Prepping for another night/rain ride - water/proofing??

[Stig / Major Tom]

Temps look better overnight (44°F) so planning to take the LIKE200i out for a ride in the wind (14mph), rain (70%) and dark (100 %) tomorrow morning before day-break.
I will be using in-glove battery heated gloves - and always worry about ruining the heating elements in a ride in the rain.
So far - it has not happened. And I've ridden with them in the rain many, many times.
Still, I always spray them the night before with some silicon water-proofing suitable for leather....and they come back pretty moist!
I'm out of that stuff - but found a forgotten bottle of NIKWAX waterproofing for gloves and have applied that to both sets of leather gloves.
I figure it best not to apply it on the palm of my L hand glove - since that is the hand I use to clear my face shield every few seconds during the ride. (I've found that vertical wipes work best to clear it, at least for a few seconds!)

I have also tried "rain ex for plastic" on the face shield - with negligible success in heavy rains and fog.

I'll report back on the performance of the NIKWAX......it has been a few years since I used it.

If anyone has found a good leather water-proofing product - please post it here!
Also, your results with clearing a face shield with the glove that's had your stuff applied to it.

Dark, wind and rain are as much fun as I want on a ride - I'd rather not add a face shield smearing with some chemical substance, too!

Ride safe folks!

Stig

always a scooter pic~!
here I am when I was a short Italian with a cheesy mustache on a favorite scooter!

[Neil955i]

I too find Rain-X offers only marginal benefits on my visor, though it does clean it nicely!  My preferred MO riding in rain is to remember to wear the gloves equipped with my trusty v wipe.

As for leather treatment, I use Renapur Leather Balsam and have done for nearly 40 years!  It works and as a beneficial side effect, I love the smell.

[randyo]

I use the orange RainX windshield fluid, not the RainX treatment. I am told it will eventually yellow my visor, but I have found I replaced for other reasons long before the RainX started affecting the plastic

[JJJoseph]

I wouldn't ride in rain without a good windshield.  I used to do it but finally came to my senses. I also stopped riding open motorcycles because I didn't like going to work with my shoes full of water!

[leomagnus]

Have you tried a ceramic coating, like Turtlewax? I did this to my car and the water just beads right off.

https://www.turtlewax.com/products/hybrid-solutions-ceramic-wax-spray-coating-16-fl-oz

Dean

[Iahawk]

Have you tried a ceramic coating, like Turtlewax? I did this to my car and the water just beads right off.

https://www.turtlewax.com/products/hybrid-solutions-ceramic-wax-spray-coating-16-fl-oz

Dean

I'll second that suggestion..that stuff is fantastic on a car or bike paint. It will bead water for a year! I'm a big 'detailer' guy.and I've stopped using traditional type waxes due to the absolute ease of use and superiority of protection these 'miracle' ceramic spray waxes provide. I also spray my visor..although I don't know how that works as I don't ride in the rain to find out! I do it to ease the bug removal.

[Stig / Major Tom]

I'll second that suggestion..that stuff is fantastic on a car or bike paint. It will bead water for a year! I'm a big 'detailer' guy.and I've stopped using traditional type waxes due to the absolute ease of use and superiority of protection these 'miracle' ceramic spray waxes provide. I also spray my visor..although I don't know how that works as I don't ride in the rain to find out! I do it to ease the bug removal.

How about this stuff?
TURTLE WAX SLICK GLASS CLEANER AND REPELLANT 53844

But 'glass' is not plastic.

Anyway - yeah, my concern is not wanting anything on my visor which will compromise my vision in the dark and rain and  oncoming headlights - or pitch dark roads where deer live

I might try RainX for Plastic again.

Stig

[monkeybongos]

How about this stuff?
TURTLE WAX SLICK GLASS CLEANER AND REPELLANT 53844
Stig

I might try it on our windows, as our house has no soffits or eaves, so every time it rains the windows get water spots.

[mousejunks]

Have you tried a ceramic coating, like Turtlewax? I did this to my car and the water just beads right off.

https://www.turtlewax.com/products/hybrid-solutions-ceramic-wax-spray-coating-16-fl-oz

Dean

1st is making sure the plastic visor is extremely clean, water will bead off even without any coatings because of the cleanliness. Tiny microscopic scratches from dirt or sunlight breakdown will hold water, so get a new visor if necessary.

2nd is to use a ceramic coat to repel water as suggested above. Ceramic will last longer than wax alone and you can apply many layers to increase the water-repelling effect.

Products such as Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions Ceramic etc work well.