Full Face Helmet Performance In RAIN

[rontash]

I just returned from a 2 day ride which ended in a lot of night rain. I could not keep the rain from obstructing the view and it became quite unsafe to ride. I had to take side roads instead of the super slab and even then I had to strain through the top of the visor with it partially open so that I could see "something" ahead.

A couple of questions that I'd sure appreciate some advice:

1) Which helmets provide the best ventilation? I've owned a few helmets – I spending around $200, my latest one being a last year model Scorpion. Despite the claims around anti-fog lenses, I've never had one that is completely non-fog. I'm not interested in anti-fog sprays since often you're riding and it unexpectedly rains or rains hard and there's not the time to prep. (If I was expecting rain, I'd be off the road!)

I'm convinced that a better solution is to pick the best ventilated helmet with a decent anti-fog lens to do the trick.

2) I think another big difference, which I don't do, would be a good rain repellant that would shed off the rain. I've read in other internet forums that Rain-X damages most visors.

Also, I'm cleaning my visor most every other day, during the summer the fly season, so it would be good to have some kind of safe wax product that you could apply monthly or weekly.

Any experience(s) you want to share? I’d appreciate it.

 

[Pauly_V]

At freeway speeds I will turn my head from one side to the other. This allows the wind to push the rain off my visor. I can't imagine why RainX would hurt a visor, though. I'm going to give that a try, since I was on the interstate yesterday for a nice 200 mile ride in a statewide downpour. Blah....

 

[Shiny_side_up]

+1 on the turning your head to the side a little. I rode last weekend in fog thick enough that it would form droplets on the visor. A quick slight turn of the head and the wind pushed it all away. It does make me wonder why "head on" didn't do the trick, whereas a slight turn of the head did - but I'm not one to complain about things that work to my advantage.

I'll be curious to hear about the Rain-X as I had been thinking about applying some as well. (on a totally unrelated note, that stuff is great on a glass shower)

 

[greg]

rainx is for glass apparently, there's some special stuff for visors you can get

as for fogging, i use a pin lock, the only issue i had was when it wasn't seated right

i wear an Arai Chaser (uk name?) helmet, plenty of vents, which work well and i rarely need to use. In the rain I have a little rubber thing on my left glove i can use as a wiper. I've not tried any special rain repellant products yet

on my car i use rainx which is fantastic, if i'm going above 50-60mph i don't need to use my wipers at all

 

[Ridgeback]

Rain X is really only any good for glass,as it can eat into the anti scratch coating on visors,turning them milky.

best bet is Nikwax. link - Spray-on rain repellent for visors and goggles. | Visor Proof

Really good stuff,thats visor friendly :thumbup:

 

[Evitzee]

Get a can of Plexus and after cleaning your shield in the normal manner spray both sides of the shield and wipe it off with a soft cotton cloth. Plexus fills in the micro scratches and makes the surface much smoother (you can feel it with your bare fingers). Rain will run right off.

 

[PhotoAl]

+1 on the Plexus. I have a Shark RSI and rode 2 hours in the rain at 42 (F). Problem I had was staying warm. Oh it was at night. My winter gloves have a strip onthe back of the thumb for wiping the visor off - works well. Obviously it wasn't recently as the temp here has been low to mid 90's Since early July!

 

[lonesoldier84]

in a pinch Pam works too. most gas stations and quick-mini-food-stores don't stock rain-X but will stock Pam.

pam also makes bugs come off easier.

people will look at you weird when you are spraying your face with Pam standing in the middle of a gas station with your helmet on......but that's half the fun of motorcycling!! (well maybe not half more like 0.02% but you get the idea).

P.S. Rain-X really does work.

but worst case scenario you cant find anything i have found tucking in tight to the tank and adjusting your head position from there you can find a sweet spot which sees the water drain from your face better. i have a puig race screen.

but you havent lived until you've barrelled down a road you dont know in darkness with a fogged up visor with a film of itty rain droplets on effectively rendering you Stevie Wonder on wheels. w00t!!

its pretty terrifying but exhilerating at the same time to be putting your entire life and existence on following and tracking behind the left running light of a car you are trying to keep up to......

it is amazing how medium rain at night for cars is so casually sorted out but on a bike it turns into a death-defying experience.

