Rain Ride

[Wildgoose]

Hi All,

Couple of weeks ago I finnaly ran out of luck on the Sport. Most of my road riding is done on either the Cal III or my old dependable G5. The Cali has a National Cycle Plexifaring III and the G5 has a full boat original Pacifico Shadow Classic frame mount. No problems in the rain with these set ups. But the Sport has a CF fly screen. Being an 02' VllS this amounts to no rain portection at all. Well for the most part I have never had to deal with any real rain riding on this bike until now. Got cought at the Nebraska Guzzi campout two weeks ago in what was a full weekend of moderate to heavy rain. Had to ride home a few hundred miles in a steady down pour. After all of the things I have heard about Sports and water I was just a little unsure of how the bike would handle it. Well, it was not a big deal. The bike ran with out missing a beat, handled great no matter how much water I ran though. I would do it agin with out a thought. On the other hand I did find a few flaws with my rain suit and gloves. For sport bike riding in the rain anyone have some suggestions for a suit and gloves that can handle the job. Mine sure didn't.

Goose

[docc]

My Aerostich is really quite good , but as a two piece it has a big ( 8") opening right over the belly. It takes about 45 minutes of steady downpour at high speeds to feel totally incontinent. I'm riding to the NCmountains this weekend and it looks like we'll be coming back into a cold front. I'mtaking the bib attachment for the pants hoping that this will make a difference.

 

For gloves I have some excellent Gore-tex/Cordura gauntlets made by North Face for ski patrol. Then I learned not to wear them over the sleeeves as water is poured into the glove.

 

Ridng with your little fingers in a pool of water does strange things to your hypothalamus.

[Wildgoose]

You bring up an interesting point. I did in fact wear my Olympic GoreTex gloves outside and over my rain suit sleeves. This may be why they so totally failed to remain dry. Maybe I need to give them another chance under the cuffs.

Goose

[Martin Barrett]

I think the whole ethos of gloves has changed from over to under the cuff The length of the gloves cuff seems to be shorter these days.

I must admit I'm an over the cuff man. I think some might run down the sleave inside the glove. But I say go faster and the wind will push it up and away. Conversley if worn cuff over, doesn't the rain get pushed up the inside of the sleave? I will have oportunity to try this out this afternoon on the way to work. I know I will get a wet mid section I will be looking at new gear at the bike show in October.

[mdude]

If driving in wet and sometimes cold conditions is what you do; look to Rukka. Driving gear from Finland, pricey but with a quality that even surpasses BMW gear.

For autumn riding in Norway (with tmeps down to 5-10C) Ive got a pair of double layer GoreTex insulated gloves thats made locally (no real brand) which are just excellent. warm and dry and stands up to anything. Theyre even cheap. BMW produce similar qualitites (at three times the price...). Goretex and Thinsulate are the features to look for.

And over the cuff gloves. With gloves under the cuff water will seep in, guaranteed.

[Guest Nogbad]

I have some "Racer" "Pluvio" goretex rain gloves. These have an outer "over" gauntlet cuff with a drain mesh underneath for any water that runs down your jacket sleeve. There is also an inner cuff of the same length made with neoprene wet suit material, that goes under your sleeve and is sealed to the inner glove.

 

If you put them on properly - They work.

[Alex-Corsa]

For sport bike riding in the rain anyone have some suggestions for a suit and gloves that can handle the job. Mine sure didn't.

Goose

 

For rain coat I use these Nylon-polyester clothing that you can wear on top of te clothes.It is better o be equipped with a fabric net inside, so when taking them in or out won't stuck at the leather (or what ever else you may wear) .Always the sleeves of the rain coat have to came OVER the glove ends. Gloves that have extra inside membrane are more whaterproof than anything else.Or any other glove won't work as well and will get water inside after a couple of hours in the rain (more or less).

Waterproffing the clothes and the gloves with these foams and so on does the trick for little rain rides, it then becomes water repealent , though not water proof.

In my way to Mandello , last weekend I had to travel in rain for the last 2-3 hours before and after StGottardo the heavens have opened pouring lots of water.The rain coat did it's job perfect though I had my Sp1 gloves (Alpinestars) made to be water repealent ..Water did came through them, but it wasn't like I have thrown them into a sink filled with water, the water repealent liquid had done it's job and few water passed through.