fall morning, rethinking ClearView ouch

[Seaking]

Yeah.. OK so this morning was interesting riding into work with the extra tall/wide Clearview on the bike..

 

Don't get me wrong, it's an awesome windscreen, nice and tall, takes the wind off your face, cuts down on the buffetting and clear to view through and all.. cleans nice etc

 

However, around here in the Maritimes we're into the weird fall weather patterns already, cold at night, hot during the day, humid as heck dawn and dusk etc..

 

Got out to the bike this morning and it was coated with dew which isn't a big deal.. I didn't put a cover on the bike last night.. no worries.. but when I cleaned off the windscreen it wouldn't stay 'clear'.. it would fog up right away.. ergh.. what the heck.. OK.. So I left it for a few minutes to dry off but the cold dampness in the air (clear skies, beautiful sunrise mind you) would simply wet the windshield again..

 

Now that's not the worse part.. Once I got it clear I was able to ride out to work but half way there, in a turn I hit a cold patch and zoom, the windshield fogged up quickly and I had no visibility at all!! I can't see over the top of the dang thing.. The only thing that saved me on this twisty road is 15 years of daily familiarity with this road and being able to see around the windshield at the curve coming up (rocky shoulders with no where to pull over).. I shudder to think if it happened with the sun in my face.. wow..

 

Ever go riding down the highway, especially after dusk and see your mirrors fog up? basically this is what happened this morning..

 

And it cleared up rather quickly after I went through that cold damp patch on the road.

 

I'm thinking I'm not a happy camper looking through carbonates anymore.. time for some trimming or a new windshield yet again until I find something safe!!

 

RainX on the screen, vent open or closed didn't make a difference..

[Eddie]

I use anti fog from rainx . Dont listen to the guys that say it will hurt the plastic. Ive had mine for three years and no problems

[CrazyHorse]

The windshield should really be just below eye height so you can look over it not through it. I often run into this situation (fog) I live in a rural area and commute to urban area and the farm fields frequently have fog in the early morning hours and lots of bugs. In bad weather conditions fog.rain, road mist,bug splatters,etc, trying to look through your eyeglasses or helmet visor and then looking through a windshield in bad conditions just makes it doubly hard now you have to look through two bad surfaces instead of one. It also easier to do something about the clarity of the helmet visor or glasses when they are right in front of your head as compared to the windshield a couple feet in front of you. I would trim it down. Heres an article on how to do it.

 

http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/tech/remove_windshield/index.html

Edited September 5, 2008 by CrazyHorse

[cmiles3]

Just sit on a phone book.

 

I had the same problem this morning, but my windshield is a standard. When I sit up straight, I can see over it. But it makes it tough to navigate potholes.

[stardbog]

In those foggy rides, I usualy keep rug between my crotch, and time to time, while riding just whipe top 4' that's good for good 10-20 mil's. as well every gas stop ( On Foggy / rainy Days) I clean troughly windshild with plastex spray, and that's help a lot.

[Seaking]

The windshield should really be just below eye height so you can look over it not through it. I often run into this situation (fog) I live in a rural area and commute to urban area and the farm fields frequently have fog in the early morning hours and lots of bugs. In bad weather conditions fog.rain, road mist,bug splatters,etc, trying to look through your eyeglasses or helmet visor and then looking through a windshield in bad conditions just makes it doubly hard now you have to look through two bad surfaces instead of one. It also easier to do something about the clarity of the helmet visor or glasses when they are right in front of your head as compared to the windshield a couple feet in front of you. I would trim it down. Heres an article on how to do it.

 

http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/tech/remove_windshield/index.html

 

I do thank you for the URL though, been reading through the site most of the morning..

 

Cutting the windscreen seems to be in order soon.. Just hate to have that head buffetting again.. ergh..

 

Cheers

[Ponch]

Before cutting a good shield, you might want to cut an old one you don't plan to use any more. Cut at least an inch higher than you figure you need. Mount it up and drive around to see if its where you want it. I cut my stock shield several times before I was satisfied.

 

By the way cutting a Clearview will take out some of the areodynamic function designed into it. (Don't ask how I know)

 

Also, as suggested you might try treating the shield. RainX, Plastex, Pledge, even shaving cream can cause condensation to roll off the surface. Ever try wiping some shaving cream on a bathroom mirror? It works.

 

The best solution I feel is to cut the shield, but you will notice some buffeting you didn't have before.

 

Good Luck & keep us posted.

 

Ponch

[Seaking]

Before cutting a good shield, you might want to cut an old one you don't plan to use any more. Cut at least an inch higher than you figure you need. Mount it up and drive around to see if its where you want it. I cut my stock shield several times before I was satisfied.