 

[rontash]

Thx for sharing ur experience - I know exactly what you mean! The ride I mentioned - I went off the superslab only to be routed back for about 5 minutes - was scared s_ _tless...In my case they were rebuilding the road - it was scuffed up and they had those portable taller pylons. If one of them had strayed on to my path - bye bye birdie. But I will try ur technique of the sweet spot. I did find something that partially worked last ride, but I may experiment more.

 

[necrotimus]

pin lock for the fog... at highway speeds turn your head... lower than highway speeds you are going to have to wipe

 

[rontash]

Thanks - will use these techniques

 

[rontash]

How often do you re-wax? Sounds like it's worth a try.

 

[rontash]

Thx for sharing ur experience - I know exactly what you mean! The ride I mentioned - I went off the superslab only to be routed back for about 5 minutes - was scared s_ _tless...In my case they were rebuilding the road - it was scuffed up and they had those portable taller pylons. If one of them had strayed on to my path - bye bye birdie. But I will try ur technique of the sweet spot. I did find something that partially worked last ride, but I may experiment more.

 

[Wh0M3]

I've used the Head turn for light rain and it works well. I've also used the sweet spot hiding behind the windscreen and it works well too. The only thing is both of them work for getting rid of the water on the outside. For the inside it's about vents and anti-fog stuff. I've used a few different types and most work pretty well as long as it's a fresh application. I haven't had much success with anything working that great for a couple rides.

The Pam idea is an interesting concept. I have a funny picture in my head of a guy in a quick-stop spraying their helmet with Pam. XD

 

[Motogiro]

Rain-X may affect some shields because of chemical makeup. The Rain-X uses an alcohol type chemical as a vehicle and though most shields are probably the same base material, they may incorporate different coatings. I have a few helmets and my Scorpion uses a coating on the back of the shield as an anti fogging agent. Don't clean this type shield with anything but plain water and dab it dry with a paper tower but do not wipe the paper towel across it. It will scratch it and leave behind paper particles.

My Shoe RF1100 has to use a separate "Pin Lok" film shield inside the face shield to act as an Anti-Fog shield but I've never used it. I can say that the vent in the front of the helmet works extremely well once you are moving as well as the top ventilation in the helmet.

Then there is Cat-Crap. It's an anti fog agent you can get at a lot of sporting good shops. REI stores carries it usually near their sport goggles and eye-wear stuff....I haven't any experience with it yet.

 

[FuriousGeorge]

I've tried Raincoat on my visor and that seems to work pretty well. It's a paste that you rub on and then buff off. Their web site is Moto Solutions. I bought the small packets at Cycle Gear for $1 I think. They also have Fogtech for fogging with I haven't tried. I've found that for rain once I get above 55mph I can just duck my head a little and the low pressure from behind the windshield pulls the rain down off the shield and keeps it clean. I have a taller than stock screen which probably helps.

For fogging I've been using the Fog City inserts. They work really well for a while, but they seem to gradually lose effectiveness. Still better than nothing and less hassle than needing to use a spray on or wipe on anti-fog on a regular basis. Just make sure that you're careful when cleaning because they are easy to scratch. When I upgrade my helmet I'm going to make sure it has pinlock compatible shields available.

 

[Senior]

Don't use Rain-X on your visor . . . . on the back of the bottle it says not for use on plastic . . . .

I took the advise of the father-in-law and am using Mr Sheen multi-surface polish

make sure the visor is clean, spray onto a clean duster then wipe on visor, wait a couple of seconds and polish off. I usually do 2 maybe 3 applications.

This works for me, rain bubbles on the visor and makes the "turn head to left and right to blow water off" work really effectively

 

[OneTrack]

I rarely ride in the rain...been there, done that when I HAD to....a car is better. Anyhow, when I did, I used Pledge furniture polish on my visor. The "white can" pledge works best. Spray it on inside and out, and buff to a shine with a microfiber cloth. Bug spatter won't stick, the inside won't fog up as easily and rain just slides away. I don't recall any damage to the visor from using Pledge.

 

[Woe257]

I have not tried any of the anti-fog products out there so this was a good question for me too. I usually crack my visor just a bit and that takes care of the fog issue.

 

[Pauly_V]

"Pin Loc"??