Wet Weather Gear

[lb99]

Im looking out the window at the pissing rain, and thinking about how wet I'm gonna get on the ride home.

So- wet weather gear, who reccommends what, I have some scabby old yellow stuff that I found in a shed at work, but its rude, flappy and bulky, and it leaks, so I'm in the market for something better.
Cheap is good, as it will spend most of the time rolled up on the back of the bike, so who reccomends what? how about overgloves so my good ones dont get wet, I saw some Dri-rider stuff on tardme for about $100 is this any good?
should I just buy some cheap crap from the warehouse and modify it to suit,

bearing in mind 1) It hardly ever rains here (except for the last month or so)
2) If I bin it then the gear is rooted (more likely to happen in the rain)

opinions please, what do you guys use?

[Macktheknife]

I keep the 'oh shit I got caught out in shitty weather' stuff under the seat, el cheapo from the warehouse. If I know I'm going out in crap weather I wear the good stuff, fully waterproof Clover gear (cordura) with armour. But the plastics are cheap and good enough if worn over leathers, they dont last but at $10 you can buy more every season.

[Blackbird]

I have an Arlen Ness Goretex jacket which is pretty good but I don't trust it to be absolutely leak proof in heavy rain on a long haul. IMHO, the only certainty is solid plastic and I have a Spool jacket and pants for a little above the price you mentioned which goes over the top of my normal riding gear. This IS 100% waterproof.

Fit is quite important too at open road speeds. On the Blackbird, the Spool jacket used to flap slightly around the shoulders at around 100km/hr and caused helmet shake which was quite distracting. Fortunately, I bought a double bubble screen shortly afterwards and the changed airflow fixed the problem. Wonder how many others have experienced an annoying flap from wet weather gear?

[James Deuce]

I've got the Spool pants that Blackbird is talking about and they are brilliant. I have a Spyke Goretex jacket that I slip a Technoflex Vest over. Solid plastic. Fleece lined. Warm and dry.

[madmal64]

I use an Oxford Bone Dry rain suit. Its a one piece pvc suit that zips from knee to chin so its great to throw over whatever you already have on.
When you are not using it is folds into its self and you can carry it like a bum bag. Its a little large to get under the seat on my bike so if it looks like rain I throw it in my tail bag.
Worked well for me today and yesterday
http://www.oxprod.com/ look under rider wear essentials.
Got mine for under $200.

[Devil]

I've got a DriRider Summit 2 Jacket and pants. Awesome in the wet, not a single leak.
Before that, $7.95 PVC rain pants from the warehouse did an excellent job.

[Swoop]

Dririder pants, Neo jacket (both cordura) bloody brilliant!!
Also - dont forget a neck warmer, these things make the difference!

You just start laughing at the weather riding along!!!

[madboy]

My usual cordura riding gear is waterproof to about 98%, but because it gets so waterlogged in the real wet stuff it takes forever to dry, I choose to run proper wets overtop when I'm expecting big weather. In "it might rain" weather the cordura is fine. I have 100% waterproof pants, I forget the brand, that I bought a couple years back that just that - waterproof pants. Under $100 from memory. No lining, no armour and fit over top of the cordura pants. I have just bought an RJays waterproof jacket to go over the cordura jacket. $54. Works a treat. They had pants too but I didn't need so didn't price sorry. I have Dri-Rider gloves for winter which give crap feel and make riding like an idiot really hard, but so long as you put your jacket wrist over rather than under them, they're warm and waterproof.

I can't say the same for my boots, but I think they just need a clean and re-spray with waterproof stuff.

[Ixion]

..
Fit is quite important too at open road speeds. On the Blackbird, the Spool jacket used to flap slightly around the shoulders at around 100km/hr and caused helmet shake which was quite distracting. Fortunately, I bought a double bubble screen shortly afterwards and the changed airflow fixed the problem. Wonder how many others have experienced an annoying flap from wet weather gear?

My jacket has a hood. When folded up at certain speeds on the naked bikes it vibrates against the helmet. Sounds (and feels) like I'm being machine gunned.

I think it is more or less obligatory in such a thread as this for me to mention GAITERS. From your friendly Army Surplus store. Don't be taken in by tales of waterproof boots. Like the honest politican, possible in theory but unknown in practice.

[Madguitarist!]

I'm presently using Dririder Summit jacket and pants and they work quite well.

Also, check out rain-off gloves
Pretty handing in keeping yer gloves 100% dry!

[crashe]

$7.95 PVC rain pants from the warehouse did an excellent job.

Inflation mate..... the pants are now $8.83 (Yellow or khaki dark green)

Roll them up and attach to the back of the bike - use when needed.

The jacket is only a couple of dollars more.

[Oakie]

Rode thru the worst the West Coast could deliver and my DriRider 'Nordic' pants let not a drop of moisture thru. Brilliant. $150 odd.
In the same weather the PVC 'Xena Warrior Princess' jacket that I got for $15 from Cash Converters kept the top part just as dry from the chin right down to the rude bits. I throw that over the top of the cordura jacket when the rain starts getting heavy.

[Lou Girardin]

Pay the most you can afford. We have had good results from Spidi, Dririder, and Spool is shaping up well.
If you can't afford much, get a one piece oversuit and wear it over your current gear.

[inlinefour]

Ive got a one piece that I picked from the dealer. I have tested it in extreme weather on my DRZ. I cannot remember what the name of it is but if you do want to know I can go and look. I reccomend it to everyone and it folds down that small that it fits into a army surplus sholder strap bag, along with my first aid kit, tyre pando and small tool kit. hink it only cost me about $100-00, well worth the dosh and standard riding gear can be worn underneath the one piece.

[Hawkeye]

I've got a Dririder Hurricane. Best thing I ever got. I've been out in some sh$%e weather and been 100% dry.

Here's a link to a site that sells them and other wet gear.
It's an Aussy site but will at least give you some idea's.

http://werple.net.au/~gary/dririder.htm