Waterproof trousers

[DonDino]

As I'm beginning to ride at higher speeds, I am looking to get a pair of properly waterproof trousers.

At the moment, I have kevlar jeans and a pair of waterproof overtrousers. The problem with the overtrousers I have is that when the rain gets heavy, and the tank and seat start getting very wet, water soaks through and I get wet on the inside = not goot at all.

Any suggestions about really waterproof overtrousers? Ideally I'd like to be able to wear them over the jeans, but I'm also open to textile or leather bike trousers. The latter have to look 'good' and be practical, as I like to ride the bike to work, visits to friends' houses etc, so I generally don't like anything that will make me look like I just got out of the racetrack.

I've found some on Amazon, but many don't have reviews so I don't know how waterproof they actually are.

Any suggestions are welcome!

[wots]

I wear Jeans and Waterproof Textile Over trousers, but I keep a pair of these in my top box. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-282424-Class-Hi-Viz-Trousers/dp/B000LFS2TU/ref=sr_1_10?rps=1&ie=UTF8&qid=1349554824&sr=8-10
Used them for the first time on Friday, over my over trousers. They were perfect. They are ideal when it's really wet. They are really small when folded down. You either love or hate the bright/reflective nature, but the bonus is you will definitely been seen!
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Currently: Yamaha DT 125 LC2,Repsol Fireblade, and Bumblebee MSX 125

[wots]

Double Post
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Currently: Yamaha DT 125 LC2,Repsol Fireblade, and Bumblebee MSX 125

[DonDino]

[wots]

Don't know how I managed to post twice. Anyway.

I came down the dual-carriageway on Friday and it was hoofing it down, no wet came through at all, as they not breathable type. Came home and they were covered in nasty road grime, washed them off and put them back in my top box when dry (which wasn't long).

Ideal
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Currently: Yamaha DT 125 LC2,Repsol Fireblade, and Bumblebee MSX 125

[barrkel]

At the risk of repeating myself ad nauseam, waterproof trousers' weak point is the crotch. When wearing them on a bike, there's usually a lot of stretch there, and average taped seams come undone over time when alternately stretched / unstretched. Generic waterproof overtrousers (the thin packable kind) have worked well for me until they didn't; about 8 to 16 hours of total use, usually in the middle of a summer storm on a motorway somewhere on the continent. The kind you buy in a bike shop aren't worth it IMO, unless they are branded like gore-tex, in which case they will cost triple digits - and may easily be torn (I've snapped a footpeg feeler in the past that loved to tear waterproofs).

If you want cheap fairly reliable waterproofing, either go for heavy-duty industrial / agricultural waterproofs (but these won't pack lightly), or army surplus gore-tex outers.

Myself, I've just shelled out £350 for gore-tex pro-shell trousers in preparation for the winter. I also buy hi-vis motorway trousers (like wotsthestory posted a link to) as a cheap and disposable option. When the rain is thick enough to look like fog, the extra hi-vis is worth it, IMO. But I would still expect them to start leaking after 10-20 hours worth of use.
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Bikes: S1000R, SH350; Exes: Vity 125, PS125, YBR125, ER6f, VFR800, Brutale 920, CB600F, SH300x4
Best road ever ridden: www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2MhNxUEYtQ

[Rogerborg]

^^^^
+1 Helpful to that, except that my solution is army surplus trousers, or hi-vis workwear. Think £10, not £100+

If your solution mentions "pack away" or "hiking" then be on notice that it's a compromise.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[DonDino]

[Tomzo47]

waterproof gear will not stay waterproof, rain will get in eventually. The best thing ive found is one of those massive one piece rain suits, even if they look a bit stupid.
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Ybr 125 > Bandit 650SA > GSXR 600 > Triumph Sprint St1050 > CB1300 > Z1000SX + FJ1200 (written off) > VFR750 >FJ1200

[MCW]

When used in relation to motorbiking clothing, 'waterproof' is the 4th great lie...

[DonDino]

[Teflon-Mike]

If water is getting through, then they ent water-proof.
Suggests three options:
A) your water-proof over-trousers aren't
B) your water-proofs are donald-ducked
C) water isn't getting 'through'

Have you by any chance, or has some-one 'helpful' by any chance 'washed' your water-proofs? Harsh deturgent can de-water-proof them. Alternatively, letting them get a bit niffy, rolled up wet, mould can 'eat' the water-proofing, or put on a hot radiator to dry, they can go hard and brittle and loose thier water-proofness.

Any suggestions in there that might explain why they ent doing the job?

If so, then well, you dont need different trousers, just new-ones. However.... I learned the hard way, rolling expensive Frank-Thomas Aqua-Pak rain-suit up 'damp' into its own bag and leaving it a few weeks.... then washing it to try and get rid of mildew.... spotted a tin of 'Tent-Treatment' re-water-proofing.... like industrial strength Scotch-guard.... keeps rain out of tents; tents is made of same stuff as my over-suit.... what the heck, worth a try!

Worked and repeated applications every year saw that suit serve about seven years.

I cant remember the name of the stuff, sorry! It was in a tin, in the shed, my mum had bought to recondition a tent.... I just used it! I DID buy another in about 1992.... I think it was a 5l tin to do like a family sized tent..... because it was better value....... I water-proofed the two-man tent I had as a kid with it, to go 'touring' while I was still at uni.... did it again, when I used it to go to the TT in '98.... and I probably STILL have it..... and it is probably very rusty! But try a tent shop!

So, there's one possibility.

Next; if they be dodo-ed.... personally I'd go another set of over-trousers, Or one-piece over-suit.

As said, bought a one-piece back in I think 1990... was a revelation after old army surplus kit or industrial chem suits! Wear what you want, if wet, stick it over-all.... covers multituide of sins, and doesn't have so many cracks or gaps that will let in wind or water.

Semi-Retired when I went Textile around 1998, for commuting in a suit & tie, with Kevlar jacket; simply because seemed redundant!

Two pairs of over trousers; one your conventional out-door hiking type. Did the job under jacket, and a rather nice pair of lined quilted water-proof over trousers that are absolutely fantastic in the colder weather, but blumin hot in the warmer weather.

Which brings me back to option C) Are you sure its rain getting through the water-proofs, not SWEAT not getting OUT?

On some of those freak british summer or autum days when its actually quite warm, but humid and threatening damp/rain, got off the bike with wringing wet jeans, when I've only actually been riding damp roads and threatened shower, NOT torrrential rain.

Anyway... that's my offering... if over-trousers work for you on practicality front, dont look for something different just becouse the water-proofness doesn; seem to be doing the job... see what you can do to make what works, work better.
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My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[Dazbo666]

Waterproof overtrousers from Go Outdoors - their HiGear own branded stuff has served me well over the last year

(I previously had some army surplus cammo waterproof trousers that started to leak after just 4-5 months of occasional use. Leaked at the crotch when the taped seams failed badly.)
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1st bike (Sept'06 - May'10) : 1991 GPZ500S / Current bike (since Nov 2009) : 2003 Suzuki Bandit 600N
Word of the day : DILLIGAF

[Ribenapigeon]

I use a pair of Berghous Goretex over trousers from a hill walking shop, they zip up the sides and don't leak. I used to wear some frank thomas textile waterproofs but they were too sweaty. My Berghause over trousers on top of some kevlar lined cargo pants works well for me. £60 for the Kevlar trizers + £40 for the berghaus Goretex. For the winter have some good quality thermal leggings to layer underneath.

[DonDino]