Riding in the rain...

[RooRoo]

As I'm pretty new to biking im wondering what most people do when it rains, and is dark...

do you leave your visors open and get a splashed face, or close it and have very low vision?

I noticed, especially when a car goes past that when it rains the lights will illimate every drop on the visor and make me almost totally blind

[Slavo]

Never ridden in the rain AND the dark.

In the rain on its own though, my helmet loves to steam up very quickly, so to prevent this i open it less than one click. It sort of balances, lets in a bit of a draft but hey, I'm only going 30 mph tops.

[Dazed]

Maybe you can use rain repellent stuff on your visor, used RainX (got it from Halfrauds) on our car windows and it made a fair bit of difference. It makes it run off better. Best to make sure that it won't melt plastic or anything first though.

[clemsta]

thats what i do as well, i can't open my visor fully though because i wear glasses. i just normally drive a lot slower in the middle of the road to avoid the odd badger and i pull into the middle of my side when theres a car comeing. I try to avoid riding at night though because i live in the country. Lots of wildlife!!!

Flew round a corner last week and got hit on the head by a pigeon.

[dibbster]

It depends, if its only lightly raining i will leave my visor closed.
If it is raining hard I will open my visor as long as its not blowing into my face.
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[Frost]

Half the time I ride its dark and raining, you come to expect it living in England

Anyway, from what i've found, if you’re going any faster than 30mph you can’t open your visor completely when it’s properly pissing down. Your eyes water and the force of the rain on your face make you close your eyes.
Having a clean visor helps reduce the raindrop build up when it’s raining.
Turning your head left then right, or tilting your head back often causes the wind to blow allot of the raindrops off. A wipe with the glove also causes the fine mist you often get to merge together into fewer larger droplets which can make it easier to see.

General advice:

Visor closed, lights on, middle of the road, reduce speed, keep a lookout for oil on the roads, favour the back brake more, and be very careful when braking on a white line!

[mr.z]

pfft, just wait till its snowing

i found putting the visor up one notch helps ALLOT as far as the misting.. i too wear glasses and wet visor + wet glasses = tree or other solid object at speed, not good.

I'd be careful using anything designed for glass, it may not visibly damage the visor but it may make it brittle and all it will take is a stone and you'll get a million shards of shattered visor in the face

Keeping it clean helps allot, i use this stuff called free view, its damn good stuff also have some visor wax stuff, not really had much chance to try it out but will let you know if its any good
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>RidingSkills<->Tech Tips<->MyBikes<

[John]

I try to keep my visor one click from fully shut.

That way my glasses only get a misting of water on them, and I can see OKish through the visor.
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TT600 neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeowwww!

[Noggin]

Foggy helps loads I find, no need for sprays, wipes or anything!

I just take it real easy in the rain, and dark, don't mind getting wet!



Craig G(Noggin)
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Current bike: kawasaki zx12r 2002
Track bike: yamaha r6 1998
Old Bike: honda NSR 125 1998

[karen_moomin]

Not riden in the rain yet and can't say I'm particulary looking forward to it.

My visor gets quite steamy all the time (all those brain cells working overtime!!) - just open it a touch and the problem is resolved. The vents seem to do sod all.

[Keith]

[Flip]

Take your time, open your visor a click and don't let any car drivers rush you especially if your on a 125 (it's easy to feel indimidated on a small bike). Most car drivers are too thick to realise that bikers need a bit more room etc in the rain.

You will learn alot from riding in the rain. Just don'tworry too much about it

Most important dont forget your waterproofs.

[ZZ-Rse]

The Fog City visor inserts are good, last a fair while too. Had my current one for ages. Rainex is also pretty good for reducing glare at night in the wet, as someone else said a clean visor also makes one hell of a difference.
My pet hate is snow though, don't mind riding when it's fallen, but the way the b*****d stuff sticks to your visor and clings really gets to me

[Flip]

I've ridden in snow a few times f*ckin' scary

[RRJimLad]

Ya bunch a girls!

Riding in bad conditions is the BEST thing you can do.

I've ridden in snow, hail (at Donnington!), you name it..

..and I LOVE wet manhole covers -

Seriously though - get used to it and it will improve your skills in the dry.

