Things have moved on a bit, I just wasn't paying attention.

[retro asian]

I did about 2000km's on the trip down and back....about a third of the trip through the rain.

My brand new "IXION"...oops I mean "IXON" one piece rain suit did the job perfectly...kept me warm and dry for only $90.

I won't ever tour without it now, it's well worth shelling out a bit of cash for!!

[Blackbird]

....$900 jacket had turned translucent and was not only letting the water in it was bloody wicking it in.

......My six month old armored Pants, never before used in the rain, were as wet on the inside as they were on the outside.

......My brand new $600 waterproof boots, we're talking maiden voyage here, had water sloshing around inside within 15 minutes, I mean WTF.

ing bike acrobatics in a virtual river, incredible.

My cordura gear isn't fully waterproof either Martin. On seriously long rides like the GC etc, the only thing which works completely is my Spool plastic 2-piece which I pull over the top of the cordura or leathers. Cost me around $200 about 5 years ago. You do get a bit sticky inside when it's warm, but it keeps out the rain. My SIDI boots are still 100% dry after 5 years. Rain-Off overmitts totally take care of the hands.

I rode on wednesday from wellington.

So how did you find the Blackbird on the long haul Dushy?

[Quasievil]

Rode back in the pissing rain, had my Qmoto Leathers on and a Qmoto one piece over suit, Diadora $200 adventure boots, leather gloves with a plastic bag over each one, got home after raining all day, dry as a bone.

one piece over suit cannot be beaten.

[rphenix]

Revit curve overpants + jacket doesnt leak at all. Extremely easy to get in and out the large valcro wrap arounds at the bottom of the legs make it really easy to take the overpants off without taking the boots off first not to mention make it easy to put the overpants on when your trying to do so on the side of the highway!

[sunhuntin]

ive got rjays jacket and pants... both are wonderful in the wet. not a drop gets through... only now and then one will find its way in at the collar and snake its way down. i got caught in quite heavy rain on the way home, enough for the drops to hurt my legs a bit, but not a single leak.
i was wearing steel cap sneakers cos my boots shit themselves, and they didnt leak either. i had tested them out by washing vehicles with a leaky hose, and the only entry point is at the laces, but its more of a "i can feel they are wet, but there doesnt seem to be a leak."

my gloves on the other hand are SHIT! at times, my hands are warmer without them when its raining. gotta get some new ones eventually.

[martybabe]

There's an awful lot of votes going for cheep plasticy over suits isn't there, I think that's the way to go. I've thrown too much money at this problem over the years trying to do it all in one, maybe good safety gear covered by a cheep impenetrable layer is the solution.

There was a time when wet crotches held some appeal for me but thems is just memories these days

Big ups to the modern bikes/tyres/brakes though, it sends a shiver down my spine when I remember how useless the old bikes/tyres/brakes were in the wet. Picture riding on ball bearings and dragging your foot on the tarmac to stop, a thing of the past thankfully.

[fliplid]

Big ups to the modern bikes/tyres/brakes though, it sends a shiver down my spine when I remember how useless the old bikes/tyres/brakes were in the wet. Picture riding on ball bearings and dragging your foot on the tarmac to stop, a thing of the past thankfully.

Been there, done that, worn the pie!!!

[Blackbird]

There's an awful lot of votes going for cheep plasticy over suits isn't there, I think that's the way to go.

The suit I bought is a tad too big and used to flap round the shoulders a bit on the 'bird over 120 km/hr. Might be different on the Striple being naked. That's the only criticism though.

[jade]

I actually enjoy rain riding believe it or not, particulary if your gear is up to it
It lets you test how far you can lean and also lets you spin it up a bit, you can lean... further than you think

[xwhatsit]

Safety shop jacket, army surplus boots, warehouse $12 pants.

Road from Palmy to Auckland on Wednesday, not a leak. Home warm and dry.

Took many years to find the right combination though.

Only dampness was when I was chopping up the trees across the road, the water on the branches over my head ran down my neck (i'd taken the helmet and jacket off, cos I got hot doing all that chopping with a blunt hatchet.)

You had a fookin' great fairing, but. And the world's thickest hazvest.

God I would've given any amount of money to have swapped bikes when you nipped past me and the red truck just after the railway line (somewhere 150kms either side of Taihape?). Doubly so for your panniers with toolkit after I fouled the (one and only) spark plug coming up to National Park and could only manage 65kph.

A boot full of icy water and cold-numbed knees don't help a bit when the bike kicks back after your put the plug back in but forget the spark lead until 10 kicks later.

Anyhow, no trouble with tyres, thank Christ I didn't have anything else to deal with -- now, these brakes, you speak of, I'm intrigued and wish to subscribe to your newsletter.

[Flip]

Dont like riding in the rain myself, probably now because I wear glasses and can't see squat when the weather is really bad.

I rode south past Christchurch on Wednesday seems like I had the best weather, rode through a little rain but nothing to wory about. I also have one of those big touring cop screens which helps heaps.

I have a Dririder rain coat and over pants, seem to work and take up little space. Gloves dont work heated bars are a must have on all my bikes.

[Ixion]

You had a fookin' great fairing, but. And the world's thickest hazvest.

God I would've given any amount of money to have swapped bikes when you nipped past me and the red truck just after the railway line (somewhere 150kms either side of Taihape?). Doubly so for your panniers with toolkit after I fouled the (one and only) spark plug coming up to National Park and could only manage 65kph.

A boot full of icy water and cold-numbed knees don't help a bit when the bike kicks back after your put the plug back in but forget the spark lead until 10 kicks later.

Anyhow, no trouble with tyres, thank Christ I didn't have anything else to deal with -- now, these brakes, you speak of, I'm intrigued and wish to subscribe to your newsletter.

Ah, I wondered if that was you. Didn't seem likely that there'd be two such lunatics in the country.

[xwhatsit]

Ah, I wondered if that was you. Didn't seem likely that there'd be two such lunatics in the country.

Two such lunatics riding slow enough bikes to be overtaken by a senile old bastard on an ancient rusting Krautcycle with the engine the wrong way around?

Yeah, only me.

[Big Dave]

Two such lunatics riding slow enough bikes to be overtaken by a senile old bastard on an ancient rusting Krautcycle with the engine the wrong way around?

Yeah, only me.

I real man would have taken the 50.

[xwhatsit]

I real man would have taken the 50.

Too reliable by half. Need something that properly vibrates and mists oil all over one's left boot.

What were you on? There were a plethora of long-haired cavemen around riding agricultural implements, so for once you were inconspicuous.