[dltang]

Okay, here is my take on a few things. It is 47 degrees and raining but I bought this "toy" to ride so by golly I'm gonna ride her. Today I went back up to Nord-Ride (my dealership) to purchase the outdoor cover and the BEST Plus warranty. I put on my Frogg Toggs and Hot Shot gloves over my leather gloves and off I went. They performed beautifully on the way there. It is about a 25 minute drive and I took the expressway the whole way so I really got pelted more than normal. After I got home (it was raining harder for the ride home) I took of my suit. The only wet I had on my clothes was a small area on the front chest where the zipper is, I will have to check and see if I snapped that one up and a little near the left arm. Everything else is dry. Not bad for a $39.00 suit. I do believe though, if I were riding all day long in a pouring rain, I would start to get wet.

Now for the passenger seat bag. I love it already. It has a pocket for a laptop computer and I take mine everywhere. It is water resistant. You can pack quite a bit in there actually and it fits so very nicely into the front trunk. After it was in the trunk, I still was able to put an extra lightweight coat in the trunk, I wrapped it around the bag basically. Could maybe have fit a few small things in there as well. I haven't put it on my seat yet, due to the weather, but I will try it out later and post photos.

Silver #2518 handles admirably in the rain and at highway speeds. I had no problems with cornering at the entrance and exit ramps and I never felt unstable in any way. I give her a full thumbs up. As a matter of fact, I had a car ride up along side of me and stay with me until I looked over at her. She just wanted to give me the thumbs up. It was pretty cool. I love this machine. She will be my main transportation for as long as possible, weather and road conditions permitting.

I bought the cover because I tried a generic ATV cover and the fit just didn't do it for me. I wanted something that fit nicely and would protect my machine. Besides, when I park at work I want it to be as inconspicuous as possible. I work in downtown Flint and I don't want any vagrants bothering her. When I am in dispatch I can put the camera on and keep an eye on the parking lot, hopefully that helps.

Now, if someone out there has any tips on how to keep the rain off my face shield, that would be great. I heard someone mention Rain-X, can I use it on plastic? Can someone invent a little wiper blade that attaches to the top of my shield? It was a little nasty out with all the rain and it was a bit foggy too.

The Hot Shot gloves from Gander Mt. were perfect. I put them on over my leather gloves and they kept the leather dry and my hands and fingers never got cold. They only costs $6.99 ad they remind me of divers gloves.

I hope my experiences will help others. I always look here for input. That is how I found out about the Frogg Toggs. Everyone have a great day.
Deb

[Director]

dltang, on Mar 31 2008, 11:00 AM, said:

Okay, here is my take on a few things. It is 47 degrees and raining but I bought this "toy" to ride so by golly I'm gonna ride her. Today I went back up to Nord-Ride (my dealership) to purchase the outdoor cover and the BEST Plus warranty. I put on my Frogg Toggs and Hot Shot gloves over my leather gloves and off I went. They performed beautifully on the way there. It is about a 25 minute drive and I took the expressway the whole way so I really got pelted more than normal. After I got home (it was raining harder for the ride home) I took of my suit. The only wet I had on my clothes was a small area on the front chest where the zipper is, I will have to check and see if I snapped that one up and a little near the left arm. Everything else is dry. Not bad for a $39.00 suit. I do believe though, if I were riding all day long in a pouring rain, I would start to get wet.

Now for the passenger seat bag. I love it already. It has a pocket for a laptop computer and I take mine everywhere. It is water resistant. You can pack quite a bit in there actually and it fits so very nicely into the front trunk. After it was in the trunk, I still was able to put an extra lightweight coat in the trunk, I wrapped it around the bag basically. Could maybe have fit a few small things in there as well. I haven't put it on my seat yet, due to the weather, but I will try it out later and post photos.

Silver #2518 handles admirably in the rain and at highway speeds. I had no problems with cornering at the entrance and exit ramps and I never felt unstable in any way. I give her a full thumbs up. As a matter of fact, I had a car ride up along side of me and stay with me until I looked over at her. She just wanted to give me the thumbs up. It was pretty cool. I love this machine. She will be my main transportation for as long as possible, weather and road conditions permitting.

I bought the cover because I tried a generic ATV cover and the fit just didn't do it for me. I wanted something that fit nicely and would protect my machine. Besides, when I park at work I want it to be as inconspicuous as possible. I work in downtown Flint and I don't want any vagrants bothering her. When I am in dispatch I can put the camera on and keep an eye on the parking lot, hopefully that helps.

