Weather coating for the face shield

I have a Shoei RF-1100 and for whatever reasons I can't get water and road spray to bead up and blow off the way I used with other helmets. I have tried the hand soap trick, i got an anti-fog cleaner, i tried nothing at all.

The water just sits there while I ride. A slight turn of the head will cause one side to blow the mist and droplets away, but i am looking for any other suggestions for this. I have never had water drops just stay stationary on a face shield at 60mph.

Have you tried Rain-x?

No. It destroys plastic. Rain X on face shields is a huge no-no.

http://www.rainx.com/product/glass-and-cleaners/rainx-original-glass-treatment/#.UIqeqLe9Kc0

"Avoid using Rain‑X® Original Glass Treatment on any plastic surfaces, including motorcycle windshields, ATVs and solar panels."

bulpup said:

No. It destroys plastic. Rain X on face shields is a huge no-no.

Rain-X® Original Glass Treatment - Rain-X

"Avoid using Rain‑X® Original Glass Treatment on any plastic surfaces, including motorcycle windshields, ATVs and solar panels."

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Rut Roh! Thanks for that.

I'm using Pledge, not because it's better than anything else, but because it's in the cupboard and it removes bugs well. Although it actually does seem to allow droplets to slide off. Also, have you tried an automotive wax? As a side-note, my lady friend works at a hospital and brought home a product, the surgeons apply to the inside of their face-masks before surgery, that prevents fogging. It worked better than anything else I've used so far, although it didn't eliminate fogging altogether. Dexideâ„¢ Fredâ„¢

Mr sheene works well as it fills minor scratches as well apparently

I use Rain X on my visor. It hasn't destroyed any of my visors yet. I have about 80,000 commuting miles going up and down I-5 in Seattle. It is either raining now, has been raining, or will be raining (except for the one day we call "summer"). Not only do I deal with rain drops, but road spray from the other vehicles. I never have to use the finger "wiper" on the gloves. The Rain X takes care of it all.

There might be some long term effects on the visor plastic, but I can't find them. FWIW, I used it on a Nolan N102 and am using it now on a Scorpion EXO-900.

Chris

I've always just waxed my visors (outside surface) along with my helmet and bike.

Haven't had any problems or untoward signs of the wax (any and all waxes- liquid, spray, paste, carnuba, synthetic, whatever) doing the slightest bit of harm or damage to any of them for the past few decades anyway...

Obviously I am scrupulous about the visor being spotlessly clean prior to waxing, and being very careful and gentle with the best and cleanest microfibre cloth that I use strictly for the visors. One cloth for visors, one for helmets, one for bike plastics (windscreen) one for paint, and one for metals.

I have to clean and reapply once a week or so where I live, 'cause I commute in crappy rainy constant gritty spray from cars 5 days a week, all year round, winter or not. I can tell when the droplets become "sticky" versus fast beading and flowing off without having to turn your helmet sideways, when it's time to renew.

L.B.S. said:

I.....

Obviously I am scrupulous about the visor being spotlessly clean prior to waxing, and being very careful and gentle with the best and cleanest microfibre cloth that I use strictly for the visors. One cloth for visors, one for helmets, one for bike plastics (windscreen) one for paint, and one for metals.

I.....

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You make me wanna cry, coz I use 1 cloth for everything....
I used to be like you...then I gave up.

That's funny. I do the same thing, one cloth for each chemical. I use Plexus on the windshields and face shields. Honda Polish on all the other bike parts. Well, with the exception of the brake rotors.

One thing that is often overlooked with microfiber towels/rags, is that if you wash and re-use them, do not dry them in the dryer. The high heat will actually slightly melt the fibers and make the towels/rags somewhat more abrasive. It's not really noticeable by feel, but it's there.


WGW

I usually don't even mess with it since it doesn't rain a whole lot here. But when it's forecast to rain, or I'm going on a trip, I've used ProtectAll with great results.



Got a small can of it years ago, great for faceshields and windshields -- little bit goes a long way. Best I can tell, it's pretty much just a spray-on wax. Convenient to pack for a trip in the can. My other riding buddies swear by Plexus, no complaints, but the ProtectAll was (a lot) cheaper, ha.

trey

Good tip.Thanks

Awesome ideas guys. I'll try pledge first. Good ideas all around. I had great results with dishwasher detergent but i think my wife's recent change of product is the culprit.

In the meantime- rain X. Don't use it.

According to some very reputable manufacturers and resellers I have spoken to the problem with RainX is not that it makes a noticeable difference to the face shield, it makes it dangerous. RainX reacts with plastic at the molecular level and makes it brittle and less resistant to impact. At its worst the face shield will shatter into shards.

I don't have much evidence on this other than hearing it from people I respect and know to have the knowledge of things like that. But I have been hit in the face shield with rocks twice in the span of one second. I really don't want to take the chance.

Good luck. Let us know how the Pledge works. Till then, I'll continue to use the Rain X.

I'll probably get a rock in the visor tomorrow. <lol>

Chris

I used Rain-X starting back in the late 80's I guess. I don't remember anything on the label back then, but hey whatta gonna do, I got a couple hundred thousand miles with Rain-x on my shield not knowing it was bad for plastic. Well now I guess I'll find something new.

I go to thinking about this too. The whole idea of it making the visor shatter, I mean. The reason I have a Scorpion helmet now, is that I dropped my Nolan. I had it sitting on top of the top box when we stopped at a lake for a rest. The parking area was like gravel, but big more like sharp rocks the size you'd pick up and throw in a lake. Well, the helmet dropped and not nicely. The visor got hit good and a piece of side trim broke off. There was no doubt about replacing the helmet. As far as the visor went, it only was scratched up badly. Enough that I knew it had to be replaced, but there were no cracks on it at all. If the Rain X had damaged it in the 2-3 years of use, it didn't show any signs.

FWIW, I depend on the Rain X so much that I have a bottle at home and one at work. If the visor shows any signs of not clearing as I commute one way or the other, I apply more. And living in Seattle, that means I use it more frequently than someone living in Texas who would simply chose not to ride that day. As a commuter, I don't have much choice about avoiding rain. As one rider said in another forum, "If you don't ride in rain, you don't ride in Seattle".

Chris

Daboo said:

a .

And living in Seattle, that means I use it more frequently than someone living in Texas who would simply chose not to ride that day. As a commuter, I don't have much choice about avoiding rain. As one rider said in another forum, "If you don't ride in rain, you don't ride in Seattle".

Chris

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Or the UK either

Okay I did a little digging. There are helmet manufacurers that will list if their shields should or should not have Rain -X applied. HJC was the first one I found that specifically says go right ahead. Shoei does not list anything about it but through some historical posts in other forums may seem to report that Shoei visors have the worst reaction to it.

So I'll ammend what I said earlier, check with your manufacturer before applying Rain-X

BTW, if you get fogging on the inside of the visor and don't have a special coating like the Scorpion EXO-900 visor has...Rain X has an Anti-fog product for you. <lol> Just kidding. They do, but it doesn't work any better than common liquid dish-washing soap.

The main ingredient in the anti-fog products is glycerin which is what a liquid dishwashing soap uses to cut grease. I put both products on the inside of the Nolan visor and neither was doing a better job...but the liquid dishwashing soap was a lot cheaper and could be found anywhere.

Chris

I do a simple head nod to clear the droplets from my view.
When I tip my head forward, it takes maybe 1 second to get MOST of the water cleared from my face shield. The harder it rains,
the more frequent the head nods.

It costs nothing, and won't damage the plastic.