[skipper]

I'm just getting back into 2 wheels (owned my '03 400 3 weeks now :lol: ) and am using 31 year old riding gear. What do y'all recommend for cool wet weather riding (Seattle, WA area), a one or two piece suit and do you prefer leather or synthetic?
(For Norm, What is the proper number of beers after riding and does it depend on the length of the ride at all :?: )
steve

 

[pauljo]

I'm just getting back into 2 wheels (owned my '03 400 3 weeks now :lol: ) and am using 31 year old riding gear. What do y'all recommend for cool wet weather riding (Seattle, WA area), a one or two piece suit and do you prefer leather or synthetic?
steve

I'd absolutely recommend synthetic over leather for wet weather riding. Leather is not waterproof. It can be made to shed a certain amount of water if you apply conditioners, but in prolonged heavy rain it will become waterlogged (and quite heavy). There are a number of waterproof fabric suits to choose from. Leather is a great windbreaker, but it does not insulate you from cold as well as most fabric riding suits do. Any protection from cold that you get from a leather garment is due to the lining, not the leather itself. Lastly, there is far less maintenance involved with a fabric suit. Most are machine washable. Leather must be rubbed down with conditioner periodically to keep it in good condition.

A one piece suit might perform better under extreme conditions, but I find a two piece design easier to get in and out of. With a two piece suit, you also have the option of wearing just the jacket. Which you buy, is largely a matter of preference.

 

[vfdcaptain]

Hi Skipper,

Two decades ago my wife and I used to ride with leathers. Before we got into the rain, we'd stop & slip into our one piece rubber coated nylon rainsuits. That worked great for us back then - as long as you remembered to bring the rainsuits. Like Paul said, leather is not waterproof - I certainly can attest to that as we got caught a couple of times on long tours!

When we bought our Burgy 650 this Fall, we started looking at riding gear again. In the end we bought the Belstaff synthetic coats and pants. I don't have to worry about getting wet, it's armoured and the material breathes when we walk around looking at things of interest (and they are colorful - even have thin reflective stripes).

While it doesn't rain here in Victoria as much as it does in Seattle, regardless of geography, being wet on a motorcycle is no fun (well, except in the hot desert ). We found the synthetics to be far superior to what was available 20+ years ago and they are so easy to clean & maintain. Plus, overall they are not that expensive.

The choice is yours, and there's lot to choose from. 8)

 

[Brian]

I try not to ride when I know it's going to be raining, so I wear warm but not especially waterproof clothing.

I keep a two-piece Nelson-Rigg rainsuit in the trunk for when I do have to ride in the rain. I like the two-piece suit, because I find it easy to store and easy to put on and take off.

For one planned weekend trip in a rain storm I also bought a pair of waterproof leggings/gaiters (don't recall the brand), which kept my feet dry, but I won't wear them in a light rain or on a short trip because they made my footing less sure at stops (I think they were too big, and they kept sliding under my heel).

HTH.

 

[P.D.Q.S.B.]

I prefer the better protection of leather, I have a two piece with armour and carry a rain suit but on the down side it is a bit restrictive.
Having researched this subject if I were to go for a cordura type suit I would try Airostitch, they are in your part of the world, a bit more expensive but very well made.

Cheers
Ian

 

[mert]

rainsuits

I have been looking for revues on rainsuits and found this one might be worth looking at :lol: http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/access ... index.html I like this revue he gives you 3 suits to select from so I get the opinion that he is not paid by any one of these companys, just my thoughts. Looking at Nelson-Rigg the AX-1 is a good price, RP-100 paints, PJ-100 Pack-it Jacket might be some thing to considor. And like he say's make sure you buy big enought so you can ware you leather under the suit. Just my 2 cents would love to hear any more idea's. Mert

 

[pauljo]

I prefer the better protection of leather,

Why do you think that leather protects better? Most leather riding garments have no "body armour" padding like the textile garments do. I think for abrasion resistance, it is about even.

I do have two leather riding jackets that I wear some of the time. I've owned one for years - it's an old friend. The other is perforated leather, which is comfortable on hot days, but not as good as the textile mesh garments for protection by any stretch of the imagination. I bought it before the mesh textile garments became available. I feel that my textile riding jacket offers better protection though.

Just curious what led you to make that statement.

 

[DennisG]

I would always recommend an Aerostich synthetic suit. I presently use the 2 piece Roadcrafter and find it excellent except in the very hottest part of the season.There are are various included vents that you can zip open.

Some people feel they are a bit pricey but can say that are of excellent workmanship and feature TF2 armor. They will last years with proper care. Remember that you usually get what you pay for.

As a retired traffic officer I investigated 2 crashes with riders ,wearing the Aerostich suits, and it immediately sold me. I actually ordered my Aerostich suits months before even looking at a Burgman

There is also optional hip and back armor that can be added for a few dollars more.Variety of colors, but I chose the Hi-Viz option that really stands out.

Except only in the heaviest of downpours, will you get any slight leakage but you have to drive a few hours in it.

 

[Lapine Rider]

I'd have had a Roadcrafter long since, but they will not make one that fits me. I'm too fat, I fear.

