A motorcycle rainsuit is like insurance: You may not need it often, but when you do, you?re darn glad you?ve got it. In early April, a buddy and I rode from California to Texas to see the solar eclipse. Nelson-Rigg sent us some gear to evaluate during our nine-day, 4,200-mile journey, including Route 1 cruiser luggage (look for my review soon) and Solo Storm rainsuits, which are sold separately as a jacket and pants.

Raingear is typically used to keep riders dry in rainy conditions, but we first used our Solo Storm rainsuits on a dry morning. When we awoke before dawn on Sunday in Lordsburg, New Mexico, it was 30 degrees outside. With a 700-mile ride ahead of us, we?d be slabbing it on I-10 for an hour before the sun came up. There was no rain in the forecast, but we donned our rainsuits to block out the biting wind, and they helped keep us warm, or at least less cold.
The Solo Storm jacket and pants have a polyester oxford outer shell with a waterproof/windproof polyurethane backing and electronically taped seams. The front of the jacket has a full-length zipper with a two-layer storm flap that seals with hook-and-loop, and the wrist cuffs and tall collar also seal with adjustable hook-and-loop. 

The outside of the jacket has adjustable waist straps, a drawstring around the hem, two waterproof cargo pockets, an adjustable zippered back vent, and reflective accent material. There?s breathable mesh at the back, a rain hood stored in the collar, and a bui...