Helmets And the Rain

[DarkNinja]

Hey guys, i was just wondering as i was riding into town yesterday, are most helmets designed for rain to bead off the visor leaving it clean enough to see out of? or is it just another thing we have to deal with.
If this is the case, ski/snowboard gloves have a small 'windscreen wiper' rubber on one hand so you can wipe off the snow, why dont motorcycle gloves have them aswell?
Just on the same subject too, what can you apply to a helmet to make the rain bead off?

[Drunken Monkey]

1. Not necessarily, but most people 'just deal with it'.

2. Some gloves to come with a chamois material or similar down the edge for wiping visors. My winter ones do.

3. The same stuff that you can put on your car's windscreen to do that. Don't blame me if it stuffs up your visor plastic though!

[bugjuice]

I've seen several 'winter' gloves with a little rubber blade on to wipe off the rain and crap. I nearly bought some, but they were an extra $50 over a similar pair, so I couldn't see the point. Not saying they're more expensive, probably was just this pair. Not sure if the rubber can be replaced when it's used. I would have thought it could be, else you'd have to buy a new glove every so often!

As for keeping the rain off, I guess it depends on the quality of visor. My bro tried RainX on the visor, which kind of worked, but was quite smeary. RainX works on filling in the tiny 'pits' in glass which rain sticks too. With plastic, the 'pits' are tiny, if at all, so the rain doesn't stick as well (normally). The higher the quality, the better the finish.
The worst I reckon, is like today, where it's not raining much (or at all) and the spray from trucks etc just make it impossible..

[**R1**]

i find just turning my head to the side runs all the water off....or i just deal with it.

[dhunt]

Hey guys, i was just wondering as i was riding into town yesterday, are most helmets designed for rain to bead off the visor leaving it clean enough to see out of? or is it just another thing we have to deal with.
If this is the case, ski/snowboard gloves have a small 'windscreen wiper' rubber on one hand so you can wipe off the snow, why dont motorcycle gloves have them aswell?
Just on the same subject too, what can you apply to a helmet to make the rain bead off?
I find the water sticks to my helment in light rain at speeds under about 80-90km, but if you crank up the speed a little to say 120 I find I can see much better, or at least thats what I'd tell the :Police: , :innocent:

[sels1]

In some conditions I open my visor up about 3/4 and use it like a peak with my head tilted forward slightly.

[FlyingDutchMan]

I've got a chemical here at uni which is an incredibly good anti-stick agent (teflon is about 4x sticker than it), and is one of the most hydrophobic substances out there. I'd be keen for putting some on my visor if it weren't for the saftey warning: "inhalation of vapour can result in sudden death by asphyxiation weeks to years after exposure", and the fact I'm not sure if it'd bond to perspex. I've used it in glass beakers etc, and they don't require any drying anymore - just merely tip the water out and its bone dry.

[Paul in NZ]

RainX will stuff up the anti scratch coating on a good quality visor.

So I'm told...

Always buy helmets with top quality visors (ie in the $80 to $90 range) as they are a better buy in the long run. last longer and WAY safer in rain and headlight glare... My old AGV ones were cheap at $45 but you bought 2 a year. Still got the original that come with the Shoei!

Paul N

[vifferman]

Plexus works well to bead the water up on the visor, and I'd imagine Pledge would too. I just turn my head to each side, and the drips blow off, or I give my head a quick side-to-side shake.
Used on the inside of the visor, Plexusw (and Pledge too?) also helps to stop the visor fogging up.

I'm pretty sure there's a squeegee thing you can get that clips on your finger or thumb, which is designed for snowboarding and skiing.
I made up something similar years ago, which was a length of windscreen wiper blade and a length of elastic, to slip on the back of my glove, but it was bit awkward to use, so I gave up on developing it.
By the way - RainX is not supposed to be used on plastic.

[inlinefour]

Hey guys, i was just wondering as i was riding into town yesterday, are most helmets designed for rain to bead off the visor leaving it clean enough to see out of? or is it just another thing we have to deal with.
If this is the case, ski/snowboard gloves have a small 'windscreen wiper' rubber on one hand so you can wipe off the snow, why dont motorcycle gloves have them aswell?
Just on the same subject too, what can you apply to a helmet to make the rain bead off?

