Too much road film

[Gangway]

OK, I'm looking for theories. Why is it when I ride for any length of time, I am covered in road grime and everyone else still looks pristine. I mean my beard is black ad my face looks like a bad Al Jolson impersonation. Is my windshield too low, is the radiator fan blowing in up on me? I ride a Boulevard C50. I don't think I'm blowing oil because the bike doesn't use a drop between oil changes. Besides, I think if I were burning something it would be the guy behind me that was getting covered. Any ideas?

[Thumbuster]

You're following too close.


Sorry.

[Gangway]

Except I get covered even when I am riding by myself. This really has me baffled. Like I said, I don't appear to be burning oil and the coolant level stays where it should be. It is worse if I am on a freeway but it does also happen if I ride back country roads. There's got to be something coming from somewhere but for the life of me, I can't figure it out.

[FishWitch]

Hiya Lou!!!

Working on the roads I come home filthy! There's lots of crap on the roads. I feel your pain as I have a light colored jacket & look like PigPen.

My best suggestion is get some Grecian Formula & die your beard black???

I didn't notice you being a dirt bag when we rode Iowa Hell?

[Gangway]

Hey Sydney, how the hell are ya. It's been a long time. That Iowa Hill ride is still one of my adventure stories. Come to think of it, I used to ride with a full face shield, I wonder if that's all it is. Don't think so though because people I ride with aren't as covered as me. I guess this is just one of life's mysteries.

[eojmo]

Could be turbulance build up around the front end sucking the dust up from road, brakes and tires,then swirling up behind your screen.Sort of a vortex vacume effect.

[redzdvl]

Gangway ~ hello! I am over on the VolusiaRiders forum & "road grime" is not one of the common issues I have heard of out of our bikes ... I would think that the only way it could be coolant is if you have a leak in the hose, as the over flow reservoir is under the lower left cover & the fill cap is under the tank... as for oil ~ again, I don't see how that could come from your bike & be blowing up into your face... oil fill is on right side of engine & it is a wet clutch (contained sump) system... no oil flows through hoses, it all stays in the crankcase (if I am remembering correctly)...

gasoline can vent out of the cap if you overfill it ~ but you would be smelling gas & you would (trust me ~ DAMHIK) see it ...

as far as windshield placement ~ usually, in your normal riding position / posture, (looking straight ahead), your eyes would just be over the top of the shield. really is personal preference, but that is what is usually recommended. Do you have any lowers? that may help any buffeting & may help deflect road grime from coming up from under the shield, but definitely a mystery if others riding with you do not get the same grime coverage...

naturally oily skin & the road grime just sticks to you more than your dry-skinned riding buddies??

[Old Surf Dog]

Have you also noticed a cloud of dust that seemingly follows you wherever you walk too? If you have you may be a carrier of what is known as the Pigpen Syndrome. It's not anything that is your fault and it cannot be fixed. It must be embraced! You are carrying the dirt that many presidents may have walked on. I believe I am stricken too for my helmet appears that I have been mixing mud pies in it and I wear a little thingy on my head to keep it from getting that way! We are truly brothers formed by a bond of dirt!

[Gangway]

I must just be a dirt magnet. Had the bike in for an oil change this morning and while it was up on the rack we checked everywhere for any signs of a leak. Nothing, no oil leak, no coolant leak, no front fork oil leak. The underside of the bike is clean. This just may be one of those unsolved mysteries.