[maxtec1]

Last Friday my Wife and I was on a trip to Oklahoma on our 2018 DCT Tour when we ran into a flood. We were about 30 miles from our hotel and rode into the heart of the storm. I looked for a place to stop and wait the storm out and there was none. I had looked at the weather map and knew this was a long term event. I hoped we could skirt the worst of it and slip into our room. No such luck. The bottom fell out on us.
I have been riding for 45 years and been in my share of rain storms. We were prepared for rain but not a biblical event. At first we were coming in behind a storm squall and the rain had slowed falling but there was standing water fairly deep. I pushed on as I felt we were not on high ground. I know better than to drive into deep moving water and this was fairly safe. Our Goldwing was not missing a lick and pushed through better than I could have hoped. Oh by the way I was pulling our trailer also. The second wave caught up with usand the bottom fell out. We were about 10 miles from the hotel at this point ona rural road. Water was coming out of the pastures across the road about 2inches deep. Still no problem other than all out rain coming down. I drove carefully and evaluated each and every move. There was a police car in front of us and I gaged the depth of the water by watching him.
As we came into town there was standing water a little deeper than I though. It was about peg deep but not moving. We were going about 5 miles an hour and drove right through it. The DCT never missed and handled the water better than I could have dreamed. We made it to the room a little damp and white knuckled from holding the grips so hard. It poured buckets of rain for the next 5 hours. Next morning cloudy, cool and just right for an all-dayride. The rest of the trip was great and we had a blast. This is one of those trips that will not soon be forgotten.
I’m not sure there is any rain gear that would have helpedus stay completely dry but I am looking for something better than what we had. ANY SUDJECTIONS OTHER THAN STAYING HOME IF IT CLOUDS UP. :laugh:

 

[murf]

Last Friday my Wife and I was on a trip to Oklahoma on our 2018 DCT Tour when we ran into a flood. We were about 30 miles from our hotel and rode into the heart of the storm. I looked for a place to stop and wait the storm out and there was none. I had looked at the weather map and knew this was a long term event. I hoped we could skirt the worst of it and slip into our room. No such luck. The bottom fell out on us.
I have been riding for 45 years and been in my share of rain storms. We were prepared for rain but not a biblical event. At first we were coming in behind a storm squall and the rain had slowed falling but there was standing water fairly deep. I pushed on as I felt we were not on high ground. I know better than to drive into deep moving water and this was fairly safe. Our Goldwing was not missing a lick and pushed through better than I could have hoped. Oh by the way I was pulling our trailer also. The second wave caught up with usand the bottom fell out. We were about 10 miles from the hotel at this point ona rural road. Water was coming out of the pastures across the road about 2inches deep. Still no problem other than all out rain coming down. I drove carefully and evaluated each and every move. There was a police car in front of us and I gaged the depth of the water by watching him.
As we came into town there was standing water a little deeper than I though. It was about peg deep but not moving. We were going about 5 miles an hour and drove right through it. The DCT never missed and handled the water better than I could have dreamed. We made it to the room a little damp and white knuckled from holding the grips so hard. It poured buckets of rain for the next 5 hours. Next morning cloudy, cool and just right for an all-dayride. The rest of the trip was great and we had a blast. This is one of those trips that will not soon be forgotten.
I’m not sure there is any rain gear that would have helpedus stay completely dry but I am looking for something better than what we had. ANY SUDJECTIONS OTHER THAN STAYING HOME IF IT CLOUDS UP. :laugh:

I don't know if any bike raingear will keep you completely dry in a "frog choker" downpour. >
:doorag:

 

[doug.crocker]

Thread on Klim Gear: https://gl1800riders.com/forums/4-general-mc-message-board/449737-klim-gear.html

Girlfriend and I have had Klim jacket and pants for 7 years now. We have been in a couple of torrential downpours with gusting cross winds to 40 mph. Stayed warm and dry while the other two couples with us wearing traditional rain gear were bordering hypothermia by the time we reached a suitable place to pull over.

Most rain you can ride through with pit and rear vents open so you don't get hot. It's nice not having to stop to put rain gear on, stop to take it off because you are sweating and repeat the process every time you come up on a rain cloud.

 

[maxtec1]

Thread on Klim Gear: https://gl1800riders.com/forums/4-general-mc-message-board/449737-klim-gear.html

Girlfriend and I have had Klim jacket and pants for 7 years now. We have been in a couple of torrential downpours with gusting cross winds to 40 mph. Stayed warm and dry while the other two couples with us wearing traditional rain gear were bordering hypothermia by the time we reached a suitable place to pull over.

Most rain you can ride through with pit and rear vents open so you don't get hot. It's nice not having to stop to put rain gear on, stop to take it off because you are sweating and repeat the process every time you come up on a rain cloud.

