If you search these forums for RAIN GEAR, you will find the threads on "Rain gear which type do you have" and "Rain Gear preferences" which both talk about various options when it comes to selecting rain gear.

This thread isn't about the gear itself, however. It's more about the practical application of it.

I have rain gear. Pants, jacket, gloves, boot covers... and it all is packed in one of the saddlebags of my glide, which is the only bike I would consider riding in the rain.

If it is pouring rain before I leave the house, I put it all on. I realize there are those that wouldn't start out in pouring rain, but there have been times when it was more about getting me and my bike somewhere else by a certain time -- such as a funeral for a VIP vet -- rather than just going out for a ride for fun.

However, even though I usually have the rain gear with me on my bike, if I get caught in the rain, I have a tendency to not stop and put it on, unless I am riding with other people who insist on stopping. If it is just me, I tend to get wet. This past June I rode up to Cape Cod, as my Dad had scheduled a day of fishing. So, I had a reason to get there the day before. I chose to ride, because I made plans with a friend to take a week riding through New England after fishing. So, I had a reason to take the bike. It wasn't raining when I left the house, but I knew there were spotty thunderstorms throughout NY, CT, RI, and MA. I figured, since I could get the weather radar maps on my iPhone, which is mounted to my handlebars, I could stop and put on my rain gear before I got into the wet. Off I went in my jeans, and a semi-weatherproof textile Joe Rocket jacket. As I got close to NY, my brother sent me a text, telling me he just went over the Tappan Zee bridge, and was nearly blown off the road and was driving through 8" of standing water. I decided I wasn't going to go that route after all, and headed toward the GW bridge, but the closer I got, it looked like it wasn't going to be much better. I decided to take the Lincoln tunnel into Manhatten when I saw the exit, hoping to stay south of the storm. However, I didn't know that Justin Beiber was in town, and roads were closed, and traffic was detoured, and my GPS was confused by the tall buildings blocking the signal...so, as I did my best to negotiate NYC traffic (and pissing off cab drivers) to get to the other side and back onto an expressway. At one point, I was stopped at a light, looking at a crowd screaming "Beiber Beiber Beiber" and wishing my head temps weren't so close to 400 degrees, the sky opened up. It POURED. I was instantly SOAKED. I was blocked in by cars, not that there ws anywhere I could pull over to put on my rain gear anyway. As soon as I got a green light, I was on my way again, and headed for the LIE...once I was on the expressway, I was out of the rain, and starting to dry out. I was going at a good clip, so it didn't take long before the only place I felt wet was knees down.

But I never got dry enough to want to put on my rain gear. I didn't want to stop and put it on when I was still wet from the knees down, but before I would get fully dry, I was back in the soup. I think I got soaked through to my skivvies 2 more times before I finally got to the hotel. My jeans, socks and boots were completely saturated by then. I pulled up and my Dad said, "I thought you had rain gear."

I told him, "I do, it's in my saddlebag, in case I need it!"



Please tell me that I am not the only one who does that.

when it rains?

No your not the only one, I usually wait until I'm soaked, then if you put on rain clothes you can never dry out. If it is cold and looks like rain I put 'em on, summer time, not so much unless I get caught in a downpour. Out here in New Mexico you can sometimes ride out or away from some of the spring storms. After August, best to check the weather and dress accordingly.

cause not....I don't bother with it much on long rides..as you 'll pretty much dry out along the way...Bujt If I'm stopped and it looks like rain ahead I'll put it on..like when i rode through the edge of a severe storm in Tn...by the time i hit Nashville..It didn't really matter that I had it on I was soaked through. 66 motels...gr8 for a hot shower and a dry bed...and you meet some damn fine peoples who like you are cowering from the storm.

Was in NYC last May, can't imagine riding ANY bike in that traffic ........... but you gotta do what you gotta do!
OH MY! I would have gone home and started all over again ....... LOL!!

I almost always have my raingear in my pack, weather can be so unpredictable here in northern AZ.

