I have been riding for over thirty years, and I can tell you the exact moment I stopped gambling with weather. It was a July afternoon east of the Cascades, clear sky when I left Bend, and by the time I hit the pass the temperature had dropped fifteen degrees and the clouds had rolled in. I pulled over, dug a rain suit out of my saddlebag, and rode the next two hours dry while a couple of riders I passed looked miserable. That is the whole argument for carrying motorcycle rain gear, and the Nelson-Rigg Stormrider rain suit is what has lived in my bag ever since.
I am Ray Holloway, 58, retired heavy-equipment mechanic, and I ride a 2017 Honda Gold Wing about 8,000 miles a year around Central Oregon. My wife Linda rides pillion on longer trips. I am not a fair-weather rider, but I am also not interested in being cold and soaked for the sake of proving something. Here are ten reasons I carry rain gear on every ride, and why the Nelson-Rigg Stormrider is the suit I reach for.
Rain Can Find You Anywhere, Even in July
A Nelson-Rigg Stormrider rain suit packs small enough to live in a saddlebag, so you are ready when the sky opens up. It is the first thing I pack before any ride.
Amazon Check Today's Price on Amazon →Mountain Weather Changes Faster Than You Can Ride
Central Oregon is full of passes where the forecast says sunny and the mountain says otherwise. I have watched a clear blue sky turn to steady rain in under twenty minutes. One afternoon on the McKenzie Highway, I left Sisters in bright sun and hit a wall of rain before I reached the summit, with no exit for eleven miles. When that happens, the difference between a dry rider and a wet one is simply whether the gear is on the bike. A Nelson-Rigg Stormrider in the saddlebag means the forecast does not get a vote.
Wet Leather and Textile Gear Take Days to Dry
If you get caught without rain gear, your jacket and pants are soaked, and they will not dry overnight in a hotel room. I have hung wet gear over a shower rod and still had to put it on damp the next morning. A rain suit worn over your regular gear keeps the expensive stuff dry, so the next day starts with dry clothes instead of a cold, soggy reminder of yesterday.
Being Cold and Wet Is When You Make Mistakes
Shivering does more than ruin a ride. It tightens your shoulders, dulls your focus, and makes your inputs rougher. I have seen riders make bad line choices late in a cold, wet day, and I have made a few myself. Staying dry is a safety decision as much as a comfort one. The Nelson-Rigg Stormrider keeps the wind and water off, and that keeps my head in the ride.
A Rain Suit Is Cheaper Than a Rain Delay
There is a version of every long trip where you sit in a diner for two hours waiting out a shower, then rush to make up time. I have done it. These days I put the suit on and keep moving. The Stormrider is a fraction of the cost of a ruined trip or a skipped destination, and it pays for itself the first time it keeps a ride going.
It Doubles as a Windbreaker on Cold Mornings
A rain suit is not just for rain. On a 45-degree morning, the Stormrider over my regular jacket cuts the wind completely and takes the edge off the cold. I have worn it on dry days more times than I can count, just to knock the chill off a mountain pass. That makes it a year-round tool, not a fair-weather accessory.
Pillion Riders Deserve the Same Protection
Linda rides pillion with me on longer trips, and she gets cold and wet just like I do. When we pack for a trip, her rain suit goes in the bag right next to mine. A rider who is dry and comfortable is a better passenger, and a passenger who is not miserable is more likely to want to go on the next trip. That alone is reason enough.
Visibility Goes Up When the Rain Comes Down
Rain means gray sky, gray road, and drivers who are not looking for motorcycles. The Stormrider has high-visibility panels that make a rider stand out in exactly the conditions where being seen matters most. I notice the difference when I ride past cars in a downpour. If a driver sees me sooner, that is worth the space the suit takes up.
It Packs Small Enough That There Is No Excuse
The Stormrider folds down small enough to live in a saddlebag full time, and that is the whole trick. Gear that is too bulky to carry is gear that stays home. I keep mine packed and ready, so the decision is already made. When the sky opens up, I do not have to choose between getting wet and carrying a bulky load. It is just there.
It Keeps Your Base Layers Dry for the Next Day
On a multi-day trip, the gear you wear under your rain suit is the gear you wear tomorrow. If that base layer stays dry, the next morning starts easy. If it gets soaked, you are either washing it in a hotel sink or putting on something damp. The Nelson-Rigg Stormrider keeps the rain off the layers that matter, and that keeps a trip from falling apart on day two.
You Never Regret Having It, Only Not Having It
I have never once stood next to my bike in a downpour and thought, sure wish I had left the rain suit at home. I have, however, stood under a gas station awning in a cold rain and watched the road turn to sheets of water while I waited it out. That is the feeling that made me a permanent believer. The Nelson-Rigg Stormrider is the reason I do not have that feeling anymore.
What I'd Skip
If you only ride a few sunny Sundays a year and never leave town, you can probably skip dedicated rain gear. A cheap poncho in a top box will cover you in a pinch, and it costs almost nothing. I would also skip any rain suit that does not have a way to seal the cuffs and ankles, because water will find the openings. And if you ride in a climate where it genuinely never rains, you do not need this. But for anyone who rides mountain passes, takes multi-day trips, or commutes year round, the Stormrider is the difference between a bad story and a good one.
I have never once stood next to my bike in a downpour and thought, sure wish I had left the rain suit at home.
Pack It Once, Ride Dry for Years
The Nelson-Rigg Stormrider is the rain suit I have trusted for thousands of miles in the Pacific Northwest. It packs small, goes on over your regular gear, and makes rain a detail instead of a decision.
Amazon Check Today's Price on Amazon →