MeanSling Sport Top and rain?

I don't have one but I rode with @Painter and @SlingRider and @Slingrazor during Maggie heading to lunch during some heavy rain storms and from what I could tell it definitely helped a lot.

It helps a ton. Granted you still get rain blowing in from the front, but not near as much as with no top!!!

Definitely helps a lot! Still open in front of you so the faster you go the more likely you get it by the rain. But you shouldn’t be going that fast when it’s raining. Hydroplaning is not fun.

I've been out in the rain with canvas and hard top, either is nice to have in the rain. have a 3/4 helmet with slid up clear shield handy to keep the rain off your face.

@wjfyfe
As others have noted it does greatly help and speed dictates alot. The windshield is really the next question. A top, regardless of what brand will supply some coverage from rain. It's your windshield choice ands it's frontal area that will determine how much rain comes in at speed.

@samowens44, Just don't go too fast for however much rain you end up driving in. I doubt folks want to see that video that badly.

Quote from BKL

@samowens44, Just don't go too fast for however much rain you end up driving in. I doubt folks want to see that video that badly.

this will not be about speed, but the safety aspect about driving in the rain. I took down my original post. I will wait till I perform the test to give a clear view of what to expect while driving in the rain. It will be posted on my thread for new owners information on my Sam Owens Media and Information Section.
I will do it under as safe conditions as I can.

Quote from wjfyfe

This is a very interesting statement, Sam, for we too have quite a bit of experience riding in the rain here in the PNW where sitting down in the Grasshopper behind a Madstad windshield we have had little problem with visibility issues, as long as we were moving. Now getting stopped at a sign, light, or other traffic is where we usually get our wettest...............
..................good advice on the hydroplaning issue!

Bill

I am doing this to show new owners what to expect. I do most all my videos for folks without experience. I usually stay on my own section, but felt this subject needs a video to show how rain will affect your view of the road while driving. Some new owners may not be aware and get into trouble. I did when I first owned mine and the first rain I encountered. I was totally blinded and had to do an emergency stop on the side of the road. That is my statement!

Folks, I do not see any video of riding in the rain. I do not have any video, and I am the guy that is suppose to capture everything. This is my pledge, I will capture the effects of riding in a good rain storm with a driver's view. I have a GoPro Hero Black 4 with a waterproof case. I will mount it on my helmet for a full view of what I see while riding in the rain. I ride without a top and the stock 2017 Midnight Cherry SL LE model Slingshot Windshield. This will be on my youtube channel for all to see. I know the results already. I have ridden in the rain and I had to stop because I could not see. Let's show folks how a top will do under the same condition. Who will step up an meet my request for help. Buy me a top, I will mount and do the test myself. Our Slingshot family needs to see this. I will be able to do my test tomorrow, I am in the northeast Georgia Mountains and we are scheduled for rain all day. Now we need a topper to perform the same test. Start your engines, rain suit, GoPro and ready to go! Video soon!!! Oh, I will record my comments as I ride to describe the effects. I will find different conditions to ride under, heavy and light rain. I feel all Slingshot Owners should know what to expect. Now as far as Hydroplaning, you have ESP, this is your control stability program, it will not help with hydroplaning. Nothing will. The answer is to avoid it. When you see water in the road, be prepared to have the effects, do not slam on the brakes, just maintain a forward steering path as best you can. Be ready with the steering wheel to hold firmly when the wheels catch friction with the road, do not have them turned. Do your braking before you get to the water puddles. Good Luck, speed should be reduced greatly when riding in the rain. I hope I did not need to say that! Now, I am reposting this with this foot note: My video is to help the inexperience folks that find themselves with rain conditions. I want to have them prepared. The folks with experience will not need my video, they will know what to expect as I do.

I have a Twist Dynamics Top and a MadStad 13" Adjustable Windshield. When I get caught in rain, some rain will come into the cockpit under the front edge of the Top and above the top edge of the windshield, typically hitting my face just below my eyeglasses with some hitting my glasses. Enough rain also comes in under the windshield that I'm more concerned with water getting into my Innovate AFR/Boost gauge (not waterproof) than I am with rain hitting my face, but once I get around to fabbing a rain-shield for the gauge, I should be OK.
I've thought about getting a full-width air deflector from @mytoy which should adjust to eliminate water coming under the edge of the Top.

For anyone that is going to perform this driving in the rain video with a top attached, here are the criteria that we need to video under. The camer lens must be exposed to the rain as your eye protection will be. That is why I will wear my gopro on my helmet mounted on my front visor bill. Now I know that I will get fog in the gopro case if I do not use a Humidity strip to collect it. So be sure to do this on your test. If you video behind the windshield you will not get the effect your eyes will have for the driving condition. we want the true driving view and capture it as best we can for folks. Photos will not capture actual driving view for sustained rain conditions. Light rains are not too much of an issue, it is the heavy rain I am talking. I will retire now and get ready for a day of "Driving In The Rain". I promise to be safe.

Quote from gooseman

I don't have one but I rode with @Painter and @SlingRider and @Slingrazor during Maggie heading to lunch during some heavy rain storms and from what I could tell it definitely helped a lot.

They make a MeanSling Sport Top for a 4 seater???

Quote from wjfyfe

We have found it fun to watch where most of the rain coming in underneath our Madstad actually gets caught up on the back side of the windshield, traveling up to the top edge, and then moving to the outside where it slings off, getting our shoulders wet if stuck out there. Have you also noticed where the bottom and center of the windshield usually stays the clearest?
Bill

I drilled a second set of holes about 1" higher than the stock holes in my MadStad shield to allow me to mount the shield extra low during cooler weather. I usually don't go out if rain is expected and if I do get caught in rain, I just worry more about the Boost/AFR gauge not surviving the water, so I guess I pay a little too much attention to water on the dash instead of moving across the back of the windshield.

Quote from BKL

I have a Twist Dynamics Top and a MadStad 13" Adjustable Windshield. When I get caught in rain, some rain will come into the cockpit under the front edge of the Top and above the top edge of the windshield, typically hitting my face just below my eyeglasses with some hitting my glasses. Enough rain also comes in under the windshield that I'm more concerned with water getting into my Innovate AFR/Boost gauge (not waterproof) than I am with rain hitting my face, but once I get around to fabbing a rain-shield for the gauge, I should be OK.
I've thought about getting a full-width air deflector from @mytoy which should adjust to eliminate water coming under the edge of the Top.

Are you in Eureka Springs? If so you can take a look at mine.

Quote from mytoy

Are you in Eureka Springs? If so you can take a look at mine.

No. I've just seen your Top-mounted wind deflector.

Quote from BKL

@samowens44, Just don't go too fast for however much rain you end up driving in. I doubt folks want to see that video that badly.

I've been in heavy rain and with the 305 tire 50 MPH is my safe speed on country roads.

Well, I was going to do my "Driving in a Heavy Rain Video" today, but looks like the storm for our area only produced a light drizzle. I will wait for the next good rain for a Video. I am think new owners will be interested in what to expect as the expect to encounter rain while driving, and it may help. I feel driver experience, eye protection, type helmet, full or 3/4 and type of windshield mounted will have different effects for different drivers. So watch for the video soon on my Sam Owens Media and Info Section. Let's all use our experiences to help our New Owners.