Helmet visor - rain

[AmyF]

The other evening when I was out riding, it was raining lightly for a portion of the ride. It was a bit difficult seeing through the helmet visor because of the rain - I kept brushing it off. It was one of those steady but misty rains. What do you use to keep the visor clearer in situations like this?

[dcj13]

Finger squeegee. Or glove with built-in squeegee. Or just wipe with glove.

I've tried Rain-ex, polish, going fast and turning head side-to-side. For me, no good alternative to wiping the visor.

[NevadaWolf]

Wiping the visor seems to work best. I do have a finger squeegee but can never get that thing angled right.

Sometimes I also crack the visor enough to see under it and use the visor as a shield above my eyes. Tricky to do as I wear glasses, but works for those "Need to see NOW" moments.

[AmyF]

My concern is how do you handle rain if say you are caught in it while riding down a highway? I'd be afraid to attempt to wipe my visor while trying to handle the bike.

[NevadaWolf]

Ah, I forgot, new rider with limited highway experience, right?

Wiping the visor is a very quick move, your hand should not be off the bar for more than a second or two.

If there is no/limited traffic around me, I make sure I am in a good position in the lane, have a good safe cushion between me and nearby vehicles, and make sure I am planted securely on the bike so that the motion of removing my hand, wiping the shield, and replacing my hand on the bar does not upset my riding. In all of that, my gaze is always scanning ahead and around so that I am very aware of traffic and conditions.

If traffic or the rain is heavy enough that I don't want to risk moving my hand, I turn my head side to side while keeping my gaze forward to allow the wind to blow off the heavier drops that will taken off some of the mist in their path.

If traffic or rain are so bad that nothing is working, I pull way off to the shoulder or a side road and wait it out.


My take with a grain of salt advice, find a clear day and an empty street/parking lot. Ride slowly, balance the bike, and practice wiping off the visor (or opening the visor) while moving. The motions should be very quick and fluid and take very very little time to complete.

[capt_bugaloo]

Some good advice from NevadaWolf:

If you are moving pretty quickly, you can turn your head left/right and the wind will blow the rain beads to the side.

At slower speed, just wipe clear with the index finger of your left glove.

[LittleRedNinjette]

I was thinking of trying some rain x.

Also one of the golf towels would work. They have a clip on them that you could clip on to your jacket.

[flitecontrol]

Don't put Rain-X on plastic. Will mess t up.

[iamjacob]

I read that Lemon Pledge works quite well.

My solution is to not ride in the rain.

[CookieMonster]

Anyone ever used RainCoat? I found this on GW forum but was wondering if anyone here tried it.

http://goldwingdocs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6924

[rojoracing53]

I'm kinda thinking if your not skilled of confident enough to wipe off your visor in the rain then you shouldn't be riding in the rain, period.

Rain "drops" aren't bad as they tend to drop off the visor with just a little bit of speed. Mist sucks and fog is the worst because the stuff doesn't collect fast enough for the wind to push it off.

I don't recommend this but in the rain I typically ride faster on the hwys because
1. The extra speed and wind help keep my visor clear
2. Laser guns don't work in the rain so I don't have to worry about a cop shooting me with it.
Don't speed in the rain unless your have lots of wet track and muddy dirt bike experience.

[LittleRedNinjette]

Originally Posted by flitecontrol

Don't put Rain-X on plastic. Will mess t up.

Never heard that... Ok, maybe no Rain-X.

[JeffM]

Originally Posted by iamjacob

I read that Lemon Pledge works quite well.

I'll vouch for the Lemon Pledge - works pretty good and makes your helmet smell all lemony

Jeff

[burningscooter]

Trick is to tuck. Stick your head out to the left a little bit and turn it slightly. Works like a charm. Especially on the track!

[DaBlue1]

Originally Posted by rojoracing53

..... Mist sucks and fog is the worst because the stuff doesn't collect fast enough for the wind to push it off.

I've had the opposite happen. The mist collected faster than I could ride and it wouldn't blow off. Wiping didn't even work.

Did I mention it was so thick I couldn't see 30 ft in front of me? Tried to pull over several times on this foggy, mist slick, twisty mt road, but there was no place to pull over.

Mist and fog sucks really bad.

[Whiskey]

Originally Posted by rojoracing53

I'm kinda thinking if your not skilled of confident enough to wipe off your visor in the rain then you shouldn't be riding in the rain, period.