My most recent experience was when I bought my current bike in Denver in late July 2010. Having lived in Denver for a few years, I made sure I had my raingear in my backpack prior to picking up my new bike. It started to sprinkle so I put on the raingear and rode my bike out of the showroom even though the HD guys suggested I should wait and "see what happens." By the time I "see what happens" I could be on the outskirts of Denver where it was NOT raining. It POURED like cats and dogs for about 45 minutes as I maneuvered through RUSH HOUR traffic to get from southwest Denver (Littleton) to northeast to the I-76 towards Nebraska ......... stopping at traffic lights in puddles of water up to my ankles, no windshield but had my full face helmet, and only a backpack, no other bags .......thank goodness I knew my way around so I avoided certain areas and just kept my eye on the blue skies towards NE) made it to interstate and I dried off as fast as I could ride, just changed my socks at the next fuel stop and kept going ..........made it to North Platte, NE at about 1 AM where I stayed the night.
Next day, rode north up to Canada and on return trip, avoided Denver (took road eastern part of CO). But ended up riding between two rainstorms: Right side in Denver, left side in Kansas; put on my raingear but finally had to stop about 30 miles outside of Pueblo, CO and waited two hours under a covering of a grainery, ......... it let up for about an hour, just enough time for me to find a hotel, ended up staying the night there, rained all night.........waited out an hour long dense FOG the next morning but made it to the HIGH ROAD TO TAOS scenic byway by the afternoon, and back in northern AZ the next day!! AWESOME SOLO TRIP despite the rainstorms in CO!! Sometimes, I think bike trips with unique weather related experiences are the more cherishable memories ...........or if nothing else, a very eventful one you have survived ..... again! LOL!

Well first and foremost I carry rain gear to ensure it doesn't rain.  Seems like whenever I make room for rain gear on a trip it never rains, but anytime I leave the rain gear at home I wind up in a monsoon!

I pretty much will only stop to put rain gear on if its early in the riding day with lots of miles ahead and I know I'm coming into a hard rain that will last a while.  I don't like riding an entire day with wet jeans and a leather jacket that now weighs more than twice its normal weight and probably won't be dry when I'm ready to head out the next morning. 

If I'm gonna be done riding for the day within the next 100 miles, or my next stop is home, or it looks like the rain won't last too long, I usually will not bother to pull over to put rain gear on - unless it's an extremely cold rain like those damn late afternoon storms in the mountains.  However if I happen to be stopped anyway (like for lunch) and there's a light rain, I may just throw the gear on since it's convenient.

When I do make the decision to put the rain gear on, I normally try to do it before it hit the hard rain.  Nothing more uncomfortable than covering up wet clothes with a water-proof suit.

Yeah these days my rain gear has been like and albatross around my neck, granted they are wrapped up neatly into a convenient little roll, would be nice not to have to carry it... BUT on those rare occasions when you find yourself needing the suit its always a good feeling to pull em out and throw em over everything you're wearing and they do keep you toasty, unless the temp really drops out!
Riding across the western part of the U.S. say anywhere in Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Colorado and the like, spring time can be a real em effer without some rain gear!

Out her in the desert you better not get to far from home without supplies of all kinds, rain gear, warm clothes, water. All year long! Lots of places without cell service and you can drive back roads for 100 miles and not see anyone. I always tell someone where I am headed or at least a general direction. I know I am getting off subject but I have lived out here my whole life and it is different out here in the SW.

Well, I didn't see the "gear" post soooooooo, I keep Froggers (mine and Gypsy's) in their respective bags drapped over the seat behind Gypsy. If I'm lucky I'll put 'em on before it rains. I know this is going to sound crazy but I'm 63 years young, having ridden since I was 16 or so, and didn't even use rain gear until I turned 55. The first time I put 'em on it was pretty chilly but I immediately felt 10 degrees warmer and wondered what an idiot I'd been all those years without a rain suit. But at the time, I just figured getting wet was all part of the adventure.

Peace

Well I dont usually wear it..Last year going up to Bundy for a rally though we woke up at 4 am to ride the 5 hours up there and it was maisty and blowing a gail. I decided to put on my rain pants to cut the wind and mist..It worked on the way up..When we got to the first pub on the run I swapped bikes with my mate coz he wanted to try the dyna..As I threw my leg over his softail I split my jeans from the crotch to the knee.Well my rain pants saved me from a very breezy trip back into town to buy a new pair of jeans..CHEERS BOOF

I have used my rain gear more often to stay warm than to stay dry. The few times I saw dark clouds looming and took the time to step into my rain gear the rain passed me by. I have been asked by friends to gear up so they can ride without getting wet since it rarely rains when I am prepared. But, I have been caught out later than intended and zapped by a cold spell and that rain suit does a good job of keeping me warm..... The only time my rain suit ever got really wet and appreciated was in Nashville during a real gullywasher. As soon as it was done, I was on the side of the road peeling off that sauna suit!

I have always said, I don't mind riding in the rain, the cold, OR at night. But any combinations of two I am NOT riding for the fun of riding! And in the case of all three, I would just as soon stay wherever I am.

So, yes, the colder it is outside, the more likely I will put on the rain gear if I think I will be getting wet.

But in the summer on a warm day? Hey, you do dry fast on a bike!

I do enjoy the stories though.


