Worst Bug Encrustation Ever

[James Deuce]

I went up to Tauranga to see my Grandfather a couple of weeks ago, and just north of Otaki went through about 20 kms of clouds of bugs. This is what it looked like when I got to Taihape.

I thought it was getting overcast!

[Antallica]

Haha dude that's horrible! *invents biker wiper*

[Hitcher]

Mrs H and I had a similar experience returning from Palmerston North in the dark Saturday week ago. The Zrex still needs a decent wash...

I remember as a student in the Manawatu in the late 70s getting the car well and truly plastered when driving at night. A combination of midges and moths. Worse in October/November when the porina (Wiseana
cervinata) and grass grub (Costelytra zealandica) beetles are flying.

[Uncle B]

If you go for a long ride in the Wairarapa on a warm day at the right time you come back looking like that.

[Yamahamaman]

Just imagine scraping the little critters off you face if you using a half helmet :puke:

[spudchucka]

The worst one I've had was in the car, thankfully, it was a swarm of bees that failed to give way to the right. The entire windscreen was thick with goo.

[Jackrat]

I hit a swarm of Locusts in OZ once.Had to stop an clean up afterward.
I think we have more flying bugs here though.
I hit a Huhu bug down by Matamata once,at lest I think it was a Huhu,it rattled my helmet and wiped out all vison with yellow goo.
Wearing an open face the little midges are the worse I reckon.

[erik]

I had a big fly get inside my helmet when I was coming back up SH22 after the waikato rally2. I think it go inside through the middle vent under the visor. It was ok and I could see it crawling around on the visor centimetres from my face and I wasn't sure if it was a bee or not.
I'd hate to think what it'd be like riding through a swarm of bees, especially if they didn't all die when you hit them.

[Paul in NZ]

Hmmm! I'll have to tell you about my time as a rural technician in canty and driving the Falcon through a swarming flock of sparrows. They kept perfect formation after and flew off with a big car shaped hole in the crowd.

Nasty

Needed the wipers on full

Like in star wars when you hit the hyper drive and all the stars go whoosh

[Drunken Monkey]

It can happen quite often when you're driving/riding near the swamp/Meremere.

Still, I remember it being a lot worse in Oz. I don't think there was a time we ever went for a family drive into the wops the car didn't get covered in bugs....

[MOTOXXX]

ya just have to keep out of the way of those bugs like off that 'v' energy drink advert when it goes through the windscreen of that car. :crazy:

[inlinefour]

I went to the local two buck shop recently and brought some glass cleaner wipes intended for cars and I originally got em for my Surf. Well untill I came home one evening and had shite all over my visor. They were built right for the job and can be chucked once done, even comes in a handy dispensor :eek:

[James Deuce]

The picture was taken before I used my "Wee Willy" to clean my wisor. This post wasn't in any way a request for a solution to a "problem", merely an interesting (for me anyway) picture of a bug encrusted helmet.

I promise not to do ANYTHING like this again.

[NordieBoy]

Ok, ok, ok.


I'll say it then...

You pissed on your helmet?

:no:

[James Deuce]

Ok, ok, ok.


I'll say it then...

You pissed on your helmet?

:no:

Whatever works.

The Cafe owners were intrigued by the cleaning process.

[Sniper]

Whatever works.

The Cafe owners were intrigued by the cleaning process.

Hmmm, ok, well whatever works but umm little secret I wouldnt call it a "Wee willy" in public Hehehe :2thumbsup

[James Deuce]

Hmmm, ok, well whatever works but umm little secret I wouldnt call it a "Wee willy" in public Hehehe :2thumbsup

That's what is writen on it, fella.

http://www.webbikeworld.com/Reviewed-motorcycle-products/cleaning-motorcycle-visors/cleaning-motorcycle-faceshields.htm

[vifferman]

I went up to Tauranga to see my Grandfather a couple of weeks ago, and just north of Otaki went through about 20 kms of clouds of bugs. This is what it looked like when I got to Taihape.

I thought it was getting overcast!Crikey, Jim!
I thought my helmet was badly splattered when I went to Rotorua last weekend, but yours is twice as densely splattered. But interestingly, 'my' bugs were more evenly distributed over my visor.
It was kewl ( :wacko: if you like that sort of thing) looking at the bug distribution on the bike, because it was like those vapour trails they use in wind-tunnel testing to see where the airflow is - there were clear lines following the airflow. :laugh:

By the way - where does the airflow from your screen hit you? On the VTR, it was sort of mid chest, which kept my helmet relatively clear, but it's about 100-150mm higher on the VFR, so I get more turbulence around my helmet, and more bugs.

