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Rain and tyres

water is pushed out through the groovesGood treadthe tyre floats on the waterWorn treadTread depth8 mmnew tyre3 mmwinter, min.1.6 mmsummer, min.
The grooves lead the water away. With worn tread the water stays under the tyre and the car can float (aquaplaning). The legal minimum is 1.6 mm in summer and 3 mm in winter – new tyres have about 8 mm.

The tread channels water away. With worn tread the tyre can float on the water. The minimum tread depth on a motorcycle is 1 mm, but grip gets much worse long before that. In rain, ride a little beside the wheel tracks where water collects, but avoid the middle of the lane, where oil and diesel gather.

Example

It starts to rain after several dry weeks.

The road is now more slippery than it will be later in the rain. Slow down, use smooth movements and keep a bigger gap.

Keep a clear view: use an anti-fog visor or open the visor slightly if it fogs up.
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Part of Motorcycle licence (A1, A2, A): Grip, road surface and weather.