Never been in the Rain

[Jagster]

I hate riding in the rain. If I am just out on a casual cruise, I will turn around to avoid it, if possible. But on a trip? She gets a good bath when we get home. I have never had a problem with corrosion. Wax and detail sprays are your friend. Hopefully, some of our British and NW US people can chime in. They deal with wet weather all the time.

UK rider here.

I have a cupboard full of riding gear that i've built up over many years of riding bikes.

In addition to leathers I have a number of different types of wet weather gear such as over-trousers and one piece over-suits. I have an expensive fully waterproof two piece textile riding suit with full armour and zip-out thermal liner by Rukka, in Finland...the most expensive gear I own.
I've got fully waterproof short boots, tall boots. Ones with deep treaded soles (UK army style) and smoother soled racing inspired road/touring boots. I've got over-spats to put over non waterproof footwear. Short summer gloves (still waterproof) Heated gloves. thermal lined gauntlet style gloves Over mits.
Thin neck-tubes, thick neck-tubes, neoprene neck tube (for the wettest of highspeed rides) & balaclava for the coldest rides.
Full face helmet, open face helmet + different types of protective eyewear (glasses with interchangeable lenses, goggles of various styles/function, visor).

I've probably left out a fair bit, but I have to admit, the list is very comprehensive.

If I lived and rode in a warm/dry country my cupboard would have only 10% of what I have accumulated in riding gear.

Despite all that gear, I don't choose to ride the bike into town or country on a short trip if it's raining.....I don't particularly like riding in the rain but more significantly, I don't want to spend more time cleaning the bike than I did riding it.

The all-weather riding gear is for long trips. I like doing long trips. I like riding in the hills. It rains in the hills.....I don't like getting wet....cold & wet....yuk, no thanks......Just love to ride though!! so gotta have the right clothing to keep the perma-grin!

I like my bike to look immaculate every time I put it in the garage and wheel it out to go for a ride......I can't help it.
It needs to look clean and fresh to use every time, but providing I have enjoyed my ride, I don't mind bringing back a filthy/wet bike at the end of it.

I don't see the value of having a vehicle of any kind and not using it in the way it was intended....with the exception of a something like a vintage project, or similar.

Get out on your Rocket and go for a ride with some corners on the route. Empty at least one full tank before you stop for food etc... Give yourself time to fully settle into the bike.
Going for coffee or riding an errand won't be enough time to really justify owning and riding a bike like the Rocket.

It's just an incredible machine.

 

[Bernard Vinet]

The way I work it is , I don't go riding if it's rain at the moment of taking off. If it rain while on a ride well so be it . Other thing 50% probability is a good day to ride .

 

[Nashvegas]

UK rider here.

I have a cupboard full of riding gear that i've built up over many years of riding bikes.

In addition to leathers I have a number of different types of wet weather gear such as over-trousers and one piece over-suits. I have an expensive fully waterproof two piece textile riding suit with full armour and zip-out thermal liner by Rukka, in Finland...the most expensive gear I own.
I've got fully waterproof short boots, tall boots. Ones with deep treaded soles (UK army style) and smoother soled racing inspired road/touring boots. I've got over-spats to put over non waterproof footwear. Short summer gloves (still waterproof) Heated gloves. thermal lined gauntlet style gloves Over mits.
Thin neck-tubes, thick neck-tubes, neoprene neck tube (for the wettest of highspeed rides) & balaclava for the coldest rides.
Full face helmet, open face helmet + different types of protective eyewear (glasses with interchangeable lenses, goggles of various styles/function, visor).

I've probably left out a fair bit, but I have to admit, the list is very comprehensive.

If I lived and rode in a warm/dry country my cupboard would have only 10% of what I have accumulated in riding gear.

Despite all that gear, I don't choose to ride the bike into town or country on a short trip if it's raining.....I don't particularly like riding in the rain but more significantly, I don't want to spend more time cleaning the bike than I did riding it.

The all-weather riding gear is for long trips. I like doing long trips. I like riding in the hills. It rains in the hills.....I don't like getting wet....cold & wet....yuk, no thanks......Just love to ride though!! so gotta have the right clothing to keep the perma-grin!

I like my bike to look immaculate every time I put it in the garage and wheel it out to go for a ride......I can't help it.
It needs to look clean and fresh to use every time, but providing I have enjoyed my ride, I don't mind bringing back a filthy/wet bike at the end of it.

