Learning to Love It

Let’s face it the world is two thirds water, so we are bound to encounter rain at some point on our two wheeled expeditions. Developing strategies to make the most of those times just makes our adventure that much more memorable.

Motorcycling in the Rain — While the rain does reduce visibility, it also most often reduces road going traffic which can be a plus when you’ve got a lot of miles to cover.

The Road

Rain slick roads have a surprising amount of traction. Watching your favorite GP racers turning laps in the rain will convince you of that. However you should always reduce your speed until you learn just how much traction a wet road surface can provide your particular bike and tire combination. You should be particularly weary of oil drips that can significantly compromise your traction. Oil and water doesn’t mix and cars have a nasty habit of depositing oil right in the middle of the lane. So while it is good advise to stay off the middle of the lane most of the time, it is especially important when the roads are wet.

Luggage

There are many good options for waterproofing how you store your clothes, food and camping gear. Dry bags inside these Tusk Pilot saddlebags and Nelson-Rigg’s 15L dry bags are two good ways to stay happy when it’s time to set up camp. The memories are definitely better when you can retire for the evening in a warm dry sleeping bag.

If something needs to be dry when you set up camp, like your sleeping bag and camping pillow, be sure it travels in a dry bag or in your waterproof luggage.

Caution! if you keep your cell phone plugged in while riding, UNPLUG that phone at the first sign of rain! The water can fry your phones charging port…yep that’s experience talking :)

What to wear

If you’ve ever been caught in a downpour wearing riding gear that is anything less than totally waterproof, you know just how wet you can get by their time you arrive at your destination. Fortunately there is a wide variety of good quality riding gear that provides waterproofing either through a separate liner or on a full time basis using fabrics that are waterproof and breathable. Foremost among these are products made with Gore-Tex fabric, sure there are products just as good as, but as of yet I haven’t found anything better.

For those of you who have already invested in riding gear that is less than waterproof but want to avoid the cost of the all new gear, a more budget friendly option is to add a rain suit to your luggage or tank bag, that you can throw on over your existing riding gear. Of course this does add a measure of inconvenience, since you will have to stop, find your suit and put it on. In most cases this needs to happen while you’re being rained on.

With thoughtful features like corduroy on the collar, velcro adjustable straps and exterior pockets Nelson-Rigg offers several rain suit options in addition to matching boot covers, all of which help you get where you’re going despite the rain.
Check it out at the following link or at most major motorcycle accessory retailers:

**Amazon**
**Revzilla**

Riding gear with Gore-Tex during rain — Riding gear with Gore-Tex is a great idea because it keeps the rain out while also letting moisture escape through the fabric. Currently there are other fabrics that claim to deliver similar performance but I have yet to try something that works equally as well. In a downpour I am aiming to arrive at my destination dry and comfortable, so I’m staying with what works for now.

Gore-Tex, This waterproof, windproof and breathable material has pores 700 times larger than a water vapor but 20,000 times smaller than a water molecule, so sweat vapor can escape but rain can’t find it’s way in.

There are no shortage of Gore-Tex riding gear to choose from nowadays. I encourage you to find the right gear for your type of riding, body shape and budget.
I have personally had great luck with the Klim Carlsbad riding gear for the last two seasons. This Jacket is basically a shell with D30 impact protection.

With good sized zippers, and a handy hook on each shoulder to keep the collar open, this jacket is surprisingly versatile.
Check it out at the following link or at most major motorcycle accessory retailers:
**Amazon**
**Revzilla**

Klim Adventure GTX Boot: ADV gear — Boots are hit and miss based on the size and shape of your feet and calfs. The bottom line is that some brands will fit and some won’t.
Loaded with features the Klim Adventure GTX Boot is a purposed built ADV boot that should be on your list to check out.

Check them out at the following link or at most major motorcycle accessory retailers:
**Amazon**
**Revzilla**

ADV gear for rain: Klim Adventure GTX Short Gloves — Gloves can be a great source of discomfort especially as the temperature drops. Keeping your digits dry will make your day a lot more enjoyable. Here again, many more affordable choices will come with a Hipora lining which is windproof, waterproof, and breathable. However, if your budget can handle it, opting for a Gore-Tex glove like the Klim ADV GTX never disapoint.
These Klim Adventure GTX Short Gloves are absolutely bomb proof and sure to keep you dry and happy.

Feel free to check them out at the following link or at most major motorcycle accessory retailers:
**Amazon**
**Revzilla**

Next time it rains…don’t park it…ride it!

The Final Word

With a little planning and preparation, you won’t need to put your adventure ride on pause next time it rains. In fact you might just find that some of your best memories are better with a little water added.