To wipe or not?

[Busy]

Is it wise to wipe the rain off your visor when it rains or use another method like tilt your visor or something?

I've been wiping today but my finger gets really wet
*that sounds wrong in so many ways*

[Warr]

My winter gloves have a piece of leather (chamious??) on the thumb. This gives a clean wipe of the water droplets

[Maha]

Gloves dry out...better to have clearer vision and a wet finger, i dont worry about heavy rain, it falls away, but light rain or the shit you get from passing trucks etc is a real pisser, yes i wipe that off, have heard of some bikers with a piece of foam on their left pointer finger....:yes:

[MaPeXi]

I use Rain-X is really good. The water beads off the visor and doesnt "stick" to it. But use is sparingly it's meant for glass. Some people say its makes the Lexan the visor is made of brittle...i havent had any problems with it at all though. Great stuff.

[Drum]

At slow speed I wipe - long term it will scratch the visor - but it can be replaced.

At higher speeds I turn my head and let the wind work its magic.

When splitting in the rain I sometimes pop the visor and take the rain in the face. I like to see what they're all up to clearly!

[Steam]

Two votes for Rain-X. Expensive at $10 a bottle, but I will never be without it again. No need to wipe at all.

[The_Dover]

Expensive at $10 a bottle, but I will never be without it again. No need to wipe at all.

can I spray it on my arse?

purex aint cheap.

[James Deuce]

Two votes for Rain-X. Expensive at $10 a bottle, but I will never be without it again. No need to wipe at all.

Don't spray Rain-X on plastic. Read the label.

Use NikWax Visor Proof.

[Steam]

I read the label and used it anyway, seems fine to me. 8 months later and the plastic is still good. NikWax Visor Proof, i will try it out anyway.

[Lou Girardin]

Nikwax Visorproof works better than Rain X and is safe for Lexan.

[Indiana_Jones]

When splitting in the rain I sometimes pop the visor and take the rain in the face. I like to see what they're all up to clearly!

I do that too, i also wear glasses and they tend to fog up unless i leave some form of crack open.

Also riding with the visor up in the rain lets you know ur alive :D

-Indy

[scumdog]

I do that too, i leave some form of crack open. -Indy

The mind boggles!!:gob:

But Pledge polish seems to help too - the droplets run off to the sides easier.:yes:

[Indiana_Jones]

The mind boggles!!:gob:



lol I noticed that as I was typing it, but I decided to keep it the way it was, it's funnier lol

-Indy

[Toaster]

I found a bit of pledge sprayed on and wpied off with soft tissue helps to form a barrier to rain so you can just flick your head left and right and it all vanishes off the visor. Doesn't scratch or affect the tints either - has worked for me for years.

[XP@]

At higher speeds I turn my head and let the wind work its magic.

Hence the conversation:

Officer "Is there any reason you were speeding?"
Me "Yes, officer because it's safer"
Officer "How can you explain that? it's raining!"
Me "I couldn't see at 70mph the rain was sticking to my visor then i realised if I rode at 90mph i was ok. I don't have windscreen wipers see... on and my trousers started leaking about 100 miles ago so my crotch is wet"
Officer "Urrr... well... ummm... you better get on your way then. Don't let me catch you again."

[James Deuce]

The propellants in aerosol Pledge will remove the shatterproof properties of a shatterproof visor.

No I'm not a NikWax agent. Yes I have had a shatterproof visor explode in my face after using Pledge and Rain-X on it for a year. One stone flicked up by a vehicle traveling in the other direction. If I hadn't been wearing glasses, I might be blind now.

[magicfairy]

I have winter gloves with a little rubber wiper blade on the index finger , works well and doesn't get soggy.

[vifferman]

The propellants in aerosol Pledge will remove the shatterproof properties of a shatterproof visor.


That's good to know - thanx Jim.
I was going to switch from using Plexus to Pledge due to the cost (Plexus is like 5 or 6 times the price!) but now I won't.

Oh yeah - with Plexus, the water beads and readily runs off, If it doesn't (like there's a film of road spooge on there or summat), then I use my glove finger or crack the visor open.
By the way - don't use tissues (even soft ones) on your visor. Use a soft cloth. I'm pretty sure that wood fibres are harder than plastic, so they'll build up very fine scratches on your visor that will make it starry at night.

