Riding in the rain

[Dale124]

Hi all. I know it's not a great idea to ride much in the rain, but sometimes we may have no choice. I have been stuck in rain on the highway,and it went ok, but it did get hard to see at times. The rain on the windsheild coupled with the rain on my visor made it difficult. I was wondering if there are tips for this that maybe would help. I tried riding with my visor up, but then the rain just hits my eyes directly, so that didn't seem to help much.

Any tips before Venture West comes upon us would be appreciated, as I understand it can rain a lot in Oregon.

Dale

[djh3]

Thats partly why folks recommend a shorter windshield. You should be able to see over the top of it in-case it rains. I cant and at times it has been troublesome. Dont use rain-x. I guess there is something in it the windshield dont like and it yellows it and softens the hard coating or something on it. Anyways its not good for it. I use just plain spray on detail wax. Some use plexus, pledge. It helps repel the water but after 20-30 min of rain its just blurry. Faceshield same deal just some wax will help.

[N3FOL]

Hello Dale. If ever I get caught by rain, I will pull over under a bridge or take the early exit and seek shelter somewhere....gas station or anywhere and wait for the downpour to subside. If youu have no other choice, just watch your speed.

 

If I am not mistaken, I think some members use pledge on their windshield that may help repel water.

[pmelah]

use wax put that on then put baby powder on the wax let it set for a few minutes then buf the wax out that will last for a long time baby powder draws the moisture from the wax and does an amazing job of repelling water and removing oxidation from old wax you cant beat it

[camos]

I tried riding with my visor up, but then the rain just hits my eyes directly, so that didn't seem to help much.

I ride in the rain very often and have to say no matter what you try it pretty much sux. As has been said, being able to look over the windshield is a must particularly in low light and wet conditions. Keeping the windshield clean definitely helps but when it is wet the reality is you won't have good visibility through it.

 

I have found that it is not necessary to completely close the helmet visor while riding in the rain. I use the visor kind of like the bill of a ball cap, just pull it down to just above your sight line. This works quite well to keep light rain out of your eyes. With it a notch lower when the rain is heavier you would be looking through the lower inch of the visor but can tilt your head back a bit when better visibility is required.

 

Most of my riding is commuting to work so I don't have the option of seeking shelter to wait out the rain. That seems to be the most sensible course of action to take when on a trip.

[pmelah]

im like you camos commute daily to and from work not an option to stop and ride it out but the wax and baby powder trick really works well for me on the windshield and visor it acts just like rainex on a cage windshield water just beads up and rolls off

[saddlebum]

I think I have put on as many miles in the rain as I have in the dry. Most of the options above I have tried and they all work to a certain degree. Most important though is to make sure your face shield catches wind hence the lower windshield. IF the face shield doesn't catch enough wind the water just sits there .

[spike13]

i bought these https://www.denniskirk.com/show-chrome/finger-visor-wipers.p3407619.prd/3407619.sku have not used them yet to say if they actually work

[kevin-vic-b.c.]

I ride in the rain very often and have to say no matter what you try it pretty much sux. As has been said, being able to look over the windshield is a must particularly in low light and wet conditions. Keeping the windshield clean definitely helps but when it is wet the reality is you won't have good visibility through it.

 

I have found that it is not necessary to completely close the helmet visor while riding in the rain. I use the visor kind of like the bill of a ball cap, just pull it down to just above your sight line. This works quite well to keep light rain out of your eyes. With it a notch lower when the rain is heavier you would be looking through the lower inch of the visor but can tilt your head back a bit when better visibility is required.

 

Most of my riding is commuting to work so I don't have the option of seeking shelter to wait out the rain. That seems to be the most sensible course of action to take when on a trip.

 

Clive likely spends more time on two wheels in the rain than most of ever will. The only things I will ad is to make sure you have good tires, newer the better, after the first 100 kilometers that is, not going to start a brand discussion, keep the pledge on your helmet visor as well, rain-x does work better but be willing to swap visors once a year or so.

The biggest thing is to RELAX. Keep to speed limit and relax.