Rain "drops" aren't bad as they tend to drop off the visor with just a little bit of speed. Mist sucks and fog is the worst because the stuff doesn't collect fast enough for the wind to push it off.

I don't recommend this but in the rain I typically ride faster on the hwys because
1. The extra speed and wind help keep my visor clear
2. Laser guns don't work in the rain so I don't have to worry about a cop shooting me with it.
Don't speed in the rain unless your have lots of wet track and muddy dirt bike experience.

Well that should rule me out... except that I've been on bikes almost daily (6-7 days a week 50+ weeks a year) for the past 5+ years, in a couple of countries where it rains about 10 days a month, all year round.

Learn in less than ideal conditions & it'll make you a better rider, **** it's a case of you have to ride smoothly in pissing down rain.

[Rifleman]

Originally Posted by AmyF

My concern is how do you handle rain if say you are caught in it while riding down a highway? I'd be afraid to attempt to wipe my visor while trying to handle the bike.

I use my entire left hand, a quick pass across and down.

Do a few tests when it isn't raining, just going down the road, no cars around, let go of the left bar, pass your hand over and down on your visor and then come back to the bar...

the bike, if all is well with the triple tree, bearings, tires and suspension should stay straight and upright with no inputs from the pilot.

in fact an advanced technique is to clamp the tank with your knees and keep as much weight and input off the bars as possible... let the suspension and tires do what they are designed to do... you will notice that many track and race guys have clear plastic/rubber nubby film attached to the tank on either side where their knees are... this is to give them more grip with the knees and less of a "choke hold" on the bars...

if you are strangling the bars... relax, lighten up, smooth and steady. you should be able to take one hand off the bars for a few seconds with zero adverse effects.

[subxero]

Originally Posted by rojoracing53

I'm kinda thinking if your not skilled of confident enough to wipe off your visor in the rain then you shouldn't be riding in the rain, period.

Rain "drops" aren't bad as they tend to drop off the visor with just a little bit of speed. Mist sucks and fog is the worst because the stuff doesn't collect fast enough for the wind to push it off.

I don't recommend this but in the rain I typically ride faster on the hwys because
1. The extra speed and wind help keep my visor clear
2. Laser guns don't work in the rain so I don't have to worry about a cop shooting me with it.
Don't speed in the rain unless your have lots of wet track and muddy dirt bike experience.

^this

plus you can keep in front of the other cars to avoid the kick up

[ninjamunky85]

My cold weather gloves have a squeegee on the left thumb. It works pretty well but you have to keep wiping your visor off so it's not very convenient. Like others have said if you're doing highway speeds then a quick turn of the head to the left and right will blow the water off of your visor.

Rain on my visor doesn't really bother me that much though as it only impairs your vision slightly. Try driving with glasses that keep fogging up in the cold.

[Ninjinsky]

In the sixties we used the wonderfully spacey "Turbo visor"
At even moderate speed it spins like a maniac and just throws water off
And you are in luck because they seem to have re released it.

http://www.fastech-racing.com/turbo-rain-visor.html

[capt_bugaloo]

Originally Posted by Ninjinsky

http://www.fastech-racing.com/turbo-rain-visor.html

Holy crap! When I looked at that link at first I thought it was a joke... but I guess it's real - and crazy enough to actually work.

[Ninjinsky]

Yep, back then we were all visorless open face helmets so they were a bit of a revolution in more senses than one. Not sure they are so practical on a ff unless you removed the original visor.
I think the originals were a larger diameter.
Here's a link to an ad with the late great Jim Redman
http://www.frankphall.pwp.blueyonder...ad04-visor.jpg

ps 47'6 = Old British currency, 47 Shillings and sixpence ( $4 )


Nowadays I just use this, I couldn't safely ride in the rain without it buy a couple because they are easy to lose
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ryde-Motorcy...sxp_grid_i_0_0

[DaBlue1]

Originally Posted by Ninjinsky

....In the sixties we used the wonderfully spacey "Turbo visor"

The wonders of new technology.

Link to original page on YouTube.

[LittleRedNinjette]

I've seen that before.
Looks like a big ass bug!

[choneofakind]

Originally Posted by rojoracing53

I'm kinda thinking if your not skilled of confident enough to wipe off your visor in the rain then you shouldn't be riding in the rain, period.

QFT

Learn to ride comfortably first. Learn to deal with foul conditions second. From your past posts, you're new, you're not confident, you're under-geared, but you're looking to learn.

