Motorcycle Rain Gear From Head to Toe Helps You Stay Dry On Your Ride

Water resistant motorcycle rain gear is definitely something you will want to have if you like to ride rain or shine. Whether you choose a full rain suit or just a pair of waterproof motorcycle gloves to keep your hands dry, it’s all about comfort. As Keith Code wrote in the motorcycle road racer’s handbook “A Twist of the Wrist”, you only have 10 dollars worth of attention.

If you spend 3 dollars on just riding the bike down the road and another 7 dollars of attention is being spent on thoughts like “man, my hands are cold and wet”, you don’t have enough in reserve to deal with an unexpected situation. You definitely don’t want to become “overdrawn” in your attention account when you’re out for a ride.

Ideally, you’ll want to be covered from head to toe in some sort of motorcycle rain gear so you stay dry on your wet rides. So, what are your options?

Rain Riding Suits

When I bought my first bike, I also invested in a full rain suit. The suit itself is made from waterproof nylon and is bright yellow because I like to be extra visible during rainy weather rides. With a waterproof riding suit, it is sized so you can just wear it over your normal motorcycle gear to keep you and your gear dry. Reflective panels or piping on the suit will also make you easier for oblivious drivers to see you.

Rain Jackets and Pants

If you don’t want the full suit, you could choose to wear a separate rain jacket and pants instead. Rain jackets can either be sized to fit over a regular motorcycle jacket or can be a complete riding jacket made with a waterproof shell.

Waterproof pants are typically designed to fit over whatever pants you choose to go riding in.

Waterproof Materials

For items like gloves and boots, it is best to have a waterproof material like Gore-Tex along for the ride. Gore-Tex is typically used as a lining material since it is basically a membrane with microscopic holes or “micropores” in it that water droplets are too large to penetrate, but water vapor can escape from. So, your hands, feet or whatever stay dry while being able to breathe from the inside out.

Waterproof Motorcycle Gloves

Your motorcycle rain gear should definitely include a set of gloves designed to stay dry inside. Consider gloves that use a waterproof material such as Gore-Tex mentioned above, so water droplets are too large to penetrate, but water vapor can escape from. So, your hands stay dry while being able to breathe from the inside out. An adjustable wrist strap is a must for waterproof gloves so you can keep them cinched around your wrists preventing water from running down your sleeves and into your gloves.

Waterproof Motorcycle Boots

No set of motorcycle rain gear is complete without water-resistant boots. Again, look for boots that use a waterproof membrane material so your feet stay dry, but can still breathe and avoid getting sweaty. Dry feet stay warmer than wet feet, and that's important for your riding comfort and safety. Some rain boots also have "gaiters" or gussets, which are those flaps of material behind zippers that give an extra barrier of protection in the closure area.

Wet Weather Riding Tips

    • The road is most slippery right after it starts raining because the oil that drips off the cars and trucks is getting brought up on top of the surface

    • Don’t ride in the tracks of cars and trucks. Puddles will form in the tracks of most traffic. Although, the slipperiest part of the road is the middle of the lane, between those tracks because that’s where the oil drips off of cars and gets floated up by the rain first.

    • Increase your following distance and thereby increase your reaction time and stopping distance.

    • Start braking earlier than normal and with lighter pressure on the lever in the wet. There's usually a decent amount of grip available, but take more time and be gentle with applying the brakes. The same goes for the throttle when you're taking off again.

    • When stopping at a stop sign, traffic light or because of slowing traffic, don’t pull up right behind the vehicle in front of you. If the daydreamer in the Buick isn’t paying enough attention, you could move alongside the vehicle in front of you and avoid getting pinched between them.

    • Don’t be too uptight if you get caught out in the wet. Your bike will have a surprising amount of stopping power if your tires are in good condition.

    • Wear motorcycle rain gear, of course! You'll be more comfortable and safer as a result.

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