Motorcycle people, how the heck do you deal with rainy weather?

[White Horseradish]

So, today was supposed to be raining part of the day. I figured a little rain part of the way wasn't a big deal, so I rode the FJ to work. Naturally, the part of the day when it didn't rain was the middle, while I was at work, and I got rained on on the way there and back.

First of all, the jacket leaks in the inner part of the elbow, and in a couple of spots along the closure on the front. It's not specifically a rain jacket, but it's supposed to be more water resistant than this.  Still, it's warmer than my nice mesh jacket, so it's not a total loss. And I won't buy another Xelement jacket.   I am addressing this, a full-on rainsuit has been ordered.

On the other hand (both hands) the ninja turtle rain overgloves worked great.

What drove me up the wall, though, was the helmet. HJC IS-MAX. It's really nice in hot weather, very comfortable. But in the rain it was fogging something fierce.  I've had this problem last fall when it got colder, and I tried the breath cup they sell for it, which sucked. It either knocked my glasses off or made them fog instead of the visor. Also, not very comfortable.

I have a Pinlock insert for it, and it worked for awhile, but it got kinda blotchy, and I'm not sure what to about that. I tried keeping the visor open a crack, but that didn't do much for fogging and got my face wet. I'm almost wishing for this snowmobile helmet I saw that had a soft rubber mask inside that pipes all breath to the exterior.

So, what do you guys do in the rain? Can I make this helmet work, or is it a defect of design?

Also, is it a good idea to use RainX on a visor?

[Fitz]

Proper rain suit and rainx visor or a visor treated from the factory

Purpose built motorcycle rain gear is a must

[bedlamite]

I keep a set of Frogg Toggs rolled up and ready to go on over my leathers.

Standard rain-x works great on the outside on the visor in rain, but riding through fog it sucks. The anti fog rain-x works ok, but a breath guard is probably your best option.

[Bigjake]

I'm not that hardcore.  It rains, I drive something with more than 2 wheels and a cab.  

Can't help you with the old helmet fogging up dilemma.

[Fitz]

Riding in the rain, with proper tires, rain gear, etc... Can be quite refreshing and enjoyable

I run a sport touring tire that is fantastic in wet weather

[MillCreek]

I have rain riding experience living in Seattle.  The right gear makes all the difference.  I wear an Olympia oversuit in poor weather.  I have a HJC helmet, and I crack the visor a bit to take care of the fogging and use rain x on the outside.  Once I get above 30 MPH, the rain rolls right off the visor.

[White Horseradish]

Purpose built motorcycle rain gear is a must

I ordered a Nelson-Rigg suit a couple of weeks ago. It's very nice. Their sizing chart is a complete lie. It fits my wife great, though...

I now am waiting for a Tourmaster. I am slightly worried that they will send me something usable for a car cover...

a breath guard is probably your best option.

Are there universal ones that are any good?


The whole way home I've been thinking of ways to rig a small air pump and some hoses to make a defogger...

[gunsmith]

I am now determined to live in drought stricken deserts due to years and years of wet motorcycle messenger riding.
Here are some choice tips.

Fog, forget the expensive stuff. Cheapest shaving creme you can buy, smear a finger tip or two ( try to use as little as possible ) on the inside of the visor .
It will last for hours.

Two piece rain suit, the one piece keeps rain out better but is unbearably hot, good wet weather gloves like Aplinestars ( they also make good footwear for rain )

You'll need to pay even more attention when stopping. That wet leaf on the ground is there to insure you spill.
Any puddle you can't see the bottom of is bottomless or filled with punji sticks

Cross train tracks in a straight line, no braking or down shifting.
Avoid manhole covers and metal plates. If you have no choice straight line, no braking or down shifting.

Never get cheap tires, rain or shine. If you have a chain, dry it off and lube it when you get home.
Garage or cover, get it out of the rain.

I'm sure I'll have nightmares about years of wet riding and have more tips tomorrow.

[White Horseradish]

Two piece rain suit, the one piece keeps rain out better but is unbearably hot, good wet weather gloves like Aplinestars ( they also make good footwear for rain )

Check. That's what I got ordered. It's a two-piece Tourmaster and the jacket is yellow.

You'll need to pay even more attention when stopping. That wet leaf on the ground is there to insure you spill.
Any puddle you can't see the bottom of is bottomless or filled with punji sticks

Eh... You're a little late with that warning...
http://www.armedpolitesociety.com/index.php?topic=39665.msg804039#msg804039

:D

And yeah, I'm being careful.