I ride year round, do not LIKE the rain but I do not let it stop me. If I did I would have less riding time than most of our southern and eastern friends.

 

Oh and buy a good rain suit.... I also have boot protectors, they are from a bicycle shop.

Edited April 25, 2014 by kevin-vic-b.c.
add on

[muaymendez1]

I rather be in heavy rain than light drizzle. At 40mph or so the water gets brushed away by high winds.

The drizzle just sits there.

I try to stay far behind cars, as to not get their wheel spray but the worst is trucks padding their opposite direction. Now you have water and road debris on your windshield and visor. My first reaction was to wipe it off.

A few times of that and your windshield is scarred for life. Lesson learned

[djh3]

The slower speeds to me seem to be more of an issue. Say under 40 and in town kind of stuff. As was mentioned it just sits there. If you on a road and can run say 40-60 it clears off decently. Back spray does cause concern.

[Brake Pad]

I use windex on everything, windshield, bike, open cuts .

I just pull over, if I'm two up. or get off the road, and seek shelter , there is always a nice place to get a slice of pie, and a cup of coffee out there:thumbsup2:

[MikeWa]

Looking around the side of your windshield will often blow the water drops off your face shield.

 

Mike

[bongobobny]

This sounds crazy but it works! Wear a pair of yellow hunting glasses in the rain, it improves visibility greatly. Myself I use a large windshield that is kept waxed with furniture polish, and I have the edge of the windshield covered with plastic chrome door edge guard, and that slows down the water spraying over the edge. Also, the faster you go the more the water disburses from the shield. By using the bigger shield it keeps a lot of the rain off my helmet but I still open the visor up just enough to see under it but not so much as to allow rain at my eyes.

 

I agree driving in the rain sucks but sometimes you have no choice...

[Jimbob66]

This sounds crazy but it works! Wear a pair of yellow hunting glasses in the rain, it improves visibility greatly.

 

 

Yes what he said. I used polarized shooters glasses. They help in fog too and are impact resistant.

[Peder_y2k]

I've been out in thunderstorms where it poured so hard the cagers pulled off the road leaving me the only one moving. The windshield design worked well on my 1st gen VR to stream the water off the shield and up over my head. I was amazed that I could see well when car drivers had to stop because their wipers couldn't keep up. I did look over the top edge when the w/s got dirty enough to not see thru. The main problem I had was water pooling in the seat and soaking thru the seams of my rain pants.... 'Seamseal' cured that.

-Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

[SilvrT]

The main problem I had was water pooling in the seat and soaking thru the seams of my rain pants....

 

All these "suggestions" yet not one of you mentioned "wipers" ...

 

I have a pair of those "yellow" glasses with mini-wipers on them ... work like a hot-damn!

 

As for the water pooling ... I recall that was an issue one time and it near caused me to crash.

 

Was travelling on the freeway in a fairly heavy rain storm, min-wipers at full speed, full length rain suit on, and all of a sudden I got this blast of real cold water on the "jewels" ... (keep in mind I was toasty warm down there up to that point). Well, that made me shriek and jump and I nealy lost control of the scoot!

 

Turns out, as I discovered later, I had a hole in just the "right spot" and a pool of water found that hole when I moved slightly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(just kiddin 'bout the wipers)

[cowpuc]

This sounds crazy but it works! Wear a pair of yellow hunting glasses in the rain, it improves visibility greatly. Myself I use a large windshield that is kept waxed with furniture polish, and I have the edge of the windshield covered with plastic chrome door edge guard, and that slows down the water spraying over the edge. Also, the faster you go the more the water disburses from the shield. By using the bigger shield it keeps a lot of the rain off my helmet but I still open the visor up just enough to see under it but not so much as to allow rain at my eyes.

 

I agree driving in the rain sucks but sometimes you have no choice...

 

Gonna nickname Bongo - BINGO... The guy thinks just like me (might be time for a cat scan there Bingo)..

