Itchy Nose

[alanmcorcoran]

Thanks for the info guys. The air blowing over the skin sounds like a likely prospect as the culprit. It was over 100 on many of the "itchier" stretches, so closing the vent is definitely counter intuitive. I will experiment next time I'm out.

[alanmcorcoran]

Had the "itch" again this weekend on my 4-day, 3 night, 0 hotel ride. I chekced out advrider forum and I think it's a combination of the airflow, the heat and the vibration. I didn't have it when I rode to Santa Inez (cooler, wetter near the ocean.) I had it in spades this morning (hot high desert at Palomar.) Really irritating, but fortunately only rode about 100 miles today. (Not counting the trip down to the dealer this afternoon.)

[Water Warrior 2]

Just a thought Alan. Have you considered a face cream/moisterizer applied to the itchy spots before riding.

[Viirin]

Sounds like hay-fever to me - tried an anti-histamine?

[burkbuilds]

I've had that sensation before and it is extremely annoying. I've found that it only happens with some of my helmets, (I wear about 5 different helmets depending on the weather). The only one that it has NEVER happened to me while wearing is the skull cap model I got a few months ago when the temps started getting into the mid and upper 90's around here. So far, no nose itch with that particular helmet. So, maybe try a different style of helmet or face shield and see if the itching stops.

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by burkbuilds

I've had that sensation before and it is extremely annoying.

Mine's more of a tickle than an itch and I get the same thing in the dentist's chair.

Sometimes it's nose hairs flapping in the wind but when I eliminate that with a good trim sometimes it's still there so I think it's vibrations. I seem to have it worse on the V-twin than I had on the GZ.

I had it once last week so bad that I came back home and was looking in the medicine cabinet for some "itch cream", something with anesthetic in it. The closest thing I had was sore throat spray. A little on a finger then applied to the nostrils worked pretty good (but smelled funny!).
Next time by a drug store I'm gonna get a tube of Lanacain or similar topical anasthetic.

[emory70]

just one of those things i call the "assumed level of discomfort" involved in riding a motorcycle. the first two days i had my bike i had just a 3/4 helmet. glasses wiggled everywhere. then on the third day i went high fashion and dug out my old (from desert shield) air force desert goggles. those made it better for my eyes, but i sure looked silly. the next day i found a 3/4 helmet with a full shield on the clearance rack at my local dealer for $50 while getting my flat fixed. now i am invincible. if i get an itch, i can kinda scratch, but it takes finesse. but when i have to wipe the bug guts off the shield, my face thanks me.

of course i could get a windshield, but my 61 year old mother (whose dream bike is a v-max) says that windshields are for sissies. can't have my mom call me a sissy.

[Viirin]

Originally Posted by emory70

windshields are for sissies. can't have my mom call me a sissy.

You most certainly cannot sir

[5th_bike]

I read an article today about itchy skin, it could just be a skin fungus. The article was about iodine as a cheap and effective fungus killer, but it leaves temporary brown spots.

[alanmcorcoran]

I read a bunch of stuff on another site (advrider maybe?) and the most common "claimed" culprit was nose hair. As I mentioned above, I don't think this applies in my case because 1) mine generally is restricted to when it is hot and 2) I do not "wear" my nose hair long. (More like a buzz cut. I still have a job and all.) For the record, the itch is on the outside, mostly the top of the tip, so to speak, but it migrates around the sides.

There was another interesting theory about vibration and buffeting that I though might have merit, but, again, the itchiness I get is mostly when it is hot dry air. But it is also when going at speed. So maybe the vibration and buffeting is a contributor. Ultimately, I think that mrmld's explanation of the dry air going over the nose is doing it is probably the most logical, but, I've tried vent on, vent off, face shield open, etc. and nothing seems to work. Also Cortisone/alcohol based rub-on sticks (the sort of thing you can apply while going down the road) provide only the most temporary of relief. I am guessing that if I continue to do longer rides that The Bicycling Theory of Physical Annoyances will kick in: After a while something else will bother me more (right now it is my neck muscle) and the itchy nose won't seem like my biggest issue.

I have become more adept at working the faceshield and riding one handed.