Which rain gear?

I am looking to get my riding gear up to snuff, specially for all-weather riding this year. I don't want the weather to dictate when I ride: I want to ride when I want, just have to have the gear for rain if that's what it is doing that day.
There's such a variety of rain gear that I'm feeling lost.
What would help is your suggestions as to what brands have worked for you, and what you would not recommend.
I live in New Brunswick, and it is fairly cool year-round, so I have to keep that in mind.
I also ride a Shadow, so I need room in the seat for straddling, etc.
Thank you.

I ride year around in Seattle. Frogg Toggs Rain Gear and my motorcycle coat is water proof.

I wear my electric heated gear underneath the Frog Toggs and I am good to go.

Don't Frogg stuff flap in the wind?? and how about rubber boots? Try something like Darien Jacket and pants from Aerostich, not cheap but work in all weathers. Aerostich also has rubber over boots that not only keep feet dry but add a layer of warmth when cold. Darien jacket works down to about 20F with right stuff underneath, pants good for me at all low temps with long underwear.

At least US market SilverWings do not have plug in socket.

I have been using Frogg Toggs with good results for many years. I have never had a problem with them flapping in the wind, but mine do fit me snugly, but not tightly. One has to make sure the velcro fasteners at the arms & feet are properly closed.

However, where I live and do most of my riding I don't encounter that much rain. On the majority of my trips my rain suit remains tucked away, but easily accessible. They are extremely light, don't take up much room and are comparatively inexpensive. If I lived and rode in climates with cooler average temperatures and more rain, I might consider something like John suggested. It all depends on how often you expect to get cold/wet and how much you want to invest.

This topic is 'Do you scoot in the rain?’ Part 2.

It's simple, choose one-piece or two-piece, breathable or non breathable material. Waterproofs in non breathable material like PVC coated nylon can get wet on the inside with condensation, but if you're only doing short rides you can live with that.  Then you try on a few choices for size to see how easy you can get them on and off when wearing your riding gear. Then it's all down to personal preferences like pockets, reflective patches, type of zips, rain hoods, etc.

I wear a fetching black and yellow two-piece ensemble in a breathable material that is mesh lined. It has a foldaway rain hood and collar that means when I put my helmet on over the top of it, no water gets in around the neck area. I bought mine from the Polo store in Göttingen in Germany about seven years ago. I also recommend Rain-Off waterproof gloves, I have a pair of 2x2 finger gloves to wear with lobster claw winter gloves, and pair of 1x3 finger gloves I normally use.

I have found that riding behind the Airflow at speed I can get away with just a rain jacket and normal gloves.

Thanks, guys. I guess I need a fairly snug fitting suit but with room to move in, preferably of a breathable material. I never thought of the "flap" factor, but I know that can get really annoying, not to mention damaging to the fabric. I am off cruising Ebay.

My frog toggs never flapped or leaked.  I can wear them alone or over my jeans.  Light weight.... with elastic closures on the wrists and the pants have zippers on the bottom to allow one to put them on without removing shoes.  

I also haul along a scooter lap blanket made by Piaggio that will keep the rain out.  It straps on over my coat at the waist and covers my legs.  There are a few velcro fastners that are put on the bike and the lap blanket adheres to the bike.  Very comfortable.



My riding boots are water proof and the tread is oil resistant.  Also my boots have shank protection, which means if your toe is pushed backwards, it won't bend backwards.  Comfortable, reasonable protection and look ok. There is a little reflective piping on the side of the boot for better visibility.

My boots are made by Bilt and are on sale right now for $59.00  Check the link below:

Boots

lalee wrote:

I also haul along a scooter lap blanket made by Piaggio that will keep the rain out.

Cool and sophisticated.

Colin B wrote:

lalee wrote:

I also haul along a scooter lap blanket made by Piaggio that will keep the rain out.

Cool and sophisticated.

Yeah, if you're a city commuter and want to just wear a waterproof bike jacket over your business suit, and cover your trousers and smart brogues. There were dozens of such riders using scooter aprons when Mrs M and myself were in a rather rainy Paris last autumn.

They're not so good out on the open road, at speed, and with strong winds about. I bought a Bagster scooter apron for my Helix a number of years ago, it was excellent quality, black heavy duty grained PVC with a thick tan fur lining. It was a bit fiddly to fit and the printed instructions were in French, badly copied and a very similar to what you expect from Givi.

Off the Helix it was great, you could cover both rider and passenger seats from rain and frost, and if you weren't going to use the apron you could roll it up and tie it back below the handlebars like a tent flap.

Out on the road it was fine up to a point, you wore the front part of the apron, well like an apron with a bib. You had to remember to draw your feet back from the FF position and out from under the apron when stopping.

