7 hour rain ride

[core10metal]

Figure I'd post to let you guys know the bike was flawless. Rode my 2002 r1150r up to Maine from north New Jersey for Thanksgiving. Left Wed morn in pouring rain, low 40's f. Only problem I had was with gloves. 2 pairs failed either because rain or cold got to me. Ended up putting food baggies over my heated gloves. Rode up to Main almost the entire way like that. Was flurrying in Massachusetts and missed 1 foot of snow by 20 miles. Very stressful ride since it was my first long trip but made it safe. People on the road thought I was NUTS which gave me motivation to keep going. Bike was completely frosted over the next morning.
Gear (other than the gloves) worked out flawlessly as well.
Dianese Bruce Gortex Jacket and Pants
Warm n Safe jacket, pants and socks. Gerbings gloves.
Goretex balaclava.
Sidi Vertigo Mega Gore-Tex Boots
Not a drop of rain got in and I was completely warm the entire trip, even up in Maine when temps dipped in low 30's with rain.
Before I left I installed a windshield and grip guards and man what a difference that made.
Oh, and the night before I left, I took the tank off to add heated gear cable. While I was reconnecting the quick disconnects...SNAP! &**$&*#($$(#*#($ ...there goes my bike trip!
Refused to give up and replaced the qd with new barbs, clamps and hose first thing in morn and went on my merry way.

[sstein]

Sounds like......fun?
What windshield did you install?

[Xdot]

You rock, core10metal.

What kind of windshield did you put on?

[Airman]

If you have the Gerbings G3 gloves, guys up here use Nikwax glove waterproofing stuff on those gloves. I have the G5's which are waterproof, insulated, as well as heated, but they're pretty bulky. I added the Gerbings heated jacket liner last winter.

I ride in rain and mid 30s-40s all winter here in the Northwest, and I like to see other riders out in those conditions. Did you have any concerns about ice?

[Xdot]

I keep thinking about riding in the rain. For some reason it looks like fun. (WTF?) Anyway, I was driving home yesterday in my Expedition in a driving rain and the car just ahead and to my left when through a puddle and sent a wall of water cascading into my windshield. It was n big deal for my 3-ton cage but the idea immediately struck me, "That would have knocked me down on a bike!"

Is that true? What do you do about those walls of water on a bike? Just try to avoid them and hope for the best? Or is it just some added excitement that's no big deal other than some momentary blindness?

John

[omg1010]

Hi John,

well riding in torrential rain is not great fun in my opinion. But with the right equipment it keeps bearable. Last year during a tour into french jura we ended up riding through heavy rain for a total of around 5 hrs (with a break in between). No problemo for the bike. And I stayed completely dry and warm with my gear (poo Armacor jacket, Rukka Armacor trouser, Held gore-tex gloves, daytona gore-tex boots).

Nevertheless it is not great fun in my opinion. But sometimes you can't avoid when riding from A to B.

Brgds
Oliver

[core10metal]

Windshield was a Z Technik tall clear. I also put rockster bars on so it lowered my body a bit. I'm at the sweet spot so buffeting isn't bad at all.
I also splurged for the dual remote thermostat and so glad I did. I zip tied it to my bars and was able to control my temps throughout the trip perfectly.
I actually don't mind the rain at all. The baggies over my gloves really limited my movement and I couldn't really take my arms off the grips otherwise they would fly off. It really added a dimension of stress to the trip that was unnecessary.
I was never splashed by cage drivers and was typically leaving them in the dust. I feel the bike cuts through the water better than car - cars have flatter tires which tend to hydroplane.

I have been searching for waterproof heated gloves. I'll put the G5's on my list - thank you. I have the G3's and I did waterproof them, but hours of constant rain penetrates.

I'm glad I made the trip, I liked pushing myself. I'm just starting off my biking life and I absolutely love it and plan on many many more long trips.

The biggest problem I've encountered in my riding is the wind noise. In less than a year of almost everyday riding, I think I have tinnitus. I wear earplugs but I still experience ear fatigue and ringing. I wear a Shoe rf100 and feel it just amplified the wind. Any suggestions on super quiet helmets? I was thinking of fitting the helmet with soft "ear muff" type of covers.

