Keep it away from your exhaust or you will be scraping it off. I bet next time you will buy the High Viz...

A nice add on to the HD gear are the gators. Add some waterproof gloves like the Fox Creek gauntlets and life is good, or as good as it can be in the rain.

 

Tough to avoid riding in the rain in the UK. Like everything else, the more you do it the better you get at it.

 

Here's your trophy:

 

I was riding with another couple just last weekend and we got caught in a torrential thunderstorm with lightening poppin' off in close proximity all around us. We were approaching a town, but still maybe five or so miles from it. We had a destination in the town that we were trying to make, but by the time the sky showed us how close the storm was, it was too late to pull over and put rain gear on. I was the only one with gear in my bags anyway, so I just resolved to keep up with my friends and take the soaking. Right at the Town Limits was a gas station that we pulled into, got gas, and waited the worst of the storm out. Or at least we thought it was the worst of the storm. I put my rain gear on while we were there (the cheapest rain gear I could find for a weekend trip like 15 years ago LOL - but it's held up well enough to still use) and I gave my bud's OL my Duluth shirt-jack, which ain't exactly water-proof, but still resistant and a heckuva lot warmer after being soaked to the bone, and then we headed on. About 100 yards out of the driveway, someone opened up the faucet to full blast again. My only problem was that it was the first time I got caught in the rain while wearing new (transition) glasses with goggles to keep 'em from gettin' fogged, splattered with bugs or what have you. They're decent goggles with good ventilation, but the rain was comin' down so hard that water found its way through the vent holes, and that's all she wrote for visibility. Had to take the goggles off, hang 'em over one of my mirrors, and let 'em flop in the wind until we got to our destination. I'd say we were out in it for about half an hour, maybe a little more. All of our clothes were still soaked by the time we split off to our respective homes, but it was still a great ride. Just gotta roll with the changes.

The same friend and I are planning a ride to the Bay area of CA in either Spring or Fall of next year. I'll make sure I have real rain gear by then, but even if I don't, it'll have to be a severe and continuous downpour to make either one of us stop. Or extremely cold. Wet and cold can actually be dangerous, so we probably wouldn't push that condition, but just wet, we will.

Blues

 

If motorcycling was some kind of contest or competition between people maybe I'd agree with that, but it isn't. I carry rain gear and I've rode in the rain at times when I've had to because I was already out or committed to a group ride where I've given notice to others that I'm going along (not some poker run) , but I don't choose to ride in the rain if I don't have to. I ride mostly to enjoy the ride and I don't enjoy riding in the rain, even with rain gear.

 

I used to ride in the rain all the time because I was paid to do so.
Now retired, I won't ride in the rain unless I had to.
Safety and visibility is the problem, you cant see **** through eye protection beaded with moisture.

 

Most of the time rain doesn't bother me. These are the times I decided I was an idiot for riding in the rain:

1. Time when it is raining so hard you can't see, and probably aren't being seen. I usually get myself in this mess by thinking I'll just pull over if it gets too bad, and when it does, I don't want to pull over onto the soft shoulders.

2. Riding in lightning. Usually goes along with 1.

3. Riding in Urban ghettoes. The beater cars there leave an assortment of slippery substances, that make stopping in the rain treacherous. Probably best to avoid ghettoes, but if you need to, do it in nice weather.

I don't like cheap rain gear. Having it leak or melt on the exhaust is distracting, right when you need to focus. Get the right equipment. Wear a FF or get good goggles. Don't push your goggles up when the rain clears because you are too lazy to stop and store them properly. They tend to fly off. Don't ask me how I know.

 

It is a competition with myself. Life is all about testing your mettle.
Sure no one likes riding in the rain. If I can see the rain is coming, I will usually head home to miss it. But light rain doesn't bother me. Traveling, you have no choice.

When riding to AK, a day without rain, was like a day without mud.

When I worked 25 miles away, I wouldn't ride to work if raining. No fun being wet. But didn't care if rained on way home.

Obviously fairings make a big difference.

 

Spent the first half my life dealing with rain and motorcycles , finally got tired of that **** and moved somewhere where I only have couple months a year now it’s an issue unless on a road trip somewhere. It gets wet out now screw it I take the truck I hate cleaning rain road crap off my bikes.

 

In the wet sand.

Sorce