 

[P.D.Q.S.B.]

Pauljo,
I made my choice after researching this subject and after reading a test in one of the bike magazines where they tested several different textile suits and leather suits over a wide price range. They used a machine which had abrasive material on a rotating belt. Also long term test by their test riders were taken into account including crash damage.
My leather suit has full armour,that's why it's a bit restrictive.
The conclusion was that you get what you pay for and that some textile suits were better than some leather suits but the overall conclusion was that leather is better.
A point that let the textile suits down was the loose fit which allowed the armour to move out of position. You need that armour to stay put or it won't protect the bits that it is there for. Also you need to pick a leather suit that is reasonably tight (as mine is) because that can move around under the stress of a crash.
So,you pay for an expensive suit and get the best available protection or you pay less and take a calculated risk, after all, some ride in shorts and "T" shirt.
As I said in my first post on this subject, I think Aerostitch is the best textile suit.

Cheers
Ian

 

[lilleyen]

Just a thought!

I have used gators for years when cross country skiing.

Would these work well for keeping my ankles dry or warm when riding in rain or cold weather respectivly?

They fit snugly, zip up the inside, tie under the instep so they can't ride up, and are hardly noticable when being worn.

I'm thinking here of situations where I'm not wearing a special riding suit, just got caught out in the rain, and maybe stored the gators under the seat full time, for emergencies.
They don't take up much room, even knee length, they are pocket sized.

If they can keep snow out of my ankle high boots, then maybe they would do the same for cold wind or and/or rain.

 

[pauljo]

Ian,

Interesting information. Thanks for the response. Your armored leather suit is advanced well beyond the leather jackets in my closet.

 

[gruntled]

Fooled me. I thought this would be a discussion about women's bathing suits. I was all set to say I prefer the monokini to the bikini. (Depending on the woman of course.)
The two piece suit is easier to get into & out of but they had a great sale on the one piece one so that's what I bought. It really works fine as a rainsuit & also when it suddenly gets cold & you didn't bring anything else.

 

[NormanB]

Hey Paul some guy with 3 ears has hijacked your avatar! :shock:

 

[lycheed]

I’d recommend synthetics with CE armour. Waterproof, warm/cool, comfortable, and safe.
I came of at 25mph on cold tyres on a bend 12 months ago, and hadn’t even the slightest scratch on me, and not even a hint of bruising or muscle pain. My US$300 CE armoured synthetic jacket and trousers gave great protection, but was unrepairable as a result.

There is no doubt that good leather provides unsurpassable abrasive resistance. The problem is that:
1. Cheaper stuff will come apart at the seams as your body drags along the ground – leaving bare skin on deck
2. Good stuff is expensive
3. It is not truly waterproof
4. It’s heavy

With clothing, it’s always a case of ‘you pay for what you get’. My advice: If you plan to ride at high-speed frequently, spend as much as you can on synthetic stuff - almost a match for leather’s abrasive strength, truly waterproof with Gore Tex liners, and safe with CE armour. US$1500 should be enough. Should also look good too, with utility pockets, etc.

If you don’t envisage crashing over 30mph-40mph (an odd concept, I agree), then US$600 waterproof synthetics with CE armour should be enough. Then you have enough left over from the US$1500 to get a leather jacket and leather jeans with CE armour protectors stealthily hid beneath the traditional exterior for dry days. Besides, you are a Burgman rider – the permanent ‘emergency rainsuit’ is what the glove-box is for!

 

[pauljo]

Hey Paul some guy with 3 ears has hijacked your avatar! :shock:

Ha! That is really me with my favorite pipe. I joined two pipe smoker/collector forums this month, so I had my daughter snap a picture I could use for an avatar on those forums. Thought I'd bring it over here too and scare people!

Temperatures have been below zero here lately. Great weather for enjoying a pipe. Not so great for enjoying a Burgman! :wink:

 

[Timothy Ma]

Hello Skipper,

I ride a 400 and have a kilamanjaro jacket (First Gear) that worked for about 6 months in keeping the rain out. I tried numerous 1 piece rain suits and will never go back to them unless I get them for nothing. Riding the scooter keeps lots of the rain off but using a two piece suit works for me. Remember to try the jacket and pants on over your real riding gear or else you'll most likely pruchase it too small. Also take the time to sit on a bike and check out the comfort level as well. I've made that mistake.

I have a Fieldshear two piece suit that placed over my jacket and it kept me very dry after 3 hours of a heavy down pouring. I think that is also a testament to the good protection that the 400 Burgman offers you as well. You never mentioned your hands/gloves...go buy yourselve a pair of oversized gardening gloves. They are real cheap ($4.00 here in Canada) and line them with any pair of wool or symthetic material type glove. Works the best. I've bought all kinds of glove covers and this worked the best. Hope this helps. TImothy

 

[P.D.Q.S.B.]

Timothy,
Have you ever fallen off a bike or scooter :?:
Gardening gloves ? :roll:
We're talking about clothing that is going to save your skin if you come off and lets face it you are not going to come off in the garden.
If you want to save your skin spend the money and that means gloves, boots and helmet as well.

Ian