Sidi 501 (might have been 541) one piece waterproofs. circa £50 (and worth every penny)

Put simply, these are the bollocks … an unlined one piece design that, although tricky to get in and out of, is amazingly waterproof … recently I did 2 hours of solid downpour at silly speeds, and the only leakage was a very small patch around the lower tummy/upper crotch region, which was possibly my fault anyway as I’d not sealed the storm flap properly.

They scrunch down to a size which is *just* too big to go under the seat, so I either pack them in the throwovers or lob them into a small Oxford magnetic tankbag.

I’ve always preferred waterproofs over leathers, as opposed to all seasons kit, and these have done nothing to dent that opinion. On the downside, it’s obvious that the people who design these things don’t have to use them … the zip catches are all too small to use easily with winter-gloved hands, and it’s easy to catch the lining in them, but otherwise they’re fine. Has large external pockets which remain waterproof and impossible-to-get-to-once-you’re-got-the-suit-on internal pockets, which also stay dry. Add a *really* good collar seal and you’ve got warm and dry for about £50 … brilliant kit … highly recommended.