For the time being, if it looks like rain is in the forecast, it might be best to take the cage.


You should have no trouble keeping upright with just a few fingers on the throttle, applying just enough pressure to twist the throttle. Ever ridden a bicycle with no hands? how about riding a bicycle with only one or two fingers to give steering inputs? same deal. Are you comfortable on a bicycle? It's a great teaching tool. If you're not comfortable, it might be time to get the bicycle out to safely learn.

Here's an idea: csmith12, sirref, and I are going to be at Mid-Ohio for a track day on August 5 and 6. You're more than welcome to come hang out in our paddock and watch us from the infield when we ride. Study the BP of various riders in various skill groups. Take camera out and get pictures of every rider you can. You'll see that even at huge lean angles and high speeds, the really fast guys are so relaxed on the bike, they might as well be sitting back with a lemonade. Two or three fingers on the throttle, loose hands, loose arms, calm. Because you're worried about removing a hand to wipe your visor, I get the impression that you're tense on your bike while you ride. I think you could learn a ton from bouncing a million questions off of more experienced riders, and then watching them go do what they do.

[Worldtraveller]

Some helmet manufacturers make visors that have a coating that helps the rain bead and run off. For all that they are considered an economy helmet, I've found Scorpion visors to be one of the best. At 40+ mph, I can simply turn my head about 30-40 degrees to either side, and the rain runs right off.

Also, I would recommend gloves with a built in squeegee. My Olympia winter gloves have a 3 bladed squeegee built into the thumb, and it works well. For summer gloves, you can get finger squeeees here (3 pack for $16).

Rain-X is formulated for glass, it does ok on plastic visors, but is not ideal. Honestly, you'll have better luck using Pledge (or similar dusting spray). However, I've found Visor Proof works much better. And I rode in Seattle for a couple years...I used a lot of that stuff.

[LittleRedNinjette]

Originally Posted by Worldtraveller

However, I've found Visor Proof works much better. And I rode in Seattle for a couple years...I used a lot of that stuff.

How is that stuff with fog and mist?

[Worldtraveller]

Originally Posted by LittleRedNinjette

How is that stuff with fog and mist?

Visor proof is more for the outside to help rain run off.

I use Blaze anti-Fog because it's what I have and it does ok. I've tried Cat Crap and that seems to work a bit better. The best stuff, though, that I've tried, was an anti-fog product I got when I was SCUBA diving. I don't have my gear in a place that's easy to get to, though, so I don't remember the name of it.

I think Blaze is really just a mix of dish soap and water or something similar. Dish soap, slightly diluted, works fine.

[LittleRedNinjette]

I ment on the outside. That light mist can be stubborn. And riding through fog can have a similar effect to the mist.

I have a anti fog visor that works well for the most part.

[Worldtraveller]

Visor proof works well. You still have to be moving about 40 mph or so, and depending on the aero of your bike, turn your head to get it to slide off, but it is certainly an improvement over an untreated visor.

[LittleRedNinjette]

Cool

[capt_bugaloo]

That turbo visor reminds me of one of these:

[Rifleman]

oh, ca'mon, those are $100 answers to a $2 dollar

I was born with a visor cleaner

[Panda]

rainx can ruin your shield. it's best to test it out on a small section to see if it will cloud it.

also have you noticed that if you turn around it's really easy to see in the rain? exactly.

sit backwards in your sit and turn around, problem solved.

[EsrTek]

Originally Posted by CookieMonster

Anyone ever used RainCoat? I found this on GW forum but was wondering if anyone here tried it.

http://goldwingdocs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6924

Yep ... awesome stuff when applied NOT to instructions (they suggest to use way to little)!

Any mist or rain all u have to do is turn head and the water will run right off.

[CZroe]

Been poured on far more than most (daily commuter for years) and I never once wiped the shield. All you do is face ever-so-slightly left or right so that the wind blasts the opposite side clear then keep switching sides.

[snot]

I wear safety glasses under my helmet . This is for many reasons; big bugs, fog, anything that can limit my vision while riding and rain . I crack the bottom in light rain, I wipe the visor and if that doesn't work I look through the bottom 1/2 of the helmet. I am not new to riding in the rain , so I am a little comfortable riding in it.

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by rojoracing53

2. Laser guns don't work in the rain so I don't have to worry about a cop shooting me with it.