I just wanted to add that last year coming from northern Illinois (30mi from Wisconsin boarder) we drove down first to Land between the Lakes then over to Knoxville and on to Maggie Valley. During the trip we were caught in violent thunderstorms in Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, and N. Carolina, the worst being going over from Tennessee we had to pull into the N.Carolina visitor center(wife insisted!) to let some of the weather pass. It was so bad it was like being in the wake of a boat with big rigs on both sides. I never broke loose even a little. I have been driving on snow and ice all my life and the one bit of advise I have is stay loose, never make quick corrections of ANY kind be it steering or speed or braking. If you stay calm and keep under control you will be alright. I have had vehicles with much worse traction than the sling and have had many episodes with slick conditions mostly by screwing around in my younger days! Like some have said, in the north we stop for nothing and let nothing stop us. If you use caution and keep your cool and know your vehicle you will be alright. Please, just be safe. If you are nervous and find yourself with a "death grip" on the steering wheel by all means the best thing to do is pull over ASAP. Hope to see EVERYONE safely in Maggie Valley.
My words of caution to all my forum family members about wet roads.
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Biggest piece of advice, STAY OFF THE BRAKES!!
Bill
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Biggest piece of advice, STAY OFF THE BRAKES!!
Bill
The second piece of ADVICE. Do not use cruise control when the roads are wet.
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I just wanted to add that last year coming from northern Illinois (30mi from Wisconsin boarder) we drove down first to Land between the Lakes then over to Knoxville and on to Maggie Valley. During the trip we were caught in violent thunderstorms in Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, and N. Carolina, the worst being going over from Tennessee we had to pull into the N.Carolina visitor center(wife insisted!) to let some of the weather pass. It was so bad it was like being in the wake of a boat with big rigs on both sides. I never broke loose even a little. I have been driving on snow and ice all my life and the one bit of advise I have is stay loose, never make quick corrections of ANY kind be it steering or speed or braking. If you stay calm and keep under control you will be alright. I have had vehicles with much worse traction than the sling and have had many episodes with slick conditions mostly by screwing around in my younger days! Like some have said, in the north we stop for nothing and let nothing stop us. If you use caution and keep your cool and know your vehicle you will be alright. Please, just be safe. If you are nervous and find yourself with a "death grip" on the steering wheel by all means the best thing to do is pull over ASAP. Hope to see EVERYONE safely in Maggie Valley.
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That is all well and good but does not take into account the fact that you are in an inherently unstable platform with a traction and stability system that can flake out.
There are just too many reports of riders doing exactly as you describe, traveling in a straight line, in conditions most would not describe as extreme, and suddenly the SLingshot makes a hard right turn then into a sideways slide. Too many describe the exact same outcome to be coincidence. When you are not making the decisions or providing the input that causes the problem it does not matter where or what conditions you are used to driving in or how long you have been doing it in normal vehicles. I have read far too many posts where experienced riders where caught completely off guard resulting in a sudden total loss of control to ever believe the Slingshot can be totally reliable in the wet for anyone. I still believe there is something wrong in the system that was never completely worked out after they had to delay the first units because of a similar problem found during a press introduction ride on a wet track.
History proves the best advise has already been given. If you must then be as careful as you can but better to wait it out......
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I just wanted to add that last year coming from northern Illinois (30mi from Wisconsin boarder) we drove down first to Land between the Lakes then over to Knoxville and on to Maggie Valley. During the trip we were caught in violent thunderstorms in Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, and N. Carolina, the worst being going over from Tennessee we had to pull into the N.Carolina visitor center(wife insisted!) to let some of the weather pass. It was so bad it was like being in the wake of a boat with big rigs on both sides. I never broke loose even a little. I have been driving on snow and ice all my life and the one bit of advise I have is stay loose, never make quick corrections of ANY kind be it steering or speed or braking. If you stay calm and keep under control you will be alright. I have had vehicles with much worse traction than the sling and have had many episodes with slick conditions mostly by screwing around in my younger days! Like some have said, in the north we stop for nothing and let nothing stop us. If you use caution and keep your cool and know your vehicle you will be alright. Please, just be safe. If you are nervous and find yourself with a "death grip" on the steering wheel by all means the best thing to do is pull over ASAP. Hope to see EVERYONE safely in Maggie Valley.
You seem to fall within the 5% of people that can actually drive, 95% of drivers can't and always over estimate their ability which is why scary post of doom and gloom are necessary.
Is like the old argument of whether you need winter tires or not(up here in MN that is) whenever asked I always answer with a big yes even though I don't buy them myself, most people need as much help as needed to keep them between the lines and facing forward, when giving advice always err on the side of caution.
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You seem to fall within the 5% of people that can actually drive, 95% of drivers can't and always over estimate their ability which is why scary post of doom and gloom are necessary.
That is a hugely true statement. It is exactly because of that statement the NHTSA and DOT (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Department of Transportation ) changed the way tires are mounted on vehicles.
If a customer is only replacing 2 tires they used to get mounted up from for better steering control....now that has changed to where if you only buy 2 tires they have to be mounted on the rear. Studies show that if you have a blowout on the front you have a better chance to control the vehicle. You just steer normally. So the new ones go on the back. If you have a blowout on the rear most people are not trained well enough on how to correct for that type of steering needed (countersteer) so more accidents happen. EG( firestone /Ford Explorer). The study proved that of the rollovers that happened 97.6 % had rear blowouts.People are just not being taught how to drive like they used to be or need to be.
SSreaper
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As a former, "people need to learn how to drive in crappy weather" guy. As a Michigan Northerner(life long, except for Army time), professional CDL driver hauling heavy equipment around in crappy weather, person who goes out in the worst conditions to clear the roads for normal people. I understand the thought that you are better than somebody that lost control in poor conditions.
