Re: Rain gear

Posted by sgtslag on Mar 19, 2013; 1:04pm
URL: http://vintage-and-classic-hondas.81.s1.nabble.com/Rain-gear-tp4038112p4038122.html

We wear vented, waterproof, armored riding jackets.  All-in-one is best, if you want a riding jacket/pants.  We carry vinyl rain suits (jacket and pants), from JC Whitney, around $40 a set, but we only use them if we have to.  We use mink oil on our boots, and leather chaps, which makes them waterproof, as well as conditioning them against everything else.  We only wear the vinyl jackets beneath our armored jackets, if we need the layering for warmth, and windproofing, in the worst conditions.  We rarely put the pants on, unless it is raining moderately (as opposed to lightly), and we have to ride in it; if it rains hard, we stop until it lightens up -- too dangerous to ride in a hard rain due to visibility issues.

In rain conditions, I highly recommend the construction worker, florescent yellow, reflective striped, vest be worn over anything else.  In rain, visibility is very, very poor, for everyone.  Those vests make a huge difference in all conditions, but they are extremely helpful in rain, fog, and at night.

I highly recommend LeatherUp.com, for riding jackets, and pants.  Anything in the $100 range will suffice, unless you have to have the very best.  My son and I went down at 40 MPH in a $100 jacket (me), and an $80 jacket (him):  we both were saved by our jackets, after sliding 40 feet across blacktop.  His jacket was trashed, mine is still in good condition, and it is still serviceable.  YMMV.  Cheers!