Cross train tracks in a straight line, no braking or down shifting.
Avoid manhole covers and metal plates. If you have no choice straight line, no braking or down shifting.

My stepdad was nicknamed "Crash" when he was in the Navy. He dumped his 450 Honda three times, every time crossing train tracks at night in the rain. He told me the story enough times I actually paid attention. :)

Never get cheap tires, rain or shine. If you have a chain, dry it off and lube it when you get home.
Garage or cover, get it out of the rain.

My choice of tires is a little limited right now by the wheel size. Many FJ people change out the forks for late-model FJ (91-93)  or a different Yamaha to get a 17" wheel instead of the stock early model 16", which is what I have. I'll fix that eventually, budget permitting.

[AZRedhawk44]

I just rode about 75 miles... in the rain... in the dark... on the interstate...

Wonderfully dry.

I have a leather jacket from Wilson that zips closed around me properly from all necessary angles.  Tight at the neck, tight at the wrists, excellent front zipper.

I just bought today, some Sedici-Alexi motorcycle pants.  They're triple layer.  An outer shell that serves as road-rash inhibitor and holds the little bit of armor it provides in place, a rain/wind liner that is removable for waterproof and windproof use, and an insulated liner for cold weather riding.

Each of the two layers can be inserted back into the outer shell independent of each other, for customization.

With the lack of windshield wipers on my helmet (obviously), I was unable to keep as clear a view of the road ahead as the cars and trucks that were passing me.  There was a 10-15mph differential between me and the rest of traffic.  I got passed a LOT.  18 wheelers would pass me and then cut over into my lane, spraying me with sheets of mist from the water thrown off the road by their tires. I would have been absolutely drenched below my jacket, had I not bought these pants today.

http://www.cyclegear.com/CycleGear/Street/Motorcycle-Pants/Textile/brand/SEDICI/Alexi-3-Season-Mesh-Motorcycle-Pants/p/43332_59409_1728

I'm going to get the matching upper jacket later this summer.  Very impressed.


Good call on the Xelement avoidance.  I've got two of their jackets... one a heavy leather jacket and the other a "phoenix" jacket that breathes really well and really is just a way to hold a couple pieces of armor in place for protection and that's it.  The leather jacket is falling apart on the inner seams, and the phoenix jacket is still holding up mostly okay but it's been washed a couple of times due to big dust storms it's been in, and is showing abuse from the wash cycles. I figure it has one more summer in it then it'll be toast.

Xelement is ok cheap stuff when you're starting out and you need to buy EVERYTHING and don't have thousands of dollars to get the job done right the first time, but it's stuff you know you'll have to replace in a few months or maybe up to 2 years.

I don't use anything on my visor, currently.  Keep the air flow up on the inside of the helmet and the fog issue goes away.  Keep the air flow up on the outside of the helmet and the rain streaks off and leaves you with okay visibility.

[tokugawa]

Riding in the rain, with proper tires, rain gear, etc... Can be quite refreshing and enjoyable

I run a sport touring tire that is fantastic in wet weather

 OK- I will bite- Brand? Model?   

[Fitz]

Michelin pilot road 3

[RoadKingLarry]

For decades I rode in all kinds of rainy weather. Of late my favorite "rain suit" has become a 4 wheeler.

[gunsmith]

Michelin pilot road 3

same here

[Monkeyleg]

I've ridden in all types of weather, from thunderstorms with hail to sandstorms, wind storms, snow, and even tornados. I don't mind the rain, except for one thing: it messes up my bike. I like my bike clean, and rain just makes it harder to keep clean.

Yeah, I'm obsessive.

[AZRedhawk44]

Prior to this trip, I've only ridden in the rain once.  I think that now I've got about 500 miles in true T-storm level downpour, another 1000 or so in light rain, and another 1000 on wet road conditions but no precipitation.

I was terrified of it when I first started this ride from AZ.  Somewhere around Florida I got used to it.  Last night's night ride through a downpour was freaking creepy and not something I want to do again.  Too many shredded 18 wheeler tires in the middle of the road and I couldn't use my hi-beam for extra obstacle detection.  And getting passed by 18 wheelers who spray me with a solid sheet of water ain't fun, when I can't see a damned thing.

Rain?  fine.  I'd rather be riding and putting miles behind me than letting my gear get rained on in the parking lot.  At least my gear is dry at highway speed.
Night?  Meh, I'll deal with it.  I'm only good for 1-2 hours of night riding, after that I start getting some funky vertigo from loss of horizon.
Rain + night?  No thank you, I'll pass from here on out unless I have to.