Unless its cold rain, I really dont mind riding in the rain as long as I can keep my speed up.. I tend to actually run a little faster in the rain if possible.. Keep the rain in the air foil, looking over the top of the shield and let er buck.. On the same token though,, get caught in traffic or town driving,, I start looking for an overhang or a bridge to slide in under.

One time headed up 15 from Vegas, headed up to go two track exploring in the gorgeous Nehi Utah foothills the sky opened up.. Flying by cars tucked in stayin dry,, stopped for a burger bout an hour later... Some folks come over checkin out the bikes,, ladies comes up and says,, "I told my husband when you guys went cruisin by us,, Da%%,, if they ride that fast in the rain I wonder how fast they ride when its nice out":rotf:

[Barrycuda]

It seems each one of the replies is good in its own right and some of it is just trial and error. I spent close to 3500 miles last year in hardcore rain, going from state to state(not designed on purpose to ride in torrential downpours). I, myself use the taller clear windshield and have it coated with pledge, then found all-Kleer which I use on windshield. I ride with a full face, and crack it open visor slightly to deny fogging, also keeping goggles, dry. I will try the yellow hunting glasses next time. On the interstate, I stay 5-10 miles below speed limit, depending on where I am at, time in seat, weather conditions. It is important to stay relaxed. I also have on my FROGG TOGGS and use seal skinz gloves OVER my riding gloves. No issues. Boots, I have waxed and they are generally OK. There are times where I am in stretches of road where there is no place to pull over, so that option is out. Bottom line, is to ride your ride. Don't keep up with others if you aren't comfortable doing so. Proper tire inflation, as well as staying away from middle of lane, where oil build up from cars. Back spray stinks, especially from tractors. When interstate riding, at times, pull over at a truck stop or gas staton and clean off the windshield, head lights and visor.

[Mad Dog]

use wax put that on then put baby powder on the wax let it set for a few minutes then buf the wax out that will last for a long time baby powder draws the moisture from the wax and does an amazing job of repelling water and removing oxidation from old wax you cant beat it

 

Well here's something I haven't heard of before? What kind of wax? and just regular old baby powder? I use pledge, which I think works great, have you tried that? Can you compare? This sounds like it's worth trying! Thanks

Edited April 26, 2014 by Mad Dog
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[StarFan]

Dont use rain-x. I guess there is something in it the windshield dont like and it yellows it and softens the hard coating or something on it. Anyways its not good for it.

 

It does that because the plexiglass the windshield is made of has a film applied to it that wil not withstand the chemicals in the Rain-X.

[dacheedah]

Always leery of stopping underpasses, not a safe place in high wind or extreme weather and it seems a spot a lot of folks shoot for and a lot of accidents there in bad weather. If you ride you will ride in the rain. A good suit, foot gaiters and good tires will get you through. Other than that a store or restaurant will hold you over. I would suggest a weather app for your smartphone that will alert you of severe weather based on your location. Still sometimes severe weather like tornado's are unpredictable, we also found out NOAA can't see tornado's in the rain, radar doesn't show them. Pay attention to your surroundings.

[saddlebum]

The worst part about water pooling on the seat, is when it happens sudden like and the water is cold cold cold BRRRRR.

[Midrsv]

As others have said, have a good rain suit and good tires. And while I am off the bike putting on my rain suit I pick a terry cloth towel out of the bag and place it between my legs when I get back on. Since I don't have the luxury of looking over the windshield I use the towel as needed to wipe the top of the windshield clean. I also use it to wipe the backside of the windshield as water marches over the top. Use it on my face shield also.

 

I also prefer a steady rain to a drizzle because it clears the windshield at a decent speed. If traveling on the interstates I will not stop on the side of the road or under an overpass. I'll ride in the rain until I can get off at an exit to put on my rain gear. I've heard of too many fatalities from people stopping.

 

Dennis

[The Beast]

use wax put that on then put baby powder on the wax let it set for a few minutes then buf the wax out that will last for a long time baby powder draws the moisture from the wax and does an amazing job of repelling water and removing oxidation from old wax you cant beat it

 

 

What kind of wax is best? carnuba - pledge?