|
SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> weather proofing the bike /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1253689671 Message started by jabman on 09/23/09 at 00:07:51 |
|
Title: weather proofing the bike Post by jabman on 09/23/09 at 00:07:51 looking around here I get the impression that the bike doesnt like getting wet is there anything i can do to make sure the electrical system keeps working in heavy rain |
|
Title: Re: weather proofing the bike Post by justin_o_guy2 on 09/23/09 at 00:48:54 Ive been in a rain so hard that when I got to a stop light & put my feet down, the spark was shocking me. I was really ready for the green light. Ive never had a problem with it due to rain & Ive been wet quite a few times. Its an 05 with 20,000 miles & its parked under cover, but its seen rain several times. |
|
Title: Re: weather proofing the bike Post by voldigicam on 09/23/09 at 03:14:56 I've done perhaps 80 miles of rain riding in the last week. Runs better in the rain, no trouble at all except that I get wet. And my bike is now dirty. |
|
Title: Re: weather proofing the bike Post by Oldfeller on 09/23/09 at 03:44:41 Electrics on the Savage are not noted for crapping out in the rain. There are other bikes that have shorting issues with rain (water cooled SV650 front spark plug well filling up with water for example) that are completely notorious for their brand/type having a built-in issue. Our bike is notorious for "just running" in the rain. Our tank protects our spark electronics and our head's spark plug area is well sheltered from water flow. Plus, our head is hot enough to instantly evaporate any splash that did make it in there. Now, you feet and legs will get soaked every time -- no protection there at all. I have literally poured water out of my shoes when I took them off. |
|
Title: Re: weather proofing the bike Post by John_D on 09/23/09 at 03:55:06 I'd also like to add, that whatever their other drawbacks, such as small size, and the straps starting to crack almost as soon as you put them on the bike; the Suzuki saddlebags for our bike are pretty good at keeping everything dry when riding in the rain. I've never had anything get wet in mine yet, except when I open them while it's still coming down. :P |
|
Title: Re: weather proofing the bike Post by matt on 09/23/09 at 04:45:55 i have some willie and max bags, after a nice down poor i have a little water at the bottom, not enough to really mess anything up but not totally dry. i usualy have to take them off every few weeks for a good dry inside |
|
Title: Re: weather proofing the bike Post by Rocco on 09/23/09 at 07:56:15 that was one of the bonuses of me getting ammo boxes to make into saddle bags, i'm pretty sure they are fire resistant as well as waterproof. as long as i silicone where i drill it should be fine! |
|
Title: Re: weather proofing the bike Post by cursal on 09/23/09 at 07:59:09 Good to hear the bike will handle the Rain...I got about 5-6 months of it coming my way. What do you all use to keep your visibility in the rain? Full face helmet? Goggles? etc. Please share |
|
Title: Re: weather proofing the bike Post by Charon on 09/23/09 at 08:00:41 Judging from experience with taillights on RVs, "waterproof" means that once the water gets in it cannot get back out. |
|
Title: Re: weather proofing the bike Post by vhfkid on 09/23/09 at 08:23:26 6C7A7D7C6E630F0 wrote:
I found a good rainsuit works well to keep the water off of me, and the visibility goes up with reflective surfaces. I use and like the Tourmaster Defender http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/ProductImages/300/2007_Tour_Master_Defender_Two-Piece_Rainsuit.jpg, you get pants with it, and they are affordable. The Tourmaster Elite is nice too, http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/ProductImages/300/ELITE2PCYLW.jpgbut I couldn't see spending more for the extra pockets and the kevlar paded pants are an extra cost! For the price of the pants I got the Defender set (jacket and pants)I expect to buy a new rainsuit every few years from wear and tear, and the defender is nicer and cheaper than Frogg Toggs. |
|
Title: Re: weather proofing the bike Post by justin_o_guy2 on 09/23/09 at 08:30:48 103B32213C3D530 wrote:
Thats such a perfect definition of Waterproof.. If its cold at all I put my feet up on the engine when its raining. |
|
Title: Re: weather proofing the bike Post by jabman on 09/23/09 at 08:55:23 I use a full helmet and a fog city or pro grip visor insert. its a piece of clear plastic with sticky edges that fits on the inside of your visor and gives it 'double glazing' which stops and I mean stops the visor misting up from your breath, even when fully down. on the outside of the visor I use a anti-misting spray that helps rain form into drops and run off |
|