[XR250 Si]

Where do you get this Nikwax Visor Proof from? And would it be okay to also use it on my goggles?

[James Deuce]

Any bike shop and yes it would work on goggles.

[XR250 Si]

Cheers Jim, just seen that Motomail down the road have it.

[pritch]

I have two pairs of Held gloves with a rubber blade along the first finger of the left hand. Brilliant! :2thumbsup (Even southpaws have to hold the throttle in their right hand don't they?)

There is an aftermarket attachment rubber blade that fits all those other gloves so badly designed that they don't come with one....

Neither of the Held pairs are waterproof, one pair are motard gloves, the other pair sport touring.

My "waterproof" Spidi gloves don't have a windscreen wiper.

Ahhhh! An excuse to buy another pair of gloves :whistle:

[Edbear]

Interesting thread and good tips! My ancient Thinsulate gloves work well using the index finger, but having to ride in the rain last weekend on the new C50T, I found the windscreen to be particularly effective and it even kept the rain off my gloves!

I've never been so dry in the wet! Only wet areas were my shins and boots! Could ride with the visor open until the rain got really heavy! Still got to be careful of those inside white lines when cutting corners, though...:sick:

[desmo dave]

The propellants in aerosol Pledge will remove the shatterproof properties of a shatterproof visor.

No I'm not a NikWax agent. Yes I have had a shatterproof visor explode in my face after using Pledge and Rain-X on it for a year. One stone flicked up by a vehicle traveling in the other direction. If I hadn't been wearing glasses, I might be blind now.


ive seen it used on helicopter screens often, so i guess the pilot and pasengers are in for a big surprise some time.

[desmo dave]

The propellants in aerosol Pledge will remove the shatterproof properties of a shatterproof visor.

No I'm not a NikWax agent. Yes I have had a shatterproof visor explode in my face after using Pledge and Rain-X on it for a year. One stone flicked up by a vehicle traveling in the other direction. If I hadn't been wearing glasses, I might be blind now.


i blame them for ya visor.:dodge:

[SpinFx]

When I use to play paintball we had these visor tear offs for our goggles, They dont restrict your vision and now when its really wet and i'm following alot of traffic I just put a couple of these on my lid and pull them off as required. mainly when theres a build up of road film. Motocross riders use them also.

[SpinFx]

come to think of it for the ongoing cost of all the wipers / products etc, why doesnt someone invent a stick on battery operated window wiper for you helmet, may look stupid but safety is more important and you can always pull it off just before you arrive. lol I've actually seen some adapted for splatter on Paintball Visors.

[Hailwood]

I remember in the late 70s early 80s one of the helmet makers brought out a wiper for the helemt..ran on tracks top and bottom of your shield and on battery..never took off though.......it did look munted!!!!!!

[mazz1972]

We use Cat Crap....the rain just runs off and I've never had to wipe....if going fast enough just a quick turn of the head is all that's needed.

Wearing glasses is a pain as they fog up and you open the visor a bit and then you get spits of rain on your glasses....and then you have to stop and wipe!

Cat Crap is supposed to help stop fogging but didn't make an ounce of different with my visor....but it does clean up the visor nicely and help with the rain as mentioned above.

[idb]

Looks like the sister thread to 'To Pee Or Not To Pee' http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=20619

[unhingedlizard]

I find the best thing to keep your visor clean in the rain is to take the car.



(dons flameproof armour)

[Pixie]

The best?
I carry two 3M Scotch Brite Hi Performance cloths,$3.00 at the supermarket.
These are micro fibre fabrics that can clean glass with no detergents - better than a lens cloth.
One is kept damp in a zip lock bag.This is used to wipe the bugs away and can be laid onto the visor for a few minutes to loosen dried bugs.I also carry a small spray bottle with a weak solution of Simple Green to deal to those particularly oily bug smears.
Once the bugs are wiped away,I use the other cloth,which is dry to wipe the visor dry,leaving it smear free.
I rinse the wet cloth after each ride.
Every once in a while I wash the cloths in a residue free detergent like Sport Wash or Nik Wash.

