Separate motorcycle raincoat: review and reviews

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

Motor season in Russia is sometimes very short. If in the USA you can ride virtually all year round, just moving from one part of the country to another, then our season lasts only three to four months. The vagaries of the weather make it even smaller, especially in areas with a rainy climate (for example, St. Petersburg and Karelia).

Even a motorcyclist in full gear experiences some discomfort during prolonged rains. A motorcycle raincoat is a proven tool that will help to cope with this kind of trouble. The article, which will tell you about the features of motorcycle raincoats, was created based on the feedback of experienced motorcyclists.

Purpose

Based on the name, even a person unfamiliar with the topic can tell that this type of equipment is designed to protect the motorcyclist from the rain. However, not everyone knows that it also creates additional protection against dirt and wind. A waterproof suit is worn over motorcycle equipment and creates an additional protective barrier, thereby not only protecting the driver's body from hypothermia, but also allows you to keep the main equipment safe.

Materials

Moto-raincoats are made of synthetic material. They are durable, lightweight andget wet. The suit can look like a one-piece jumpsuit, or a jacket and pants. Which option to choose depends on the preferences of the rider. A one-piece suit provides better protection from the rain, but separate pants and a jacket are more comfortable in many cases.

At the end and beginning of the season, as well as in the off-season - a motorcycle raincoat will be useful in any weather, protecting the driver from the wind and, therefore, from the cold. This is especially true in early autumn, when the summer heat still persists during the day, and in the evening and at night the air temperature drops sharply. With conventional gear, a motorcyclist is forced to decide what is more comfortable: dress warmly and endure the heat during the day, or dress lightly and freeze in the evening. When traveling long distances in the autumn-spring months, this is especially noticeable if you move in the direction from north to south or vice versa, or when driving through mountain roads. In this case, the driver can expect serious temperature fluctuations.

Main criteria

As mentioned above, motorcycle raincoats are solid and separate. Models from the first category are highly waterproof, but the overalls are quite difficult to put on, especially if the driver is in a hurry. However, one-piece raincoats tend to be much less expensive than split-pieces.

Raincoats, consisting of a jacket and pants, are considered a universal option. Unlike overalls, in different weather conditions, a motorcyclist has the opportunity to wear separate parts of the suit if the motorcycle raincoat is separate. Description of such situationssimple: a rain jacket can be useful when traveling, for example, to wear while walking, if it suddenly starts to rain, or if additional protection from the cold is required during winter. There are many options, it all depends on what the rider is doing besides riding a motorcycle.

For racing

Separate racing raincoats are different from regular raincoats. Unlike simple riding, during motorcycle racing it is especially important that the motorcycle raincoat not only protects against moisture, but also fits snugly with the main equipment. Racing models are distinguished by the fact that the fit of the jacket is tight and it is attached to the trousers. Despite the seeming versatility, this option is inconvenient for normal driving, because it is difficult to put on.

Complexity in simplicity

It would seem that a motorcycle raincoat, separate or integral, is a completely primitive way of protection that has existed for a long time, only the material from which it is made has changed. And what is there to choose? But in reality, everything is not so simple. In many industries, you can hear that manufacturers produce something “anyhow”, this also affected raincoats. When looking at some models, one gets the feeling that the designers are not even familiar with the rain at all, which can be said about the knowledge of the specifics of driving in bad weather conditions. This is especially true if the motorcycle raincoat is separate.

Helpful tips

The main task (protection from moisture) can be performed by a simple plastic film, but a good motorcycle raincoat, including separate,with all this, it must breathe to a certain extent, that is, create a favorable microclimate inside, excluding the formation of a large amount of condensate. Another aspect worth paying attention to is the collar and zipper. This should be especially taken into account if the motorcycle raincoat is separate. Features in the design must be known from the very beginning. Pants and a jacket are required to have additional protection, and this is not present in all models. The collar should be high enough: good moisture protection is only possible if there is no gap between the helmet and the rain suit. It is also nice if there is a special lining that protects the neck from irritation.

