If you only ride when it’s dry and still, you won’t ride much in New Zealand. Our weather changes fast, the wind can be brutal – especially through Cook Strait, the Desert Road and Canterbury in a nor’wester – and a lot of our roads are coarse chip seal that behaves differently in the wet.
The good news: riding in rain and wind is a skill, and you can get much better at it. Here’s how.
Riding in the rain
1. Smooth is everything
Wet roads still offer a surprising amount of grip – what they don’t tolerate is sudden inputs. Squeeze the brakes on progressively, roll the throttle on and off gently, and lean the bike smoothly rather than flicking it. If you have ABS and traction control, they’re a safety net, not a licence to be abrupt.
2. Watch the surface, not just the rain
The most slippery things on a wet road usually aren’t the tarmac itself:
- Painted road markings – arrows, give-way lines, pedestrian crossings
- Metal – manhole covers, cattle stops, bridge expansion joints and rail crossings
- Diesel and oil – look for rainbow sheens, especially at roundabouts, intersections and fuel stops
- Smooth, polished seal – often in the centre of the lane and on busy corners
- Leaves, mud and stock effluent – common on rural roads
Try to be upright and off the throttle and brakes when crossing any of these.
3. The first rain is the worst
After a dry spell, the first rain lifts oil and rubber off the road surface, making it extra greasy. Be especially careful in the first half hour of a shower after a long dry period.
4. Increase your following distance
Stopping distances go up in the wet, and spray from trucks and cars cuts visibility for you and makes you harder to see. Double your normal gap – at least four seconds – and don’t sit in the spray zone behind heavy vehicles.
5. Be seen
Drivers struggle to spot motorcycles in rain. A hi-vis vest or jacket, a light-coloured helmet and your lights on help. Position yourself where you’re visible in mirrors, and assume people pulling out of side roads haven’t seen you.
6. Look after your tyres
Tyre condition matters more in the wet than at any other time. The legal minimum tread depth for motorcycles in NZ is 1.5 mm, but grip in the wet drops off well before that – many riders replace tyres at 2 mm or so. Check pressures cold and stick to the manufacturer’s recommendations.
7. Keep your vision clear
A fogged-up visor is a genuine hazard. A Pinlock insert is the single best upgrade for wet-weather riding. Rain-repellent visor treatments help water bead off, and cracking the visor open slightly at low speeds can clear fog. Never ride with a scratched or tinted visor at night or in heavy rain.
Riding in strong wind
1. Relax your grip
It sounds backwards, but stiff arms make wind worse. When you’re tense, every gust goes straight through your body into the handlebars. Grip the tank with your knees, keep your elbows bent and your upper body loose, and let the bike move underneath you.
2. Anticipate the gusts
Crosswinds are rarely constant. The danger is the sudden change – coming out from behind a cutting, a line of trees or a building, crossing a bridge, or being passed by a truck. Watch for clues: trees bending, grass moving, dust blowing, other vehicles twitching.
3. Choose your lane position
In a strong crosswind, give yourself space on the side the wind is pushing you towards. If the wind is coming from your left, ride slightly left of centre in your lane so a gust has somewhere to push you without taking you over the centre line.
4. Lean into it
In a steady crosswind you’ll find yourself riding along with the bike leaned slightly into the wind. That’s normal. Use gentle countersteering to hold your line and let the lean happen naturally.
5. Slow down
Lower speeds give you more time to react to gusts and reduce the effect of wind on you and the bike. On notoriously exposed roads like the Desert Road (SH1), the Remutaka Hill Road or the Canterbury Plains in a nor’wester, there’s no shame in backing right off.
6. Watch the trucks
Big trucks create both a wind shadow and a blast of turbulence. When a truck passes you, or you pass it, expect a sudden push as you move in and out of its wake. Pass decisively, with plenty of space.
7. Know when to stop
If gusts are pushing you across the lane or you’re fighting the bike constantly, find a safe place to pull over and wait it out. MetService issues strong wind watches and warnings – check the forecast before you set off on a long ride.
Gear that makes a difference
- Waterproof gear: a properly waterproof jacket and trousers (or a one-piece oversuit) make the difference between a miserable ride and a comfortable one.
- Waterproof gloves and boots: cold, wet hands lose dexterity and slow your reactions. Carry a spare pair of gloves on long trips.
- Thermal layers: wind chill and rain together can get you cold surprisingly quickly, even in summer at altitude.
- Pinlock or anti-fog insert: worth every cent.
- Hi-vis: a lightweight vest packs into a pocket and goes over everything.
Practise, then ride
The best way to build wet-weather confidence is to practise in a safe environment. Rider training courses – including ACC’s subsidised Ride Forever coaching – let you work on braking, cornering and road positioning with an expert. A little training goes a long way when the weather turns.
Riding in New Zealand means riding in rain and wind sometimes. Get the technique right, wear the right gear, and you’ll find that a wet ride can still be a good one.