft-compound tires and the right air pressure. 3. See, Scan, Plan & be easy on throttle 4. See, Scan, Plan & be easy on the break 5. Use the engine breaking carefully to slowdown, especially during downhill (basically stay on a gear which automatically reduces your bike speed for a smooth downhill ride). Overall learning how to use engine breaking safely goes a long way to safely break. I am not an expert, but I am constantly learning this skill. 6. Choose safe speeds, especially when you can't see well. Always don't assume the things you don't see. Example: You might think the road ahead is smooth as it appears ok in rain, but you will run into a speed breaker which is on the same color as road. Or a pothole. The fall can be nasty and I have been through this myself. 7. Hopefully you ride on a bike which has dual-channel ABS. Don't assume that ABS will do everything, its important to follow steps 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 regardless of ABS. Personally, when its pouring crazily and if you still want to ride, sometimes you can't see a thing with your helmet visor. I have noticed myself slightly opening the visor by 1/2 cm to avoid fogging (Your warm breath might cause the fogging). If visibility is getting worse with heavy rains, STOP in a safe area. Additional Tip: Carry a small plastic bag on your riding jacket to put your mobile phones and then keep it inside water proof pocket of your jacket. So one less thing to worry when you really have to do rides during rain.

[@joydeepdas5511]

So agree with Mr. Patel and the fact that it's all up here in your head that stops you from exploring the magic of rain rides. Thanks Team PD!!

[@amiteshshetty3107]

Shumi is like the good big brother who teaches his younger brothers how to ride a bike, how to take care of a bike.. Thank you for doing this 🙏🏻💕💕

[@shu_mar]

🍻 thank you so much!

[@ashishkumarraman4516]

Absolutely loving these podcast Shumi sir speaks exceptionally important points of biking

[@RAYP90]

Your passion for motorcycling oozes from your talks Shumi..... Great podcast, as always :)

[@shu_mar]

Thank you!

[@sksaima6994]

@@shu_mar g.

[@ShreyasKa92]

I love rain rides! Learnt all of these by myself, the tougher way 😅

[@MrPsvkrishna]

Plastic bag trick is superb. Shumi should write a book with these tips and tricks

[@CasualBiker]

Last year I rode my bike from Mysore to bangalore in heavy rain. Started at 9 pm and reached my home in bangalore at 2 am. On that day, UT rained the whole night and due to bangalore-mysore highway construction, there was water logging and huge traffic jam I was standing at the same place for almost 40 mins. No rain coat nor anti fog visor. It was one of toughest bike rides I've ever done...

[@sanketjain9320]

Brilliant content. And equally brilliantly communicated. There is a saying - "If you don't ride in the rain, you don't ride."

[@jitendramahapatra9193]

The tyres that is capable enough to suit the mighty Indian rains including road and load condition actually play the vital role on road safety.

[@Rahulkrsharma01]

What about foggy helmet inside (own breath) and low visibility outside (water droplets on visor)...?

[@shu_mar]

Own breath - try shaving foam. Rub it in until clear. Visor droplets try raincoat from motousher

[@shridharhiremath7532]

I have always loved to ride in rain. It's just a wholesome thing to do.

[@adventurousmumbaikar1949]

The tissue paper and steel analogy was awesome 😎

[@abhaychaturvedi650]

Wow, the podcast is really helpful in raising motorcycling as a lifestyle, fun-filled joyous experience. So much more contribution to the feeling of riding than just mere reviews. Excellent 🔥

[@shu_mar]

Thank you!

[@md_imran_khan]

Shumi penned down all my thoughts that I could feel but couldn't explain. I'm thinking of showing this to my dad who doesn't like me riding in the rain.

[@prabhakardas4261]

Difference of short gear and long gear ratio, benefit, disadvantage, ideal time for shifting the gear etc

[@powerdriftofficial]

Cool suggestion, Prabhakar!

[@prabhakardas4261]

@@powerdriftofficial every time i ride the bike, after 5.5k rpm, the bike felt stress in the 1st 2nd gear and 3rd gear , but thats not happen in the higher gear, has because of the shorter gear ratio?please make a dedicated video on this topic in the upcoming session

[@tanmoysengupta5253]

Again.... What an amazing podcast. Please Shumi share your experience via video for beginners who want to ride Laddakh. What to carry, what precautions should be taken etc etc.

[@shu_mar]

Will do! Good suggestion!

[@rufus7787]

Something that has helped me in the rains is wearing the normal raincoat 2 size bigger and keep a bag in front. Happy riding

[@aspinaki]

I love riding/driving in rain. I have experience for a continuous 8 hours huge wet ride from gurudongmar to siliguri.

