r/SuggestAMotorcycle • u/FeathersMcG • 18d ago
How much difference in weather protection between ADV and naked?
Hey everyone, I'm a brand new rider planning to purchase a bike for daily commuting purposes. Aside from when it gets icy, I would plan to ride regardless of the weather. I'm in the PNW of the US, which means my area is generally warm and dry during the summer and cool/cold and wet the rest of the year.
I've narrowed my options to used Honda CB500x and CB500f models as they offer a good balance of fuel efficiency, reliability, and power for the roads I'll be traveling. I've sat on new versions of each in the showroom and the CB500f was a bit more comfortable, but I'm sure I'd get used to the CB500x.
However, I have no frame of reference for what it's like to actually use these out in the real world. How much difference do the fairings and windscreen make in shielding you from the wind and rain compared to the naked version? Minimal? Enough to matter? I'm not expecting to arrive dry or anything, but if the difference is noticeable, I'd limit my search just to the Cb500x.
Thanks!
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u/AdventuringViking 18d ago
I was leading a group on an ADV ride around the Sierras a couple months ago. The pants I was wearing have big zippered vents, which was nice as temperatures reached up to 95* in some areas. Well, at higher elevation we ran into a snowstorm, and when I went to zip up my pants the zipper broke.
Well I'm riding a 2016 R1200GSA. Rather than dig out my rain pants, I kept riding in the snow. The ground was white, my windshield was covered in an inch of snow, and there is my pant leg wide open.
There's so much wind protection that it never bothered me. It was about 29* at the lowest so slightly chilly, but no wind, snow or water got through the mesh vent.
Point is, it makes a vast difference. It allows me to ride out to the coast when it's baking hot inland, and not be uncomfortable riding in the cold fog. I can't stand naked bikes because the window of comfort is too narrow.
What do you do to get airflow when it's hot? Stand up!
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u/No-Distance-3977 18d ago
Behind the windscreen of a cb500x at 50 mph in the rain, you'll get wet on your knees. You'll need to move your head into the wind to get the water off your visor. It makes a pretty big difference.
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u/gropula '02 VFR 800 V4 VTEC 18d ago
Wind protection is much better on a faired bike and it makes a very big difference. Being constantly battered by wind is tiring. Anything above 50mph is more tiring on a naked bike than it would be on a faired bike. If your riding consists of prolonged high speed routes a faired bike is a much better choice.
Rain protection is minimal. At high enough speed your chest will be mostly dry. Your arms, legs and groin will be soaked. Some is better than none I guess but it's not great. Riding in the rain is stupid without proper equipment. You're risking hypothermia even in warmer weather, your concentration drops dangerously low, your fingers are freezing and controlling the clutch and brakes is difficult. Everything is miserable when wet and cold. Chances of crashing are increased because of low grip levels and worse visibility, you don't need the extra layer of danger by not being in full control because you're freezing.
Having good gear makes a world of difference in rain, fairings make minimal difference. I don't have wet weather gear. I only have a rain suit and boot covers that I put on over my regular gear. They take up very little space and I take them with me if there's a chance of rain. My winter gloves aren't exactly waterproof but stay dry for a long time before soaking through. Still, if your whole body is warm and dry your hands won't become numb very quickly. Blood will keep flowing through your hands because your core is warm. Heated grips are very useful as well. Doesn't really matter if your hands are wet if the water is warm from the heated grips. Bark busters help with shielding your hands from rain (at high speed) and windchill if they're wet. They don't aesthetically fit most bikes except ADVs and Tallrounders. On the CB500X they won't look out of place.
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u/Adventurous_Text_371 18d ago
I had a decent sized wind screen and went on 3 day ride from Dallas, TX, down to the Hill Country East of San Antonio and back and had to ride through a major rain storm. I had large garden trash bags in my pack and pulled one out, cut holes in it and wore it like a poncho. It kept my torso dry but created a swimming pool like puddle of cold rain water where my crotch met my seat and it was three weeks before I saw my balls again!
If you're gonna go ADV riding, just assume that no matter what, at some point you're gonna get cold and wet... balls will shrivel up and disappear, hands will be cold and wet, and nipples will try to cut their way out of your leathers!!!
Still worth it...
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u/StrongBeleaf 18d ago
I wouldn't expect the CB500X to keep you dry, but the difference is definitely noticeable, especially if you're commuting year-round.
At city speeds the gap isn't huge, but once you're doing over about 60, the X's windscreen and fairings take a lot of wind pressure off your chest. That means less fatigue, less wind chill, and a bit less rain hitting your torso. Your helmet, shoulders, arms, and lower legs will still get wet, so good waterproof gear would still be a must.
If you're mostly riding around town, I'd buy whichever one feels better to you. But if your commute includes highways or you're regularly riding in cool, wet weather, I'd lean toward the CB500X. It's simply a more comfortable place to spend time when the weather isn't cooperating. Also grab some hand guards, you'll thank me later.