My Hunt for Decent Motorbike Rain Gear
Alright, so let me tell you about getting a motorbike rain suit. It wasn’t exactly rocket science, but man, getting soaked to the bone one too many times really pushes you to sort it out.
It all started after this one ride home. Sky looked okay when I left work, you know? Typical. Halfway home, the heavens just opened up. Not just rain, like buckets. By the time I pulled into my driveway, I felt like I’d jumped into a swimming pool with my clothes on. My boots were squelching, jeans stuck to me, jacket weighed a ton. Miserable stuff.
Enough was enough. That evening, still damp, I started looking. Went online first. So many choices! One-piece suits, two-piece suits, fancy expensive ones, cheap plastic-bag looking things. Honestly, it was a bit much. Read some reviews, but everyone says something different. One guy loves a suit, the next says it leaked like a sieve first time out.
Talked to a buddy, Dave, rides an old Triumph. He just chuckled. Said he uses some old army surplus waterproofs. Tough, but bulky as heck. Not really my style, and probably sweat like crazy inside.
So, I decided on a two-piece. Seemed easier to get on and off over my regular gear. Plus, you can just wear the jacket if it’s only light drizzle. Found one that wasn’t crazy expensive, looked like it packed down small enough. Didn’t have a million features, just straightforward waterproof stuff. Bright yellow too, figured it wouldn’t hurt to be seen better in lousy weather.
It arrived a few days later. First thing I did was try it on over my riding jacket and pants in the living room. Felt a bit like the Michelin Man, not gonna lie. A bit rustly too when I moved. But okay, fit was decent, covered everything.
- Getting the pants on over boots? A bit of a wiggle, but doable. Zippers at the ankle helped.
- Jacket went over my armored jacket fine.
- Packed it back into its little bag. Actually fit, surprisingly.
Then, I waited for rain. Didn’t have to wait long, typical weather around here. Headed out for a short ride, maybe 30 minutes, just to test it. Pulled over under a bridge to put the suit on. Took maybe two minutes. Okay, not bad.
Riding felt… different. You definitely know you’re wearing an extra layer. A bit less airflow, obviously. But the rain? Just beaded up and rolled right off. It was actually pretty cool watching it. Rode through town, hit a bit of faster road. No leaks around the neck or cuffs, which was my main worry.
Got home, peeled it off. Bone dry underneath. Success! The inside felt slightly damp, probably just my own sweat building up a little because it’s not super breathable, but way better than being drenched by rain.
So, was it worth it? Absolutely. No more showing up looking like a drowned rat. It lives in my bike’s top box now, ready to go. It’s not perfect, gets a bit warm if it’s not actually cold out, and yeah, you look a bit like a giant banana. But staying dry makes riding in the wet way less grim. Simple as that.
