I was stuck in the downpour last Sunday in Keene NH. I didn't want to go over 50 mph for fear of hydroplaneing.
That same day a friend was driving his pick-up 65mph down 495 and the motorcycle beside him suddenly fell on it's side.
So I have to assume that the answer is somewhere between 50 and 65.
Does anybody know the real answer?
p.s. don't forget that thoes painted lines are quite slick when wet.
p.p.s I bought Frogg Toggs on Monday

 

There's some variables, but generally speakin', 65 is the magic number....

 

It would generally depend on your tires, the amount of tread and type, and maybe? how deep the puddle is, the shape of the road etc. ( we tend to have ruts up here from long haul rigs chaining up. That guy that went down could have hit a patch of oil, I dunno... I would think you could go faster on metzlers than you would want to on dunlops... but what is the practicality of that argument? I think we'd all agree that mushy feeling when your bike hits deeper puddles is enough to give most anyone the ******. Me personally 60 in rain is pushing it... most the times I can't see for crap going that fast anyway to make it worth the consequences of going faster and increasing the possiblity of downing a bike.

 

If your question is: at what speed does a motorcycle hydroplane, I don't think there is a definite mph. I could be wrong but I'm guessing road condition, bike (style as well as tire setup), depth of the water on the road and speed are all contributing factors to apotential hydroplane.

 

Dynamic hydroplanning is the type you are asking about. So assuming constant variable in water depth on the surface, the speed is derived by taking the square root of the tire pressure times 9.

So, at 40 psi, the square root is about 6.3, times 9, is 56.9 miles an hour.

You asked....don't ask me why I know that.

Lee

 

Wow Lee....did you stay at a Holiday Inn Express last nite?

 

Ground school, eh? silly things stuck in the head.....

 

how much water on the road,
Road surface condition and type
weight of bike and rider,
type of tires (tread pattern)
speed
all play a role.
I've done as much as 75mph on wet roads.
But then I've also been unable to go over 30mph also
Basically comes down to EXPERIENCE.
Each has to learn for himself at what speeds is he (her) most
likely to hydroplane at on his bike on any given road surface
that is rain coated (wet).

 

In my opinion, the real danger of wet roads isjust after the rain begins.The surface of the road can become extremely slick due to the oil on the road. After it rains and washes the oil away, there is more traction . Iavoid riding in the center of the lane becauseof the oil.I have never experianced hydoplaning on a motorcycle.

 

YES!!!!!!!!!!!! A motorcycle will hydroplane; I have unfortunatley experienced this during a horrible thunderstorm in Jacksonville Florida, back in the 80s. I was doing about 45 and started to press my brakes on my VT500 ASCOTT HONDA (yes, I was aHonda rider in my eary years).I seen a large puddlebefore the stop light so I prepaired myself forthe large puddle. All of a sudden, I was flying sideways in the air untilI landed and pinned under my bike. My new Bell helmet was split and I wolk up in a CAT scan machine.To this day, I get nervious when I ride durring rainy days, butat least I ride (I am not a fair weather rider, I'm a all season/all yearrider here in Ft Walton beach Florida).