First 100 Miles
 

Well today I got out and turned the first 100 miles on my new 08 GZ. Everything seems good to go so far. Just made a slight adjustment to the rear brake (took up some of the pedal play per the service manual). Would have more miles on it by now but mother nature here in the chicago area had other plans (still not so sure about the riding in the rain thing until I get a few more miles under my belt). Only note to self is to not ride with the face shield up on a full face helmet and have a bug fly into your helmet at 35. Thanks to all on the site many of the little quirks (i.e. not going into first at a stop) have been answered here.

Eric

Re: First 100 Miles
 

Congrats on your milestone ride. Be safe and don't eat them bugs!

:rawk:

Re: First 100 Miles
 

Hey, yet another Illini. I think we're up to maybe 4 now. Welcome!

A slight revision to that note: MUST ALWAYS wear eye protection. Always. Windshield is NOT good enough unless you are looking through it to ride. Some of the bugs in this part of the country are big enough and hard enough to do serious damage to an eye......not to mention rocks kicked up by cages.

Re: First 100 Miles
 

I've had all sorts of juicy ones crack into my faceshield, including wasps and bumblebees.

These are probably the nastiest though.

http://www.postimage.org/aV1CRlaS.jpg

Re: First 100 Miles
 

I had my prescription glasses on with the full face but, had the visor up to stop them from foging up. I was slow moving traffic just didnt think to turn the shield down once we got up to speed. It wasnt the impact that freaked me out it was the thing feeling like it was buzzing around a bit inside the front of the helmet.

I remember working down in Alabama during Katrina and having swarms of those love bugs (I think thats what the locals called them) splattered all over the front end of the car. Cant even imagine riding down that way during that time of year.

Re: First 100 Miles
 

How about wearing them? I ended up getting a faceful riding from one Delmarva Bike Week location to another! (gave me just the excuse I needed to get a full-face helmet...husband didn't like me wearing black spots!) :lol:

Congrats on the big 100, I just made 200 this weekend.

Re: First 100 Miles
 

Visiting your fair city this week. Have eaten many a bug whilst on Lake Michigan trail training runs for the marathon. Good protein if you swallow 'em, but pesky if you inhale 'em. I think I bounced a hummingbird off my helmet last week. Now that is a big bug!

In CA the big danger is crap blowing off trucks. I've lost about 5 windshields over the years, and those are pretty tough. I've already had stones, dirt clods and unidentified flying lawncare detritus hit my face shield. Won't go over 30 without it down.

Stay focused and enjoy the thrill of the first 1000 miles.

Re: First 100 Miles
 

To keep your glasses from fogging up if the vents in the helmet don't do an adequate job, leave the faceshield open a crack - like 1/8' - to get better airflow inside the helmet, just large enough not to let bugs in.
I had a large love bug get into my helmet once. It's pretty weird seeing/hearing/feeling something crawling around in your peripheral vision while you're trying to drive down the road. Instead of stopping, I was able to slow down, raise the shield and tip my head up and get him to blow out the top. Freaky!

Re: First 100 Miles
 

Not sure if it will work on motorcycle helmets, but Scott and other ski goggle manufacturers sell a no-fog cloth that works pretty good on my ski goggles. I don't have too much trouble with my MC helmet face shield fogging up because it's pretty warm yet in CA and I have chin vents that keep it clear (it's also allegedly anti-fog, although I can fog it when I'm first putting in on.)

The cloth has some sort of antifog solvent - works pretty good on my glasses too. Anybody see this for MC helmets?