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Thread: Night riding

  1. #1
    Senior Member Nade's Avatar
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    Night riding

    Went to a Rally at the weekend, got there at 11pm. West Coast of the South Island in New Zealand.......where the bugs are mean and men cover up!
    bug guts.jpg

  2. #2
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    That's terrible, must be a real pain to get it all off.

  3. #3
    Senior Member BuellyBagger's Avatar
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    We've had floods here in the Missouri river valley the past few years which means riding at night or even near dusk absolutely coats your bike with insects. Remember to give them plenty of time to soak in some quality carwash soap and/or mild bug remover before scrubbing too much to avoid scratching the hell out of your plastics. Also a good coat of wax after a wax sure makes the bugs come off easier.

  4. #4
    Senior Member Cooter's Avatar
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    Man, I thought Lovebug season in central Florida was disgusting, until I experienced the Dragonflies at sundown. Caught a big one on the jugular vein and thought I got shot!

    I just got goosebumps remembering that

    WD-40 does a good job of melting bugs off plastic without harm to the finish. Spray the rag first, you don't want that crap near any rubber on your bike. BuellyBagger is very Mr. Miyiagi about it... wax, wax, wax. Headlights, wheels, everything. It even helps keep brake dust from sticking

  5. #5
    Senior Member Nade's Avatar
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    There is a product sold by Super Cheap Auto here, CT18. Its a fleet/ truck wash that works brilliantly on any vehicle. They even recommend spraying it on and leaving it to dry.....then just hose and wipe off later. Works really well. I have a small garden sprayer that you pressurize with a hand pump and I spray it on first thing on a weekend wash day morning while having a coffee.....then wash that arvo while having a beer. I use a cut up towel that I wash/ wipe with (separate one for the wheels etc) and it removes all but the road tar. For that I use wax and grease remover....some call it Prepsol, surface prep....its the mild solvent used by Car painters to clean a surface just prior to painting. There is also a product available through a Paint supplier here that will remove the dirt from the flat/ matt black engine cases. I've seen the results personally on Club mates bikes, but have yet to try it myself. I can't remember what its called atm.
    Thankfully and hopefully that is the first and last time I have have ever been swarmed like that......I ride with a Bell Rouge open face helmet, not an experience I want to repeat.
    bell_rogue_helmet_1800x1800.jpg

  6. #6
    Senior Member rb70383's Avatar
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    Bugs are another reason I stay full face. I hit a bird once. Luckily for me it hit the front tire. I only got sprayed. Good thing I had a red t shirt on. Got home that morning. Live in an apt so washed the bike right outside my apt. Interesting looks of people walking by with my fender upside down in the grass covered in blood.
    A buddy of mine caught a bird in the face. He ended up on his back with a splattered bird on his face shield and a ghost rider bike. Luckily he wore a full face.
    Last edited by rb70383; 01-30-2020 at 11:17 AM.

  7. #7
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    There is a slurry pit about 1 mile from my house right next to the road. When I ride past I need to duck down behind my windscreen or my face shield gets plastered. Luckily it is not on my way to work and I rarely need to go that way unless I am taking a nice Sunday ride.

    Even with my full face helmet (Bell SRT Modular), I got stung right below my lip by a bee a few days ago. The swelling is worst today and 2 days ago when it happen, but just enough to remind me it happen and for my wife to call me Bubba from Forrest Gump. It's been over a decade since I got stung. The last time was in the neck when a bee got caught in my jacket. I did manage to fling another one away that got into my sleeve.

  8. #8
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    That's why I usually carry ammonia, takes the pain and the swelling out of the sting, just dab it on.

  9. #9
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    Lotsa bug stories out there--here are two more; traveling through SE British Columbia one late night I passed through miles of some sort of white moth(?) bloom--literally billions of them--it really appeared to be snowing.

    My nephew was cresting the Grapevine one afternoon, doing his usual 100mph stuff( big Kawi I think) and got hit square in the facemask with a preying mantis. The impact was OK but the visibility instantly went to zero as his vizor was coated totally in green slime--tricky few moments before he could get over to the shoulder.

    Don't bug me,

    Opto

  10. #10
    Senior Member rb70383's Avatar
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    Ccatching bugs in the mouth is no fun either.....



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