[Jocassee]

I avoid doing distance rides when the weather looks dicey, but the few times I have been caught out my non-special purpose gear has kept me mostly dry. I don't ride except on non-damp days in the winter.

In the summer it doesn't bother me, wet pants aren't the end of the world at work or otherwise. Frogtoggs aren't a bad idea though.

[Monkeyleg]

I don't like wearing a rain suit, so if it's raining lightly I'll just get wet.

That backfired on me on a trip to Tennessee a few years ago. I kept riding, getting wet, but telling myself the rain would stop. By the end of the day the elbows in my jacket were filled with water and my boots were so wet that the soles just fell apart.

Dumb.

[tokugawa]

What I hate the most is a light mist, not enough to flush off the face-shield, but enough so it mixes into road-groad and gets tossed up by the semi's into a nice toxic slime all over you.....

[Lee]

The frog togs are good to keep in a backpack or luggage rack. Gunsmith is right on about everything else. My HJC Helmet had very good vents, i only occasionally had to crack the visor open a notch- and it locked at each notch.

[DustinD]

A dual layer visor is almost fog proof. I normally just use a snowmobile helmet for motorcycle riding. Never fogs, and has a removable breath deflector.

[White Horseradish]

A dual layer visor is almost fog proof. I normally just use a snowmobile helmet for motorcycle riding. Never fogs, and has a removable breath deflector.

I have a Pinlock insert, which basically makes my visor a dual layer. It worked, but over time it got spots on it I'm not sure how to clean off.

BTW, I found that HJC makes a snowmobile visor for my helmet. I think I should be able to just put it on instead of the regular one. They even make a heated one.  They do sell a breath deflector for the IS-MAX, but it's uncomfortable and doesn't work very well.

My next thing to look for is either that, or some decent gloves. The leather ones I have are good in medium to warm weather, but are not at all waterproof, and wet leather gloves are just not much fun.
 

[AZRedhawk44]

300 miles in the rain, yesterday, out of 400 total miles.

Rain pants worked for the whole upper part of my legs, but I experienced problems around my boots.  I think my feet are too close to the ground and I am getting upwards-directed spray from my tires, coming up the rain liner of my pants, up the shank of my boots, soaking my socks and seeping back down to the bottom of my feet.

One more argument for getting out of the cruiser-style bike and into something a bit higher off the ground and more vertical in orientation.  The foot-forward ride position of the cruiser probably constributes to this spray creeping up my ankles.

Gloves got soaked.

I have these gloves:

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/14/67/903/17600/ITEM/Tour-Master-Dri-Mesh-Gloves.aspx

A bit annoyed by them.  I bought them last week because one of my leather gloves went on a solo vacation, leaving its mate behind in my saddlebag.  Maybe it blew out in the wind or something?  Anyways, I was down to 1 set of gloves and I like to have 2 sets with me.

They're great when dry, and they're great in the rain... but if you take them off when they're wet, you're never going to get them back on again.  There's an internal liner inside the glove.  2 layers of glove.  And when you take them off when they're wet, the inner liner will slide out of place, and you won't be able to put your hand back in.

I wore them for about 200 miles, took them off during a fuel stop, and couldn't get them back on.  So I defaulted back to my work gloves that double as motorcycle gloves, for the remainder of the day.

[White Horseradish]

So, the new Tourmaster suit showed up and I wore it today to work.

My wife got the vastly better deal here. The Nelson-Rigg suit that turned out to be hers has boot gussets, the storm flap is velcroed, the collar has a soft lining, and, most importantly, it's much sturdier fabric with PVC bonded to something woven underneath. I wanted to order the same one, but the vendor ran out of Large and XLarge sizes.

The Tourmaster suit I got is just a single layer of PVC. I have a feeling it won't last all that long. The XL pants fit great, but they only have elastic on the bottom, no gussets. The XL jacket is a little loose, but not problematically so. Also, elastic only on sleeves, no velcro.

I did stay dry. Well, except my mustache, because I have to keep the helmet visor cracked open. I have a half a mind to try and rig some sort of blower for slower speeds...

And gloves. I need better gloves. Ninja turtle bags over leather ones works in a pinch, but isn't all that comfortable.

[Balog]

Ninja turtle bags?

Also, it vexes me that you can have excellent protection in a race style gauntlet, or you can have waterproof, but you apparently can't have both.