Rain from under the windshield ?

ett

Joined
Aug 21, 2015
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285
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Allentown, PA
Although I've had my NT since last September and have put 9k miles on it.
And although I'm not a fair-weather-only rider. This morning was the first time I've ridden it in heavy rain.

I've noticed one thing.
Since the windshield is not flush with the fairing. A fair amount of rain sprays under the windshield, over the top of the fairing, into the "cockpit" area.
Getting the dash and me rather wet.

Coming from a primarily sport bike background. Faired sport bikes were: two GSXR's, SV650s, and a Hurricane.
It feels as though the dash area, tank bags, and me. Well at least my mid-torso area. Actually stayed dryer in rain with those bikes than this NT.

Have any you long term NT owners covered this before and come up with a solution ?
(I searched; but did not find any existing threads.)
Perhaps something you stuff between fairing and windshield when riding in the rain ?


Thanks;
--ET
 
Joined
Sep 17, 2013
Messages
102
Location
S/E Ohio, USA
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2010 NT700, silver
I think a lot of us have aftermarket windshields. With my taller windshield, I can leave the windshield in a lower adjustment height than I would have if I still used the factory shield. So it affords more protection...I do get a few drops from underneath in heavy rain but not enough to make a difference.
 

Warren

2
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Dec 13, 2010
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O'Fallon, MO
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2019 Yamaha XMAX
When I bought my NT 6 years ago on the ride home from the dealer I rode into a thunderstorm. I had the windscreen in the highest position and was wearing an open face helmet. I had so much rain come through the bottom cut out and up behind the windscreen into my face that I could hardly see and I was drenched. I now ride with a V-Steam windscreen and being that it is 4" taller than stock it gets positioned so that the cut out is not high enough for the rain to come up behind the screen and I have little problem with it. I also now wear a full coverage helmet which helps as well.
 

Bear

2
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Mar 21, 2011
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Belfast, Maine
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2010 NT-700 V Red
I have a C-Bailey +4 windscreen that I adjust so that I can just see above it. With my full face helmet and the windshield in that position, I stay relatively dry as long as I keep moving. The air blast over my visor keeps it clear of rain.
 
Joined
Aug 7, 2013
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Location
Otsego, MI
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'10 NT 84 BMW R100RT Ural
I don't know if they change Rain-X formula use to say do not use on plastic. Cee Baily has some rain replant that is designed for plastic.
 
Joined
Dec 14, 2010
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Tijeras, NM
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1984 Moto Guzzi T5
I find it funny that Rain-X says that. I found out about the product (1980's?) from the folks at the airport who used it on airplane windshields ('plastic'). I used it on cars, trucks and motorcycle shields since back then and never had a problem with it.

Maybe it is bad for polycarbonate stuff? So they say no plastic so as not to confuse people?

Or did they change the formula and then not tell anyone, then came out with a 'special' version that is really the original product?
 
Joined
Dec 14, 2010
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Location
Tijeras, NM
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1984 Moto Guzzi T5
Back to OP topic.

Yes, the original windshield, IMHO, is not really designed to be run at full up position. I find it a HUGE design error on the part of Honda. I think they did it to try and entice the sport bike crowd, although that is just funny to think about. If they were really trying to get the touring crowd they would have done a much better job with the windshield.

But, I could say the same for many motorcycle screens out there, like the MG Norge, Stelvio, BMW GS, F800ST/GT, etc, etc, etc.
 

JQL

Growing old disgracefully
Joined
Dec 19, 2010
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831
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Val de Marne, France
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2010 NT700 & 2019 FJR1300
I tend to run with the windscreen in the lowest position most of the time.

If it's raining I raise it one position, sometimes two in very heavy rain.

When very cold I'll raise it 2 sometimes 3 positions.

I've never ridden with it in the top position.
 
OP
OP
ett

ett

Joined
Aug 21, 2015
Messages
285
Location
Allentown, PA
OP here,

Found a solution.

Since I wear jet ski gloves that are neoprene with synthetic leather palms when riding in the rain.
I had been envisioning some type of neoprene tube I could stuff between windshield and fairing.

After starting this thread; I asked a co-worker who is also an avid surfer if such a thing existed.
His reply was to use a piece of pipe insulation.

So that's what I did.

At first I tried using a piece the entire width of the windshield.
But that appeared to place too much pressure on the windshield near it's mounting bracket.
And once squeezed small enough to fit between windshield and it's mounting bracket; the pipe insulation would not expand to fill the rest of the gap.
So I settled on a short piece placed in the middle.
This is the result:



On this morning commute in the rain. It appeared to work perfectly. :)
Have not decided if I'll leave it in place all the time or only use it in the rain.

--ET
 
Joined
Feb 24, 2016
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Location
new hampshire
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2011 nt700vabs black
you can also use what they call backer rod(similar stuff) that comes in several diameters. a good hardware store will have different diameters and a really good hardware store will sell it by the foot..and its not expensive at all.
 
Joined
Dec 14, 2010
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Tijeras, NM
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1984 Moto Guzzi T5
You might notice a difference in air flow over the top and/or sides of the shield at speed, ie, the air flow will 'hit' you lower than without the block. That's the reason for the gap between windshield and fairing, to allow smoother flow over the sheild.
 
Joined
May 1, 2013
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716
Location
McAllen, Texas
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2010 Silver NT700
As I read the OP's first post, and realized he had been a sport bike rider, I wonder if he expected the windshield on the NT to be flush with the cowl as it is on a sportsbike.

And, of course, as he found out - it is not.

With touring bikes and the necessary much taller wind screens, you would get a lot of buffeting from the wind if there was not a way for the pressure to be equalized. Different manufacturers do that in different ways (look at the vent on a Goldwing wind screen), but there has to be some way to negate having a huge low pressure area right in back of the windscreen. That would create a vacuum between the rider and the windscreen - and lots of buffeting as air comes around from the sides and the top of the windscreen trying to fill the vacuum.

So - the taller windscreens need some way to both keep the full force of the wind off the rider and eliminate (as much as possible) the buffeting coming from the sides and top.

On the NT, that's done by a gap between the cowl and the windscreen. Whether it's an elegant solution or, it is what it is. Notice that even with the windscreen in the lowest position, there is still a gap. If you block it. you will get all that buffeting. That's what Charlie b is talking about above.

Answer? Live with it with a good rain suit or waterproof gear.

Hope that helps.
 
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