Now, if someone out there has any tips on how to keep the rain off my face shield, that would be great. I heard someone mention Rain-X, can I use it on plastic? Can someone invent a little wiper blade that attaches to the top of my shield? It was a little nasty out with all the rain and it was a bit foggy too.

The Hot Shot gloves from Gander Mt. were perfect. I put them on over my leather gloves and they kept the leather dry and my hands and fingers never got cold. They only costs $6.99 ad they remind me of divers gloves.

I hope my experiences will help others. I always look here for input. That is how I found out about the Frogg Toggs. Everyone have a great day.
Deb

Deb, great ride report!

Do not use Rain-X on plastic. I think if you buy a bottle of it, you will see a warning to that effect right on the product. It can cause plastic and lexan to haze and become brittle.

Best,

Bruce

[hevnbound]

Excellent reviews, Deb. You got me thinking. It would be a big help if all of us would put our thoughts on certain items: heated grips, GPS, Seats, windshields, etc. all in one place. ...............

MARC .... What about a section for "Product Reviews"?!!!

Frog Toggs may not be the sexiest looking things around but as far as being effective in the rain, you can't beat them. They breathe so you are not sweating underneath them in the summer. They usually fit loose so you have no problem putting them over your coats, riding pants, etc. I recommend the colors versus the gray or black ... just for visibility - to be seen!! I've used them for years and am completely sold on them. www.froggtoggs.com

[Director]

hevnbound, on Mar 31 2008, 11:49 AM, said:

Excellent reviews, Deb. You got me thinking. It would be a big help if all of us would put our thoughts on certain items: heated grips, GPS, Seats, windshields, etc. all in one place. ...............

MARC .... What about a section for "Product Reviews"?!!!

Frog Toggs may not be the sexiest looking things around but as far as being effective in the rain, you can't beat them. They breathe so you are not sweating underneath them in the summer. They usually fit loose so you have no problem putting them over your coats, riding pants, etc. I recommend the colors versus the gray or black ... just for visibility - to be seen!! I've used them for years and am completely sold on them. www.froggtoggs.com

+1
Hear, hear. Frogg Toggs are excellent! They have a new line of heavier duty suits designed specifically for motorcycles as well.

Bruce

[Marc]

hevnbound, on Mar 31 2008, 11:49 AM, said:

Excellent reviews, Deb. You got me thinking. It would be a big help if all of us would put our thoughts on certain items: heated grips, GPS, Seats, windshields, etc. all in one place. ...............

MARC .... What about a section for "Product Reviews"?!!!

Frog Toggs may not be the sexiest looking things around but as far as being effective in the rain, you can't beat them. They breathe so you are not sweating underneath them in the summer. They usually fit loose so you have no problem putting them over your coats, riding pants, etc. I recommend the colors versus the gray or black ... just for visibility - to be seen!! I've used them for years and am completely sold on them. www.froggtoggs.com

I'm on it

Great write-up Deb

[morgcl]

great read Deb

[ciguy50]

dltang, on Mar 31 2008, 11:00 AM, said:

Okay, here is my take on a few things. It is 47 degrees and raining but I bought this "toy" to ride so by golly I'm gonna ride her. Today I went back up to Nord-Ride (my dealership) to purchase the outdoor cover and the BEST Plus warranty. I put on my Frogg Toggs and Hot Shot gloves over my leather gloves and off I went. They performed beautifully on the way there. It is about a 25 minute drive and I took the expressway the whole way so I really got pelted more than normal. After I got home (it was raining harder for the ride home) I took of my suit. The only wet I had on my clothes was a small area on the front chest where the zipper is, I will have to check and see if I snapped that one up and a little near the left arm. Everything else is dry. Not bad for a $39.00 suit. I do believe though, if I were riding all day long in a pouring rain, I would start to get wet.

Now for the passenger seat bag. I love it already. It has a pocket for a laptop computer and I take mine everywhere. It is water resistant. You can pack quite a bit in there actually and it fits so very nicely into the front trunk. After it was in the trunk, I still was able to put an extra lightweight coat in the trunk, I wrapped it around the bag basically. Could maybe have fit a few small things in there as well. I haven't put it on my seat yet, due to the weather, but I will try it out later and post photos.

Silver #2518 handles admirably in the rain and at highway speeds. I had no problems with cornering at the entrance and exit ramps and I never felt unstable in any way. I give her a full thumbs up. As a matter of fact, I had a car ride up along side of me and stay with me until I looked over at her. She just wanted to give me the thumbs up. It was pretty cool. I love this machine. She will be my main transportation for as long as possible, weather and road conditions permitting.