Title: Re: weather proofing the bike Post by Pabst 2006 on 09/23/09 at 18:51:47 Teknic Thunder waterproof full gauntlet gloves, got them for 30 bucks on sale, while mostly waterproof the other important thing is, they do feature a 1" squeegee / face shield wiper on each index finger which is good if you need to immediately clear your field of vision for a few seconds in pouring rain. -Pabst |
|
Title: Re: weather proofing the bike Post by justin_o_guy2 on 09/23/09 at 21:06:21 I just wear a decent leather glove, not the El Cheapo leather gloves that are tanned with toxic chemicals, get vegetable tanned leather gloves, the hands absorb chemicals nicely. A leather glove works like a pretty good squeegee for the visor. |
|
Title: Re: weather proofing the bike Post by verslagen1 on 09/23/09 at 22:17:34 My bike came weather proofed. Don't you know? It never rains in So. Calif. |
|
Title: Re: weather proofing the bike Post by Serowbot on 09/23/09 at 22:48:17 You could make a bazillion dollars if you could invent a clip-on visor wiper for $30.00... I know I'd go out and steal one, right away... :-? BTW,... my spell checker sees "bazillion" as a correctly spelled word?.. :-/ |
|
Title: Re: weather proofing the bike Post by gerald.hughes on 09/23/09 at 22:56:31 At Aerostitch, you can get a neat little rubber squeegie that clips on to the index finger and can wipe the rain off of the visor-$16. http://i414.photobucket.com/albums/pp223/gerald_hughes/Wiper.jpg |
|
Title: Re: weather proofing the bike Post by Serowbot on 09/23/09 at 23:01:31 Nope,.. has to clip on, and run automatic.... on batteries,... or maybe air power,... you could blow in a straw... :-? |
|
Title: Re: weather proofing the bike Post by matt on 09/24/09 at 04:51:22 Put me on the list when they get invented, that would be awsome . I dont like my visor, and the only time i get to wear it, i cant see out of it because of rain. i like the straw power idea, no batteries required! |
|
Title: Re: weather proofing the bike Post by buttgoat1 on 09/25/09 at 09:29:55 air power! thats it! put a windmill type fan blade on the top of your helmet with linkage to do the back and forth motion! |
|
Title: Re: weather proofing the bike Post by justin_o_guy2 on 09/25/09 at 10:58:49 2D2F382B262E64223F2D222F394A0 wrote:
I bet I can get a short strip of an old windshield wiper mounted up for less. Hekkuvanidea there. |
|
Title: Re: weather proofing the bike Post by babyhog on 09/25/09 at 11:31:11 Give it a week or so, check fleabay, and that dude (you know, the one who steals ideas) will have something for sale.... |
|
Title: Re: weather proofing the bike Post by voldigicam on 09/26/09 at 06:56:40 I've got a little bit of a rain rig. Stock windshield, Fieldsheer jacket (seems waterproof), water resistant pants, gaiters, boots with Johnson's paste wax warmed into them, and my hands eventually get wet. I also have plywood on the left side of the engine crash guard that blows spray to the outside a bit. Eventually I get wet. The bike doesn't seem to get particularly wet in any electrical areas. I don't like the short fenders. Crap comes up off the road from the front tire. The short rear fender lets crap build up on that shelf in front of it. A little larger windshield and better leggings would make it really water resistant. Anything that fills with water I drill a hole in. Sometimes without removing from the machine. My car headlights generally end up with drain holes unless the shell is all glass. So far, nothing to drill on Suzi. Water drains right out. I'm thinking I'll get a Volusia though - Ms. Gianna seems to like the back seat a bunch, but she's (don't tell her) a bit thicker than ideal for the little bike. I don't believe she'd go for allowing a thinner, lighter substitute. Although I think wearing leather would allow me to find one. |
|
Title: Re: weather proofing the bike Post by whistler2000 on 09/27/09 at 13:21:35 My '87 doesn't like the rain at all! She'll run for about 5 minutes, then quits. After 15 minutes, she'll start and run another 5 minutes. Long enough to make a long walk back (not to mention the good soaking I get pushing her back). After the rain quits and it dries a bit and off we go with no problems at all! Did I mention she is bobbed a bit. |
|
Title: Re: weather proofing the bike Post by justin_o_guy2 on 09/27/09 at 15:35:41 Whistler, IDK what is exposed on yours that isnt on a stocker, but seriously, Ive been so soaked I was getting shocked by the ignition when I put feet down at a stop & it never died. You may have a connector not closed all the way, getting wet inside.The One under the tank is a biggee. |
|
