October 2008 - Posts

Tuesday, October 07, 2008 8:53 AM

The Super-Visor

This time of year always gives me fits as the days get shorter and we end up riding directly into the glare of the sun more often than not on the way to our supper runs.  RR and I have open-face Arai helmets with lightly tinted flip-up face shields.  The smokey tint helps, but it isn't designed to block a low-angled, direct hit from the sun's rays.  We needed to find a product that protected our vision but didn't interfere with the raising and lowering of our face shields.  We'd tried the removable strip products that adhere to the top edge of the face shield.  Those worked fine for RR, but the strip on my visor started losing adhesion after a couple of rides and kept dangling in front of my face about halfway into the ride -- not a good thing.

When the  Super-Visor ad appeared in the back of GWTA's Touring News, we decided to take a chance with $16.95 (plus $3 S&H) and buy the product via their web site.  U2's helmet was the guinea-pig for our test project. RR was the installation technician.  The results?  We more than got our money's worth.

The DOT-approved plastic product is vented, adjustable, available in three colors, and designed to fit all full face and open face helmets with a face shield.  With my helmet on and face shield down, we determined the installation height best suited to my line of vision and made adjustments which still allowed me access to my face-shield vents and cooling vents.  RR used the adhesive (included with purchase) to glue the visor to my face shield.   You'll want to plan ahead and do this when you don't need your helmet for a couple of days; the instructions say to allow 72 hours for the adhesive to set.  Since we weren't sure how the add-on would work in rainy or windy conditions, we delayed installation until after a weekend camping trip.

The results:  I love it!  Now, I have no problems driving directly into the sun.  I never realized how much I was squinting (even with sunglasses and a tinted shield) until I added the super-visor.  No more squinting or eye fatigue!  My eyes stay wide open (though not in this Hammy-Cam shot), my face relaxes, and I really notice a difference in the amount of heat and sun reaching my face from just that little bit of added protection right above my field of vision.  Other users have commented on how the visor vent funnels the air into the helmet cooling vents and reduces the heat, wind noise, and buffeting.  It even looks nice on the helmet. 

During the State Friendship Campout, we rode quite a bit of the way in rain.  I had no problems with venting, no fogging inside my face shield, and no water leaks.  I loved being able to keep my face shield vents open for ventilation in the rain and still maintain a dry, clear face shield and eyeglasses.  The windy ride on the way home didn't seem to bother the product, and the adhesive has held without any problems to date.  The Super-Visor passed the test.

Downsides.  The visor made it a little harder to open and close the face shield vents while on the go, but since I ride with my vents open most of the time, that issue really didn't effect me.  If I do need to close them, I can do it at the next stretch break.  The presence of the visor near the top of my line of vision took some getting used to at first, but after a week or two I no longer noticed it.  My advice?  Take the time to "fit" the super-visor to your preferred line of vision before you attach it to your face shield.  (RR installed mine without using the included lift-kit.)  The web-site says you can order more glue and tabs to move the shield to a new helmet, but I haven't tried that.

The verdict?  I'd say this is one add-on that did the job without doing a job on my pocketbook.  We'll see if RR can hold out until Christmas.



posted by U2Farmer with 2 Comments
Friday, October 03, 2008 9:53 AM

A Local Rider Died This Week

This week, western Nebraska lost two motorcyclists in traffic accidents.  I don't know much about the North Platte accident, but the other accident hit closer to home.  This rider was not a member of our motorcycle chapter or our organization.  Most of us did not know him, but he was a member of a nearby community and the first two people to reach the accident scene were Frenchman Valley Riders.    

The ride was an informal gathering of locals on their way to a car show.  The rider had ridden at a younger age, recently bought a bike, and started riding again.  He preferred to ride at the back of the pack... I think he didn't want a group of bikes behind him, so that he and his bike could travel in a way that did not impede other riders.  No other vehicles were involved in the accident.  The rider died at the scene.  Only one bike in the group had a CB radio (most bikes continued on the ride without knowing what had happened until later), and no one will ever really know the cause of the accident.

A life lost is a stunning tragedy.  This tragedy has caused us to re-evaluate what we, as members of GWTA and the Frenchman Valley Riders, are doing right to minimize our risks on the road and what we might need to consider changing when we ride as a group:

Formation:  I think this incident made us all truly appreciate the roll of the Sweeper in our rides.  The Sweeper (aka Tailgunner, Tail End Charlie, and Back Door) is usually the most experienced rider in the group and is always the last bike in formation.  A good part of his/her job is to make sure everyone stays together, stays safe, and to communicate needed information to the ride leader.  The least experienced riders of the group are placed near the back, just ahead of the sweeper.

Communication:  We love our headsets!  Having a helmet with CB communications allows the group leader and the sweeper to keep the group intact, informed of safety concerns and rider needs.  Radio chit chat always takes second place to keeping the airways open and available for communication between ride leader and the sweeper.

Medical Information and First Aid Training:  We're working on that.  Riders need to keep their medical and contact info available in a place known by other members of the group.  Don't place your medical info inside your personal effects.  The availability of medical information or aid was not an issue in this accident, but many EMTs have been trained not to go through personal effects like purses and bike storage compartments.  More to come on this issue.

There's more to be learned, but I'm going to end this now with a prayer for the riders, their families and friends, and for those who assisted at the scene. 

Also, a big thank you to GWTA's rider education program, especially for the seminars, the skilled rider courses, and the Group Riding Guide.  Most of all, a big hug for our own sweeper.  Thank you for being back there on our rides and for taking on the job.  (We know it's not so fun or "free and easy" at times -- i.e. the accordion effect.)  Thank you for encouraging us to practice safe group riding skills even on days when our motorcycle group -- no, our motorcycle family -- is not so big in numbers.  Preparation counts.  It maximizes each and every ride's potential for becoming a fun day of Destination Friendship.  Next time out, remember to thank your sweeper as well as the ride leader.  Some days are tough.

Remember the Riders (www.remembertheriders.com) and Ride Safe.

posted by U2Farmer with 0 Comments