This more of a general riding question than concours specific, but I am new to riding street bikes and got a new full face helmet. Yesterday I was riding and got bugs splattered on my face shield. I attempted to wipe them off at a stop light but that only smeared them and made it worse. What do you do to clear your vision?
This is an excellent question and a constant issue for many (most?) of us. It doesn't seem to matter what you do, a bug will end up splatting right in your field of view. As you learned, it is usually a bad idea to try and use your glove to wipe it off... it will just make it worse by smearing it and you might also scratch your expensive visor/shield. Most of us just tolerate it until it becomes unsafe or too annoying and then pull over and clean the shield "properly" and resume the trip.
Cleaning a shield properly usually requires two things, a cleaning liquid, and some type of wipe to remove it. I personally use a spray bottle that contains distilled water, about 5% isopropyl alcohol, and a few drops of dish washing detergent (like dawn). I swear by this mixture that I invented over the years of experimentation. It is strong enough to remove most stuff, but will not damage the shield, is streak-free, plus it is SUPER CHEAP to make. It is also safe on paint, and the low amount of alcohol should be safe on clear plastics. I also carry lens tissues- which I buy in bulk. Unlike most wipes (paper towels, regular tissues, rags), these are lint free and will not scratch. They are expensive compared to paper towels, but I think worth the cost, especially when purchased in bulk. I carry these in my Sargent seat pod, so they are easy to access, but others can store them in the glove compartment or in the luggage.
What I want to invent is a bottle that mounts to the steering that contains the cleaning fluid and a double sided wand that sticks in it and seals the top. Bug splat? Either pull over or slow down and in a safe manner, grab the wand with your left hand. One side is a pad, use it to wipe the cleaning solution on and remove debris and then use the other side, a small squeegee that quickly removes the liquid. I just can't find a way to design it. Some gloves have a wiper blade on the pinky finger of the left hand that could serve as the squeegee (typically used for removing rain or condensation on the outside of the shield).
Endurance pros use something called "tear offs" which are layers of clear sheets that mount over the shield and when they get dirty, you rip them off, even while moving, and stick them in your pocket. The problem is they are very expensive and often not easy to be applied perfectly clear and without visual defects. Usually they have to be designed specifically for your exact model helmet. Totally impractical for most of us.
If you keep your shield waxed or sealed (with an appropriate sealant/polish), it will make the visor more resistant to things sticking to it and easier to clean; although it will not prevent the need for cleaning off but splat. Some people swear by "Plexus" (which I do use), but I could swear that Pledge (yep, spray furniture wax) probably works almost as well.