And btw, it's websites and people like you guys that make it easier to learn about the hobby. All the work i've done on my bike, you guys taught me and I say thank you!

[Xdot]

The biggest problem I've encountered in my riding is the wind noise. In less than a year of almost everyday riding, I think I have tinnitus. I wear earplugs but I still experience ear fatigue and ringing. I wear a Shoe rf100 and feel it just amplified the wind. Any suggestions on super quiet helmets? I was thinking of fitting the helmet with soft "ear muff" type of covers.

Ditto. Check out my windshield thread. It's near the top.

If you move to an RT it'll eliminate most of the noise.

[Biff's R]

One thing that I have used with success on my hands has been the blue dishwashing gloves. My hands have never been wet with them. What sucks is when you get in the cold rain and your Goretex stuff fails. I was on the edge of hypothermia on my way to the Bash in Marlinton, WV. It was rain and then snow going over some mountains in WV. Weather channel called for 60 degrees that day.

[R1150Rclean]

[quote="
The biggest problem I've encountered in my riding is the wind noise. In less than a year of almost everyday riding, I think I have tinnitus. I wear earplugs but I still experience ear fatigue and ringing. I wear a Shoe rf100 and feel it just amplified the wind. Any suggestions on super quiet helmets? I was thinking of fitting the helmet with soft "ear muff" type of covers.[/quote]

What kind of ear plugs are you using? The 32 NRR ones are the best and I have had no issues after using them for 3 years (I always wear them even for short trips), have a SHOEI X-12.

[rdsmith3]

I was never able to really get rid of the wind noise. I had a Shoei RF 900 then a Scorpion helmet. It did not seem to matter much. The earplugs were the biggest help.

[Biff's R]

I went smaller on the windshield, and use earplugs or noise isolating headphones with my iPod. The smaller shield seems more quiet, and i get less buffeting.

[wncbmw]

Posted by Biff:

I was on the edge of hypothermia on my way to the Bash in Marlinton, WV. It was rain and then snow going over some mountains in WV.

Yes you were! We all had to ride in snow to get to the meet point that day but you were in the worse shape! Rain gear failure in cold conditions is not fun!

Re noise: I stayed with the smaller windshield since anything other than a huge barn door puts wind blast at head level for me. I have some hearing loss from years of being around construction equipment and riding and shooting without proper protection. No more! With the speedster shield, good ear plugs (I use Hearo 'christmas tree' shaped ones) and the Arai helmet, my hearing has held up. I find it more comfortable with the wind blast directed at my chest and my head in clean air.

And since I road home 700 miles from the Central, PA Bash, with about 500 of it in the rain, it seems to work for me! Although I did have to stop and buy a Frogg Tog rainsuit on the way home due to a failure in the crotch of my waterproof pants!

[GSGeezer]

Just a response to two points.
If ugly bothers you stop reading now. If not look at Hippo Hands. It's not real cold here in NC but I have seen guys ride in below freezing weather without gloves. Disclaimer; not ten hour rides just short rides and around town. I've never ridden in weather below low 20's.
Second response: concerning WALL OF WATER. On the way home from a rally, and after a bad hard rain a friend and I came up on standing water. Not bad, but still 5-6" of water accross the road. Everybody was just creeping through. I was just about out of it when a fire truck entered from the other direction and my riding buddy disappeared. Literally disappeared. He did not appreciate my hysterical laughter or getting wet places he didn't know he had, but there was no threat or anticipation of being 'blown over'. Just another great story; not possible in anything with four wheels.

[wncbmw]

Re Hippo Hands: They do work well. I know a couple of people that have them and with heated hand grips, wear summer gloves in the coldest tempertures.

Ugly aside, be careful of imitation models. I had a bad experience with a set of 'fake' Hippo Hands years ago. The floppiness of the material let it close shut when my hands were withdrawn, creating some panic when removing a hand to adjust a face shield, scatch or whatever and suddenly needing to grab the brake or clutch! Some of the ones marketed for ATVs are like this.

The real deal is stiff and remains open when you take out your hands. Much safer.

They are efficient but are still ugly!


. . . of course, the same has been said about me.