I don't see the value of having a vehicle of any kind and not using it in the way it was intended....with the exception of a something like a vintage project, or similar.

Get out on your Rocket and go for a ride with some corners on the route. Empty at least one full tank before you stop for food etc... Give yourself time to fully settle into the bike.
Going for coffee or riding an errand won't be enough time to really justify owning and riding a bike like the Rocket.

It's just an incredible machine.

I have a Nelson Rigg 2-piece rain suit that works well and some boot covers. My Belstaff Endurance boots are semi-waterproof but the leather takes a while to dry out if soaked. I have my winter/waterproof gauntlets in my tail bag but I need to find a good pair of gauntlet/summer/waterproof gloves to carry.

I am retired and I have put over 20k miles on my bike since I got her last June. Less than 5% of those miles are interstate highway miles. I try to take back roads whenever I can and if I am heading towards a lake/park or cool road and black clouds start rolling in directly in front of me I can easily take a random road left or right and try to avoid it. I have the time. Pouring rain just takes the fun out of a motorcycle ride for me. Now, if I am meeting people or have to be somewhere that is different. Kudos to all of you who roll your bikes out of the garage on a 75-100% rain chance day and go for a ride!

 

[Fozzie]

Im not a fan of the rain, but it doesn't stop me riding if I really want to go for a ride, I just tend to add another layer of clothing, best part about it is the brown pants moments of the odd power slide at roundabouts. When I see a bike advertised with "Never ridden in the wet" I tend to think its either BS or its just an unused ornament, Ive just seen a rocket advertised in showroom condition and 5k miles, what's the point? ive done close to 5k in the last 2 months, I know the uk weather is ****, but they must have rode it 1 day a month

 

[Nashvegas]

We also need to delineate what kind of rain. We occasionally get a “rainy day” where it is kind of a drizzle/light rain and that is a different animal than what I am talking about. We usually get storms. It’s just the nature of the beast around here. Crosswinds, lightning and a deluge of rain dumped. It is very different than wet roads and a soft rain falling. It even sucks in a car. On a bike it really sucks.

 

[Jagster]

We also need to delineate what kind of rain. We occasionally get a “rainy day” where it is kind of a drizzle/light rain and that is a different animal than what I am talking about. We usually get storms. It’s just the nature of the beast around here. Crosswinds, lightning and a deluge of rain dumped. It is very different than wet roads and a soft rain falling. It even sucks in a car. On a bike it really sucks.

I remember one occasion when I was caught out on a motorway in a rainstorm. It just came from nowhere. One minute it was sunny, and had been for hours of riding to suddenly riding into what looked like nighttime. when riding down through a sort of ravine.
The wind whipped up and then I hit a wall of rain.
In just seconds I could no longer see any clarity beyond the handle bars. I was in the middle lane and I could just make out tail lights of cars coming across my lane and onto the slow lane, but because I really couldn't see much at all (the tarmac had changed to an inch deep river) all I could do is gradually slow down.
I focussed my sight as best I could in survival mode. I don't think I had been so scared on a bike before, though there wasn't any time to be thinking other than focussing my eyes.
The rain was hitting my shoulders so hard that it was rebounding up inside my helmet and hitting me in the face.
For what seemed like an eternity I rode for a couple of miles in second or third gear. I didn't dare stop in case I got run over.
Eventually the rain eased just enough to see where I was and I took the next exit. I needed to turn right and go under the motorway. The water was about 10 inches deep under the bridge.
By now the rain was showing signs of stopping and the sun was beginning to show it's face again. Thirty minutes later I pulled into a fuel station to tank up.
Everyone was walking around in tee-shirts, shorts & sandals etc.... All enjoying the hot sunny conditions. Everywhere was dry and the tarmac was hot.
I kicked out my side stand at the petrol pump and stepped off the bike. As I did so, water began to poor out from the bodywork.
I unbuckled my left bike boot and pulled my foot out of it. I poured half a litre of rain water out of the boot and did the same to the other boot.
People that were near by looking at me like I was an alien that had just landed from some watery planet.

I will never forget that ride.
My wife had been following me on her bike. I thought I had lost her to the underside of a truck on the motorway, but she had survived, like myself.
We both felt lucky to be alive, to be honest.
I'm not a fan of heavy rain.......