bluehole
Active member
As some of you may know, I have an aversion to riding in the rain. I have been told a good way to get used to riding in the rain is to plan rides in the rain as opposed to getting caught in the rain. I did this late Saturday afternoon when a front approached the area. I put on rain gear and left the house on my R75/5 just as the rain began falling. I learned many things on the ride, one of which is that I need to examine my rain gear.
Riding a naked R75/5 is a much different experience than the R1100RS, which I no longer own. The windshield and fairing on the Oilhead kept most of my torso dry. My head, arms, shoulders, lower legs and feet needed protection, but the rest of my body stayed relatively dry. Things are more “wide open” on the Airhead. I was amazed at how much more “intense” rain riding was on my current ride. There is no protection from the elements. This is something I appreciate about the R75/5, but not in the rain.
I rode 70 miles in moderate to hard rain. My feet were soaked. That was not a shock. I need waterproof boots. What did surprise me is how wet my torso got. I have a set of Frogg Togg Road Toads. They did the job on the RS, but not on the naked bike. Water penetrated the Road Toad jacket and soaked me down to the long sleeve t-shirt. The jacket could be longer in the back too. I found myself regularly pulling down the back of the jacket to keep it over the waistline of the pants. I am unable to get the collar to seal tightly around my neck (snap button-not Velcro) so that may have been a source of a leak. I like the Frogg Toggs and think they are fine gear, but perhaps they are not sufficient for this kind of rain riding.
Should I look into better quality rain gear or is getting wet typical when riding a naked motorcycle? I would hate to buy more expensive rain gear only to discover that there really isn’t anything that is going to keep you dry on a prolonged ride in a steady rain. Interested in your experience.
Riding a naked R75/5 is a much different experience than the R1100RS, which I no longer own. The windshield and fairing on the Oilhead kept most of my torso dry. My head, arms, shoulders, lower legs and feet needed protection, but the rest of my body stayed relatively dry. Things are more “wide open” on the Airhead. I was amazed at how much more “intense” rain riding was on my current ride. There is no protection from the elements. This is something I appreciate about the R75/5, but not in the rain.
I rode 70 miles in moderate to hard rain. My feet were soaked. That was not a shock. I need waterproof boots. What did surprise me is how wet my torso got. I have a set of Frogg Togg Road Toads. They did the job on the RS, but not on the naked bike. Water penetrated the Road Toad jacket and soaked me down to the long sleeve t-shirt. The jacket could be longer in the back too. I found myself regularly pulling down the back of the jacket to keep it over the waistline of the pants. I am unable to get the collar to seal tightly around my neck (snap button-not Velcro) so that may have been a source of a leak. I like the Frogg Toggs and think they are fine gear, but perhaps they are not sufficient for this kind of rain riding.
Should I look into better quality rain gear or is getting wet typical when riding a naked motorcycle? I would hate to buy more expensive rain gear only to discover that there really isn’t anything that is going to keep you dry on a prolonged ride in a steady rain. Interested in your experience.
Anyone who's worn them for any amount of time knows that surgical gloves and dry hands is an oxymoron. 
