Top tip:
Don't read the Police Rider's Handbook and after reading the bit on ABS, decide to "test" the bit where it says something along the lines of "The main reason ABS helps you stop quicker is not that it is more effective at braking, but more it gives the confidence to brake harder than they would normally, particularly in the wet. The majority of riders do not brake anywhere near the limit of grip." I did, in the wet and added a fraction (and we are talking minute) more front brake than I would normally and the front locked up. Not fun.
Seriously though, I'd ride in the rain. Even a fair weather rider will get caught out in the rain at some point and I'd rather choose to learn to ride in the wet (not that it's as different to riding in the dry as some would suggest, so long as you have decent tyres and aren't absolutely hooning it), than have to do it for the first time when I was already tired from a ride. In the rain, particulary in longer rides, comfort is important. You won't ride as smoothly and your reaction times will be longer if you are soaked through and cold.
My advise would be to get some sort of waterproofs. Be skeptical about "waterproof" textiles; a lot of them aren't. Even some waterproof oversuits let water in. Buy one on recommendation from someone you trust, or that Ride magazine have given a "Best Buy" or "Recommended" award to. I've got a Spada 406 oversuit and it has never let a drop in, even during 4 hour runs in torrential downpours. After getting one set of "waterproof" textiles and realising they mean "waterproof (for up to half an hour)" I decided to get one that I'd actually read a review of, rather than buying on looks alone.