As a guy that put his Slingshot into the wall in a blizzard because, "I'm better than those guys and have driven many hours in the Slingshot during deluges with no squirrelly actions. I have driven in snow and sleet all my life with cold tires and never crashed because I am that good. Heck, I have, as a passenger, calmly talked others who were losing control back into control. I got this".
That being said, you are playing Russian roulette if you choose to drive in poor conditions. The back end doesn't come out on you. The front doesn't come out on you. From talking to others after my experience, the consensus is that it acts as if it's on a Lazy Susan. The entire Slingshot, without warning will violently, or in my case ridiculously slowly begin to rotate counter clockwise. All wheels at the same time.If the entire road is wet nothing you do will stop the rotation. Gently, slowly try to correct steering, tap the breaks after you are an eighth through a full rotation(lightly correcting steering wasn't working). Turn even more, tap breaks some more. You will realize as myself and others have, that your experience and expertise count for nothing. Enjoy the ride and be safe.
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@Orangeman and @WOLF have said it best. You don't know, until you know. And by then... Too late... Good luck and hope you avoid major damage, better yet, that you stay alive...
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The absolutely worst vehicles to hydroplane in my experience were the Ford 1-tons that a company I used to work for operated, where I absolutely refused to drive them when the roads were more than damp or temps anywhere below 50 degrees or so. Far FAR worse than the SlingShot has ever presented itself.
Unless you hit a puddle of standing water, if you are paying attention the SlingShot will start to warn you as it gets to sneaking up on to it's fingertips, when it does, just sneak back slowly on the power until it regains its composure....................
Bill
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I am in Gatlinburg now, been here since Tues. there has been 80% chance of rain everyday. It has been bright and sunny till about 3 in the afternoon then it pours for about an hour and dries up. I am betting on it being the same next week in Maggie Heck I already rode down from Michigan. I am not going to turn around now being this close just be careful and safe in your travels.
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Good, bad or indifferent the couple times that I've been caught in heavy rain at highway speeds I have immediately turned off all the nannies that I can, reduce speed, and attempt to position myself as far as possible from other traffic. Once the water was standing deep enough that I activated the emergency flashers and slowed WAY down. I remember reading enough warnings in the owners manual and hearing enough horror stories from VERY experienced riders/drivers that I will error on the side of caution.
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Good, bad or indifferent the couple times that I've been caught in heavy rain at highway speeds I have immediately turned off all the nannies that I can, reduce speed, and attempt to position myself as far as possible from other traffic. Once the water was standing deep enough that I activated the emergency flashers and slowed WAY down. I remember reading enough warnings in the owners manual and hearing enough horror stories from VERY experienced riders/drivers that I will error on the side of caution.
Could you explain why you turn off all the nannies? Arent they supposed to be there to help you?
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When the pavement is dry the system is getting mostly accurate information but when one or two of your tires begin to hydroplane the information reaching the nannies can be very inaccurate as to what is actually going on with the vehicle. I personally believe this is the reason behind all the folks that have instantly lost control for no apparent reason. When the water gets deep I'll take my chances on my driving abilities over the nannies. jes my .o2
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When the pavement is dry the system is getting mostly accurate information but when one or two of your tires begin to hydroplane the information reaching the nannies can be very inaccurate as to what is actually going on with the vehicle. I personally believe this is the reason behind all the folks that have instantly lost control for no apparent reason. When the water gets deep I'll take my chances on my driving abilities over the nannies. jes my .o2
Thank you @Ghost that kinda makes sense. I guess the best defense is great tires and SLOW THE F*@# DOWN!
SSreaper
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Not been in the rain but one time while ridding the slimgshot and I slowed way down, it felt ok but my sling really doesnt like the miles and miles of tar snakes we have here in north carolina and whats sad is the roads with tar snakes are the better roads, we must have the worst roads in the country.
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Not been in the rain but one time while ridding the slimgshot and I slowed way down, it felt ok but my sling really doesnt like the miles and miles of tar snakes we have here in north carolina and whats sad is the roads with tar snakes are the better roads, we must have the worst roads in the country.
If you are having squirming on tar snakes there is a very good chance you need an alignment, that was my experience. The SlingShot tracked totally different after alignment.
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OK, returning to tire pressure once again, maybe your tires are over/under inflated? On a road trip I mislaid our tire pressure gauge and borrowed the one at the station, the Grasshopper dipped and darted all the way home, (dry all the way.) Once home I checked the tire pressure with my own gauge and they were overinflated, dropping the pressure back down to their sweet spots and the Grasshopper found it's manners again. Sometimes it may only take a pound or two....................
Bill -
Not been in the rain but one time while ridding the slimgshot and I slowed way down, it felt ok but my sling really doesnt like the miles and miles of tar snakes we have here in north carolina and whats sad is the roads with tar snakes are the better roads, we must have the worst roads in the country.
I never had that on the slingshot but on my ducati that usually happens with over inflated tires specially if you have tires with hard compound.
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"I guess the best defense is great tires and SLOW DOWN!"
Plus, easy on the throttle and easy on them there brakes!
Actually the best advice of all, exercise that common sense that we have all been born with but have allowed to atrophy due to lack of use.....................
Bill
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Not been in the rain but one time while ridding the slimgshot and I slowed way down, it felt ok but my sling really doesnt like the miles and miles of tar snakes we have here in north carolina and whats sad is the roads with tar snakes are the better roads, we must have the worst roads in the country.
Ok Ill open myself up for ridicule....WHAT THE HELL IS A TAR SNAKE?!?
SSREAPER