I bought the cover because I tried a generic ATV cover and the fit just didn't do it for me. I wanted something that fit nicely and would protect my machine. Besides, when I park at work I want it to be as inconspicuous as possible. I work in downtown Flint and I don't want any vagrants bothering her. When I am in dispatch I can put the camera on and keep an eye on the parking lot, hopefully that helps.

Now, if someone out there has any tips on how to keep the rain off my face shield, that would be great. I heard someone mention Rain-X, can I use it on plastic? Can someone invent a little wiper blade that attaches to the top of my shield? It was a little nasty out with all the rain and it was a bit foggy too.

The Hot Shot gloves from Gander Mt. were perfect. I put them on over my leather gloves and they kept the leather dry and my hands and fingers never got cold. They only costs $6.99 ad they remind me of divers gloves.

I hope my experiences will help others. I always look here for input. That is how I found out about the Frogg Toggs. Everyone have a great day.
Deb

Deb, The New F-1 Windshield for the Spyder will help keep the rain away. I put mine on this weekend. I paid $ 110.00 plus $10. Shipping. Fred

[Nancy'sToy]

Deb,

Thanks for the input. That is what makes these forums so great. Nancy got a passenger seat bag, and I was wondering how water resistant they would be. Thanks for being the Guinea pig. Glad to know that looks can be deceiving. Most things with zippers leak like a sieve.

You will find as many opinions out there on the use of Rain-X on plastic, as there are opinions about windshields and delivery dates on this forum. Rain-X does say that it is not for plastic, but I have used it on both windshields and visors with great success for many years, and many miles of wet weather. I have also seen crazed windshields that may have been caused by, or aggravated by Rain-X. I have seen clouded visors that people blamed on it, too. Same situation for many other products, however, including most waxes, and absolutely any cleaners containing ammonia. Even UV degrades plastics, and sunlight is hard to avoid on a cycle.

Opinions on the Web regarding products to use on plastics include saying that Rain-X is OK, saying that it is horrible, or recommending Lemon Pledge, a water based glaze, like Mequiar's, Plexus plastic polish, Novus plastic polish, or even plain water. Lemon Pledge contains antistatic compounds, and seems worth a try, but has to contain a substantial amount of solvents. Organic solvents and plastics don't generally get along. I have had little success with repelling rain using the plastic polishes, but my shields looked pretty. For now, I will continue to use Windex Multitask (with vinegar) to clean, and Rain-X for a repellent. Please note, that is only on items I know not to be coated with anti-fog coatings. No sense in doing the Spyder windshields, we certainly don't look through them.

I know I'll get blasted for this one, but I can only relate my own experience. I take what I read on the Internet with a grain of salt. Besides, helmet visors are relatively cheap, and helmets themseves need to be replaced every few years. Taking five years to degrade the plastic isn't going to do any worse than the UV does to my helmet itself, or my visor.

Just my 2¢.
-Scotty

[Marc]

Nancy'sToy, on Mar 31 2008, 02:57 PM, said:

I take what I read on the Internet with a grain of salt.

Just my 2¢.
-Scotty

Man, you just ruined my day. I always thought all this stuff was fact

[widowmaker2011]

Nancy'sToy, on Mar 31 2008, 02:57 PM, said:

Deb,

Thanks for the input. That is what makes these forums so great. Nancy got a passenger seat bag, and I was wondering how water resistant they would be. Thanks for being the Guinea pig. Glad to know that looks can be deceiving. Most things with zippers leak like a sieve.

You will find as many opinions out there on the use of Rain-X on plastic, as there are opinions about windshields and delivery dates on this forum. Rain-X does say that it is not for plastic, but I have used it on both windshields and visors with great success for many years, and many miles of wet weather. I have also seen crazed windshields that may have been caused by, or aggravated by Rain-X. I have seen clouded visors that people blamed on it, too. Same situation for many other products, however, including most waxes, and absolutely any cleaners containing ammonia. Even UV degrades plastics, and sunlight is hard to avoid on a cycle.

Opinions on the Web regarding products to use on plastics include saying that Rain-X is OK, saying that it is horrible, or recommending Lemon Pledge, a water based glaze, like Mequiar's, Plexus plastic polish, Novus plastic polish, or even plain water. Lemon Pledge contains antistatic compounds, and seems worth a try, but has to contain a substantial amount of solvents. Organic solvents and plastics don't generally get along. I have had little success with repelling rain using the plastic polishes, but my shields looked pretty. For now, I will continue to use Windex Multitask (with vinegar) to clean, and Rain-X for a repellent. Please note, that is only on items I know not to be coated with anti-fog coatings. No sense in doing the Spyder windshields, we certainly don't look through them.