1. Purhase something to apply to your current visor to create beading

2. Deal with it and in heavy rain just move your head slightly for side to side to make the water run off.
:msn-wink:

[vifferman]

Always buy helmets with top quality visors (ie in the $80 to $90 range) as they are a better buy in the long run. last longer and WAY safer in rain and headlight glare... My old AGV ones were cheap at $45 but you bought 2 a year. Still got the original that come with the Shoei!
My first AGV's visor was replaced two or three times (over 7 years!), but with my last one I cleaned it exclusively with Plexus, and it lasted the life of the helmet (about 3-4 years). Even the new AGV visors are cheaper than the Shoei visors - just bought the vifferbabe an iridium visor: $155 with a Kiwi Biker discount :shit:

I think the key here is the cleaning - NEVER use paper towels (they're scratchy), and avoid wiping/cleaning the visor with anything that could scratch it. The fine scratches that result from careless cleaning are the ones that cause that 'starburst' refraction effect at night when light shines on the visor. Using a polish like Plexus or Pledge will help minimise these and reduce refractive effects.

[MrMelon]

I've got a little rubber blade with a loop at one end I keep in my pocket that I can just slip over the thumb on my glove on rainy days. Just wipe the back of your thumb over the visor once and it's perfectly clear again.

It was a present from my uncle, and he said he had to get it sent over from England though, so I've got no idea where to buy them. I'm sure someone with a bit of ingenuity could make one though. I'll try and get a pic of it when I get a chance.

[Blakamin]

I just use my glove (at slow speeds)... its wet anyway.... at speed, I turn my head
but I've got a shit FFM helmet with a crap visor anyway....

[Slingshot]

3. The same stuff that you can put on your car's windscreen to do that. Don't blame me if it stuffs up your visor plastic though!


DON'T DO IT!!!

If you use the same stuff you use on your car windscreen it will destroy it!! The car products are designed for use on glass windows, not plastic visors!

There are products available. Your local bike shop should have something in stock.


Also, if you're going fast enough (above 60-70Ks), all you need to do is turn your head to either side...the rains drops will be blown out of view.

[bear]

As long as the visor is fairly clean, I find just wiping with the chamios part of the glove is sufficient to get me through.

[bugjuice]

DON'T DO IT!!!

There are products available, I think one is called RainX (but could be wrong). Your local bike shop should have something in stock.
RainX is the one for cars/glass :doh:
The bike shop should have some idea tho.. if none of these make sense!

[Silage]

I find saliva works a treat. Just leave the visor open a smidgen and lick the outside - tastes great with some bugs and tar. :not:

I have used RainX on my latest helmet and it was bad in light rain with oncoming lights. Cleaning the screen wif Autosol (tube stuff - prob v fine abraisive) removes light scratches and polishes the surface. Never tried Pledge but sounds like worth a try.

[Slingshot]

RainX is the one for cars/glass :doh:
The bike shop should have some idea tho.. if none of these make sense!

Yeah...I remembered after I'd posted and edited it out.

Thanks

[bugjuice]

Yeah...I remembered after I'd posted and edited it out.

Thanks
lol.. Im just too damn qwik.. all the guys and gals complain, for one reason or another (I stopped listening..)

[Skunk]

lol.. Im just too damn qwik.. Mostly the girls :killingme

OK, I'm just rude. :whistle:

I use Pledge cos I'm a cheap bugger.

[bugjuice]

Mostly the girls :killingme
who u bin talkin to?
they all said they wouldn't tell :sneaky2:

[What?]

Rain-X reacts with the anti-scratch layer on many visors, turning it milky and instantly unusable.

Clean your visor with lots of luke-warm water (hot will destroy the anti-scratch properties of the outer coating) and a clean, soft cloth, then use Plexus, Pledge or Silicone Spray on the outside of your visor, and polish it with another soft, clean cloth.