If your bike has Cruise Control, I’m sure that you have used it once or twice... This article can save your and your co-rider’s life. It not only applies to your motorcycle, but also your car, truck and other vehicles.

NEVER when the road is wet!

By: James R. Davis

You may have cruise control on your bike and you may think it's God's gift when you are out on a long ride and your right hand begins to cramp.  But you should pay attention to this bit of advice: NEVER use cruise control if the road is wet!

If your bike's speed sensor obtains its information from the front wheel and the ground is slippery, your engine can begin to race aggressively as that control tries to increase your speed.  That, of course, spins the rear tire.  (added by Lorraine – not part of the original article) The only way to stop this wheel-spin and maintain control is to immediately reduce power. However, an activated cruise control system will continue to apply power, keeping the wheels spinning. By the time you disengage the cruise control, you may have lost control.

And if that's not bad enough, once you pass beyond that wet spot and regain traction with your rear tire you can then be literally thrown off your bike, at least accelerate big time, when it does so.

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A thought from Lorraine…

It doesn’t have to be raining very hard for you to hydroplane, while on your bike or in any other vehicle. Actually, the wetness on the road can come from snow, sleet, ice, slush or rain. Any one of those issues could have stopped completely, and yet the road is still wet. Driving on wet roads can be very risky.

Traction is the simple answer. During dry weather, oily substances from car exhaust settle into the pavement below the level of contact with your tires. The first hour of a steady rain brings the oil to the surface. Greasy roads and heavy traffic are a bad combination. Hurried drivers need to increase their following distance, but often don't. They learn with a crash that their braking power is a fraction of what they expect. So, back off, keep alert and turn that Cruise Control off.

How to avoid hydroplaning

As rainfall increases, tires must cut through the water to maintain contact with the road. If there's too much water on the road and you are traveling too fast, your vehicle may start to ride on top of the water a condition called hydroplaning or aquaplaning.

Don't drive with bald or badly worn tires.

Ensure your tires are properly inflated.

Slow down when rainfall is heavy or storm water — is standing on the road.