I know I'll get blasted for this one, but I can only relate my own experience. I take what I read on the Internet with a grain of salt. Besides, helmet visors are relatively cheap, and helmets themseves need to be replaced every few years. Taking five years to degrade the plastic isn't going to do any worse than the UV does to my helmet itself, or my visor.

Just my 2¢.
-Scotty

Right on Scotty , I'd never guarantee rain-x wouldn't effect plastic either but I have used it on no less than a dozen shields and never had a problem.

[sabunim5]

You are going to get rain on your face shield no matter what windshield you have, even if only when you are stopped at a light etc. In some regards a windshield that allows the free flow of air around your head can be a benefit, by helping to blow the rain off your shield as it accumulates. Aerostitch has a neat little product in their catalog. It is a set of three finger covers with a built in wiper blade/squeege. Very useful and not too pricey. Each of the three is a different color and size. One works great for my summer gloves, one size for my spring and fall gloves and one for those big bulky winter gloves. Frog Toggs did make a poncho like top for one of their rainsuits with no zipper in the front, a built in hood and a nice front storage pocket. I've never gotten wet while wearing it. I bought it several years ago, so I'm not sure if it is still available. Ride safe and enjoy.
sabunim5

[TharkunRT]

Marc, on Mar 31 2008, 12:05 PM, said:

Man, you just ruined my day. I always thought all this stuff was fact

So I'm not alone on this then.

[dltang]

Okay, I bought the Rain-X, I didn't notice that is helped all that much. My leather gloves have a squeegee on them but I have them covered because I don't want them soaked. I agree that if the Rain X ruined one shield a year, it's no big deal as I will replace it new each year for about $20.00. I hate the scratches they get.

One other note, the front trunk is not water tight. If riding in the rain with something in the trunk be sure to put a plastic bag or some sort of cover over it.

I am glad my experiences today have helped. Tonight I ride home from work in my first thunderstorm if the weather keeps up the way it has been. Not really looking forward to that since it will also be my first night ride on the Spyder.

[Marc]

dltang, on Mar 31 2008, 07:36 PM, said:

One other note, the front trunk is not water tight. If riding in the rain with something in the trunk be sure to put a plastic bag or some sort of cover over it.

Deb, check here, you may just need to adjust your seal.

[dltang]

Marc, on Mar 31 2008, 07:42 PM, said:

Deb, check here, you may just need to adjust your seal.

Thanks Marc,
Good info, I forgot all about that thread. Everything comes back to you when you finally get your own machine.

[Hot Mike]

dltang, on Mar 31 2008, 08:38 PM, said:

Thanks Marc,
Good info, I forgot all about that thread. Everything comes back to you when you finally get your own machine.

Great discussion. I have been looking for a rain suit, and I just bought the seat bag. Off to the FrogToggs site.
Mike

[dltang]

Hot Mike, on Apr 22 2008, 08:58 AM, said:

Great discussion. I have been looking for a rain suit, and I just bought the seat bag. Off to the FrogToggs site.
Mike

Welcome to the site Hot Mike and glad I could help.

[ShadoFire]

dltang, on Mar 31 2008, 09:00 AM, said:

Now, if someone out there has any tips on how to keep the rain off my face shield, that would be great. I heard someone mention Rain-X, can I use it on plastic? Can someone invent a little wiper blade that attaches to the top of my shield? It was a little nasty out with all the rain and it was a bit foggy too.

I have used this product for years on my visors and motorcylce windshields. I got my first can from a friend that flew Bell and A-Star helicopters and this is the only product that they would use on their lucite windows. As an added bonus, bugs won't stick to the surface.

http://www.starboardsupply.com/product_inf...ucts_id/3007731

[dltang]

ShadoFire, on Apr 22 2008, 02:41 PM, said:

I have used this product for years on my visors and motorcylce windshields. I got my first can from a friend that flew Bell and A-Star helicopters and this is the only product that they would use on their lucite windows. As an added bonus, bugs won't stick to the surface.

http://www.starboardsupply.com/product_inf...ucts_id/3007731

Thank you, I will have to give it a try. I ride in all weather so if it helps that would be great.

[Marc]

Has anyone else tried this?

ShadoFire, on Apr 22 2008, 02:41 PM, said:

I have used this product for years on my visors and motorcylce windshields. I got my first can from a friend that flew Bell and A-Star helicopters and this is the only product that they would use on their lucite windows. As an added bonus, bugs won't stick to the surface.

http://www.starboardsupply.com/product_inf...ucts_id/3007731