[Pixie]

I use Rain-X is really good. The water beads off the visor and doesnt "stick" to it. But use is sparingly it's meant for glass. Some people say its makes the Lexan the visor is made of brittle...i havent had any problems with it at all though. Great stuff.

GE the maker of Lexan specifically advises against the use of Rain X,windex,etc.
actually any product that contains alcohols,aliphatic hydrocarbons,petroleum distillates.Which basically rules out most glass cleaners and furniture polishes.
This info is printed on the protective film that is applied to virgin Lexan sheet.

If you want to risk a visor which may be a $100 plus Arai part ,go for it.

As for not having any problems.You probably don't want to wait for a 50mm rock to embed itself in your face to find out,eh?

[Steam]

The best?
I carry two 3M Scotch Brite Hi Performance cloths,$3.00 at the supermarket.
These are micro fibre fabrics that can clean glass with no detergents - better than a lens cloth.
One is kept....
I also carry a small spray bottle ....
I use the other cloth...,
I rinse the wet cloth...
Every once in a while I wash...

Jeez, you are organised. Are you sure you aren't female? I'll try the Hi Performance cloths on my sunglasses, didn't know they were even better than a lens cloth. Thanks!

[vifferman]

The best?
I also carry a small spray bottle with a weak solution of Simple Green to deal to those particularly oily bug smears.
Hmmmmm....
Did you know Simple Green is caustic, and is not recommended for use on plastic instrument panels?

Did you know this:

Deep green in color and with an aroma of fresh sassafras, Simple Green is a popular household cleaner marketed to environmentally concerned consumers. It bills itself as nontoxic, the ''safer alternative" to other cleaners.
But one of Simple Green's key ingredients is the same toxic solvent that can be found in traditional all-purpose cleaners such as Formula 409 and Windex, a fact that consumers cannot discern from the products' labels.
.....
A key ingredient of Simple Green is butyl cellosolve, a substance considered toxic by the federal government that can be absorbed through the skin or inhaled, possibly destroying red blood cells, among other potential dangers. Concentrations of the solvent in household cleaners are not thought to pose an immediate danger to people. But some environmentalists insist the cleaners should not be labeled ''green" because the federal government considers butyl cellosolve toxic.

[vifferman]

If you want to risk a visor which may be a $100 plus Arai part ,go for it.
I've been using Plexus on my visors for about 5 years with no problems. For travelling, I have a small spray bottle (coincidentally, a "Simple Green" sample one, which I refilled with very diluted detergent). THe "Simple Green" sample was the most useless cleaner I've ever used.

I make sure I never use anything but a soft cloth to wipe/wash the visors, including the current one which is mirrored/tinted and was fine (apart from a couple of very small chips from stones) until I tried to use a footpath to wipe the top of it while I was still wearing it. Even Plexus didn't remove the abrasion in the top of it. D'Oh!!

[ceebie13]

Better living everyone!

[mazz1972]

Following on from my earlier post....Cat Crap has been around for about 15 years - this is what the website says:

* Cleans and polishes glass and plastic
* Repels lint and dust
* Prevents fogging of lenses (mine still fogs)
* Safe on all lenses and coatings
* It is suitable for use on all types of visors, sunglasses, binoculars and other optical lenses as it is a mild cleaner and is safe for use on all types of lenses and coatings. One container is good for hundreds of applications.
* Cat Crap comes in a handy snap close container that will easily fit in your bag or with any gear you might carry along with you.

It's a solid waxy sort of stuff in a pottle and is it's more like a polish or conditioner. You need to clean off the dirt/bugs first or you will scratch the visor.

I always clean my visor with wet bog roll and a bit of liquid soap (easily done at McD's) and then put a really teeny bit of Cat Crap on and buff it off with more of McD's bog roll - the visor polishes up really nicely and is bloody fantastic for beading water in the rain. We've had our pottle for ages and still most of it left.

Haven't tried anything else but some of the other products mentioned here sound good.

[XR250 Si]

I've got a pottle of the Cat Crap too. I also have issues with it fogging.

[Pixie]

Hmmmmm....
Did you know Simple Green is caustic, and is not recommended for use on plastic instrument panels?

