Motorway riding

[daplumber]

Riding a bike for a year or so. Crossrunner 800
The onlyntimes I've been on a motorway it was passing with rain and I keen to get off couldn't see and wind...
It's not the speed or the noise its the time if that makes sense....I seem to seize and find itnhard to look in the mirrors etc....can do it on a 50mph at speeds...so there must be a way
The wind is a ballox as I'm sat upright....
Don't want to look like a twat and drop behind the screen or maybe I should?
No one I know rides bikes and all think I'm off mybtrolley...
Keen to sort this as I want to go travelling
Thoughts or experiences welcome
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I'm New to biking. Failed mod 1 once and mod2 twice...Gwan!

[Rogerborg]

Use Rain-X or similar on your visor.

Dress for the weather.

If you've got one of the small screens, fit an extended touring screen on your high speed touring bike.

Then drink a nice big hot cup of MTFU and get on with it. You're not going to get over it on a forum.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[TheArchitect]

honestly didn't understand much of what you wrote

...but going on from what Rogerborg said, I'm assuming you're trying to get some protection from wind/rain?

Agree, rain-x is the way to go to ensure your visor stays clear of rain and muck build up. Also there's nothing wrong with tucking in behind the screen at speed. Any long journey at speed will fatigue you more than you realise and will eventually affect concentration imo.
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GSXR 600 K6 - Stolen
GSXR 600 K6 - Stolen
MT09 - Almost stolen

[DrSnoosnoo]

I would suggest:

Wait until it's a clear day and then go on the motorway. The only way you'll get comfortable is to get out there. Sit in the inside lane, if you go the speed of the lorries (56mph) you won't be a danger to anyone.

Get a feel for the windblast doing shoulder checks and whatnot.
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I'm Sam; Northern, Ginger, Lover
Did have: '95 ZZR600 '83 CG125 '97 ZZR1100 '15 Hypermotard 821 SP Do Have: '10 ZX10R

[talkToTheHat]

RainX is only for glass. It weakens plastic. Clean you visor. Use Nixwax visor proof or a cloth with a little bit of mr sheen on it to help water bead off. Turning you head helps rain come off.

Do you have an adventure helmet with a big peak on it? Lose that for motorways. Wear earplugs if you don't already. Windnoise at motorway cruising speed is deafening.

If i can do this sat upright on a cruiser that is pretty much flat out if I'm keeping up with the traffic in the outside lane, a jacked up VFR should be no problem.

Are you getting too close to the vehicles in front? Yes car drivers turn busy motorways into a 90mph tailgate snake and the inside lanes are nose to tail with HGVs at 60ish. Preserving a decent gap ahead of you is an arse as other vehices will try to fill it.

Get pinlock and or a foggy mask if you are steaming up inside. Adjust mirrors so you can see behind with minimum amount of motion. Get a riderscan wide angle mirror if you think it might help. Use rainX on your glass mirrors.
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Bandit. does. everything.

[Rogerborg]

[ScaredyCat]

Raincoat works really well on visors. Water beads and and rolls away.
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Honda CBF125 ➝ NC700X
Honda CBF125 ↳ Speed Triple

[grr666]

Just wax your visor, I use a carnuba based detailing spray to keep my lid clean and protected, safe for polycarbonate
because plastic headlight and safe for glass fibre because boat. Dead bugs don't stick so much either.
As a water repellent for glass I prefer Aquapel but that shit will mess polycarbonate right up.
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Currently enjoying products from Ford, Mazda and Yamaha
Ste wrote: Avatars are fine, it's signatures that need turning off.

[TheArchitect]

Always used Rain-X... like 4eva. Never had any issues, infact my 5k mile old visor looks as new with Rain-X being applied at least twice a week, and almost every day over the winter months.

The key to applying any anti-water/fog coating is to apply to a pre-cleaned visor so you don't end up rubbing in the road grime, essentially sanding your visor.
____________________
GSXR 600 K6 - Stolen
GSXR 600 K6 - Stolen
MT09 - Almost stolen

[barrkel]

Go faster and occasionally move head from side to side - the wind blast will blow away drops.

Get a glove with an integrated wiper, or buy a wiper slip-on - e.g. https://www.getgeared.co.uk/bob-heath-finger-glove-rain-visor-wiper-black . Be aware that in winter especially, wiping will occasionally scratch your visor a bit from grit thrown up by cars ahead. I replace my visor yearly.

Learn to read the shapeless blobs up ahead. Stay in your lane, keep safe distance from the guy in front of you, be aware of what's coming up behind. With experience you get more information from fewer cues.

Make sure your helmet fits properly. If your viewport is being visibly shifted around when you try and look beside you, it's not tight enough. Some helmets have better aerodynamics at speed.
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Bikes: S1000R, SH350; Exes: Vity 125, PS125, YBR125, ER6f, VFR800, Brutale 920, CB600F, SH300x4
Best road ever ridden: www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2MhNxUEYtQ

[ADSrox0r]

RainX is fine, used it for years and never had a spontaneous visor implosion/fireball.
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Current bikes: '08 VFR 800 VTEC(yo) , '07 ZZR1400 Winter hack: '95 Aprilia 650 Pegaso Currently lusting after: RC30

[Rogerborg]

Well, quite. Rain-X or similar. Alternative juju is available. I've used furniture polish when there's nothing better to hand.

Anyway, OP's problem is a bad experience leading to an excess of foggitry. Go out on a nice day, don't die, repeat.
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[iooi]

[ADSrox0r]

Interesting. I take it one 'packet' of that magic goop will do a whole visor?

Also, I wonder if it would have any mystical anti-fogging properties for inside the visor? Hmm.
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Current bikes: '08 VFR 800 VTEC(yo) , '07 ZZR1400 Winter hack: '95 Aprilia 650 Pegaso Currently lusting after: RC30

[Pete.]

[Clanger]

[WD Forte]

MTFU isnt that helpful
Break it down
You're inexperienced in riding a bike on motorways and the wind and rain on your first try added to the anxiety.
Visor apart
I'd start by taking some planned motorway rides on fine days to get used to it and build confidence.
Then go when it's windy ( its always windy, yer on a bike remember) then when it rainy too
then when its a dark and stormy night.

Give your self room and remember 70 mph is just over 100 feet per second so don't snuggle up to anything
and use the eyes in the back of your head to stay clear of trouble.
Passing trucks in a side wind can do awful things to your underpants if your not prepared,so try to stay alert but relaxed
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bikers smell of wee

[pompousporcup...]

what helped my confidence the first time i went on motorway (literally after picking up the bike having not ridden on my own, ever) was to go faster than the speed limit for a little while.. Hit 90 or 100, then slow back down to the limit - 70 sudden felt like a comfortable speed compared to hammering it. Don't stay at 60 imo.. cars catch up, lorries catch up, fuck, even caravans will catch up and all of a sudden you're in a situation you don't want to be in. Cars/busses, caravans tend not to give a shit about cutting you up after overtaking.. even on the motorway.

I stayed at 60 like a nervous noob for a few miles and it felt absolutely terrifying. I hit 100 for a couple of minutes, over took a few cars etc and all of a sudden it was not so scary, even in high wind.

Just my 2p.