Rain gear is only expensive when it isn't raining.
When it gets cold and raining really hard, good rain gear was a bargain no matter how much you paid for it.

 

Not with lightning bouncing around. Rain is one thing but lightning knows no friends. Got caught in west Texas in a similar situation a few years back. Weather was all bad and the lightning was bouncing everywhere. We had no place to stop for lots of miles ---so we rode through it and out ran it. It was an adventure but a foolish adventure that happens. I would not have left shelter during the storm if we had some and I couldn't wait for the storm to pass ---we were chasing it once it dropped down from the north. That last statement makes sense for Texans. Due to the shape of the state and having to go west to east then north to get home. Still tipped my hat to him much hombre.

 

was traveling east. had made plans and taken off work. it was either ride in the rain or take a car. but i like riding, so took the bike. left at night in the rain. wasn't raining hard, but a steady rain. lots of traffic. got about 125 miles in 3 1/2 hours. but then it got real dark and the road didn't have any ot those reflectors, and the white lines on the side were pretty worn. it was just hard to see where i was. there wasn't enough traffic to have a good feel for where the road ending and the shoulder started. and this was an interstate. so i got off and found a place to stay the night.

up in the morning and it was still raining. but harder. and i had 650 miles to go. so i left and tried to head south to see if i could get out of the storm front. rained for another 2 hours, and then i found a break. some blue sky. followed the break as it moved east and south. had for about 5 hours. but then it closed up and i was in the storm. funny thing was that the front was moving east and i was going east. i could see the end of it towards the west. so i stopped and got something to eat and sure enough the end of the front passed over.

but this is where it got funny, cause i was going faster than the front was moving so i would catch up to it and ride in it for awhile and then pull over and let it pass. this went on for awhile. the problem was that it was really raining pretty darned hard and it was difficult to see.

eventually i just toughed it out and kept riding. got really hairy as i was going thru mountains in heavy rain at night with wind and fog.

had a number of 'what am i doing here' moments. but the bike worked like a champ and felt solid under me.

don't mind the rain that much, but adding wind and dark and fog - thats not fun

 

I m insane apparently, i dotn care if its raining, lightening, snowing or the gods decide to start throwing cows from the heavens if i feel like riding or have t ogo somewhere i'll ride in it midn you if the gods are throwing cows at me i'll likely wear a full face and chaps and have to do soem fancy swerving LOL

 

C'mon TonyP let's share now. Don't be selfish.

 

 

I don't think many people intentionaly ride in the rain, but it does have one benifit. When it rains I don't have to look at my speedometer. If it feels like needles in my neck I'm riding about 55-60. ha ha . No seroiusly riding in the rain is not a good idea. With reduced visibilty for you and other drivers, plus lost traction just spells disaster in my opinion.

 

Hey, Greenfed, did you take that while out on a ride?!

Schweet!

 

Nah! A buddy of mine was trying to scare me out of riding one time in Michigan.. He kept sending me pictures to scare me off.. That one was one of them. He loves riding but he had a close call one time when he got caught out in the rain. Michigan storms can be brutal! I live in California now, so I don't have to worry too much about lightning.

 

I had a motorsickle for my only transportation in the late 60's. Had to ride every day no matter what, didn't particularly like it but you do what you have to do. I have been caught in some whoppers on the road in the last few years, still don't like it, I run and hide if I can. So it turns out that I am not a real "biker" I guess, but I still love it, I am just a little more selective about my riding than in the old days.