On another note - MotoGP2 shouldn't be misunderestemated - you improve your performance in the wet - your dry follows suit - just like "real".

IMHO


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Win First, Fight Later

[dandit]

urm try it with a tinted visor I do and I just keep it slowish with visor up and when i go over 50 i just close it and hope simple
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WHAT DO YOU MEAN 100 MPH THATS IMPOSSIBLE I STILL HAD 3 GEARS TO GO OFFICER. Currently riding a naked cbr 600 and driving a 52 plate 2litre tdci mondeo

[headlamp]

It's not pleasant.

I never ride with the visor all the way up as the spray from lorries etc. off the road may have diesel in it which will burn your eyes, which are vital if you are going to stay alive! Usually the visor is one notch open to prevent fogging up!

Secondly allow a lot longer for your journey - be slow, if filtering is risky then don't do it! Wear reflective gear and when filtering flash your main beam often.

Finally don't let your mind wander! You have to concentrate really hard and anticipate incidents. You really don't want to be braking hard in the wet & testing the grip characteristics of the bike!

Good luck & be safe!
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Using a mobile phone while driving a car should be made a capital offence!

[Panther]

not sure re other lid brands around at the mo but the visor on both my AGVs (Evo and X-vent) will open on just one side half a notch so that rain doesn't get in but it vents the fogging away...a smear of washing up liquid (not too much or the bubbles go up your nose ) over the inside generally stops the fogging if you don't have an visor insert.

the problem with those foggy masks is that as a spec wearer my gems fog up instead of the visor as the hot air vents up around the gaps either side of my nose...not good at lights!

make sure your gloves are clean and use a quick wipe to clear the visor as need be of droplets, as stated above a head tilt should remove some rain...Rain-X or the Gericke equivalent help too in making the droplets bead (anyone else tried the furniture polish trick to do the same thing?)


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Mike

[Hex]

[Dark]

I don't have much problems with visor fogging, so i tend to keep my visor closed. To clear the rain off it i speed up a bit, if i'm travelling slowly, and then turn my to one side and the rain blows off.

Riding in the rain is essential for learning how to ride smooth i think. I like to go out in the rain once in a while.

[sv_cath]

Riding in the rain's OK as long as you've got good waterproof gear. And as long as your gloves dry out fully before you have to put them on again (yik - cold damp gloves!!)
Visor-wise, try keeping it a thumb's width open to prevent steaming up. I use a velcro-in face shield (can't remember who made it but I bought it at M+P) and it helped loads. As far as getting blinded, it sounds obvious but don't look straight at the lights! Watch the road into the distance and oncoming cars out of the corner of your eye. That way you don't get blinded and you've got plenty of time to react to what's ahead.

[Milo]

I don't mind riding in the rain - and it's good fun if you're in the mood for it! Give it a bit more around the corners and open her up on the strait bit for loud wheelspins - but be careful with drain covers.

Riding in the dark, in the rain and with oncoming cars is very hazardous. Just have to be very aware of what's coming up for the time you'll be blind. slow down if you're unsure but do it using the brakes - so the cars behind can visibly see you slowing down.

Adam
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Shaft drives rule.

[Mr Pants!]

Fog city, can't beat em!

Hate riding in the wet, did it for two years, all seasons, bloody dangerous!

Now, I avoid the sh1t weather at all costs, well I would if I had a bike.
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Mr Pants! (Alex or Al)
Its better to burn out, than to fade away....

[bikegirl]

Riding in the rain's not too bad once you're used to it, though I try to avoid it these days. You can buy finger wipers which are rubber "wiper blades" for your index finger. Useful if you haven't got gloves with suede patches or they tend to make your visor greasy.

Also at night an old visor will severely reduce your vision. Make sure if you're going to ride at night or in the rain a lot that your visor is clear and scratch free.

Opening the visor a notch works if you have a good lid - some lids aren't up to it. Foggy spray is pretty good.

The worst condition is freezing fog. You steam up so much that the visor has to be open fully, then your eyebrows have icicles on them by the time you get to work and your face is blue. Thank god for cars that's all I say
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[ZZ-Rse]