Had a soaker here today in the Pacific Northwest, rode 30 plus miles in a downpour with gusting winds to 30 miles an hour....
I felt like a drowned rat, but upon stripping out of my gear I came to find I was pretty dry. It seems this bike throws up more water than my rebel use to, or is it just my imagination.....???
Has anybody ever noticed if certain bikes draft better (keeping the rain away from the rider, seat to boots)
My gear is hanging by the fireplace to put back on at 3AM to go to work again....can't wait till it snows, it doesn't stick as much to me  

Anybody ride in the rain?

You will get lots of water off the high bottom of the front fender,as Americans call it. If there is no screen you're going to get more water. As these are a light bike and get pushed around in the wind. You may get an impression that you are taking more water than you are. I will ride in rain if it happens.

What? No answers from the fenderless Bobber guys>?

If a fenderless bobber guy is gonna ride in the pouring rain, he's prolly wearing 100% waterproof gear.

At least I know I will be.

Yea a mud flap will deffinately help, but gear is the key  

I ride all year in Vancouver, BC. I'm not sure if you've heard but we get a day or two of rain here. I've been seriously thinking about a mud flap on that front fender, to the point that I've been wondering if I could get another fender and weld them together so that the fender encloses the back of the wheel...

Yesterday my faithful rain gear let me down. I've had it for about five years and I paid $30 for it. I feel I did well but that nylon is shot now.

I'm looking at picking up some good wetweather gear this fall/winter. Anyone have some recommendations?

Look for a Cobra Boulevard full fender that fits the 19" front wheel Shadows. Out of production for years but you can still find them at swap meets and some parts shops/wrecking yards. Try Bent Bike in western Wa, they had a bunch of them at the Auburn store. They were in the outside racks last time I was there (2011).

Serowbot wrote on 10/19/12 at 16:25:38:


I watched/looked down yesterday when I was afforded the safe opportunity to watch the area where it seems the soaking it worse, and yep, with the narrow motor and a fender cut short, the water pours right off the wheel unto your lower legs and feet, almost like turning on a hose and pointing it at your feet  
I will buy a flap (on line today). In the mean time I ride with an additional, I think its called a boot sock....I put it on over my boot, it rides up to mid calf and all the way down to my boots, covering them entirely except the bottom of the heel so you still have traction when (boots) placed upon ground....works extremely well, just something else you need to "dry" once you reach your destination.

BTW, we had a very bad storm Thursday night, lost power and all. Had to get dressed using the light on my Iphone, and forgot to put my savage panties on, I felt nekked all day  
I was riding down the road on a solid covering of maple leaves and pine (actually fir) needles, talk about slick and slippery, kept the speed and torque way down for it wanted to break loose at any opportunity. Came to a road block, uh, I mean tree....the top 50 or so feet snapped off and cover the entire road, ARG! I looked for any power wires (in was 4 AM and dark) and saw none, so...I just found an opening between some of the bigger branches that held the main trunk up high enough for me to ride under, and I did, clearing the smaller branches away as I went through....I made it and I smelt like a Christmas tree all day long, so much s no one noticed I didn't have any panties on