When driving a motorcycle in the rain, it's important to remember the following:
1. Ease on the brakes (slowly but firmly squeeze)
2. minimize steering input (make it slow and deliberate)
3. straighten the bike
4. ease on the gas.
all of those principles could be applied to driving any car in the rain. Of course you should start by slowing down, that's too obvious.

 

CHECK YOUR TIRES!

I tell this to every S2000 owner I run into.

The outsides of my tires looked fine but the inside of my rears were very worn at only 12,000 miles.

Tires + puddle = upside down s2000.

It is a very safe car, but look at your tires

I guess I should change my sig.

 

I agree with what everyone else has said. I would also like to add that VTEC in the rain is a bad idea. I am sure that for most, that is covered under common sense but just in case.


Jerry

 

I didn't realize how bad my tires were until I ended up in the concrete divider on the highway.

Keep the tread DEEP.

 

I just traded my 01 Prelude SH (heavily modded) for 04 S2000 a week ago.
I still can't feel the car's limit at turns... (dry road)
I get scared at turns even I'm turning at a lot slower speed than I used to turn with my Prelude..(rear seems sliding a bit..)

I thought I could beat any cars at curvy roads when I get S2k.. but..
I'm driving like a grandmas now..
how long would it take... to get comportable with S2k?

 

how long would it take... to get comportable with S2k

Take your new car to an empty parking lot on a dry day, and drive in circles. Go faster and faster while holding the same tight circle until the car actually slips - now you know the handling limits on dry pavement more or less. Do the same thing on wet pavement to get an idea how much you can do in the rain.

Also, when it rains, put the top up.

 

Take it to some Auto-X's. You will get more comfortable and that way, you can corner better than your Prelude.

 

Everything that is involved with performance driving in the dry, also apply to driving in the wet. The only difference the grip limit is lower in the wet, so slower speeds. Smooth inputs with steering, throttle and brake. Look ahead, be prepared to turn, brake, etc. well before you need to. To be safer, only brake in a straight line, only accelerate in a straight line and balance the throttle in turns.

The only addtional concerns is watch for puddles that might cause hydroplaning and slow down for them and be prepared to compensate the steering. The rear OEM SO2 tires (pre-2004) have thinner tread gaps so are more likely to hydroplane than the fronts, i.e. possibly more oversteer in standing water. Make sure you have tread on the inside of your tires.

 

Unless you did some heavy duty mods on the Prelude's suspension, the S2000 should have superior cornering.

Classic RWD vs. FWD. The driving style to go fast is very different. With RWD you have to be more precise with the corner entry speed and balancing the throttle while turning. You can't go crazy on the gas like FWD to pull you out of the corner. You have to be more controlled (which might seem slow) but you will have more grip (since the steering wheels aren't also the drive wheels) to carry more speed.

The quickest way to get comfortable is a driving school, rather than trial and error. If you prefer to learn for yourself, autocross. The timing will tell you if you are improving. Once you learn the RWD specifics, you'll discover how much easier it is to turn than a FWD car. It just a lot of people find it too easy to turn

 

this is great information, everyone. i'm a lalso a long time front-driver, going through an '88 Prelude, '96 Integra and '04 Civic. i've already spun out my '02 S2000 on a DRY road accelerating around a turn. freaked me out. i'm looking forward to taking a class up at Infineon