Is it just me or do motorway speeds and driving rain get you pretty wet no matter what? My goretex boots failed completely to keep my feet dry after an hour in hard rain, but my jacket and trousers more or less did an okay job, though my Reisse 'waterproof' jacket would have probably got soaked through if had of stayed out longer... Is this why people shell out hundreds of quid on touring jackets or in the end, do you always end up wet?

Pretty much WET.

Biggest problem most have (me included) is water puddling in your crotch and then leaking through.

My jacket (First Gear Rainier) is reasonably waterproof ... but only for a while.
In serious rain I put my very inexpensive Moto rain poncho over. This really helps. Same with pants. Inexpensive rubberized rain gear.

Staying 100% dry in driving rain is an Art. Generally, I pull over ... and wait it out. I did do one ride on my Vstrom (GREAT Rain riding bike) from the Mexican border to San Francisco. (about 700 miles) 2 days, non stop rain. Not heavy, but steady.

Yeah, it's really chucking down here in the central valley of Chile. I think my boots got wet mostly from the spray from the road, and the splash from driving through sections of flooded road. Well I hope July brings fairer weather as arriving to a house with a fireplace is one thing but fiddling around and then climbing into a damp tent for the night quite another!

I've got wet wearing jeans then caught in a downpour or riding through fords! But in 32 years, I've never been wet with waterproof gear on. I don't buy expensive stuff.

The army gortex gear is good - a lot of trail riders wear it (mud, water etc). It's all very cheap. Just wear good body armour independently

__________________
Elaine

Striving to live the ordinary life in a non ordinary way

I think it's more of a science but there are gaps in my method. I usually stay dry in all-day rain including occasional toad-stranglers. Multiple days of rain and high humidity are a problem.

I usually wear a jacket that overlaps the pant crotch so I don't carry around a puddle. The Aerostich Darien pants have a very vulnerable simple zipper fly but the Darien jacket is long enough to keep water off.

I added a rain gutter to the main zip on a Tourmaster Advanced jacket. It would keep out rain for a half-hour or so, but driving rain would eventually force through the zip and soak me. With the folded gutter it worked great in the rain.

My weak spot is gloves. Most of my MC handlebars are low and I tuck glove cuffs into my jacket so water running down my sleeve continues outside instead of into the glove. This works as long as I'm riding, but taking the gloves off for fuel, bathroom, changing maps in the case, or lunch will get a little moisture in so eventually I have gloves with a wet liner. As long as I can keep gloves on I'm OK. For cold rain, the handlebar muffs (like Hippo Hands) keep my gloves and sleeves drier.

I keep hearing that liners like Gore-Tex will get holes and fail, but I haven't yet had that happen. When I get wet it's because I allowed a gap or I had to use my bare hands too much.

See if you can find a product called "Sno Seal" It's a ski boot product, Bee's Wax. Works great waterproofing motorcycle boots. Ski shops should have it or something similar.

I've had same problems. Gloves are a tough one. Plumbers rubber gloves over
riding gloves can work ... but not a good feel. Surgical gloves UNDER riding gloves adds warmth ... but gloves still get wet. Tough one. Some gloves pull the liner inside out when you remove your hands ... then you can't get your damp hands back in the gloves!
I hate that!

Held one piece rain suit plus army boot and glove liners work. You need to dress for it though which means either changing at the road side or going boil in the bag if it stays nice.

If you want to wear the same kit wet and dry, heavy waxed and fully treated cotton works. Stinks in a tent though.

I am yet to find Goretex kit that works when three years old, dirty and there is serious rain.

Andy

I can recommend Sealskinz for gloves, socks and hats. Gloves wouldn't protect you in a fall but figured id buy some for setting up camp, etc. The socks really work I can testify, and are breathable too.

Try that in the UK (or any of the northern European countries) at certain times of the year and you could be waiting six months. then . You can only tell it's summer because the rain gets warmer.

I've often looked enviously at the Parisian scooter riders who have some sort of waterproof blanket arrangement that's attached to the front of the bike and covers their legs and feet. I've been wondering for ages whether it would be possible to transfer the principle to a "normal" bike.

I tried waiting for the rain to stop in the UK, but I was told I would have to apply for immigration to wait that long and have to that from my home country.

Most rain for me is thunderstorms. You can wait out the worst for an hour, then the sun is out and it is hot and you dry in an hour. Sometimes it will rain for days. Not often. But it is stop and start rain and you can wait out the downpour. At most I put a water proof liner in my textile jacket to keep my work clothes dry and just pack my work trousers.