Best rainsuit?

[Speedfilm]

I ended up getting a Joe Rocket Phoenix Ion mesh jacket. It has a removable waterproof windbreaker as well as a removable thermal liner. Don't plan on riding when I know it will rain so this seemed like the best choice for occasional showers

 

[TacomaJD]

Girlfriend and I spent 3 days in the mountains near Deals Gap a couple weekends ago on my cruiser. The first two days were perfect weather....the last day, not so much. Started off riding in the rain that day, but it was manageable stopping places to "hide" when it really started to rain hard. We had no rain gear btw. Then after hiding under the visitor center at Fontana Dam, we departed heading up 28 toward Deal's Gap. We left Fontana and in about 5 minutes came the hardest rain I have ever ridden in, and to beat it all, we were on a super curvy road in the woods, shit falling out of trees onto the road (limbs and such), lightning, thundering, wind blowing, it was terrible. Nowhere to pull over and hide between Fontana and Deals Gap. Could barely go 15-20mph in this rain, and luckily there was a truck pulling a boat in front of us that helped me actually see where I needed to go. I had on a half helmet and sunglasses. Between the water on the inside and outside of my glasses and the windshield, I couldn't see a damn thing! The rain drops were hitting my lips so hard it felt like it was piercing them LOL....never rode in rain like that before. Anyways, it took us about 20-25 minutes to make it to Deals Gap, and it had slacked up there, but still raining. Luckily, we had a dry change of clothes in the saddlebags, so that was the first order of business. Then we discovered they had Frogg toggs rain gear for sale inside the store. $90 a set....we each bought a set. We chilled at Deals Gap for about 2 hours while it rained, ate lunch, had a couple beers, etc. Looking back it was kinda fun, but sucked at the time LOL.

When we got ready to leave, we put on our new rain gear and hit the road. It didn't rain a single drop for the next 4 hours. Back down 129, over the Skyway, stopped for food in Tellico at the Ironworks Grill, back out to the interstate and headed south. Finally got to Chattanooga, TN, an hour north of home, and we got to try out our rain gear. Nowhere near as hard as it rained earlier, but it was raining good. Stayed dry the whole hour we rode in the rain. BUT.....once I got home, I noticed all the flapping that Greenboy mentioned, my frogg togg jacket had flapped and the material on the core was all frayed/fuzzy looking. The material isn't really all that durable. I also laid it across my seat when we stopped for gas and the damn collar laid on the rear cylinder head pipe and melted the hell out of it, pissed me off. But such is life sometimes.

Anyways, Frogg Togg is somewhat cheap compared to other options, but fits loose (on me, as I am tall and had to get an xl suit, really needed xl pants and L jacket), but they are lightweight, can pack them small, and I don't plan on riding in the rain all the time so in a rain emergency they are really all I need for now.

 

[Deleted member 5383]

I like the construction of Joe Rocket armor pockets. They are strong and don't float around, and are accessible via the exterior. Still, the way rain can happen here, pulling a jacket off to zip in a rain liner and put it back on means you will already be wet, maybe soaked before the entire operation is completed. Also, the outer jacket gets weighted down with water and takes some time to dry. This is more of a problem if you ride in a climate where the rain is usually accompanied by a drop in temperature or it is cooler out already. Maybe not a problem in climates that don't vary so much in daily temperature.

At least a couple companies have mesh jacket designs whose rain layers can be worn either outside or inside. I think Olympia might have been the first to go that way.

 

[Deleted member 5383]

Girlfriend and I spent 3 days in the mountains near Deals Gap a couple weekends ago on my cruiser. The first two days were perfect weather....the last day, not so much. Started off riding in the rain that day, but it was manageable stopping places to "hide" when it really started to rain hard. We had no rain gear btw. Then after hiding under the visitor center at Fontana Dam, we departed heading up 28 toward Deal's Gap. We left Fontana and in about 5 minutes came the hardest rain I have ever ridden in, and to beat it all, we were on a super curvy road in the woods, shit falling out of trees onto the road (limbs and such), lightning, thundering, wind blowing, it was terrible. Nowhere to pull over and hide between Fontana and Deals Gap. Could barely go 15-20mph in this rain, and luckily there was a truck pulling a boat in front of us that helped me actually see where I needed to go. I had on a half helmet and sunglasses. Between the water on the inside and outside of my glasses and the windshield, I couldn't see a damn thing! The rain drops were hitting my lips so hard it felt like it was piercing them LOL....never rode in rain like that before.

