Windshields and wind

[dreamers-62]

I was out riding the other day and it was pretty windy...not gale force or anything but enough that I got buffeted around a little, which being new at this was a little unnerving as the bike seemed to be steering itself at some points. The person I was with had a Suzuki S40 and no windshield and said they didnt feel the effect of the wind and that it was my windshield. Do windshields make that much of a difference? I think their bike is only about 50 lbs heavier than mine. I was thinking I might try taking the windshield off and seeing if it made much of a difference...thoughts anyone? :skeptical:

[Easy Rider]

I was thinking I might try taking the windshield off and seeing if it made much of a difference...thoughts anyone? :skeptical:


If you've never ridden without a shield, I think you should do that......so you will have a real appreciation for why you need one. Some people wouldn't have a shield; I wouldn't be without one.

In my experience, a shield reduces the bouncing around from cross winds but it does make it more noisy sometimes, such that you might think you are being buffeted more than you really are.

It does depend some on the direction of the wind. A cross-headwind might have more impact on a shield.

[Water Warrior 2]

Take the shield off and try it that way. You will or will not like it. From my limited personal experience every rider, helmet shape, windshield height, width, bike size/shape/speed and rider size will net different results. It is really a crap shoot that every rider has to go through for best personal results. Wind noise is best handled with hearing protection. A good windshield is a priority if you ride in rain or through a swarm of bugs.

[dreamers-62]

Thanks for the thoughts...I hadnt really noticed the noise (maybe couldnt hear the noise above my singing, its amazing how good a full face helmet makes you sound) thinking that I might just as well leave it on a learn to deal with the wind. One thing I did learn was the tighter (death grip ) I held on the worse it got...but if I relaxed my grip it seemed to shake around less....

[alanmcorcoran]

I think the full face helmet has a (positive) effect on wind, not too mention The Things That Come Along With It. Keep in mind that the forum is split about half and half between full helmet wearers and those that wear something else. I suspect the half or no helmet folks may find the windshield to be more essential.

(BTW I, too have noticed how great I sound when muttering to myself inside the bean bubble. Haven't tried singing yet, I'll give it a whirl when I think I'm out of range for the sanity police.)

I think there is huge difference in the experience of wind in general with the full face helmet on vs not. Also, I have a heavy armored jacket, and that also provides a certain degree of wind buffering for the arms and chest. I have found myself a lttle vulnerable in the Adam's apple area. Been hit there by a few good size bugs and some other stuff and I've wondered what would happen if I caught a bee or worse.

[Dupo]

I noticed in your pic that your windshield is very short. That could increase the wind feeling you are getting as the wind whips over the shield and right into your chest/face.

You will feel the wind knocking you around with a shield. I had one on the GZ and felt it too.

(edited for content)

[Easy Rider]

I noticed in your pic that your windshield is very short. That could increase the wind feeling you are getting as the wind whips over the shield and right into your chest/face.

You will feel the wind knocking you around with a shield.

Yes, certainly with a short one.

I never could figure out what the point is in putting a short shield on a cruiser.
Seem to me like it makes matters worse.....unless you can lay down behind it......which is kind of tough with forward pegs and a seat and tank not designed for it.

So my opinion is get one that comes up at least to your nose level or forget it.

Mine is now about eyebrow level and with one more slight angle adjustment, I think I'll have it just right. No buffeting, no helmet roar, no debris sneaking over the top of the shield to get you in the face (helmet not required here) and enough air comes in around the headlight to prevent a vacuume effect. Makes for a MUCH more enjoyable ride, in my opinion.

And a little background: This isn't a decision I have come to lightly. Over about 20 years and maybe 8 different styles of shields, I settled on a large sport styled shield back about 15 years ago on a Honda 550 Nighthawk. The three bikes I've had since then all came with smaller shields that I ended up junking and getting a larger one every time.

Some people actually like no shield and some seem to like a small one but I suspect that quite a few just learn to deal with what they have and don't really understand the difference. There is a practical reason that all the "real" touring bikes come with a tall and wide shield.