I agree and Thank you for the link.

 

[laen]

Glad it all worked out

 

[Tony_C]

I’m not sure there is any rain gear that would have helpedus stay completely dry but I am looking for something better than what we had. ANY SUDJECTIONS OTHER THAN STAYING HOME IF IT CLOUDS UP. :laugh:

What an Odyssey! Glad you guys made it safely. I use a one-piece Aerostich Roadcrafter suit as my rain gear. It's Gortex lined to keep the water out but let's your body moisture out. Also at the beginning of the season I give it a spray with Scotch Guard. The Roadcrafter has performed well keeping me dry. :wink2:

 

[CarpeDiem]

Glad you survived a Biblical flood and the bike did well.

 

[Mengy]

I've never owned Klim gear but I have a friend who does and yeah it seems worth the money. I'll likely own some eventually too, I've fought against spending the money for it but the older I get the more I think it's simply worth paying for.

 

[doug.crocker]

I've never owned Klim gear but I have a friend who does and yeah it seems worth the money. I'll likely own some eventually too, I've fought against spending the money for it but the older I get the more I think it's simply worth paying for.

I started with just the Klim Latitude Jacket. Being able to wear it during the summer with vents open on those days when you are in and out of rain showers all day long is a big plus. With vents closed the jacket is really warm in cold weather with just a couple light layers underneath. Not long afterwards I purchased the Badlands pant which fit me better than the Latitude pant (so you might want to mix & match jacket and pant).

In the end you really end up packing a lot less gear. Klim gives you some amour protection, is cool in the summer, warm in the winter and the best rain gear all in one. In the last couple years they have come out with the Altitude jacket for women. My girlfriend tried the Altitude but liked the Latitude jacket and pant fit and protection better. The Latitude jacket is a bit longer so you don't get any wind or rain entering between the jacket and pant.

It's really hard to find a dealer with much of a Klim selection due to the inventory cost. When I bought my girlfriends coat and pant I went through Revzilla, they have a very good return policy and can get just about anything to you in a few days to try on. I ordered a set of the Latitude and Altitude for her to try on and we returned the Altitude with just the cost of return shipping which was not that bad.

 

[-Hairball-]

Here are the jacket and pant I use. I also use use Gore-Tex boots and gloves. Have no concern about getting wet.

https://www.dainese.com/us/en/motor...E|CEA|CEK|CT0|CT3|CT5|CT9|DOT|SHA|ED1&start=1

https://www.dainese.com/us/en/motor...E|CEA|CEK|CT0|CT3|CT5|CT9|DOT|SHA|ED1&start=1

 

[dduelin]

What an Odyssey! Glad you guys made it safely. I use a one-piece Aerostich Roadcrafter suit as my rain gear. It's Gortex lined to keep the water out but let's your body moisture out. Also at the beginning of the season I give it a spray with Scotch Guard. The Roadcrafter has performed well keeping me dry. :wink2:

I have maybe 80,000 miles in a RC one pc. two different ones over 12 years. In a storm like described I'd have to standing on the pegs all the time not to have the RC seep water through the zipper from standing or pooled water in the folds of my lap. In lesser rain I just stand up every now and then to drain the water that pools in my lap. Drizzle and light rain are never a problem but in heavier rain I have to stand up now and then.


In biblical rain only a submarine will keep you dry. Dry is relative.

 

[maxtec1]

I have maybe 80,000 miles in a RC one pc. two different ones over 12 years. In a storm like described I'd have to standing on the pegs all the time not to have the RC seep water through the zipper from standing or pooled water in the folds of my lap. In lesser rain I just stand up every now and then to drain the water that pools in my lap. Drizzle and light rain are never a problem but in heavier rain I have to stand up now and then.


In biblical rain only a submarine will keep you dry. Dry is relative.

Well I'm a floater because I did not melt. So a little water did not hurt me but I still think I will upgrade. I will do a jacket that will stop water and be warm. But in Texas I don't want to roast.

 

[SteveU]

I have rode thru several rains that had cars and trucks pulling off to the side of the road but never went thru deep water like that. The Motoport rain liner I have for my jacket and pants has always kept me dry in anything I've rode in so far. I have a set of SIDI rain boots which are supposed to be 100% waterproof and so far they have met that expectation. The motoport kevlar racing gloves are not waterproof but they dry out pretty fast and don't stain your hands like a leather glove would when wet and hitting sleet and ice pellets with them doesn't hurt. Helmet is another thing, I have a HJC flip face helmet which leaks like a sieve, hoping to upgrade to something better soon

 

[maxtec1]

I have a Scorpion open face with flip down shield. I closed the top vents and was very pleased with the way it handled the rain. I had only a small trickle of water run down the side of my face two or three times but very little leakage for the amount of water we went through. Glasses stayed dry, there was a little fogging inside the visor. I would lift the visor one click and it would clear. I though I might treat the inside of the visor with some kind of antifogging stuff. What has any one else used that works good. I had some rain-x for plastic with me but the shield drained water so well I did not treat it. The shield is still just as I bought it. I started using this helmet in early spring so it is not old but has about 8,000 miles of use on it.

