Caught in the rain - WOW

[Wrongway]

I try and avoid rain but today I went for a long ride. Great weather, blue skys etc etc.
About 15 miles from home the sky's opened up and it pourd rain all the way home.
The 2014 Spyder RT sure seems to throw up a lot more water than my 2011 RT.
I was on the highway doing 70 MPH when the rain hit.
I raised the windshield all the way up and I stayed dry in the front but my back got soaked and I could feel water hitting the back of my legs (shorts on).
I only got caught in the rain once on the 2011 but it was a similar intensity of rain and also at highway speed. I don't remember my back getting wet. I had jeans on that time but don't remember them getting wet.

I guess my next purchase will be a rear mudflap.
I wish someone made mudflaps for the front because there were some pretty decent little rooster tails coming of the front tires as well.

Earlier in the ride I kept seeing drops of water on the glove box lid and the panel to the left of it. I'd just picked up the bike from service because of water in the fuse box so I was ready to panic.
This may sound nuts but it's true. It was over 90 degrees and sweat was dripping from the back of my head and the backdraft was blowing it forward. Weird.

 

[SpyderAnn01]

If you had left the windshield down you likely would have been drier. With the windshield up high you get a back draft which isn’t ideal in the rain. The RT kind of sucks in the rain if you have a passenger, they will get wet and dirty too.

 

[Navydad]

My passengers back stays dry and clean and I have eight bucks in the solution.

View attachment 163246

 

[Wrongway]

My passengers back stays dry and clean and I have eight bucks in the solution.

View attachment 163246

8 bucks. Now that's a deal. What did you use? Looks like you used 3 bolts to attach??
How far off the ground is it?
Thanks

 

[canamjhb]

SpyderAnn, you could give a valuable clinic about "How To" driving in adverse conditions. Hot weather, rain, wind, long distance. Maybe holding seminars about riding as you are on your travels....... I would sure attend.

 

[blacklightning]

I wish someone made mudflaps for the front because there were some pretty decent little rooster tails coming of the front tires as well.

The older front fenders (like the ones on my base 2014 RT) do a better job of blocking those little rooster tails from the front tires. They come down further and give more protection. I also made my rear mud flap. I tried it with a floor mat, and then decided it was too floppy. So I used part of an old mat that goes underneath my desk chair. Cut it out to match one that my buddy bought from a vendor, painted it and attached with stainless steel bolts. Couldn't be happier.

 

[Navydad]

8 bucks. Now that's a deal. What did you use? Looks like you used 3 bolts to attach??
How far off the ground is it?
Thanks

I purchased a package of two 8x14 inch mud flaps on Amazon for eight dollars. Since I had some other items as well I got free shipping. I then went to my local hardware store and bought the stainless screws, washers, and bolts for four dollars. the flap is seven and a half inches from the ground. I guess technically I have twelve dollars invested, but I wasn't including the spare flap in the original price. We test rode an RT before we bought ours and the roads just happened to have wet spots after a rain and my wife knew right away that the first farkle would be a rear flap :yikes: I have the base model with the "old" style fenders and have no issues at all in the rain as they do an excellent job. The issue was the rear and my flap cured that as well.

 

[Lew L]

Vented wind shield?????

A simple rear mud flap ( made from an old doggy door) and a vented wind shield ( to prevent the back draft )did the trick for us. We have been through a few heavy rain storms and stayed relatively dry.

Lew L

 

[LJspydee]

Rain

I've found that in heavy rain that lowering the windshield helps. I usually ride with the windshield all the way up to reduce the wind buffeting on my helmet. But lowering in rain keeps my helmet visor clear. In heavy rain you're going to get wet, but seeing is way more important.