[dreamers-62]

[quote="alanmcorcoran"](BTW I, too have noticed how great I sound when muttering to myself inside the bean bubble. Haven't tried singing yet, I'll give it a whirl when I think I'm out of range for the sanity police.)


I wonder if people on the side of the road can actually hear me singing!! it must be kind of like singing with your headphones on :rawk:

[dreamers-62]

You will feel the wind knocking you around with a shield. I had one on the GZ and felt it too. BUT ... the feeling goes away with seat time. It WILL become second nature and you wont think twice about it.

I remember my first few months of riding the GZ. Same concerns as most of you have. I can say safely that its a 'new' feeling you've not experienced before and you DO get used to it rather quickly.

It comes natural ... give yourself time to get used to it all :)


Thanks for the encouragement, I will wait patiently for that time to come :cool: :2tup: I must remind myself its only been a few weeks and Rome wasnt built in a day!

[dreamers-62]

I noticed in your pic that your windshield is very short. That could increase the wind feeling you are getting as the wind whips over the shield and right into your chest/face.

You will feel the wind knocking you around with a shield.

Yes, certainly with a short one.

.

Mine comes up to maybe just under my nose when I am riding...can they be adjusted to sit higher ?

[Easy Rider]

Mine comes up to maybe just under my nose when I am riding...can they be adjusted to sit higher ?

Maybe. Depends on the model and where it is on the brackets now. With a small shield, that may not help overall as it might let in more wind under the bottom. A strong wind UP in your face can be as bad as one directly in your face.

IIRC, the picture you posted, it doesn't look like your shield comes anywhere close to your nose level......unless you hunch over a LOT.

If you can post a couple more pics. of just the front of the bike from different angles, we might be able to give you some more meaningful opinions (not all necessarily the same, though). :cool:

[Jenny]

I have one of the short windshields. It's below my head, and if I am crouched down, my eyes are on level with the top. I have found that it is incredibly helpful with the wind that is created by moving along the highway. It is also helpful at the wind from 18 wheelers passing me going in the opposite direction. However, windy days when the wind is coming at me from the sides, the windshield (obviously) does nothing because I'm being buffeted from the side.

One note - when I'm dealing with wind specifically from those large trucks that move the entire bike a foot to the right, the windshield only helps because I crouch down so that everything except my head is under the windshield :-)

[Easy Rider]

One note - when I'm dealing with wind specifically from those large trucks that move the entire bike a foot to the right, the windshield only helps because I crouch down so that everything except my head is under the windshield :-)

Well, you will never eliminate the blast from a passing truck completely but.........(hopefully without making another "horse" thread)......with a full size windshield, everything including your head is "under the windshield" all the time. The advantage you have noted with your little shield would be even GREATER with a larger one.

Anyone able to come to central Illinois is welcome to a (short) test ride......big shield and 16T.....two birds and all that. :biggrin:

[alanmcorcoran]

My windshield is laying under my piano. It'll be very useful if a stiff breeze starts blowing up from the carpet next time I'm playing. Comes up to just a hair under my ankles. (see add'l details under mods...)

[Easy Rider]

Comes up to just a hair under my ankles.

Would that make it a toe shield ?? :crackup

[michaelp]

Thanks so much for all this discussion. I have been riding a couple months and was worried because wind and speed unnerved me. I have noticed that in the beginning 40 felt "fast enough" and now "50" feels fast enough. Today, I looked down at the speedometer and had accidentally slipped up to 60 and it didn't seem too scary - at least for a few seconds. I've tried practicing, riding faster, using the feeder road next to the freeway (I'm in Houston, Texas - lots of fast cars and trucks). This has been slowly getting me used to higher speeds. I appreciate hearing from experienced riders that it will all get more comfortable with time. Thanks again.

[music man]

That is sort of what I did, I tried to push myself outside my speed comfort zone by a couple of miles per hour every time I went for a ride, not for long just for a few seconds, and only a couple of MPH at a time, before long you are at the end of the GZ's rope.