One day I was coming home from an escort run, so I had my denim jacket on with all the patches. (Technically, not "colors", ya know.) I was making time on the expressway, when I came into a pop up thunderstorm out of nowhere. It lasted all of 5 minutes, but it was enough to soak through every inch of denim I was wearing. It was summer, so I wasn't wearing a helmet, just a do rag, and my hair was in a ponytail. I was literally dripping wet. 5 minutes further down the road, I took my exit. A minute later I was in the middle of town, at an intersection. All the roads are dry as a bone, none of the local cars look like they had gone through the storm...I sat there at the traffic light looking like I just rode my bike through the car wash.

At times like that, all I do is smile at the wide eyed cagers as they pass by.

Well like most people I also carry rain gear in my saddle bag. But like most I put it on 5 minutes before it stops raining and I’m wet anyway.
The last two times I either didn’t stop or couldn’t stop to put it on. One was the first day of Laconia bike week and I headed up that way from Mass. and it started to rain 20 minutes out. Got there and at that point was totally soaked Leather jacket and all. Well at that point it didn’t matter. Some liquid to warm me up and I finished my day there and headed home still soaked but didn’t care. I could dry out when I got home.
The second time was after a weekend rally in Vermont and I was headed home. Once I got to Franconia notch it started to rain (It rains I think anytime a bike comes thru the notch) and the only road through the notch is a two lane highway with nowhere to turn out. So I just continued to where I could get off the road. You guessed it I was soaked and as soon as I got the rain gear on 5 minute later it stopped raining. A few miles down the road it was sunny and off it came. Still soaked but with good sun and mild temps I just continued wet.
If I’m on my way home it cuts down on the chance of me stopping and putting it on just wait till I get home and then I just deal with the wet clothes. Why deal with wet clothes and wet rain gear. As I have said to a riding buddy it’s not the first time and hopefully will not be my last.

Have ridden multiple days in the rain on a few occasions.
Now that I have popped for Froggys usually have the rain skins bungeed to the triple tail - Try to get them on in plenty of time - Have been known to fail a time or two.
The $29.95, fire-sale, slider jacket absorbs no water but jeans are another story. - Not much rain just pull on the trousers

Raingear? Ain't got none. Will be gettin some soon though. I'm gettin a bit tired of TX spring showers. Don't know what, but don't really care for the looks of the Frogg Toggs. Lookin for something affordable and luminescent/reflective.

My last year in the Army, I was going from San Angelo, TX to San Antonio, TX and back every other week for Dr. Appts. (the car was in Dallas with the wife and kids) This time was late Jan or early Feb., 60 deg and clear when I left San Antonio at 1600. About a third of the way back it started drizzling and getting cooler. When I stopped for gas I put on everything I had: 3 pair jeans, 2 t-shirts, heavy wool sweater, fieldjacket with liner and continued on. Got to my place in San Angelo around 2200, soaked through and temp around 30. When I got off the bike my outer pair of jeans broke at the knees..

Was in tropical storm in La.... Rain so hard couldn't see windshield! Got lost and ended up on East side of levee (headed West) in N.O...water was risin ... so high, exhaust was very dangerously gurglin...got a chance to get on a raised sidewalk then onto a entrance ramp onto I-10 (headed the wrong way)... whole time listenin to Buddy Guys "feels like Rain..."
Them Cajuns just shook their heads at the CRAZY Yankees...

yeah i usually wait too long to pull over then its just a waste of effort

Rode this weekend ovr to a friends house,packed my rain jacket,yet forgot to grab the pants,figured heck with it,partially sunny,no rain forecast,of course abt 10 miles into my ride,the sky slowly opens up.By the time I pull over to throw my rain jacket on,pants are soaked,yet my ski jacket-shell held up nicely.I have an excellent rain suit too,a Rukka,unfortunately I didnt bother packing it of course !!! Rode the last 30 miles & was real glad I stopped n put the rain jacket on,of course the rain stopped just abt the time I arrived !

I always carry gear... sometimes you get it on in time...

Sometimes you don't. For me it is usually too late.

Yep, I hear you.  I am originally from northern NM and moved to San Antonio, TX to attend college before I had a bike.  So drove through southern part of NM, Pecos, and Stockton more than I can remember ....... over a 10 yr span.  I am planning on riding to TX 'one of these days' SOON ........... I usually fly nowadays to visit friends in TX once/twice a year but I am planning on riding to TX 'one of these days' SOON ............ just do it, right?
Yes, SW weather is very unpredictable and can be a scorcher too, brutal heat, minimal shade, if any!!  ...........  

I wear it when I'm caught in a tropical depression. Specifically during tropical depression Eric.

I usually put it on just to watch a Jello Wrestling match.....jello sure is sticky when it flies through the air.....

BWAHHHHHHH!!!! Love it!

always have to bring some sort of rain gear with you when you live in ireland.
probably one of the few countrys where you can get all four seasons in the same day. sometimes in the same hour