A motorcycle raincoat is like insurance: You may not need it often, but when you do, you’ll be glad you got it. In early April, a friend and I biked from California to Texas to see the solar eclipse. Nelson-Rigg sent us some gear to review on our nine-day, 4,200-mile cruise, including Route 1 luggage (look for my review soon) and a raincoat Solo Storm, sold separately as a jacket and pants.
Raincoats are commonly used to keep riders dry in rainy conditions, but we used the Solo Storm raincoat for the first time on a dry morning. When we woke up before dawn on Sunday in Lordsburg, New Mexico, it was 30 degrees outside. With 700 miles ahead of us, we would be on I-10 for an hour before sunrise. There was no rain in the forecast, but we wore raincoats to ward off the biting winds, and they kept us warm, or at least less cold.
The Solo Storm jacket and pants feature a polyester oxford shell with a water/windproof polyurethane backing and electronically taped seams. The front of the jacket features a full-length zip with a double-layer storm flap sealed with hook and loop, and the wrist cuffs and high collar are also sealed with adjustable hook and loop.
The jacket’s exterior features an adjustable waistband, drawcord around the hem, two waterproof cargo pockets, rear vents with adjustable zippers and reflective accent material. There’s breathable mesh at the back, a rain hood hidden in the collar, and a built-in zipper pocket into which the jacket can be tucked.
The Solo Storm pants feature an elastic waistband with adjustable straps on both sides and extra-wide legs that can be pulled over boots and other gear (put a plastic bag over the front boot to help the raincoat slide on more easily ). The inside of the leg has a layer of heat-resistant material, the seat is reinforced with anti-slip material, and there is an adjustable brace on the bottom leg of the pants to help prevent the pants from flying in the wind.
The true test of any motorcycle rain gear is riding in the pouring rain. Just 150 miles from home at the end of our trip, that’s exactly what we encountered. After donning our suits at the gas stop, we passed through a large ditch on I-40, slowing traffic from its normal speed of 80 mph to about 45 mph. For the next 50 miles we drove cautiously and stayed dry. We encountered continuous rain throughout the last 100 miles, but not once did any of us feel a blast of cold water seeping through.
The Nelson-Rigg Solo Storm Jacket retails for $79.95 and is available in sizes S-4XL in Black, Hi-Vis Yellow, or Orange. The pants retail for $49.95 and are only available in sizes S-4XL in Black.
