Got caught in the rain last night

[WhiteStripe]

Holy crap does riding in the dark, rain (and cold) SUCK when the lights from oncoming traffic are in your face.  Couldn't see shit.

Are there any tricks to help with vision when riding in the rain - rainX on the visor?

[Slide Panda]

Go to web bike world - they have a number of reviews for visor products.

Don't use rainx - the denatured alcohol in it is not good for the plastics in most visors

[Monster Dave]

I know how you feel - been there done that - the uncertainty is quite unnerving.

Once I got caught in a flash flood while riding home from work, opted to get off the freeway and onto a frontage road, turned out the frontage road was worse and I had water 2/3rds of the way up my exhaust cans (low exhaust). I think the only reason I didn't get water in my exhaust was because I was moving steadily along at 5-10mph. Still, it was like a duc in the pond - I was rooster tailing water both at the back and the front of my bike - I was SOAKED to the BONE!!! Fortunately others in big SUVs were kind enough not to drown me with walls of water!!!

The funny part was that my sweetheart was in her car behind me and witness to the whole incident. She felt so bad for me!!

...at least it was daytime.

[sbrguy]

damn that is a funny story..    basically you were riding the motorcycle like in that classic picture of the guy using the r1 to ford a river.

[Latinbalar]

Normally in dark/rainy situations i look at the right stripe on the road.  It keeps my eyes averted from the oncoming traffic headlights and doesn't temporarily blind you.  As for the water on the visor let me know what you find.

[Monster Dave]

damn that is a funny story..    basically you were riding the motorcycle like in that classic picture of the guy using the r1 to ford a river.

Yeah, but I was on my way home from work and had no choice - it wasn't an exercise in stupidity (not sure if what you're referring to was - but just to clarify).

[Rameses]

This doesn't address the issue of water collecting on the outside of the face shield, but a pinlock visor will prevent ANY fog from distorting your view at all.  I absolutely love this thing.


http://www.pinlockusa.net/

[Popeye the Sailor]

Uh, no tricks I know of, and I do it all the time.



Hell, I did it last night.

[Bigbore4]

Git yir eyes checked, in my case even a small amount of Astigmatism makes it worse.

Look low and to the right when passing on coming cars, follow the stripe.  I like soft leather gloves when it's warm, and some leather on the palm of cold weather gloves.  Works like a Chamois and wipes the shield clear without scratching.

Make certain you have good rain gear and can stay reasonably comfortable.  It is way way worse riding in the rain when you are miserable, and it eff's with your concentration.

I have done day long rides in cold rain when out on trips, it sucks but good gear helps.  

And yes it does suck riding in the rain in the dark.  Remind me sometime to tell the horror story of being stuck on the side of I94 at night, in a deluge with a dead bike (ultimately 3, batteries died) on the way back from Road America in 2009.

[Triple J]

I have more rain miles than dry miles I think...many of them in the dark. Gotta love Seattle!  

Tips:

1) Get something to prevent fogging. Pin-lock visors are very effective. Respro Foggy inserts also work well. I haevn't found aything else that works well. I'd go with a Respro and keep it my jacket if it was only an occasional thing...costs $20. This is extremely important IMO, as fogging really sucks in bad weather.

2) At speed just turn your head to the side every so often and the visor will clear (relatively speaking).

3) Get gloves with a squeegie (sp?) on them. The Helds squeegie on the forefinger work the best IMO. Mainly use it at low speeds. Water builds up too fast at higher speeds. This is nice but not critical.

4) Get used to looking through a water spotted visor and relax. There's no way to get excellent vision...you just have to accept and get used to it.

5) Rain-X on the visor doesn't work.

[sbrguy]

Yeah, but I was on my way home from work and had no choice - it wasn't an exercise in stupidity (not sure if what you're referring to was - but just to clarify).

no not saying it was stupid what you did, hey it happens you have to get home.

i thought it was just funny because you would have looked like that fake inspiration poster by riding a street bike across what looked like a river at that point. 

so if someone took a picture it would say at the caption "ducati monsters.. no matter how much you hope and pray....its not a GS"

[Monster Dave]

so if someone took a picture it would say at the caption "ducati monsters.. no matter how much you hope and pray....its not a GS"

I told my sweetheart who was dry and in the car behind me that she should have had her camera - it would have been priceless!!!


And you're right, it was funny - I look back on it and just have to laugh!! 

[mstevens]

Go to web bike world - they have a number of reviews for visor products.

Don't use rainx - the denatured alcohol in it is not good for the plastics in most visors

My helmet manufacturer (HJC) specifically says that Rain-X is approved for use on their visor faceshield. I don't imagine it's really different for other brands since they all use nearly identical plastics.

[WhiteStripe]

The pinlock product looks interesting.  I find in NE when the mornings get cold (40s) Fogging is an issue on my commute.

Is it an attachment that goes on the shield, or does it replace the whole shield?

[Triple J]

The pinlock product looks interesting.  I find in NE when the mornings get cold (40s) Fogging is an issue on my commute.

Is it an attachment that goes on the shield, or does it replace the whole shield?

You need a new shield which has the pin lock attachments installed. Then you install the pinlock insert visor, which is available in a few different shades/colors. It's a nice system.