[@fakrus8472]

Just because of these 'Shumi' podcasts, I've clicked on the notification bell. They're just so original, awesome and informative. I have a lot of respect for his wisdom.

[@shu_mar]

Thank you!

[@UjjwalPratapSingh45]

I always ride in rain from college to home😁 really really good experience. Concentration level up.

[@motosuriya]

Finally i can ask my long awaited question in this right podcast.. how to handle the helmet visor getting rain spills heavily and it gets fogging up on my visor when I’m breathing, even though the rain is moderate and I’m riding on 50kmph will cause these issues..

[@beyourself9500]

For me using a helmet with breathing pores works and use a duel sport helmet. Its front cap keeps your vision clear i mean better than a racing helmets vision in rain..

[@gnarjun]

This completely changed my mind.... And my thoughts about riding in rain!!!

[@rajveerjha1992]

These podcasts are really helpful for the Riders 👍👍. Please tell us the ways to maintain our bikes in the monsoon period 😀😀.

[@powerdriftofficial]

There's nothing really to maintain. You might need to clean and lube your chain more offten, and wash the bike to remove the mud. But that's about it.

[@rajveerjha1992]

@@powerdriftofficial ✌️

[@shankarnadkarni]

Same topic was discussed on Instagram handle some time back by shumi n it definitely changed my perspective on rain riding..n that plastic bag trick is life saver ..

[@floydian25]

100% agreed!! It's all in my head. Shumi could you suggest something to improve visibility? The rain drops on the visor plus fog scares me shitless

[@iSaurabhSri]

One advice from my side to every motorist, when it rains, please turn on headlights on low-beam (and don't use hazard lights, let it be used for its intended purpose), it will improve the ability to "be seen by everyone" for everyone. You will be able to spot others from a good distance so does others, it will give everyone one extra second to respond to the situation.

[@powerdriftofficial]

So true!

[@MotoRVlogging]

I really love riding in rain but before 3 years i got specs and now it's really tough as I'm not able to see clearly without specs and even though with the helmet the drops stuck on the glasses and I've to park my bike on side to clean my specs with dry cloth.. Can anyone please give tips if they're facing the same ... Great content Shumi sir as always.. Lots of love to PD❤️

[@MaverickHarshad]

Hi Shumi Sir … I ride a BMW G310 GS BS6, & started riding just 9 months ago, after a break of more than 15years. But after watching ur video, I feel U just shared my experience of riding my bike in the rain for the first time 2 days back. Each and every point from the fear of falling, skidding tyres & later finally to the success of enjoying the ride in a heavy rain were all too the point. I too was fearful 2 days ago when the time came for me to ride in rain, but I too kept my head cool, concentrated on my throttle , saw far up instead of just ahead of the road & finally anticipated moves of all the things ahead of me & kept safe breaking distance from them. Also intend of panic breaking I used Engine breaking to slow the bike. So watching this video just assured myself that all the things I did were correct. Now I am confident that I too now shall be able to ride more in the rains & njoy the beautiful rains. Thanks for ur assurance. Wish you a safe ride.

[@shu_mar]

Awesome! Keep riding!

[@MaverickHarshad]

@@shu_mar ☺️👍🏻

[@gerardben4891]

11.24 best line, which explains your feeling while riding in rain.

[@ravitiwari4851]

Discuss about basic parts/terminologies used in Bikes & Cars. And also about Gearing.

[@bryanbt18]

Positive outlook during chaotic situations.. perfect.

[@suhaspatil79]

The only disadvantage of looking ahead while riding is the surprised potholes In developed countries the rider knows that he didn't have to worry about it

[@kj_mdn]

Absolutely right. Those potholes are always unexpected 😭

[@shu_mar]

Not true. It’s a learning process. Once you learn to look far, you’ll learn to see the potholes too and be able to avoid them more easily!

[@vignesh80100]

A very informative video as usual. Shumi's podcasts has made me a better rider :) Also @PowerDrift Can you guys make few videos on commuter class motorcycle comparisons?

[@namesake8075]

Biggest thing for me to ride in rain is motivation. I always avoid riding in rain, specially for long rides. Once I did a 200 kms long ride out of which 120-130 kms in continuous rainfall without any waterproof, when my mother was sick. Another time, I rode more than 235 kms in almost continuous rainfall wearing raincoat, when I wanted to attend our school reunion, which I didn't want to miss.

[@santoshphatak7967]

Riding Knowledge Bank = Schmi 👍👍 I have read almost everything written by shumi in various auto magazines and I have gained all my riding skills because of this man. Thanks a lot to POWERDRIFT team and of course Schumi for these podcasts. CHEERS !!!

[@shu_mar]

Thank you!

