Ride Safely in the Rain
A Motorcycle rain suit is a necessity for all motorcycle riders. Even during a bright and sunny day, bringing your motorcycle rain gear is still a must because you can’t really trust the weather to cooperate with your plans. Once you are prepared for riding through a downpour, you can turn this situation into a fun and exciting experience. How?
There are things you need to remember when riding in the rain.
First, you need to stay safe. How? By staying safe means you need to remember that this is not your usual riding condition thus you need to be extra careful. Remember the importance of traction, of being seen by other riders and especially car drivers, and make sure that you can see the road and don’t overdrive your headlights or drive in bad visibility.
Second, you need to dress properly. This means that you need to carry along with you a motorcycle rain suit. A complete set of motorcycle rain gear will consist of a motorcycle rain suit, waterproof boots, pants, jackets, gloves, goggles and boots or boot covers. When it comes to rain suits, you have two choices: one piece and two piece rain suit. Both are very effective in keeping you dry and warm while riding in the rain because both are water resistant and will provide protection against the cold wind and the splashing mist from other vehicles. The only difference between these two is personal comfort and ease of entry.
- A one piece motorcycle rain suit is like a jumpsuit made from leather, nylon or polyester. Because it is a one piece suit, getting in and out of it can be a struggle especially if there’s no one to assist you. Often you can wear this suit under or over another jacket.
- Two piece motorcycle rain suits are very popular to most motorcycle riders. They consist of a motorcycle jacket and pants thus allowing you to wear the jacket or pants alone when the weather allows it. However, because it’s a two piece suit, water can enter around the waist of the suit, if not properly fit.
In order to avoid this kind of problem you need to choose a suit that fits perfectly to your body. The pants should have an elastic waist so that you can wear it over or above your existing clothes. The legs of the pants must have hook-and-loop closure and zipper to allow you to put on your boots. Aside from that, it is ideal to choose motorcycle rain pants with heat resistant inner lining to keep you warm and dry even if it rains.
Next is the motorcycle jacket which must fit well to your body. Loose jackets can be a problem because the seams will flap against the wind and will let water to seep through to your clothes. Some riders prefer a jacket with a hood especially for prolong exposure in the rain. Your motorcycle jacket can be made from treated leather, hi-tech synthetics like nylon and polyester, or denim (though you should be cautious of assuming anything but nylon or synthetics will be really water proof).
Whether you are a veteran or newbie rider, being aware of the loss of traction, and managing the limited visibility for you and other drivers while wearing a complete motorcycle rain suit will help you ride safely in the rain.