Riding in the rain - HELP

[hawleysh]

We've wound up riding in the rain a couple of times lately. We're normally fare-weather riders. What do you do to keep the rain moving off a face shield & windshield? I tried a thin coat of Rain-X on the windshield before we left. I was concerned about puttin very much of it on the plexiglass windshield. But the raindrops seemed to just land and stick like clear bugs all over my windshield & face shield. I kept wiping my face shield with a cloth while riding. But the visibility was the pits thru the windshield. Thank God it was still daylight. What am I doing wrong besides riding in the rain?

[Paco]

I use Plexus, available at your local bike shop,
it's a spray and keeps the drops flowing. Dont use
rain x could ruin your windshield.

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by hawleysh

We've wound up riding in the rain a couple of times lately. We're normally fare-weather riders. What do you do to keep the rain moving off a face shield & windshield? I tried a thin coat of Rain-X on the windshield before we left. I was concerned about puttin very much of it on the plexiglass windshield. But the raindrops seemed to just land and stick like clear bugs all over my windshield & face shield. I kept wiping my face shield with a cloth while riding. But the visibility was the pits thru the windshield. Thank God it was still daylight. What am I doing wrong besides riding in the rain?

For one thing your windshield is too high, you should be looking over it and not through it. It is not like a car windshield, the optical quality is less and the curvature can skew what you're seeing.

[mexico drifter]

UNCLE BOB IS RIGHT OPN THIS ONE. Get your windshield cut down soon. It a pain to ride at night looking through. There are some very good plasytic shops that will chop it down to the right size. Try putting a piece of clear tape on the inside of the windsheild at the spot where your eyes look at the horizon. The place you view the road most of the time. Keep playing with it for a few rides to make sure you have the right place and then take it in for the cut. You will love the affect. When you ride long distances you will just naturally sink down below the rim for that extra wind protection but when the bad weather hits you will be able to just tilt your head and wow, seeing is believing. Hoping you have good weather.

[hawleysh]

As much as I hate to admit it, I'm afraid you're right about the windshield decreasing visibility. I've noticed that it's almost smudgy looking thru it. I wanted a taller windshield to cut the wind and cold a bit. We do a fair share of our riding in the winter in Oregon trying to get in a ride between rain showers.
I'm also finding that the fog city on the inside of my faceshield on my helmet makes visibility more blurey too. But it's either that or ride with my shield open & the wind beating my eyeballs.
Thanx for the input.

[Roger]

There is also a Rain X "Marine" version that is safe for Plexiglass. I've never used it myself, but my brother loves the stuff. I guess it can be a little hard to find though.

http://www.rainx.com/frame_marine_new.htm

[bikeaholic]

agreed-screen is too high