Lightning is preferable with a fine tooth - this way it will be more difficult for moisture and wind to reach the rider. The extra layer of material covering the slider must be Velcro.

A good indicator of the quality of a motorcycle raincoat is the presence of various fasteners and puffs, adjustments on the wrists, ankles, forearms. This creates an additional layer of moisture protection. Adjustment straps on the chest, lower back and legs allow you to adjust the suit for yourself, in which case it will not only perform its functions perfectly, but will not interfere at all when riding.

In addition

After buying a motorcycle raincoat, it is worth remembering that shoes should not be left without protection. Even the latest motorcycle boots will get wet after a few hours in heavy rain, even those that are advertised as "waterproof". Simple hypothermia of the legs can bring downa driver with a cold, this is especially unpleasant on long journeys, when there is no opportunity to have a good rest or go to a hospital. No one wants to miss a few days because of a cough, and a motorcyclist may return with complications of the disease.

The aspect of saving equipment is also important: good boots are not the cheapest thing. That is why special motorcycle rain boot covers are produced. Together with a motorcycle rain cover, they provide excellent weather protection.

About brands and types

Motorcycle raincoats and shoe covers from Alpinestars, Dragonfly, KTM, IXS, Spyke have done well. IXS Orsa 2 is a motorcycle raincoat overall, and IXS Horton is a separate motorcycle raincoat, reviews about it are also positive.

Some models are designed to be protected from short periods of rain, while others are designed specifically for driving in a downpour. Prices vary: from a thousand rubles to tens of thousands. Cheap raincoats can be bought in simple hardware stores, but motorcycle ones - only in stores specializing in the sale of motorcycle clothing. It is enough to make a budget of two thousand rubles to buy a model of average quality, which will quite meet the needs of an ordinary motorcyclist (here we do not consider notorious travelers who can drive for many days in heavy rain). If even such an amount seems large to someone, it should be remembered that a motorcycle raincoat will last for many years, and besides, it will shelter from the rain more than once.

About sizes

If the motorcycle raincoat is separate, the overview of options for selection can be very large, but special attention should be paid to the size. Just like with clothing, it must be tried on before buying, preferably wearing a full set of your motorcycle equipment, because a motorcycle raincoat should not only protect from rain, but also be comfortable. The first thing to consider when choosing a size is the overall fit on the bike.

Needs slightly longer sleeves and more shoulder room. If the suit is composite, you need to pay attention to the length of the jacket: it should cover the pants with any change in the driver's fit, otherwise water will flow under the raincoat. But you should not choose too large a size: it will only be harmful if the motorcycle raincoat is separate. For a motorcycle, drivers do not spare anything, but sometimes they don’t give a damn about their own comfort, so you should choose carefully.

The legs of the raincoat should be wide enough to allow easy and quick donning of the trousers without taking off the boots, although this can be problematic with a mesh lining.

What a separate motorcycle raincoat looks like, the photo below clearly demonstrates.

Comfortable things

Such a little thing as a way to fasten a separate rain suit seems not at all important, but often it is the little things that bring the most inconvenience. Perhaps everyone knows how difficult it is to fasten a zipper in mittens. Trying to deal with the clasp inmotorcycle gloves are almost the same, so it's better if the zipper has a large pull tab so you don't have to take them off each time.

It is also convenient if the motorcycle raincoat has at least one moisture-proof pocket inside or outside, where you can store important items in quick access: passport and other documents, money, phone and bank cards. If the pocket is external, it must have a protective valve above the zipper, otherwise water will get into it.

Safety

During bad weather, even during the day, visibility is greatly reduced, which is what we can say about the dark time of the day, so visibility is an important function of any waterproof clothing. The motorcyclist should be as visible as possible on the road to reduce the chance of an accident. Therefore, you should choose bright-colored motorcycle raincoats, preferably with reflective elements. Separate rain covers with such inserts not only look good, but allow the rider of the bike to remain visible on the road in any weather and time of day.