Roof Or Not

[kevin the chicken]

Went to the gransden airshow yesterday which was sadly hobbled a bit by the weather but still an enjoyable day out. The weather forecast was accurate with rain coming in the afternoon so I had taken waterproof clothing for the journey home.

For some time now I have been thinking about making a roof of some kind, maybe a surrey top for just such occasions as I don't intend to go out if it's wet but sometimes you just get caught out. I made a break for home between showers about 4.45 and got halfway home before it started raining again about fifteen miles from shelter. It rained enough to want the wipers on constantly but I was quite snug in the car with a waterproof coat and a helmet on and when I got out of the car in the garage I only had a wet patch the size of a fist on the side of my leg. The inside of the car and the dash were still completely dry.

So I am just not going to bother with a roof as I don't do any long distance touring and my tyres are not really suited to wet conditions. I think I am just going to put some new bigger cycle wings on as mine are not big enough and buy a decent set of waterproof trousers!

[Guest Ian & Carole]

Mud flaps on front help to keep your right leg dry as well.

[Bob Tucker]

A Surrey top & biggish wind deflectors will keep you 99% dry even in a torrential downpour.

 

I know...We got caught in really bad weather in France, we had to do 60 miles in

appalling weather to catch the ferry. I just had a damp shoulder.

[Guest mower man]

Surrey top takes no space ,if you mount the rear to the roll bar and roll it it up it can be fitted to the front [screen rail ] in seconds whilst the full weather gear can be a little taxing [read pain in the bum ] to say the least, I used both but prefered the surrey mick

[alanrichey]

Same here. Drove home in the rain from the Stamford Show without the doors on and just the top. So much nicer than being totally enclosed, fresh air blowing through, an occasional burst of steam as I went through a puddle and splashed the exhaust pipe. And proper visibility rather than peering through plastic. I do have deflectors fitted, so not sure what it would be like without them, but as Bob said I remained 99% dry.

[fry61]

Motoring roofless is fine so long as there are no queues, traffic lights or busy junctions --- you just need to match speed to ensure rain goes over the top.

 

But as said above the surrey top is the best for heavy rain & those times when stationary --- we have done many hundreds of miles in very wet conditions & generally get home with just a damp/wet shoulder.

 

BUT big puddles defeat the "no doors" travel --- got totally soaked coming home from Cornwall when we hit a flooded road at speed.

[Guest Ian & Carole]

Deflectors like these kept us dry and like I said above mud flaps do help as well.

 

[Bob Tucker]

+1 for mud flaps.......especially on the silencer side.

A big puddle splashing up & hitting the front of the silencer can dump

a gallon or so in your lap

[kevin the chicken]

Definitely wasn't going out today without taking the wheels off and putting a propellor on the back. Nasty bank holiday, never mind managed to put a hoist up in the garage so that my kayak can be stored out of the way to allow some tinkering space.

[fry61]

The hoist will also come in handy in a few years time --- for getting in & out the kit.

[Guest peter2b2002]

you need long wings keeps most water /muck away +surrey top

peter2b

[Guest mower man]

I had both types of wing never had any real probs with either but mainly kept doors fitted mick