Some of that sounds a bit familiar ; }

Dirty pavement water/splashes coming off of the tires of fast-moving traffic fro a prolonged period can be a real downer too. Wiping the visor every three seconds with your glove (if you're lucky it has a decent thumb or finger squeegee) while the pavement is running like a flash flood is about to happen and visibility is about nil anyway, can be wearing.

 

[Deleted member 5383]

Though actually some of the worst rain days I've had have been off the pavement. Then it's nice to have rain gear that can take some abuse.

 

[dduelin]

Girlfriend and I spent 3 days in the mountains near Deals Gap a couple weekends ago on my cruiser. The first two days were perfect weather....the last day, not so much. Started off riding in the rain that day, but it was manageable stopping places to "hide" when it really started to rain hard. We had no rain gear btw. Then after hiding under the visitor center at Fontana Dam, we departed heading up 28 toward Deal's Gap. We left Fontana and in about 5 minutes came the hardest rain I have ever ridden in, and to beat it all, we were on a super curvy road in the woods, shit falling out of trees onto the road (limbs and such), lightning, thundering, wind blowing, it was terrible. Nowhere to pull over and hide between Fontana and Deals Gap. Could barely go 15-20mph in this rain, and luckily there was a truck pulling a boat in front of us that helped me actually see where I needed to go. I had on a half helmet and sunglasses. Between the water on the inside and outside of my glasses and the windshield, I couldn't see a damn thing! The rain drops were hitting my lips so hard it felt like it was piercing them LOL....never rode in rain like that before. Anyways, it took us about 20-25 minutes to make it to Deals Gap, and it had slacked up there, but still raining. Luckily, we had a dry change of clothes in the saddlebags, so that was the first order of business. Then we discovered they had Frogg toggs rain gear for sale inside the store. $90 a set....we each bought a set. We chilled at Deals Gap for about 2 hours while it rained, ate lunch, had a couple beers, etc. Looking back it was kinda fun, but sucked at the time LOL.

When we got ready to leave, we put on our new rain gear and hit the road. It didn't rain a single drop for the next 4 hours. Back down 129, over the Skyway, stopped for food in Tellico at the Ironworks Grill, back out to the interstate and headed south. Finally got to Chattanooga, TN, an hour north of home, and we got to try out our rain gear. Nowhere near as hard as it rained earlier, but it was raining good. Stayed dry the whole hour we rode in the rain. BUT.....once I got home, I noticed all the flapping that Greenboy mentioned, my frogg togg jacket had flapped and the material on the core was all frayed/fuzzy looking. The material isn't really all that durable. I also laid it across my seat when we stopped for gas and the damn collar laid on the rear cylinder head pipe and melted the hell out of it, pissed me off. But such is life sometimes.

Anyways, Frogg Togg is somewhat cheap compared to other options, but fits loose (on me, as I am tall and had to get an xl suit, really needed xl pants and L jacket), but they are lightweight, can pack them small, and I don't plan on riding in the rain all the time so in a rain emergency they are really all I need for now.

My first trip to Deals Gap in 2006 was a rain event much like you describe riding up 28 toward the Tail of the Dragon. Wearing glasses was worse than removing them and going without - and no place to really stop for our little group we just kept on in foggy mist. In those three days it rained all three days. In the intervening years I come to expect rain during spring and summer trips to the Smokies. Maybe not constant rain but often spotty showers on the uplifting side of an area of mountains or ridges. It's part of the trip and has never rained out going. The good roads are everywhere in all directions so if the forecast is high probability in one area we or I just head in another direction that day.

I guess I have been lucky with Frogg Toggs in that they fit pretty snugly over my body size over mesh gear and don't flap much in the wind. The pant cuffs do wear holes from flogging but they are over my boot tops and don't matter.

During my May trip this year it was sunny riding up from Two Wheels Only in Suches but the on last bit of 28 at about a mile from the Dragon gas station it began pouring. It rained hard half way across the Dragon then quit and the sun came out. Not wearing Frogg Toggs that day.

View attachment 2923621.jpg

After the rain stopped.



October a couple years ago we took the Wing up there. Brenda is wearing F Toggs pants over mesh pants. Look at the trees in the background and you can just make out the leaning left tree, this is the exact same corner as above. Experienced hard rain coming down the Foothills Parkway just prior to crossing the Dragon. We expected to overtake Ichabod Crane at any moment:

 

[TacomaJD]

Cool post and cool bikes Dave! The 2nd hardest rain I've ever ridden in was on the way back from Deal's Gap the 2nd time I ever went up there and it sometime in 2006, could have been the same weekend! LOL. We caught the rain on the interstate between Cleveland and Ooltewah heading south.

