Hi all,

Recently started commuting 3 days a week on the recently purchased motorbike.

Ive got loads of nice dry weather kit..

But as the winter is starting to draw in I want a 2 peice textile suit which is warm, dry in rainy weather (waterproof) and not too expensive. Preferably with some armour built in too.

Any recomendations?

Not too expensive? What’s the actual budget?

I have some rukka goretex stuff I don’t use anymore but even used, it generally fetches more than some stuff new.

Pick up a copy of RiDE magazine, always reviews of budget through to top end kit.
Oxford Montreal 2.0 suits get good results and aren’t silly money. Always worth having a one or two piece waterproof as some textiles can get water logged if you’re in heavy rain for long enough.

Not too expensive? What’s the actual budget?

I have some rukka goretex stuff I don’t use anymore but even used, it generally fetches more than some stuff new.

Not set a budget really. I was asking so I could get an.idea of options and then set a budget.

Was considering cheaper kit this year then expensive next winter.

Could be tempted by some used quality kit like Rukka for the right price.

Rukka really is a cut above but stupendously expensive. For most of my riding life I was in cheap Teknic textile trousers and I’d wear a £10 pair of waterproofs over the top if it was properly wet, that was probably 3/4s as good for less than 1/4 the price.

This isn’t science, but I always figured if a set of textiles had proper hip armour pockets, that was a good sign they’d thought about it.

I returned to motorcycling this summer. As I wasn’t sure If like it I bought some “no name” stuff off Amazon. Waterproof, removable liner, armour. It’s shit – leaks after no more than 15 mins of rain. It would be enough to put you off motorcycling. Spend a bit if you’re seriously planning to be out in the rain.

I used to use Akito Desert kit. Was cheap and OK. If it really pissed down you would still get wet but I suspect thats still the case unless you go to really big bucks.

I have some alpinestars stuff. Seems good and baggy enough to wear over my work clothes. Buy something decent. One cold and wet ride you’ll have regretted buying cheap.

I’ll recommend what I use as it’s been faultless since I bought it a couple of years ago. Wolf textiles with outlast liner. I have the jacket and trousers.
https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_rev/287791

Not too expensive, comfy, lots of padding and waterproof. Removable liner and vents for summer riding.

I previously had a set of spike textiles which were very good too, until the zips finally gave up (usually first thing to go).

Commuted by bike everyday for the last five years. What I found was my Hein Gericke gear was waterproof but if I got wet going to work the suit would hold the water and end up very cold and heavy with water running into my gloves from it pooling at the cuff on the way home.

I’ve ended up with a second hand Klim Badlands jacket as it’s goretex pro, meaning it stops the rain getting in. Some of the expensive gore tex kit is simply a liner so the above still happens.

If you’ve got textiles that work for summer I’d just chuck a waterproof over suit on as decent weatherproof gear can end up very expensive. Instead invest in waterproof and warm gloves and boots.

If you’ve got textiles that work for summer I’d just chuck a waterproof over suit on as decent weatherproof gear can end up very expensive. Instead invest in waterproof and warm gloves and boots.

I did consider a waterproof oversuit.

Are they all largely the same?

Theres an RST one with fluro details for my commute that Ive seen for £60 but thought it might just be boil in the bag scenario!

Shiny plastic waterproofs don’t hold water like the fancy ones with a membrane in the middle. I prefer leather and a shell. Boil in the bag won’t be an issue on the road.

Less than £100 they are all much of a muchness. Mine was from Aldi!!! Have a look at the Rev It suit just because of how the zip runs: https://www.xlmoto.co.uk/revit-pacific-2-h2o-rain-suit-neon-yellow-black?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIm6Oi2Oiq1wIVVs-yCh362gJaEAQYECABEgIkSPD_BwE

They can be hot and sweaty, I found mine to be but it was 20c going across France in the summer. You’ll be riding in the British winter! Have a look under your seat, you may find space to store an oversuit so you never get caught out.

Oh I bloody HATE 1 piece rainsuits, they’re such a pain in the arse. Much rather have a 2 piece, as long as the jacket’s long enough it works just as well ime. Lidl or Aldi (can’t remember) overcoat was grand.

If you wanted to avoid buying new winter gloves you can become a full on commuter by fitting these: http://www.nippynormans.com/handguard-extenders-and-handlebar-muffs/tucano-urbano-handlebar-muffs-pair-r1200gsadvgs-lc-and-more

Can get them on eBay for £30

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I have a set of gerbing heated gloves for sale actually if anyone wants ’em… And some really good but ancient Spada Force WP2 winter gloves that I wore once and found they were too small

What size and how much on the spada gloves?

As others have said good gear is expensive. If you can’t afford new then second hand is still better than cheap stuff that leaks.
Waterproof liners are a pain. The outer ges wet and remains so for the best part of the day so you end up putting on wet jacket to ride home in too. The liner is usually shorter than the jacket so the cuffs and hem of the jacket act like a wick pulling the water inside and under the liner onto your base layers.
I’ve used various gear with liners and they’ve all suffered the same some had been better than others but in the end they were all a waste of money and I should have gone for a laminate first off. Like Iank45, I’ve gone for Klim Badlands with Goretex Pro laminate. Rukka was high up on my list but I foiund it too warm for all year round riding.
Plenty of places offer 0% finance if that helps you get in the right gear to start with. Also look at heated grips, pinlock visor inserts and waterproof gloves.

Although expensive, I found that Hein Gericke was the best cash I spent on a jacket – many many seasons old and still doing the business (although not called into action too often nowadays).
Never really felt the cold when wearing it – even though as IanK45 mentions, it can have a tendancy to hold water (nikwax spray temporarily sorts that though)

Got my Klim for £300 second hand, granted that’s very cheap for the jacket but i can use it all year round and both on and off road!

Have a look on eBay for adventurespec, they are the UK distributor but sell off items quite often, some are returns, others ex display. They’ve some jackets on at the moment.

I’ve recently bought a Dianese Tempest suit. Cracking kit. Waterproof and warm enough to commute in with just a shirt and lightweight trousers on underneath.

Cost £400 and worth every penny.

British Army MVP over trousers – they work well and trail riders use them all the time.

Any goretex single layer jacket keeps the water out just buy a few sizes up, the Royal Navy MVP jacket is very good and you don’t look like a commando

The Wolf kit must have improved as a couple of mates had the 2 piece kit and both said it leaked like a sieve. I on the other hand had some AlpineStars goretex which were faultless. Warm comfortable and with protection and removable liners. Not cheap but excellent. I think the phrase is ” You get what you pay for”. Having ridden in torrential rain on more occasions than I’d like to remember, get the best kit you can afford.