Do you get wet riding in the rain?

[pegasus1300]

San Diego to Paradise Az, rained like there was no tomorrow. Between the RT design and the Can Am rain suit I stayed dry. My Sena perched on my helmet however was another story. It drowned.

 

[bogeywb]

Rain doesn't just fall in front of you. It falls ON YOU. Yes, of course you will get wet riding in the rain.

 

[mecsw500]

If there is a chance of rain before I gear up, I wear 100% GORETEX jacket, pants, boots, gloves. On non-summer trips, I only wear GORTEX gear. My mesh gear and backup rain gear are for local summer runs. I stay dry and the GORTEX breathes. Rainsuits get VERY steamy and you have to guess when to wear and when remove between showers. Pulling over to switch can be hazardous and slows progress.

I was raised in the UK, and long before genuine Goretex type gear was available. Everyone had a Barry Sheene (RIP) endorsed Rukka over suit, Rukka over mitts and Derri boots. If it was going to rain, especially in winter, it was likely going to be for days on end.

I have a BMW textile adventure jacket from way back when which I admit works well, and it even has a secondary waterproof liner. The pants, however, were never quite waterproof. I returned them twice, but each pair suffered from nasty wet crotch syndrome.

So, I’ve settled on the over suit type of rain gear and sure, sometimes it a bit inconvenient to put on and take off, but I’m lucky I live out in the usually low humidity desert so the steamy effect is usually gone a few minutes after the rain stops.

Being you can see for many miles and therefore predict as to when the rain is coming, timing when you need rain gear is usually fairly easy. For most of the year, it doesn’t rain much either.

It must be my upbringing, but I quite like riding in the rain. That feeling of it being all wet and nasty, yet you are all bundled up and bone dry, is somehow very satisfying. I know, I’m weird.

 

[Lctriple]

@mecsw500, I like riding in the rain, too. It's me against Mother Nature, I guess with me holding my own and still having fun. My favorite part is passing cars that have pulled over because it's raining and there I am " that crazy motorcycle guy" riding like there's no tomorrow.

 

[RogerC60]

It must be my upbringing, but I quite like riding in the rain. That feeling of it being all wet and nasty, yet you are all bundled up and bone dry, is somehow very satisfying. I know, I’m weird.

Then I'm weird, too.

 

[RogerC60]

It depends on the rain's intensity and the quality of the rain gear. I don't think I know anyone who's ever been able to keep their crotch from getting wet. It just seems to be a catch point.

I put a BeadRider on my Spyder seat, keeps me from sitting in a puddle when I'm in the rain. So far my Aerostich Darien pants have kept me dry from the waist down on the Spyder, including the crotch. On the Beemer I sit in a puddle and get a wet crotch (with the same Darien pants). I've tried the BeadRider on the Beemer, but for some reason it makes the seat very uncomfortable, I could only ride for 45 minutes then I had to take the thing off.

 

[mecsw500]

I put a BeadRider on my Spyder seat, keeps me from sitting in a puddle when I'm in the rain. So far my Aerostich Darien pants have kept me dry from the waist down on the Spyder, including the crotch. On the Beemer I sit in a puddle and get a wet crotch (with the same Darien pants). I've tried the BeadRider on the Beemer, but for some reason it makes the seat very uncomfortable, I could only ride for 45 minutes then I had to take the thing off.

Hobson’s choice. A wet crotch or a pain in the rear?

 

[RogerC60]

Hobson’s choice. A wet crotch or a pain in the rear?

That's a no-brainer. Keep riding and maybe get a bit wet.

 

[mecsw500]

That's a no-brainer. Keep riding and maybe get a bit wet.

That's all fine until it's winter and that's ice water.

 

[UtahPete]

Rainsuits get VERY steamy and you have to guess when to wear and when remove between showers. Pulling over to switch can be hazardous and slows progress.

Yup

 

[RogerC60]

That's all fine until it's winter and that's ice water.

Yeah, well, there is that. Chilly willy is no fun.

If there's a chance that the water is going to freeze on me or on the road, I leave the motorcycles parked and drive in my nice warm 4WD pickup truck.

 

[NorwegianRT]

Since I got my Rukka Armacore gear I don't care if it starts raining. A buddy of mine had it and was constantly bragging about how good it was, so I had to check it out. He was not lying.