I guess I've been lucky lately as I have been to Deals Gap several times in the past few years and it's been good weather almost every time minus a light shower here and there. Guess I was due for a good soaking.

 

[Janus]

Some of that sounds a bit familiar ; }

Dirty pavement water/splashes coming off of the tires of fast-moving traffic fro a prolonged period can be a real downer too. Wiping the visor every three seconds with your glove (if you're lucky it has a decent thumb or finger squeegee) while the pavement is running like a flash flood is about to happen and visibility is about nil anyway, can be wearing.

I use a rain-x product for visors, it's excellent and makes riding in the rain almost fun. I don't remember who actually makes it, but I got it at cycle gear. It's a cleaner and water repellent. I use it year round. Highly recommend it

 

[dduelin]

I use a rain-x product for visors, it's excellent and makes riding in the rain almost fun. I don't remember who actually makes it, but I got it at cycle gear. It's a cleaner and water repellent. I use it year round. Highly recommend it

Plexus or Honda Spray Polish does a credible job keeping water streaming off a visor.

 

[Deleted member 5383]

I've used a couple different plastic-safe visor/windscreen solutions. They work well enough, but my visor and screen get frequently cleaned because of massive bug buildup or dust, and the solutions really don't stick around too long when that's the case. It is cool to see the solutions working at higher speeds though...

 

[670cc]

Plexus or Honda Spray Polish does a credible job keeping water streaming off a visor.

Agree. Honda polish=$, Plexus=$$$$. Both work pretty much the same.

 

[dduelin]

Agree. Honda polish=$, Plexus=$$$$. Both work pretty much the same.

I can find the Honda stuff on sale for $4.00 a can. Plexus got too expensive for me. When the current can is gone it's gone.

 

[Rapturee]

Yeah, Greg,

Same with mesh and quick dry underlayers. Here, sometimes up high even when it's been hot the temperature drops rapidly and that's when I hit the raingear. And of course in the other seasons, when it's not only serves as raingear but as another thermal layer as well. I snagged killer deals on a Dainese Storm stretch jacket that doesn't flap in the wind even at NC high speeds, very visible in poor visibility and looks good and un-baggy, and a Gore-tex Paclite pant from Cabelas. Never been in the slightest bit wet even in torrential downpours. I might have gotten the Dainese Storm pant had Cabelas not had such a good offer on the pants I got. I've seen a lot of other good products though.

LOL, who are you kidding Dave.!!?? I've lived in Montana and they only have two seasons and two seasons only... Winter and Construction AHHAHAHAAAAA!!! :{P

 

[Deleted member 8387]

I've had this Nelson-Rigg for at least 7 years now and it has held up nicely. It keeps you completely dry

SR-6000 Stormrider Motorcycle Rain Suit

SR-6000 Stormrider Motorcycle Rain Suit Motorcycle Raingear 2-piece 100% waterproof motorcycle rain suit Ventilation system allows air circulation Soft polyester outer shell with PVC backing Jacket has full-length zipper with self-fastening storm flap Pants feature elasticized waist band and...

www.nelsonrigg.com

With that being said, it does get clammy and on my last roadtrip in July through three storms in LA, TN and MS, it was very clammy. I only put this on when I leave the house if it is already raining. If not, I agree with others that I just ride through it if it's not heavy. Otherwise, I stop at an underpass, a covered bank teller lane that is closed, a hotel portico, etc... and put it on then. On some occasions I can ride and then get dry when it clears up. Other times, like when I am riding to DFW to take a shuttle and fly for business, I have to arrive dry. Whatever. This is solid gear.

 

[Deleted member 8387]

On a side note, you can see it strapped to the back of my bike in my avatar photo

 

[Hank]

I just use cheap Frogg Toggs. I replace them regularly. I would rather do that than melt an expensive pair on the muffler or tear them on a tree or a peg.
The best I have ever experienced are those Harley Davidson ones. I don’t know who makes them for HD, but they are great.
If you watch the YouTube channel “Itchyboots” she just finished a ride through Iceland and it pretty much rained the whole time. I think she uses Klim.

 

[LeeInMpls]

I have Frogg Togs pants and boot covers and a yellow Columbia rain coat. I may spring for a Frogg Togs jacket too.

 

[FezUSA]

I have the Olympia Rain gear. My summer gear and my cold weather gear all have the liners, but if it's raining more than a mist I will put on the Olympia. I will also use it in the fog. The hi-viz just makes it worth the extra few minutes to put over my regular gear. I've had it for a few years now and have been very happy with it. Stashes pretty small too!