Memphis Shades Big Shot Installed, but.....

[FraTra]

Installed it this morning and like so many others my head is taking a beating. It's mounted about 2-3 inches above the head light and I have tried a couple of positons including as far toward me as possible. Above 55-60 my head starts to vibrate! Not very comfortable.

I am 5' 11'' and pretty broud so I'm like a sail above 55mph. I REALLY don't want anything bigger cause I don't like the looks, that's why I went with the biggest sports shield they have.

Any suggestions?

[mbgraham2000]

What is the angle of the sheild? If it tilts too far forward it will do that.

If I remember correctly the instructions call for installing the fork clamps both with the mounting "buttons" facing forward. When I installed my alley cat that way a ride at freeway speeds was like mouthing off to a marine.

I reversed that upper mounts so that the mounting buttons were facing the rear. Now when I install the alley cat it has a significant backward slant that allows the air to funnel back over my shoulders. My full face helmet takes care of the rest.

It is working well for me this way.

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by FraTra

I REALLY don't want anything bigger cause I don't like the looks, that's why I went with the biggest sports shield they have.

Any suggestions?

An angle change might help but.......if you can't get the top of the shield somewhere near eye level, it probably won't EVER deflect the wind OVER the top of your head/helmet.

It's a tough choice: Form or function, take your pick.

[diamond_jim]

Originally Posted by Easy Rider

An angle change might help but.......if you can't get the top of the shield somewhere near eye level, it probably won't EVER deflect the wind OVER the top of your head/helmet.

It's a tough choice: Form or function, take your pick.

Yep. I never cared much for large windshields on the M50 but I finally broke down and got one. I'm glad now that I did. But I bit the bullet and got a big one cause I didn't want to spend all that money and have something that didn't work for me.

The taller you are, the more function becomes an issue.

[chiefriceburner]

dimond jim how tall are you? and what shield did you get?

[mbgraham2000]

You're not going to get the wind over your head with these fork mounted sports sheilds unless you are really short. The best that can be hoped for is no buffeting and relief from all the wind on your chest.

Angleing the sheild back will cut the turbulance but shoot the wind right in your face. I had a big shot and this alley cat I have now. I am 5'11" and could find no way to get the wind over my head with either shield that didn't give me the sensation of white water rafting on my head. And lowers have no effect (I tried this).

Maybe one of the bar mounted sheilds could be made to work.

[dreygun]

i have a fork mounted MF 13inch only and i'm 5'11" with no probs going 130kmh with a drifter half helm. does everybody sit straight up here? try leaning forward so head is lower, along with shield situated forward more. don't really get why everybody has helmets rattling around with larger windshields unless you're sitting straight up. ride it like you stole it

[tdurham]

Well today I decided to try and figure something out with my windshield. I have just delt with head vibration thinking that was the way it was. I tried lowering the windshield, no better. As you can see in the picture below, I raised it up as high as I could get it. The top of the windshield is actually eye level or just a smidgen higher.

I get head vibration no matter where the windshield is. I have the Memphis Sportshield 21". I have had the windshield on for many months. When I ride, particularly at 55+ mph, then my vision is not as good due to the vibration but I have just delt with it.

After reading the various posts on this particular windshield, I wonder if it is a design flaw that causes this buffetting?

[diamond_jim]

Originally Posted by chiefriceburner

dimond jim how tall are you? and what shield did you get?

I'm 6' or 6'1". My seat is also about 2" lower than stock.

Before I bought a shield, I took measurements first. I sat on my bike while my wife held a yard stick angled like a shield would be (the bottom sitting in the middle of the top of the headlight) and a level from my eyes to the yard stick, like in the pic below. It measured 21". I got the Show Chrome 22" because it was $90 less than the 21" memphis shades and, in my opinion, made a little bit better.



I don't care a bit for the quick release hardware. I've had two friends have their windshields stolen because of the quick release hardware. They probably got ebayed for $100-$125 each.

[mbgraham2000]

Originally Posted by tdurham

Well today I decided to try and figure something out with my windshield. I have just delt with head vibration thinking that was the way it was. I tried lowering the windshield, no better. As you can see in the picture below, I raised it up as high as I could get it. The top of the windshield is actually eye level or just a smidgen higher.