 

[Largeandy]

About 3 yrs ago, Wifey and I had to ride from tiny Clines Corners, New Mexico trying to get home from Santa Fe, NM..encountered rains of similar conditions.. as we fueled up in Clines Corners and rode towards home, we really got into a HORRIBLE, EPIC RAIN STORM.....water was up over the bottom of tire rims, vicious lightening was firing down all around us....we had no choice but to divert and try and make Vaughn, New Mexico to get a motel room. We had absolutely no cover in the flat arid plain we were in....no shelter whatsoever...riding a heavy and hard handling 2015 HD CVO Roadglide.....we stopped into the first open motel we found....it was open and we grabbed a room...we were soaked to our underwear...had to hang our wet clothes (every stitch) and dry them out using the old fashion Wall Heaters....it was one scary ride to say the least......I dont mind a rain....but I hope to never get in one like that again...we are lucky I could even keep that lug of a bike upright.....the lightening scared the living **** out of both of us....

 

[maxtec1]

About 3 yrs ago, Wifey and I had to ride from tiny Clines Corners, New Mexico trying to get home from Santa Fe, NM..encountered rains of similar conditions.. as we fueled up in Clines Corners and rode towards home, we really got into a HORRIBLE, EPIC RAIN STORM.....water was up over the bottom of tire rims, vicious lightening was firing down all around us....we had no choice but to divert and try and make Vaughn, New Mexico to get a motel room. We had absolutely no cover in the flat arid plain we were in....no shelter whatsoever...riding a heavy and hard handling 2015 HD CVO Roadglide.....we stopped into the first open motel we found....it was open and we grabbed a room...we were soaked to our underwear...had to hang our wet clothes (every stitch) and dry them out using the old fashion Wall Heaters....it was one scary ride to say the least......I dont mind a rain....but I hope to never get in one like that again...we are lucky I could even keep that lug of a bike upright.....the lightening scared the living **** out of both of us....

Wow that sounds bad. Glad you made it. We were lucky in the lighting part. While there was some, it was off in a distance and some cloud to cloud. We saw two different cloud formations the were swirling and had hooks in them. Being we were in Oklahoma tornados were in my mind. I was also worried about hail storm, But we made it with just strong straight line winds and 4 to 5 inches of rain an hour falling. The Gold Wing worked perfectly in the rain pulling our trailer. I put it into rain mode and she was very civilized and of course rode with care. I knew when we left home that we might hit rain but I hoped the storm was moving on and we would miss it. But the second wave and all that came after it slammed us. After we were in the room it flooded for hours more. At one point water was up to the door of our room. All and all it is part of the adventure of riding a motorcycle.

 

[DillTm]

I from Seattle and now live in San Antonio, Tx. The first time I and my Texas buddies got caught in a down pour a hundred miles from home, we pulled into a grocery store, bought yard garbage bags, cut holes for our heads and arms. We wore those bags to keep warm and partly dry. That was back in 1980, me on my GL1000.

 

[maxtec1]

I from Seattle and now live in San Antonio, Tx. The first time I and my Texas buddies got caught in a down pour a hundred miles from home, we pulled into a grocery store, bought yard garbage bags, cut holes for our heads and arms. We wore those bags to keep warm and partly dry. That was back in 1980, me on my GL1000.

I have done the same back in the 70 when I rode an dirt/street legal bike, I still carry two contractor 50 gallon trash bags folded up in my trunk. They do not take up very much room and can be used for all kinds of things.I travel with my very expensive cameras and lens. On a trip rain or shine they are inside their bag and wrapped up in a trash bag as a back up.
I may have gotten a little damp but my camera was bone dry.:smile2:

 

[Corventure]

Thanks so much for sharing. I'm glad you make it through ok. And what a bike too!
Adverse riding conditions can happen, and I like to at least hear how one handles the situation. As opposed to the times I have had to first time soldier through some messy and challenging conditions. The first is the worst!!


:22yikes:


Corventure Dave

 

[RickyD]

I’ve had an Aerostitch Roadcrafter one piece for about 14 years. Easy on, easy off and just good at everything except really hot. Past about 90 it is challenged. Below about 45 or so I start layering under garments and below 30 use heated jacket under. It’s my go to suit for all touring and some local riding. I have some Klim gear and it is also excellent but for me, the combination of protection, ease of use, functionality and just long term durability makes the “stitch” my favorite by far. I am 71 and been riding since I bought my first bike with paper route money at age 14.