Goretex is lovely. My Dainese Fulcrums with Goretex are a highly functional upgrade from my previous waterproof boots in terms of breathability and comfort. My Dainese Razon jacket has been wonderful. My Rukka goretex gloves have kept my hands in good condition.

That said, membranes fail. Goretex fails too. It could be the world's best molecular technology, but there's still a stitch somewhere that will come apart and let water in. All those lifetime warranties are going to do you no good whatsoever when you are stuck in a rainstorm somewhere, thousands of miles from the nearest warranty center, and you have no idea where your receipts are, and the retailer who sold you the gear is not interested.

Get a rainsuit. They are cheap and hella effective. Yes, they are cumbersome and sweaty, but a one-piece rainsuit and a windstopper balaclava/chest protector make the difference between hating yourself/your bike/the universe, and laughing off the Norwegian mountain thunderstorm or the four hours on an autobahn in pouring rain. All that for fifty euros.

Like the other guy said, by the time you get out of Europe, your gear won't look new any more. I've felt very comfortable leaving my jacket draped over the handlebars (with no valuables in the pockets of course) and walking away in smaller locations, because nobody wants my sweat-drenched Cordura.

As for your gear being outrageously expensive by local standards - well, in most locations where that's a worry, even cheap Western gear is overkill. If you've got anything more serious than an open-face brain bucket (plastic shell only, no EPS) and a plastic poncho over a North Fake jacket, you're already a showoff twat by local standards.