Riders on the Storm Gear Up for Comfort

My non-motorcycling friends think I’m nuts to ride in the rain. So do many of my motorcycling friends.

But I think rain riding has gotten a bad rap. Given a choice, I would of course rather ride on a crisp, clear spring day, but part of what’s so engaging about motorcycling is finding ways to adapt to situations that are not inherently ideal. Let’s face it: Riding in cars is much more comfortable and protective--and also a lot more boring.

Dealing with traffic, gravel, lit cigarettes tossed out of cars, heat, cold, wind, fog and, yes, rain, is part of what makes motorcycling a more active than passive means of travel. And besides, if you ride only on near-perfect days and near-pristine roads, you greatly limit your cycle time, especially if you enjoy a bit of touring.

As my San Francisco friend Michael Bettinger once said after leading a full day’s ride to Los Angeles in nonstop, pounding rain: “The worst day of riding is better than the best day on the job, and we all seem to like our jobs.”

You can motorcycle in the rain safely and relatively comfortably. All it takes is some specialized gear and modifications to your riding style.

Rain gear can be divided into the areas of clothing, boots, gloves and face shield. Let’s go through all four:

Clothing: There are two basic types of rain outfits: water-blocking and Gore-Tex. Either way, a secure fit is necessary, especially around the cuffs and neck. If rain can find a way in, you can bet it will do so. And you will want an outfit specifically made for riding, because regular rain gear can easily billow up or become uncomfortable after you’ve spent a long stretch in a seated position.

Water-blocking suits, usually made of a plastic material, are pretty cheap--two-piece outfits to fit over riding leathers cost about $40. But you can also pay a couple of hundred dollars for a suit that is more stylish and better fitting.

The disadvantage of these outfits is that they do not breathe: Water can’t get in, but it also can’t get out. This brings on clamminess, and if you wear them long enough, you can get plenty wet inside. But if you ride only occasionally in heavy rain, the plastic outfits will probably be adequate.

Gore-Tex outfits are much more expensive, and not entirely waterproof to boot. The founder of the leading maker of these type suits, Aerostich, says it’s not the fault of the fabric.

“The Gore-Tex is waterproof, but for ergonomic reasons we put in a lot of zippers, and the seams around them do have the potential to leak,” Andy Goldfine said.

I solved the problem to a great degree by using a seam-sealer compound to waterproof all the zipper seams on my outfit that get heavily soaked. You can obtain seam sealer in many sporting goods stores.

In the meantime, Goldfine said, his company is working on a more waterproof design.

Otherwise, the advantages of the Gore-Tex outfits are terrific. If made of skin-protecting Cordura, as the better ones are, they can be worn instead of, and not just over, leathers. Because they breathe, your ride is far more comfortable, not only in rain but in summer heat as well.

Boots: Again, two basic choices: water-blocking or Gore-Tex.

Many riders carry slip-on rubber boots to put on in case of rain. Gore-Tex boots, which can also be quite stylish (check out the Alpinestars line), can be worn year-round, although they are a bit hot in summer.

Gloves: There is no easier place for water to seep in and make you miserable.

The key is the fit--a good rain glove has to fit tightly at the cuff to keep water out. (I love Alpinestars boots, but the company’s “waterproof” gloves gave me a lot of trouble.)

A good, albeit expensive, Gore-Tex glove is made by Held, a German company that uses Velcro fasteners for a good ergonomic fit. They are not, unfortunately, widely distributed in this country. The ones I use go for $139 retail and can be found at RPM Cycles in Ventura.

Face Shields: Fogging can be a major problem in heavy rain. If you crack open the face shield to let in air, rain gets on the inside of the shield and you have a whole new problem.

After trying a variety of products, I found a combination that worked for me: a Fog City ProShield insert on the inside and Rain-X Anti-Fog treatment on the outside of the shield. The insert, from Modern World Ventures, can be found in motorcycle stores and mail-order catalogs for $16.95. Rain-X ($2.49) is available at most auto parts stores.

Also of crucial importance is the nose-breath guard that’s optional on most mid-priced helmets and usually standard on high-end models.

To wipe away the rain while riding, I use a Vee Wipe, an ingeniously designed mini-squeegee worn over a glove finger. It comes in packs of three ($11) from Aerostich.

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Properly equipped, we can safely turn our attention to the riding itself.

For advice, we turn to former world champion racer and famed instructor Reg Pridmore, who has been riding in the rain since his younger days in England, when a motorcycle was his sole means of transport.

“One of the most obvious things to do is reduce speed,” he said. “Your braking distance can be much longer, and you are more likely to lock up the brakes by overbraking.”

He also advises tending toward low gears and high revs to increase control over the motorcycle, noting: “Also, it lets the bike do a lot of the braking for you so you don’t go overboard.”

And, finally, he gave the signature advice he offers for all motorcycling: “As simple as it sounds, you have to relax. Tension is the biggest enemy we face as riders. If you ride too tense in the rain or the wind, you won’t be able to make the adjustments you should be making. You struggle and forget what the bike can do.

“Relax and make allowances for rain--that sums it all up.”

And now that we’ve cleared that up, what about riding in the snow? Hey, I’m not that nuts.

* Resources: Aerostich, (800) 222-1994; on the Web, https:

//www.aerostich.com; Alpinestars, (800) 438-2577 or (310) 891-0222, https://www.alpinestars.com. Fog City products, (800) 436-4248, https://www.modernworld.com. Reg Pridmore Class Motorcycle Schools, (805) 933-9936, https://www.classrides.com. RPM Cycles, (805) 644-7159; https://www.rpmcycles.com

Two-Wheel Ride surveys the motorcycle scene in Southern California. David Colker can be reached at david.colker@latimes.com.