Windshield vs no windshield - Pro's & Con's

[murphyslaw1978]

Please post your opinions, facts, & thoughts about having a windshield vs no windshield.

I love the wind in my face feeling of riding without a windshield, but all my riding budding say to get one for the 2000-mile trip we're taking in July. I rode a couple bikes with windshields and found that there was just as much wind and the buffeting even made the ride less enjoyable.

Pro's & Con's, let hear 'em!

[Kodatech]

windshields are for cars....you want to be comfy?...take the car....you want to be free?...take the steel horse.

NO WINDSHIELD!!!........imho...

[tailtips]

My SO has a windshield for the S50 and has spent more time farting around with adjusting it than riding with it on. Just can't seem to get the angle right. I rode it with the windshield on and the buffeting was horrendous. Felt like I rode a roller coaster.

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by murphyslaw1978

I love the wind in my face feeling of riding without a windshield, but all my riding budding say to get one for the 2000-mile trip we're taking in July.

Wise friends you have there!

A June Bug/Japanese Beetle is about the size of a .45 round and at 70 MPH, they hurt like HELL.........not to mention BIRDS and ROCKS and other things that might be kicked up by a vehicle ahead.

If you do get one, do it well before the trip so you have ample time to mount and adjust. Study what the "buds" have and/or beg a test ride. Experience is the best teacher.

[Scott58]

The only drawback for me is the looks. They work very well on those "2000" mile trips however. Not sure why so many people have problems adjusting them properly.

[DrBob]

And how on Earth does your friend know what you need and want for your motorycle?

Oh, let me guess: HE has a windshield, so he thinks YOU need one too.

It's your bike. It's your ride. Do what YOU enjoy. I have been in the wind without a windshield for 25 years and probably 750,000 miles. I hate windshields with a passion. But I'm not about to tell someone they have to take theirs off.

[wookie]

IMHO, you should get a windshield:

1. You never know what the tires of the vehicles ahead of you will spit out. And it's better for that to hit the windshield than your helmet or your pretty face

2. I get enough protein already; I don't need more from bugs

[HAMMERPETE]

Originally Posted by Easy Rider

Wise friends you have there!

A June Bug/Japanese Beetle is about the size of a .45 round and at 70 MPH, they hurt like HELL.........not to mention BIRDS and ROCKS and other things that might be kicked up by a vehicle ahead.

If you do get one, do it well before the trip so you have ample time to mount and adjust. Study what the "buds" have and/or beg a test ride. Experience is the best teacher.

For such a long trip..a full face is a requirement.
Your friend likes the windshield...let him keep it. Enjoy the feeling of the open road.

[Mavman]

I have to agree with what Scott58 said, I'm in the same boat......looks are my only issue also.

BUT I like DrBob's comment too, DON'T follow someone else's advice on what you SHOULD do.

My comment concerning what's not quite been mentioned yet is.......

your physical state....A 2000 mi trip with a shield IMO would definitely come in handy, in relieving stress on your arm's/upper body during said long ride and possibly make it more enjoyable...

But if you've grown accustomed to not having one....maybe a shield would be more of a pain than it's worth on the journey, especially if it's not quite adjusted properly or you can't find the right adjustment like other's seem to be having.


Good luck on whatever decision that YOU come up with.

[SNAFU]

I just got the Hellcat and like having them on for highway riding. The cons is the buffeting but I'm still playing around with the position to maybe lessen it a little. As for looks, IMO the hellcat is a nice sporty looking shield plus you can take them off really quick. The pros are what was mentioned, it helps keep most of the bugs off and takes the wind blast off your chest. I prefer to wear a full face on the highway too.

[robertc729]

I have a windshield and love it, I still get wind around me but not so much that I feel like I'm being pushed backward.

[GregR1]

how do those windshields help when it comes to water and rain? do they help to toss it over the top of your helmet? that might be something to consider also. my sportbike comes with a screen, which is also fairly low, and i can't get one that's significantly different, but i HAVE had it serve me well my ricocheting rocks and bugs out of the way of my face and torso. haven't ridden in full rain yet, though, so can't guess how effective it would be for that. but on a cruiser, i would assume they're much better for rain blockage.

