Last riding season, I got caught in cold rain with hail. Rode for about 8-10 miles in it. At one point the F2 started to die, losing power. I slowed it down and revved the engine and it was fine for another couple miles. I can only assume it had something to do with the rain, although my brother said bikes should have NO problem in the rain whatsoever. Well anyways on the ride, the bike stopped for good, about 4 blocks from my apartment, at the bottom of a rather steep hill (one you would be winded, walking up). So I had to push the bike, in the rain, up 4 blocks. Push for 40 feet, stop, repeat. Got to the top, pushed into the parking lot and cursed my way into my apartment. The bike sat in the rain overnight, uncovered and the rain on the bike had frozen the next day. Couldn't even get the key in to start, or move the choke lever. My question is, what is the possibility that rain got into the tank and if so, how much?? It ran really funny after that.

 

Well I rode in some hard rain last year for about 6 miles and my bike didnt hesitate or change at all while I was riding. The next day it started fine without a any hesitations. Although I think your problem was leaving outside un covered. It might have gone inside the tank, cluster, or fried the R/R.

 

Rain should NOT effect your bike's running in any way (besides a wet seat).
I ride to work on my F2 every day rain or shine. Rain riding or letting the bike sit out in the rain uncovered doesn't effect the way a bike runs.

did you leave it sitting out in the rain with the gas cap open? is you gas tank wrecked in some way that would allow water to get in?
Are your electrics exposed in some crazy way that is way different than their stock locations/exposure?
The gauge cluster unless modified heavily will not be the issue (for a number of reasons).

outsider: from your avatar it looks like your bike is fairly stock. Have you considered the possibility that the issue you experienced (bike stopped running) had nothing to do with the weather and it was just a coincidence that the issue occured while you rode in the rain? Check your R/R (Regulator Rectifier, see sticky on F2 main page/Tech section) and also check that your gas tank vent hoses are not clogged/kinked.

 

Outsider, is your bike a California model?

Like Bentley said, if things are in place and in order, riding in the rain should have no adverse affects, as far as the bike's running well is concerned.

The reason I asked about your bike being a Cali model, is somewhere I once read about a guy who found some emission control item, evap cannister or something, full of water, after a heavy rain... I honestly don't know jack about the increased emissions equipment on California models, I just know that the only time I will ever learn anything about those systems, is when I'm REMOVING those systems, if I ever got a bike that was so equipped!!

 

Only thing Cali models have different should just be the O2 sensor... My 02 F4i's is directly on the top of the intake above the filter... No way for water to get to it or the plug without the gas tank removed

 

Not sure if it's a California model or not. Don't have any reason to believe it is since i'm in nebraska lol. Well the bike had a fried rectifier, which may be to blame, was working just well enough to get by and may have gotten wet. Also carbs were clogged, but the bike ran well enough to get by when warm up thoroughly. And ONLY when warm. Otherwise it missed badly. But doesn't explain why it went out on me. Had the carbs cleand, new rectifier and new battery (that was almost gone too) put in, so hopefully that fixed things.