[Blackbird]

I use a damp microfibre cloth that I keep in my jacket pocket - don't even need to stop and do it. Microfibre cloths are fantastic as they're so soft that there's no visor scratching, not even with dry bugs. The cheapest way of getting a good quality microfibre is to buy one of the Kathmandu towels in a sale and cut it up - a lifetimes' supply. Great for drying the bike or car after a wash too.

Geoff

[James Deuce]

Crikey, Jim!
I thought my helmet was badly splattered when I went to Rotorua last weekend, but yours is twice as densely splattered. But interestingly, 'my' bugs were more evenly distributed over my visor.
It was kewl ( :wacko: if you like that sort of thing) looking at the bug distribution on the bike, because it was like those vapour trails they use in wind-tunnel testing to see where the airflow is - there were clear lines following the airflow. :laugh:

By the way - where does the airflow from your screen hit you? On the VTR, it was sort of mid chest, which kept my helmet relatively clear, but it's about 100-150mm higher on the VFR, so I get more turbulence around my helmet, and more bugs.

It's interesting, that question. I get very little helmet turbulence, so I assume that it is hitting about mid chest. But I hardly ever get bugs in that area.

[vifferman]

It's interesting, that question. I get very little helmet turbulence, so I assume that it is hitting about mid chest. But I hardly ever get bugs in that area.Yeah, it is interesting. 'Sfunny, a lot of 'old dudes' on the US VFR list tend to fit higher screens in an attempt to make their ride more comfy, and end up with more turbulence and less comfort as a result.

The VTR's screen offered less 'protection' (it was lower and narrower) but in some ways it was more comfortable, as the airflow around it was more laminar, and lower.
Most screens tend to have a beaded lip, so that it is stronger and more visible, but it also makes for a less laminar flow over the edge. On my old VF500, it had a piece of rubber beading on the edge of the screen, which I removed after I discovered it lead to turbulent airflow around my helmet, and hence more buffeting/wind noise.

[crashe]

I have just taken my visor off and given it a a damn good clean....it was filthy. :disapint:

I have also put black tape along the top of the visor to help keep sun strike out of my eyes.... and it works.....

Just gotta figure out how to keep the damn mozzies and bugs out of my way off the visor... all that blood and gut after they splatter ain't a good look...

One time coming back from Tauranga (21st Oct 2001) were they were the biggest bugs that I have ever seen.... stopped at BP top of Bombay hill and had to not only clean the visor but also the headlights.... and my jacket and jeans where covered as well.
I couldnt beleive how many I hit....and killed. :ar15: When they hit the visor wow what a noise they made....

But they splatter well. ....lol :ride:

[vifferman]

My worst splattering experience was in the car, north of Inglewood, driving through a swarm of bees (thank goodness I wasn't on the bike).

Worst on a bike was just after dark, on the Horohoro road, with an open-faced helmet, and lots of soft, squishy moths flying around.:blink:

[Blackbird]

I've just ordered a Pyramid double bubble screen from the UK to give me less buffeting at certain speeds. It comes with a detachable trailing edge protector so I'll experiment to see if there's a noticeable difference both compared with the OEM Blackbird screen which has a beaded trailing edge and the new screen, with and without the edge protector. Incidentally, my old BMW K100 RS screen with the adjustable second mini-blade gave me much better protection as you might expect but my wife hated it as turbulent air dumped right on top of her helmet. The 'bird is apparently perfect in that respect.

I know it's off topic but whilst researching double bubbles, I came across a couple of interesting facts from other owners.

- Coloured screens have a tendency to go brittle and crack more quickly than grey and black ones (no evidence as to whether this is a UV-related issue, polymer colouring affecting strength or something else entirely)

- A number of Blackbird owners have had problems with iridium double bubble screens concentrating sunlight onto the instrument console and melting parts of it (have seen the photos and the manufacturers coughed up for the repairs). Now that IS an interesting effect!

Geoff

[Blakamin]

Cool pattern Jim!!!

your helmet will match you alpinestar pit gloves...one day :lol:

[James Deuce]

Cool pattern Jim!!!

your helmet will match you alpinestar pit gloves...one day :lol:

Lol!!!!

Where is that Andy????

[Slingshot]

The worst bug splatting I''ve had was last weekend when I was heading to Napier.
The bugs were actually hurting as they hit my jacket. Picture, if you will, really big bugs with their inards running down my visor.
I should really have stopped, it was that bad. There's nothing like bug inards rinning down your visor to destroy your vision.

[Silage]

Isn't it funny though that the bigger the bike the more splattered the bugs. How does that work?