[robertc729]

It helps quite a bit with the rain.

[Mydlyfkryzis]

Windshields

Plus: No bugs on your faceshield
Minus: No wind in your face

Plus: Lower wind noise
Minus: Instead of wind noise, you have some buffeting (At least with mine. Below 50MPH, the windshield is positive. Above 60, the buffeting can be annoying.

The problem is more the Hondaline windshield and a lack of adjustment capability. YMMV.

Plus: Looks less sporty (less attention from Police)
Minus: Looks less sporty

Plus: Warmer ride in cooler weather
Minus: Warmer ride in warmer weather
(I have removed it in the summer, but the bugs convinced me to leave it on).

My suggestion is to try one. You can remove it if you don't like it and resell it on e-bay to minimize your losses. You don't really know if you will like it until you have tried it.

[raycogxxx]

I have a MS Poptop shield that I have installed as low on the forks as poss. and at as steep a rake as poss. and find it works very well. In fact discovered yesterday just how well; I had modified the chin vent on my full face helm to try and get a little more air to my face . While testing didn’t seem to be helping as much as should have, then realized I had the shield on which directs wind flow to top half of helmet, so by-passing chin vent. I took shield off to see how that would work and wow, bike has to struggle more to get thru the wind (my big body getting in the way), a lot more buffeting (there is almost none with shield even a high speed (90+ mph)), and a whole lot more wind noise-although the chin vent mod worked very well. Put the shield back on today before going to work and am now back to slipping thru the air with less resistance, less noise and no helmet buffeting (and a little less air to the face). I think I’ll keep the shield and use an open face helmet w/face shield for the summer.

[murphyslaw1978]

Thanks for all the feedback. I do have a full face helmet and leather jacket (with impact protection). I'm not too concerned with debris, rocks & bugs. My helmet and jacket were covered with bugs on my last trip, but to me, I either clean the face shield or clean the windshield. Either way, either will get dirty and will require cleaning.

I guess I'm more concerned with fatigue on a long trip on the highway at 75mph. Maybe I'll try one and see if I like it. I guess I can always remove it, even on the trip through the Blue Ridge Parkway while we're cruising at 40mph and then put in back on when we hit the highway back home at 75mph.

[rathr-b-cruisin]

A bunch of guys that i worked with told me to get one for my bike. I wasnt going to get one but finally did, and i'm so glad i did. It blocks a lot of wind from riding down the highway which makes it more comfortable for me. Plus the lack of bugs and rocks, i'll always have one now.

[kay]

If your major concern is fatigue, I would say "yes" to wind shield.

The air flow will be smoother and therefore less stress on your neck.

I always have wind sheilds and most of the time keep them closed unless I am maneuvering in a parking lot or something.
I just hate those bugs!!

And as wookie said, vehicles in front can spit out small stones etc.
So it's nice to be able to think your face will be guarded.

As for rain, they are really good.
I even have a pair of winter gloves that have a tiny (about an inch long) whiper attached on the left hand thumb so I can wipe off the rain from the sheild.

Well, of course it gets all wet again anyway, but sometimes the amount of rain that is stuck is too little to dripple but too much to see clearly.
That's when I just love using my manually operated mini-whiper.

But again, I think this is really a personal preference thing.
It might be trying it out once just to see if you like it or not.

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by murphyslaw1978

I guess I can always remove it, even on the trip through the Blue Ridge Parkway while we're cruising at 40mph and then put in back on when we hit the highway back home at 75mph.

Hmmmm.....If you do that, I'd be interested to see how/where you store it while riding with it OFF.

[murphyslaw1978]

Originally Posted by Easy Rider

Hmmmm.....If you do that, I'd be interested to see how/where you store it while riding with it OFF.

I saw a guy who strapped the windshield on the back of the sissy bar with straps. Probably not the brightest idea, come to think of it.