Rode in the rain the other day, and I LOVED IT!

[veeref]

For those of you that don't know me, I'm still a newbie.  I only have 2500 miles and 3 months of riding under my belt, but I feel that riding has come fairly natural to me. Anyways...

We had almost continuous rain over this last weekend. I really didn't feel like driving my car, so I just threw on my waterproof overpants and riding jacket, and pulled the GS out of the garage. My wife and I had a party down in Castle Rock (about 45 minutes away), so I rode the 25 miles to my wifes work, left my bike there and drove the rest of the way to the party.  On the way back, we stopped to pick up my bike and I rode the 25 miles home.  It was raining the entire night.  I must say, I HAD A BLAST! I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge and I learned/observed a couple of things along the way:

- I tried to keep my visor down, but it kept fogging up, so I was continuously opening/closing my visor whenver I was <45mph. I have an HJC CL-15 helmet. Maybe I need RAIN-X.
- Rain drops (even small ones) hurt at 50mph on bare skin.
- Riding in the rain during the day, and at night are 2 totally different animals. Nighttime, in combination with the water droplets on my visor limiting my vision was, at times, scary.
- People in cages are even bigger idiots when its raining outside.

Anyone have any other tips/experiences/suggestions they can share?

Regards,
Randy

[RVertigo]

Fog City visor insert...

Riding in the rain isn't that much different that riding when it's dry...  You just have to ride slower, slow down to stop sooner, corner slower, and pay more attention to idiots and potholes (it's hard to tell the difference between a little puddle and a huge pothole).

If you're on the freeway, you can turn your head while keeping your eyes forward to clear the rain off your visor.

[TadMC]

If you're on the freeway, you can turn your head while keeping your eyes forward to clear the rain off your visor.

I didnt even think about that, THANKS

[scratch]

I must say, I HAD A BLAST! I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge and I learned/observed a couple of things along the way:

ALLRIGHT!!    Congradulations!  After riding an entire season in the rain, then go find a bunch of guys, and have a rainride in the twisties. 

- I tried to keep my visor down, but it kept fogging up, so I was continuously opening/closing my visor whenver I was <45mph. I have an HJC CL-15 helmet.

Yep, FogCity ProShield.

- Riding in the rain during the day, and at night are 2 totally different animals. Nighttime, in combination with the water droplets on my visor limiting my vision was, at times, scary.

Look beyond the droplets, or your visor.

[12thmonkey]

If you're on the freeway, you can turn your head while keeping your eyes forward to clear the rain off your visor.

i remember figuring that out...  It helped a TON.

Also, i remember reading some posts that the resident rain-riding expert (Scratch) gave about putting your weight on the outside peg, leaning your body more than the bike, and watching for painted areas (things like cross-walks), tar snakes, or metal plates as they get really slick when wet. It all helped a lot.

Too bad So Cal doesn't see more rainy days...well, not really...

[porsche4786]

It's not that bad riding in the rain. But I am wondering this...how long will textile stuff last in rain before it gets soaked?

[annguyen1981]

I crack my visor open a bit.  And I do mean A BIT.

Helps keep the water (most of it) out, and the fog off.

[scratch]

It's not that bad riding in the rain. But I am wondering this...how long will textile stuff last in rain before it gets soaked?

Hmm...I'd give it...30 minutes.

I have found that the liner is where the real rain protection is, at least, with Fieldsheer that's true.  I'd still only give it another 30 minutes.

[annguyen1981]

My leather jacket only last about ten minutes and I'm soaked.

[GS Jenn]

I have a squeegee-thing on my left glove, works fabulously, once I got up the guts to let go with one hand at highway speed.

I'm new too, and it rained the first day that I took the bike to work... drove there in bright sun and had to drive home in a downpour. It turned out to be not so bad. Now, the hailstorm I had to ride home through the other night.. that stuff hurt!

[melloGS]

One sunday ride, we rode south on backroad twisties. Ended up near lexington, kentucky...about an hour or so away from home...It started raining. It was about 5:00p.m. with about an hour of daylight left, and i had my smoked visor screen on...We took 75N all the way back home and i was cruisin' 80mph the whole way. Any slower, and cars would pass and vison lost.
As for the water build up on the visor, I remembered reading about rain riding in 'motorcyclist', turning your head to the side to blow the rain off...works the best!

