Ducati Sporting Club UK > General > Idle Chat > A Question

[Darth]

I have a question to all you long in the tooth bikers!!!

On my way home and just tipped into a corner I encountered a river of water running of the feild and over the road.

So the question that sprang to mind along with a few choice words !!!!! Is Do Bikes Aquaplane??? Or am I just a sissy:P

Also attached is a Pic of my new arrival.

[NBs996]

Not round corners they don't!
But it's great fun in a straight line.

try again with the pic darth....

[ali]

I generally try to avoid large rivers, but there was a puddle on the apex of a corner at Silverstone t'other day and the front slid on it every time I hit the bugger!

The scientific answer is probably something to with with there being more weight through the contact patch per sq inch than a car, therefore less chance of a bike aquaplaning. However, I'm sure depth/pattern of tread, sideways shear forces and size of your cahoonas has more to do with whether you're going down or not.

In general Ducatis dislike being ridden into rivers (apart from the odd numptystroodle in off road form)....

Cheers,

Ali

[JPM]

I'd of thought in a straight line no, as the tyre profile will push the water sideways, like a boat would going through the water, as a car tyre is flat there's far more surface area in contact with the water.

Going round a corner though.... the same principal would apply apart from your pushing the tyres through a corner, so less grip.

[NBs996]

understand your theory jp, but didn't work in practice!
But then again, there was a lot of standing water and a couple more mph than there should've been!

[Ian]

Ducati's do sort of aquaplane....they rise over everything, they wallk on water :P

Actually I was once given the scientific reason why a motobike does not aquaplane, - I nodded politly and forgot it instantly - Now on sheet ice, you can feel like you are aquaplaning, I have done it a few times, you just sit there trying not to move an inch leaving all of the controls alone, you even stop breathing, until you are through it.