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Problems riding in the rain at night

R

resprowls

Big Wheel
Two weeks ago I was caught at night in the rain 150 miles from home. After about 5 minutes of riding in the rain the high beams came on with the low beams. I switched to high and back to low and all the lights went out! This went on until the rain stopped. The bike is in the shop now. Anyone else had this problem?
 
Wow! That is one serious ghost in the machine. Hope they can find out what happened.  Please report back when they do or don't.

SB
 
There have been quite a few cases of C14's having these type of problems in the rain. It normally turns out to be the left handlebar controls. The water shorts the high/low beam switch causing problems. A lot of guys take them apart and grease and/or seal the controller to keep the water out!
 
Happend to me (2008) in heavy rain, but it was just my high beam indicator that flashed and not the actual headlight.  Still a little perplexing.....
 
Cboothe said:
Sounds like the concours doesn't like the rain and its really not fun to ride in the rain
Click to expand...


I had mine for three years and rode through quite a few deluges. I personally never had a problem with the switch and never opened the cover. So like a lot of the troubles on this bike (as other bikes), it has been a problem on some. But the majority of the bike are fine.
 
The problem is the flash to pass switch. It faces forward and rain flows right into it and shorts it out. A generous slather of dielectric grease in and around it will probably reduce the chances of it happening.
 
Cboothe said:
Sounds like the concours doesn't like the rain and its really not fun to ride in the rain
Click to expand...

Nah - I ride year round in the great Pacific Northwest and the C14 is fantastic in the rain.  I did have the high beam issue, but filling the switch with dielectric grease fixed it up quite easily (and permanently as far as I can tell).
 
I have handlebar covers, anyone tried those in the rain?  (Not as bulky as Hippo Hands..and I just looked them up, made by Watershed, now called MotorMitts)
 
I ride year round in Kansas...and have been caught in my share of down pours so heavy even cars had to pull over and stop, with out any problems on my 2009 14 ABS.  I'd take issue with any remark generalizing that the connies have a problem with rain or water proofing.  I've ridden in rain when other bike owners have scrambled for a garage or overpass, he, he.  Personally I'm impressed with the connie...wet or dry.
 
landofahhs said:
I ride year round in Kansas...and have been caught in my share of down pours so heavy even cars had to pull over and stop, with out any problems on my 2009 14 ABS.  I'd take issue with any remark generalizing that the connies have a problem with rain or water proofing.  I've ridden in rain when other bike owners have scrambled for a garage or overpass, he, he.  Personally I'm impressed with the connie...wet or dry.
Click to expand...
Ditto, I've had no issues riding in the rain. I've been caught out there in a few down pours, and the only thing that made me pull over was vision. my glasses and visor were too steamed up or wet to continue riding safely; but the Connie was willing to flog through the deluge. When the conflagration eased up, i continued my journey. 
 
On my 2008, I had the high beam issue only once.  It poured harder than i have ever seen, and my highbeams came on, and stayed on.  It was during the day so no biggie.  After the bike dried out, all fixed.  No other problems.
 
Well, having just finished a non-stop 2-up ride on Monday from Myrtle Beach to Lexington, KY in Tropical Storm Lee, I will say that the Connie held it's own in the pouring rain for 600 miles.
We counted 12 hydroplaning accidents between Ashville and Knoxville alone (this stretch of land got 7-9" of rain and was in the middle of it as we came through Knoxville).
Bike felt planted and I only felt the front push once.  Water was so deep in some places that it was pounding my shin yet we maintained 70mph easily.
Only rough spot was that 22 mile section east of Knoxville through the mountains where we slowed to 45-50-55 around some of those curves.  Oh, and of course those painted white lines are slippery as snot at the right angles.
Tires are PR2's with 8k miles on them. 

I did notice that the blue high beam indicator came on and glowed to various degrees of brightness as the rain became heavier.  I stopped for gas in Jellico and noticed my lights were on bright by default but remembered that I had read on here that this was sometimes an issue in heavy rain.  Since my FJR is my rain bike I havent really ridden the C14 in much rain.  It defintely felt more planted than my FJR but then again this was 2-up and loaded to the gill with gear and top case.

I'd give it 2-thumbs up but need to get the dialectric grease out for that darn switch.
 
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