Out on a fast 'A' road or motorway it was a lot different, the long low Helix was always a bit twitchy in crosswinds, or pushing through the turbulence of heavy trucks. To me the scooter apron made this a lot worse and a couple of times it was downright sphincter puckering scary in strong sudden crosswinds.    

Of course it might have just been me being a wuss, or had it fitted incorrectly but I took it off a couple of weeks later and never used it again. To be honest, it wasn't really needed at all as my riding gear coped well enough with the British winter.

It sat in it's box for at least 10 years after that and looked just like new. I sold it to a big Helix fan a couple of years ago along with a Sprint Manufacturing screen made in the UK especially for the Helix.

Adding rain gear/cold weather gear is something you build on with experience----anybody who rides every day, takes long trip has been good and wet and cold without proper gear----trailer bikers tend to hide under bridges or overpasses,, but they can get wet/cold, too.

Easiest is your everyday riding outfit be wind/weather/waterproof/provide some protection as you fall off----and then there is no hassle when it turn wet or cold, you just ride on, maybe adding rubber boots or if you are lucky have waterproof boots that really work (did have a pr of expensive Wolverine that were really dry for 8 hrs in rain.) Darien Lite jacket and pants do work well for these purposes----jacket even good (comfortable up to 90 degrees F) in hot weather. So I do not carry "rain gear"---I already have it on.

POLO in Germany was mentioned---very handy stop for good/low price stuff---my wife has nice fitting POLO 2 piece riding outfit---that handles weather well. In US we have "Cycle Gear" that appears to be lower cost end for stuff. Canada I am not sure.

As always on bike/scooter traveling light as you can=works. Done right you can solve the rain/wet/warm with the right outfit.

Lobster claw mitts---waterproof=work, mine are from Aerostich catalog. They work to keep you dry and in extreme cold with right liners are warm,too. Easy to pack.

Meldrew wrote:

To me the scooter apron .... was downright sphincter puckering scary.

Especially when you pull to a stop and your feet gat caught in the under-belly strap!!!  

  

Guess how I know?        I forget which make it was ... I gave it away.

My scooter blanket is heavy and stays in place. I have ridden the scooter at 60 mph with it on and it does flap on the sides some and the front tends to want to fill up with some air, but it stays in place. I wouldn't use it if I was traveling any distance at highway speeds, but it if excellent in town.

I bought my scooter blanket for $100 tax included and I glad I bought it and I would recommend it as well. I have never tried it on a non step through motorcycle, but I think it would add some warmth in that application too.

Whatever you buy has to be a one piece. If you ride for a long time, water will eventually climb "up yours" and you will wonder why you are wet and cold. I paid about 70 for my suit and boots covers. Oh yes and you have to get the next number up since you may be wearing it in top of your motorcycle gear.

LN wrote:

Whatever you buy has to be a one piece. If you ride for a long time, water will eventually climb "up yours" and you will wonder why you are wet and cold.

I don't see how that can happen on a two-piece waterproofs, there's no water absorbent liner in the jacket to wick water up past the usually high waist band of the trousers. It can happen around the neck if you don't fasten the collar up tight enough or have a scarf or Buff poking up above it.

The weak spot on one-piece waterproofs is the crotch area, if the rain flap isn't 100% sealed water will find it's way through.

LN wrote:

Whatever you buy has to be a one piece. If you ride for a long time, water will eventually climb "up yours" and you will wonder why you are wet and cold. I paid about 70 for my suit and boots covers. Oh yes and you have to get the next number up since you may be wearing it in top of your motorcycle gear.

I agree with you when you see a storm coming and have time to put it on. Try riding in that suite all day and see if you can stand yourself after a long days ride. When I lived in South Dakota, I hauled around a full rain suite that wasn't too breathable.

I have learned how to ride year around in SEATTLE. The winner of the Superbowl and where it rains all day, when it rains but rarely has wind driven rain. Just a sprinkling all day long.

One has to have ventilation in the garb or it will become very uncomfortable in a short order.

Here.... summer rains, Frog Togg bottoms. Winter rains, Frog Toggs and Scooter Blanket.

I recall an overnight trip last summer my wife and i had on the SW. On the return trip in the morning the skies were unpredictably overcast and threatening in the direction we had to travel in. Not being a fan of ever riding in the rain we had no rain protection with us, being the weather was supposed to be "sunny". We found the closest Walmart and got two of their mid grade rainsuits. I think they were around $20 each and were neatly packaged in a small square nylon bag. It turned out we didnt get any rain. I now leave the rainsuits in the topbox at all times . Now when it looks like rain it helps to prevent the missus from punching me in the back and screaming things like "should have stayed home", "i hate this", "you and your stupid ideas", "we couldnt take the car could we" . Nice to know the suits are there as a backup plan  

Here is a company that makes quality stuff. I have had their "Gators" for years and they are great.

http://roadgear.com/euro-sport-gaiters-p-131.html