I get head vibration no matter where the windshield is. I have the Memphis Sportshield 21". I have had the windshield on for many months. When I ride, particularly at 55+ mph, then my vision is not as good due to the vibration but I have just delt with it.

After reading the various posts on this particular windshield, I wonder if it is a design flaw that causes this buffetting?

I have only had experience with the Big Shot and the Alley Cat. These use a different mount than the Memphis Fats.

I would consider the buffeting a design flaw. I find if I install the shields the way the instructions call for the buffeting is intolerable.

If I reverse the top clamps and install the shield angled back there is no buffeting. However the wind is not directed over my head. I have the mount up as high as it can go and the shield tilted as far forward as possible on the reversed clamp. This almost does it, I can take my hand and see that the wind is hitting the top half of my helmet. If I lean forward I can get out of the flow, but I am not on a sport bike and I prefer the visibility of sitting up.

I think the fault lies with the shields mount. If there were some intermediate position between having the top clamp full forward to full back I feel that a setting could be found that would maximize the deflection of the air while at the same time preventing buffeting.

But for now, reversing the clamp works well enough for my purposes.

[dreygun]

Originally Posted by tdurham

Well today I decided to try and figure something out with my windshield. I have just delt with head vibration thinking that was the way it was. I tried lowering the windshield, no better. As you can see in the picture below, I raised it up as high as I could get it. The top of the windshield is actually eye level or just a smidgen higher.

I get head vibration no matter where the windshield is. I have the Memphis Sportshield 21". I have had the windshield on for many months. When I ride, particularly at 55+ mph, then my vision is not as good due to the vibration but I have just delt with it.

After reading the various posts on this particular windshield, I wonder if it is a design flaw that causes this buffetting?

my 13inch MF has about the same amount of spacing above the headlamp but i do have a fork tool pouch blocking some of the airway there.

[mbgraham2000]

Originally Posted by diamond_jim

I'm 6' or 6'1". My seat is also about 2" lower than stock.

Before I bought a shield, I took measurements first. I sat on my bike while my wife held a yard stick angled like a shield would be (the bottom sitting in the middle of the top of the headlight) and a level from my eyes to the yard stick, like in the pic below. It measured 21". I got the Show Chrome 22" because it was $90 less than the 21" memphis shades and, in my opinion, made a little bit better.



I don't care a bit for the quick release hardware. I've had two friends have their windshields stolen because of the quick release hardware. They probably got ebayed for $100-$125 each.

Yeah, I regret not getting a shield similar to yours. Sounds like you have it fitted just right. When it gets cold the Alley Cat does not block enough wind.

[diamond_jim]

Originally Posted by mbgraham2000

Yeah, I regret not getting a shield similar to yours. Sounds like you have it fitted just right. When it gets cold the Alley Cat does not block enough wind.

With mine, there is a slightly annoying stream of air that hits from my chest to my neck. But from my chin to about an inch above my head, there's literally no air. A vacuum almost. The air that hits my chest feels like it comes from the bottom and lower sides of the shield, hits the front of the tank and gets directed upwards. It's not a real strong air. It keeps me cool. If I've got a collared shirt on and no jacket, the wind beats the heck out of my collar. I can put my hand at my neck and feel the air. When I raise my hand in front of my chin and nose, no air, then above my head I feel the air again. I've got about a 3/4" space between the headlight and shield's headlight cutout.

[NateHarris]

I have the MF 21" and I have trimmed the foam in my seat for a much flatter "pan" type of contour. In total there was nearly 2 inches of foam I took out of the rear most of the seat foam (than added some temperpedic type foam back on top). Since the windshield is all the way up on the forks I can literally sit with the very top of my shorty helmet even with the windshield.

It's very quiet and enjoyable. I even put back on stock mufflers because my de-baffled pipes were so annoying with the windshield on. Without the wind noise they seemed MUCH louder, and after riding for 30 mins my ears would be ringing.

[chiefriceburner]

dimond jim where did you find your shield? i cant find it anywhere online.