Title: Re: weather proofing the bike Post by groupus on 09/27/09 at 15:46:08 i have a 2003 that is unstoppable in the rain... literally - i need better tires. :-/ i've ridden in some terrible down pours and the engine will not quit. a front fender is a must, otherwise you get a neat arc of water spraying out and then right back in your face. mine is bobbed, so its a little worse than stock, but i just deal with getting soaked. the best thing i found for visibility is a full face with goggles/clear glasses. that way you can pop the visor up to shield your face from the rain while the goggles protect your eye from wind and debris. -G |
|
Title: Re: weather proofing the bike Post by justin_o_guy2 on 09/27/09 at 16:55:17 If you live in a rainy place & ride in the rain enough to be willing to (possibly) buy tires that get less than optimal mileage, you might want some soft compound, sticky tires. For all I know a good quality tire can deliver high mileage AND good grip in the rain. I would look at Metzler, I think they make as good a tire as can be had for a bike, but only from what Ive heard, Ive never had one. I hear good things about Mercedes, too, & tho Ive paid for a few, Ive never driven one. Ive never even gotten a Thank You note from a Dr after making a years worth of payments on his. The stock tires sucked on dry pavement, on wet it was somewhere between comical & terrifying, depending on how brave I was feeling. Thankfully, iot went away in 5,000 miles. |
|
Title: Re: weather proofing the bike Post by Ed L. on 09/27/09 at 17:28:32 I tried Rainex on the faceshield once or twice to see if it helped but I didn't see any improvement when it rained. Now I put on a pair of dark glasses and crack the faceshield open halfway. The glasses keep the rain out of my eyes and the faceshield acts as a visor to keep the rain off my face. I haven't had any electrical problems from rain but the bike starts to run rough after only 5-10 miles. My guess is that I'm getting water on the air filter because the airbox door is drilled out. Beside that a pair of chaps keeps keeps the rain from running down my legs and filling up my boots. A bandana tied to my wrist is a good faceshield wiper but I do think a mini squegee is a cool idea. Hows about a mini windshield wiper that mounts on the helmet with suction cups. |
|
Title: Re: weather proofing the bike Post by jabman on 09/28/09 at 02:02:55 the route MT66's have a very high tread amount which is why i bought them over the metzelers they hold very well in all weather |
|
Title: Re: weather proofing the bike Post by John_D on 09/29/09 at 02:21:31 My winter gloves have squegees built into the back of both thumbs, and they work great in the rain, although when it lets up and you're getting road spray from other cars, it tends to just smear it around. :P I've seen some with the squegees on the index finger, and that might actually be more comfy to use. After having them though, I wouldn't ride in the rain without them. :) |
|
Title: Re: weather proofing the bike Post by Pabst 2006 on 09/29/09 at 18:09:58 With all the fall rains, I make sure I have a couple ziploc bags in the pocket of my jacket. The jacket material is supposed to be waterproof, but the pockets still have some leakage. I just stash anything I don't want to get wet (cell phone, wallet, etc) in the bags. It's saved my phone a bunch of times from getting buttons shorted out from moisture. -Pabst |
|
Title: Re: weather proofing the bike Post by whistler2000 on 10/04/09 at 15:47:24 Justin_o, Thanks for the suggestion on the IDK under my tank. I will check that. As a matter of fact, I rinsed the bike off with the hose and couldn't start it. Had to blow dry it off and wait 15 min. b4 it would start. Are you saying the spark plug wire or coil is getting wet? |
|
Title: Re: weather proofing the bike Post by justin_o_guy2 on 10/04/09 at 15:53:38 There is a major connector under the tank. If its not closed all the way, maybe its getting wet? But, just a rinse shouldnt have gotten to that one. Its Up Under the tank, on top of the frame. Id try wetting one area & see if it starts, another area & see if it start, when you get to the area you get wet & it doesnt, then,, well, you get it. |
|
Title: Re: weather proofing the bike Post by whistler2000 on 10/04/09 at 16:03:09 Thanks Justin_o, I'll try that connector 'cause I did rinse off the top of the engine. Had sanding dust all over everything and just wanted to get it off b4 getting the engine hot. |
|
Title: Re: weather proofing the bike Post by Digger on 12/13/09 at 21:19:14 464D4E414D422C0 wrote:
Jab, Any time you have the tank or any other panels or covers off the bike, use that opportunity to pull apart any electrical connectors you can get to and dab some silicone grease onto the pins and into the sockets. I use this stuff and a toothpick: http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee201/Digger109/Sil-GlydeE.jpg All my bikes get this treatment and I never have any electrical problems in wet weather. IHTH! |
|
SuzukiSavage.com » Powered by YaBB 2.2! YaBB © 2000-2007. All Rights Reserved. |