 

By the way cutting a Clearview will take out some of the areodynamic function designed into it. (Don't ask how I know)

 

Also, as suggested you might try treating the shield. RainX, Plastex, Pledge, even shaving cream can cause condensation to roll off the surface. Ever try wiping some shaving cream on a bathroom mirror? It works.

 

The best solution I feel is to cut the shield, but you will notice some buffeting you didn't have before.

 

Good Luck & keep us posted.

 

Ponch

 

Gees, damned if I do, damned if I don't.. Seems I won't be able to win on this one..

 

Trim the screen I took off the bike, scratched and hazed as it is, which wouldn't matter since I would be looking above it anyway.. sigh..

 

"oh well" live and learn..

[Mariner Fan]

From time to time I've read where some of the guys who bought the clearview wished they had gotten a taller shield. You might throw that out there if someone wants to do a trade. Just a thought.

[awsmsrv]

OK, I have the medium Clearview w/vent & I love it except it's still a little too tall for me & I'd dearly love to cut it down by about 1.5", but I don't have the equipment to do this. Is there anyone near me that could help me with this? Or point me towards a shop that could do it? Thanks in advance.

[johnny-canuck]

Hey Seaking,

 

I live in NB and need a new windshield. (did the rainex thing to the stock w/s before I read about not doing it ...) So I am interested in finding how it goes for you.

 

How much was delivery to NS???

 

Ride safe and I hope you survive Hanna.

 

John

[MAINEAC]

Hey Seaking,

 

I live in NB and need a new windshield. (did the rainex thing to the stock w/s before I read about not doing it ...) So I am interested in finding how it goes for you.

 

How much was delivery to NS???

 

Ride safe and I hope you survive Hanna.

 

John

 

Eddie says Rain-X won't hurt your windshield on this thread... Which is it boys???? Does it mess it up or what... Cuz my shields been fogging up lately too...

[Joopster55]

I've been told that Rain-X will hurt the stock windshield but not the Clearview windshield. If anyone would know, it would be Freebird. He's had his Clearview windshield for 9 years.

[MAINEAC]

What about WD-40 on a stock windshield... I had windshield bags velcroed on and now I need to remove the sticky residue... It says not to use solvents which WD-40 is but I gotta get the goop off.

[dynodon]

I haven't tried this on a bike yet, but when I had a 64 VW, the INSIDE of the glass would fog up on days like you describe, and the pathetic HV system would not touch it.

 

Now this was in the early 70's and I bought a cloth at Western Auto that was basically a cotton cloth with some soap in it.

 

Soap cuts the surface tension in water and causes it to SHEET rather than puddle or bubble.

 

So I would wipe down the glass, and would look through a thin sheet of water that slightly distorted things, but at least let me drive with about 95% vision.

 

Wonder if this would work. Take a cotton cloth, and dip it in a solution of maybe 30% dishwashing soap, and the rest water. Won't take much. Then let it dry naturally.

 

Next time you get fog, wipe down the shield and see if that helps.

 

Might be worth a try.

[Bummer]

RainX will not hurt the Clearview. I've been using it for two years with no problems at all. I'm under the impression it'll cause the stock shield to become opaque. From his post I'd say johnny-canuck can tell us about using it on a stocker.

[Seaking]

Hey Seaking,

 

I live in NB and need a new windshield. (did the rainex thing to the stock w/s before I read about not doing it ...) So I am interested in finding how it goes for you.

 

How much was delivery to NS???

 

Ride safe and I hope you survive Hanna.

 

John

 

Hanna skidded to the north of us, you ended up with twice as much as we did I believe..

 

Shipping wasn't all that much, didn't cost me anything at the door.. All in All I "think" the price was roughly $225 total purchase which is quite decent considering the item cost, shipping and taxes etc..

 

As I mentioned earlier, i would hesitate getting the tall one for around here we get a lot of rain misty weather and no matter how much better the Clearview really is, it will still suck.. I may well order the short one or cut this one..

[Seaking]

RainX will not hurt the Clearview. I've been using it for two years with no problems at all. I'm under the impression it'll cause the stock shield to become opaque. From his post I'd say johnny-canuck can tell us about using it on a stocker.

 

Most people will not see the damage caused to a standard windscreen that has been continuously treated with amonia or petroleum products such as pledge or RainX inside of 5 years or so. However, on a 10 year old windshield, the damage is readily apparent as you actually can see the milkyness of the plastics damaged by those products. Basically, most of us don't own our windscreens long enough to see the damage it causes, or that it is so gradual you won't notice it. But damage it will..

 

I work in the air industry and we went through this whole process when certain products were used on plexy windows on aircraft.. When you have a 40 yr old fleet of type, you can easily see the trend. This is why I don't pledge or RainX regular windscreens on a bike but I will on the Clearview... I know where they live ; )