riding in the rain on a VFR. (video)

short motovlog about riding in the rain, what are your experiences with rain?
[video=youtube;uH-m2KAw8v8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uH-m2KAw8v8&feature=youtu.be[/video]

 

I love it.....especially rush hour in South Cal :thumbsup:

 

Rain can be a great teacher. It can teach how much to lean throttle use, as well as braking.
I went through five storms and several altitude changes in one day last July on my way to CO. I do enjoy riding in the rain, but that day quite honestly I got tired of it.

 

Nice moves yo! I love Awolnation!

I actually like riding in rain as long as I have proper gear. VFR is awesome in rain too. I too have 03 w/ABS and it works awesome on wet. Linked brakes and PR2s help too.

What's up with the Supra sitting outside in the rain?

 

I have rain gear but don't leave the house wearing it.

 

I liked the rain dance part. Are you Native American?

 

Don't see much rain in OR... oh wait. Yeah, I ride in the rain alot. Don't mind it.

 

I mean, who rides in the rain anyways? It rains here 8 months of the year. It is so wet here, moss grows on concrete! So ya. Riding in the rain is doable if you have the right gear. Nice shot of the SUV nailing you with the splash. Ever have that happen to you on the freeway by a semi?. Again, the right gear makes all the difference in the world.

 

Wouldn't say I enjoy it, but have accumulated the necessary rain gear over the years so I just accept it as part of riding a bike. Fortunately we are a summer rainfall region so I don't have to worry about being cold AND wet. Don't know if it's my 43yr old eyes, but visibility at night in the rain is becoming an issue. As a rule I don't ride the VFR in the rain, thats what the 500 is for ( and I have constant dilemmas as to which one I take out if the weather is looking iffy, talk about a "first world problem"!:biggrin-new

 

Drivers up there just as confused with rain as they are down here?

 

Just buy an Aerostich and be done with it! You may get a wet-crotch, but F the rain gawds, (you got a change of pant-ah-lonies right?)

I gave up on rain suits long ago (not to be confused with Long.)

Got lots of miles in shite rain. Staying on the crown of the road it a good thing. Been to Alburquerque and had a blast, in a cage though...

Worst thing aboot rain-rides is that you gota clean your steed after a ride! Your hands have a tendency of getting black from the gloves your wearing kinda sucks too! Rain mits and such suck imho...Cheers, Good tyres help the effort but that counts in the dry too...

 

Unless it's cold, deerskin gloves are a good bet for rain riding.

My Aerostitch is getting old so I figured it couldn't hurt to load it up with Scotchgard for a little more waterproofing. Did some homework and found the NikWax line out of UK. All kinds of products in the line for MC duds... REI carries some of the products. More good stuff for leathers is LEXOL.

 

I thought you could get NikWax down there. It is available here at several places including our version of REI, called MEC (Mountain Equipment Co-op) as well as Sport Check.

I don't ride anywhere near as much in the rain as I used to. That will change if I go back to work though. Still maintain the best is cheap rubber backed nylon rain suits. I know a few have sworn by Areostich, but I am not prepared to spend the money on that to determine they are only water resistant like I found with Tourmaster.

 

If you know the folks at the Canadian outlets they might think of some appearance on Google. Nikwax is also available on Amazon and since we are plugging, locally in Seattle on www. soundrider.com where we find Rich's Seats and the new owners of Vallantine Motor Works, and Aerostitch. The US Importers of NikWax are located in Everett,WA. REI HQ are also in Seattle.

The cheapest form of rainwear is still IMO a bigass plastic trash bag. For those who need specificity the really best ones are the one's for leaves and branches especially for the dudes that are fast in the wet or the dry.

A new Aerostitch is pricy..for sure. The quality speaks for itself and a bonus is that if you have one nobody will ever mistake you for a harleydood , rode hard and put away wet..

Aerostitch hard copy catalogs are free. What you do is put one with your SO's girly (or other) magazines and spend most of the time from 12/1 until 12/23 whistling Christmas tunes.. This does not work on harleydoods since they are born tone deaf and pucker up and blow has a completely different meaning in that bunch..

 

All the ranting about Icon gear? It's bottom tier stuff. Start looking at Alpinestars instead. I bet they have stock so you don't have to wait :eagerness:

 

Raving maybe?

 

Last year, going Dallas to Birmingham for the Rolex races. I had all Joe Rocket Meteor pants and jackets. Armored, waterproof, zippered, all I need are waterproof riding boots and gloves, all set.

So, 2 days out, 3 days of races, 2 days back.

2nd day of races, race cancelled due to severe thunderstorms. I spent 3 hours of driving rain moving at 10 MPH.

My waterproof gear, ain't. My waterproof boots lie. And I left my rainsuit at home on purpose. And the rain? at times I could not see taillights in front of me. And it happened twice. But the bike never missed a beat nor misbehaved at all. So proud of it.

Next year going to COTA for the races, in spring. If it rains, I don't care.

So, fun? NO. Would I do it again, YEP.

Larry

 

IMO alpine stars has come down alot in quality in the last few years unless you're buying their top shelf stuff. meanwhile Icon seems to have come up in the game alot. (plus alpinestars allweather stuff was UUUuuuglly.) I wound up with a different icon jacket that I really love, but when it comes to serious stuff like track day gear or hard riding gear I only use AGVsport.

 

600hp dailydriver. rain, snow, she does it all.

 

Must be nice to have a daily driver that appreciates in value over time.

600hp, must equally matched with your VFR in a quarter mile!?