 

[RayBJ]

Rukka gear is expensive but worth the price. Buy once, cry once.

 

[RangerRick]

I don't ride if it's going to rain, but then me and the wife can't do any long distance trips anyway, taking care of my 96 year old bed bound Mom. Only able to ride around 1 to 2 hours once a week weather permitting when my sister stops by for a few hours.

 

[blacklightning]

In the past, when I had my 2014 RTS-SE6, I was dry (I had rain gear on, jacket, and pants). The only parts that got wet were my leather boots and gloves. The RT pushed away the rain that was on the road. I was more protected from the rain, especially when I tucked my feet real close to the Spyder.

Now on my current Spyder (a 2023 F3 LTD SS) I do get wet. So I do carry rain gear on the Spyder at all times, just in case I get caught in the rain.

Another vote for rain gear.

I have owned a 2014 RT, multiple F3T's, and currently a 2016 F3L Special Series and a 2021 RTL, and I find similar results as Deanna777 stated. The earlier model RT was best for keeping me dry, but it still would allow me to get wet. The F3 series seems to direct the rain right into the crotch area due to the sitting position. My BMW K1600B actually does a lot better job of keeping me dry than the F3 and nearly as good as the RT. But the confidence of 3 wheels over 2 in rain is always a factor. I have owned many frogg togg suits. For me, all of them have a life span of about 3 years. After that they tend to leak. This is for the cheaper $19.95 sets and even the more expensive thicker sets.

 

[Deanna777]

I have owned a 2014 RT, multiple F3T's, and currently a 2016 F3L Special Series and a 2021 RTL, and I find similar results as Deanna777 stated. The earlier model RT was best for keeping me dry, but it still would allow me to get wet. The F3 series seems to direct the rain right into the crotch area due to the sitting position. My BMW K1600B actually does a lot better job of keeping me dry than the F3 and nearly as good as the RT. But the confidence of 3 wheels over 2 in rain is always a factor. I have owned many frogg togg suits. For me, all of them have a life span of about 3 years. After that they tend to leak. This is for the cheaper $19.95 sets and even the more expensive thicker sets.

Hi @blacklightning,

On my 2023 F3 LTD SS, whenever it rains while I'm riding, I also get the rain in the crotch area, due to the sitting position on the Spyder.

I have a cheaper set of rain gear, which has lasted for several years and is still going strong. I bought the rain gear in Lake George, New York, when I was at Spyder Quest event in 2018.

Deanna

 

[UtahPete]

Since I got my Rukka Armacore gear I don't care if it starts raining. A buddy of mine had it and was constantly bragging about how good it was, so I had to check it out. He was not lying.

If armored riding gear is your thing, this product may be the way to go. Personally (and there have been heated discussions about it in the past e.g.Thread 'I've gone from ATGATT to H (just Helmet).' https://www.spyderlovers.com/threads/ive-gone-from-atgatt-to-h-just-helmet.165131/ ), I don't believe in clunky, bulky, complicated, and restricting armored gear on a Spyder. Armor and Kevlar, etc is for road rash protection, which I don't think is necessary, as laying down a Spyder is impossible and falling off at speed highly unlikely. Much more important for Spyder riders, I think, is comfortable clothing that protects against adverse weather conditions and contributes to rider health and alertness.

From Google;
Rukka Armacor refers to high-end motorcycle textile garments (such as jackets and pants) built using Armacor - a high-tech, tear and abrasion resistant fabric blend combining Cordura and Kevlar (aramid) fibers laminated directly with a waterproof Gore-Tex membrane. Material & Technology Features -
Armacor Reinforcements: Armacor sandwiches Kevlar threads woven into a durable Cordura base alongside a Gore-Tex membrane, typically placed on high-impact crash zones like the shoulders and elbows.
Gore-Tex Pro Lamination: The outer shell features a bonded 3-layer Gore-Tex laminate that is 100% windproof, waterproof, and highly breathable without absorbing water into the outer fabric layer.
Impact Protection: Most Rukka Armacor-reinforced garments (such as the historical Armas, Armarone, or Realer lines) come equipped with ventilated, CE-rated D3O armor at the elbows, shoulders, and back.