[RVertigo]

how long will textile stuff last in rain before it gets soaked?

It REALLY depends on the gear...

My jacket is "100%" waterproof-breathable (aka Goretex rip-off) with waterproof zippers (yes, they really are)...  But, there's a design flaw...  The "storm flap" between the inner and outer zippers is not waterproof.

So...  I'm bone dry for about 20-30 minutes in pouring rain at freeway speeds...  Then the "strome flap" fails and my chest gets soaked.   But, the rest of me is still dry for at least another 20 minutes or so.

[porsche4786]

I have one of the joe rocket jackets. It does have a double zipper. But my neck still gets wet so it would eventually run down my neck and get me wet. I'm sure my jacket wouldn't last for more than 45 minutes in the rain. Should probably get one of those rain suits and stuff it in my bag.

[scratch]

Dude, you live in Portland, Oregon!  A rainsuit is a must have.

Trust me (uh oh, he said, "trust me"), riding in the rain is a joy seldom experienced by the riding masses, only the few looking for the added challange to learn to be better, smoother riders, and faster when the season changes, while everybody else is trying to remove the cobwebs from their summer dreams, riding on old, now cracked and hardening tires, that's when you - the seasoned rider - emerges as the one who all must catch (up to).
You truely know, when you ride in the rain, the solitude the Ride offers, the isolation through thousands of tiny raindrops, that seperate your body from the steel cocoons around you.  And, you know the comraderie, of others that share your passion, as you ride through the city streets, in the early morn, and the dark nights.  And, the dependabilty, of those who ride with you, in the rain, through the dark mountain passes, on the same twisty, treacherous roads that you all follow summer-long, knowing that the person in front of you, or behind you, has got the same determination, to get home, in one piece, as you do, and the same shaZam!-eating grin you do, as all the cagers look on in mis-placed sympathy, because they can't see you smile.

[porsche4786]

We don't get THAT much rain here! Just as much as a lot of other places. It seems like it drizzles all day more than down pour. For 30 minutes I'm fine with my textile, unless traffic turns into a parking lot.

[3imo]

Dude, you live in Portland, Oregon!  A rainsuit is a must have.

Trust me (uh oh, he said, "trust me"), riding in the rain is a joy seldom experienced by the riding masses, only the few looking for the added challange to learn to be better, smoother riders, and faster when the season changes, while everybody else is trying to remove the cobwebs from their summer dreams, riding on old, now cracked and hardening tires, that's when you - the seasoned rider - emerges as the one who all must catch (up to).
You truely know, when you ride in the rain, the solitude the Ride offers, the isolation through thousands of tiny raindrops, that seperate your body from the steel cocoons around you.  And, you know the comraderie, of others that share your passion, as you ride through the city streets, in the early morn, and the dark nights.  And, the dependabilty, of those who ride with you, in the rain, through the dark mountain passes, on the same twisty, treacherous roads that you all follow summer-long, knowing that the person in front of you, or behind you, has got the same determination, to get home, in one piece, as you do, and the same shaZam!-eating grin you do, as all the cagers look on in mis-placed sympathy, because they can't see you smile.

You OK? Scratch?

[natedawg120]

the rain has been terrible here lately.  My pants have developed the "tear in the crotch" so i need to get new ones.  But i only get wet when it rains like a guy is standing on a bridge with a firehose pointed at you.

[flyingbeagle71]

I've only rode in the rain a couple of times and it is pretty cool.  I don't have waterproof pants yet though, so it got pretty cold pretty quick!

For fogging, try using Cat Crap on the inside of your visor.  I've been using it for a year now and have not had fogging problems since, even in the rain.  Pretty cool stuff.  You might want to stay away from Rain-X, it's not good for your visor.  Something about it weakening the plastic.

[scratch]

You OK? Scratch?

I need to move to Warshington.

[annguyen1981]

I thought that was beautifly writen, Scratch.