[@pramodbs9674]

Great shumi.., it would be good if I get to hear something about visibility as well. As in India, I didn't see any good visors for a reasonable price

[@prahladdwivedi3995]

I wear spects, so they get fogged up in rain. Any solution for this?

[@kalashnikov6294]

Get a pair of MX goggles and wear you specs inside them, while the band runs over around your helmet The mx goggles will keep your breath vapors Isolated also that winds wont get your specs blown around while also save your eyes from a lot of objects while youre speeding Itll look cooler too hehe cheers man

[@adr2567]

I just did my first big ride in my new bike (600km), 400km of which was in constant rain and I enjoyed it tremendously.

[@aniketwani9974]

Can you pls tell about how to handle rain water spraying on helmet wiser? Most of the times i had to open the wiser to see clearly in rain. Any advice?

[@ishitpurani8905]

Thanks for the good tip Shumi. Let me take my 2009 Yamaha R15 to the rains, which I used to usually avoid till date.

[@powerdriftofficial]

Take it slow, and understand what's happening around! Once you get a hang of it, you'll really have fun!

[@ishamrockstar]

Braking in the wet and maintaining corner speed is something I would happily share with some of my friends, some of them are horrible

[@kakhetosumi5635]

Shumi just making us feel more comfortable and more aware 💙

[@fury_addict]

Very informative video.The perfect one I was looking for.

[@abhi_d_king]

I always enjoyed riding in rains but never thought this way and that much is happening with riders.

[@asifzbaig]

Only one experience can trump riding in the rain, that is riding in the snowfall. . Oh Spiti how I miss you! 😍

[@bidyutbikashboruah9037]

Remembering my Tb350's only ride of 400 km ( longest of her journey) countering almost 90% rain where my non waterproof riding boots gained about 5x weight😂 and with no 🧤 unexpectedly made the journey a thrilling but beautiful one❤️

[@PranavMoreyApertureEye89]

Keep making such videos. absolutely love you guys for what you are doing.

[@motonol_409]

My most memorable rides are all in the rain ❤❤

[@akshatrockport]

Something that I get nervous about while riding in the rain is the lack of visibility especially due to fog on the visor. What do I do about that?

[@vishalmenon1611]

07:25 mins - Demo please? Couldn't exactly visualise what you said

[@SaumyadeepModak_sm]

any tips or tricks for people who wear spectacles while riding?? You know as the glasses fogs up a lot and can't keep the visor open to circulate air.

[@abhijit222910]

Thank you @shumi..this really helps 🙏👍

[@farrelllobo548]

Riding in the 🌧️ rain... Fun🤝 freedom 😊 relief... Helps you forget yourself

[@rahulsakunde9431]

Shumi Sir, you are the teacher I should have had for all those difficult subjects. Respect you a lot 🙏

[@deveshsingh5562]

Loving this informative series by PD

[@powerdriftofficial]

Yay! We'll be making more for you!

[@dibyojyotidas999]

One big problem wasn't addressed here, which i always suffer during riding in the rain... Accumulation of water droplets on the helmet visor and severely affecting visibility.

[@sriks372]

What are the precautions to be taken by newbie rider while riding in rain especially when doing long rides

[@warrior9240]

I am from northeast with heavy rainfall almost 7 months a year, the most common problem is not the wet issues under the raincoat its actually the visibility of the helmet's visor during rainfall which is not comforting.

[@qrsrider5584]

I don't think that anyone ride more than me in Rain.. even long drive in rain from Goa to Banglore.. during monsoon. 😍.. with full protection .. 🌧️

[@pinakiseal1279]

This is one of the best upgrade to the Powerdrift channel. Listening to Sumi's podcast is pure bliss.

[@shu_mar]

Thank you!

[@pupschool]

Wow... Now I am itching to do a wet ride... So many of my concerns addressed... Awesome shumi

[@premchandpc1355]

Lost breaking feedback from my Apache 200 while it rains it feels like no stopping at all 😭 from front caliper, rear does the job

[@kuldeeprocks96]

Love riding in Rain ❤️ rather than riding in sunny

[@bhavyajoshi9857]

MUCH MUCH NEEDED PODCAST.. THANK YOU

[@rishiarora01]

I'm a huge fan of Your work, Sir ! A million thanks for such great automotive content and valuable information! I wish I get to see you someday and get a chance to ride with You, Sir!

[@anuragKashyap92]

Fair point.. however potholes aren't visible or cannot be anticipated in heavy rains and could turn fatal. @powerdrift

[@Sankyogesh]

This video gave me the confidence to ride in rain and learnt a lot. Thank you Shumi and PD army 🙋‍♂️

[@ashutoshpandey9086]

Just tomorrow I had beautiful & satisfictry ride in pleasant rainy weather

[@shawrmarolls]

I wanted to know about what to do with helmet visors for the rains...