Did you know this:

Deep green in color and with an aroma of fresh sassafras, Simple Green is a popular household cleaner marketed to environmentally concerned consumers. It bills itself as nontoxic, the ''safer alternative" to other cleaners.
But one of Simple Green's key ingredients is the same toxic solvent that can be found in traditional all-purpose cleaners such as Formula 409 and Windex, a fact that consumers cannot discern from the products' labels.
.....
A key ingredient of Simple Green is butyl cellosolve, a substance considered toxic by the federal government that can be absorbed through the skin or inhaled, possibly destroying red blood cells, among other potential dangers. Concentrations of the solvent in household cleaners are not thought to pose an immediate danger to people. But some environmentalists insist the cleaners should not be labeled ''green" because the federal government considers butyl cellosolve toxic.



Very weak solution e.g. 100 to 1
It is applied to dissolve the "oily bug guts" and wiped off immediately.
Butyl cellosolve is actually one of the no noes mentioned on the Lexan film.
I don't think you will find a totally innocuous cleaner in existence.
I applaud the way Simple green,suckers the Greenies into thinking it is environmentally safe ,by using the word green.As do the Mother Earth brand of toxic cleaners.
Green targeted marketing is based on the Japanese discipline of Buru Shitsu.
I use straight simple green to degrease my swingarm and rear sprocket.
I don't have red blood

[Busy]

I sit here reading these great replies and the cat crap comes up, next thing the cat walks past. Is it fate ... ?

Ok I'll try it ...

Can't see how it keeps the water off, unless the swarm of flies does it. Very hard to see through and trying to get the cat to crap on demand is not an easy task. Some have mention fogging with cat crap, I wonder if that was before or after the hurling.
I guess it could be worse, could be cow dung ... :shutup:

[rocketman1]

I try not to touch the visor if you do it will soon be covered in scratches,and will piss you of when going into the sun.$45 for a new one.. I wait till i get home and wet with the tap running gently use a soft cloth & a bit of detergent & rinse off.
If it raining and you are doing over 80kmh turn your head, from side to side the rain drops will blow away, works well.
I have one of those blue reflective visors, good on sunny days, but not good at night..

[peasea]

It's hard to resist the temptation to wipe the visor with the back of your glove but in some circumstances it's far safer; you NEED to see. Sure, you'll get some fine scratches if you wipe with the back of your glove but a visor (my last one was 45 bills) is cheaper than a wipeout. If it's a no-choice situation and I've been getting 'truck muck' thrown at me, I clean the visor with forecourt tissue and whatever is in the windscreen washing bucket at the next gas station. As I said, visors are cheap when compared to bike, life and limb. I consider them to be a consumable.

Also, don't leave dead bugs on your visor after a summer's day out. Wash them off when you get to your destination; many bugs have quite corrosive content in their bodies. The same trick applies to your car/bike radiator. Bug bodies will corrode that too, hose it out from the rear from time to time and carefully pick out their remains with an old toothbrush, bbq skewer or similar.

[Roj]

I polish my visor with silvo to take out the fine scratches, then use beeswax as a polish, takes a bit of effort sometimes but don't normally have a problem with rain, though I am riding alot less than I used too...

[w650 fan]

I found in heavy fog yesterday if I passed my hand in front of the visor closely without actually touching it, the moisture would actually be pulled off very well as the air curled behind the hand. I was travelling at 100 k's at the time so not sure if this would work at slower speeds.

[Busy]

A question for the cat crap users.

I saw some cat crap on trade me the other day and one of the selling points was the anti fogging but the comments here have said it doesn't stop fogging.

So my question, is the cat crap used on both sides of the visor (inside for fog, outside for water) or just the outside?
Fogging is one of my bigger issues and seems when I ride with visor open a bit in the rain the big bugs come out and they whack a punch, so is visor closed - fogging, open a fraction - go deaf from wind noise, open half or third - eat the bugs so would love to find something else or it may be new helmet time.

[quickbuck]

Hence the conversation:


Officer "Urrr... well... ummm... you better get on your way then. Don't let me catch you again."

Sounds like an order to do a runner next time to me.....

[MrMelon]

I've got this funky little wiper blade with a rubber loop at one end that slides over your thumb and clears your visor perfectly with a wipe across. Got no idea where it was bought from though and don't know anyone else with one.