Looking for a windshield

[primal]

Man, these things are expensive, aren't they?!

Anyway, I'm trying to decide which windshield to get for my Marauder. I'm torn between a standard National Cycles or Memphis Shades windshield and this one by Slipstreamer:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270459684517&viewitem=&_trkparms=tab%3DWatching

So, what do you all think of that Slipstreamer? I kinda like it because it's sort of like a sporty batwing shield.

[Moedad]

That Slipstreamer is kinda cool looking. Any idea of how high the top is? I'm wondering where the air will be directed. Looks like it might hit you right in the face in the ebay picture. Do you have any idea how adjustable they are (or aren't)?

[primal]

It's 14" from the top of the headlight cutout to the top of the windshield. The second picture is a Kawasaki Mean Streak 1600. I measured it on my bike (the bikes in the ebay pics are much larger bikes than my Marauder) and it seems ideal.

[mrlmd1]

Look at the SS-28 - I had that on my bike (pics below). Mine was clear, easier to see through, had that same general angular shape but had a wider body which I think would be better wind protection. Both these windshields are short, the SS-28 is 15" I think, but it offered pretty good protection and not that much wind in your face, and covered the grips well, good for cold weather riding. IMO, 14" is pretty short. I have a Memphis Shades Malibu (which is taller, 18" I think, perfect height) on my S50 which I am pretty sure will also fit the GZ250. Whatever windshield you think you want, check the applications, make sure it fits the bike and will clamp to 7/8" bars. The windshield you are looking at has hardware for 1" bars. The SS28 and Malibu both have a 4 point mounting system, to the bars and the forks, so it's pretty stable and doesn't buffet in the wind, like a 2-point mount might.
I ordered mine through the dealer, same price as on line, and I thought that was a better idea in case there was any problem with it, no shipping charges, and they appreciate it and love you for your business..
http://www.postimage.org/Ts1D2x6r.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=Ts1D2x6r)

http://www.postimage.org/Ts1D2EAS.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=Ts1D2EAS)

http://www.postimage.org/Ts1D2TyJ.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=Ts1D2TyJ)

[primal]

Pretty sure the Marauder has 1" bars. ;)

I've looked at just about every style of windshield available for the Marauder and the only ones I like are the Slipstreamer Stealth and the "standard" windshields (http://www.nationalcycle.com/newsvideo/Nostalgia.jpg). I also specifically don't like the clear version of the Slipstreamer Stealth. ;)

[dhgeyer]

I was kind of a student of windshield dynamics for a little while. Did a lot of experimenting. Bought them, tried them, cut them down a little at a time, and did this on several bikes. What I learned is this: there are two approaches that work.

1. Short windshield, full face helmet, earplugs for sure. The height of the windshield wants to be well below your shoulders. Windshields always generate turbulence. If the shield is short enough, the turbulence will hit you at about the shoulders or so, which is not bothersome. Your helmet will be full in the wind, which full face helmets want in order to ventilate properly. The air going over your helmet will be smooth air, with no buffeting. You will want ear protection if you ride at or above 50 mph for any length of time.

2. Tall windshield, (open face helmet unless it gets quite cold), ear protection optional. With this approach you may need lowers to keep turbulence from coming up behind the windshield. With a cruiser style bike, the lowers are almost a guaranteed requirement. The shield must come up so that you are just looking over it by an inch or two, no more. The turbulence will go over your head, and the updraft will keep most bugs and dust out of your face, although you will still want eye protection. The tall shield approach creates a bubble of relative quiet, rendering ear protection optional.

What you definitely want to avoid is anything in between, as the turbulence will hit your helmet. Depending upon the severity of this problem, it may be a minor annoyance, or unbearable, or anywhere in between.

I know that this doesn't help you with specific models, which for your bike I know nothing about. But it might help give you some idea what you are looking for.

[Water Warrior 2]

The GZ has 7/8ths inch bars while most larger cruiser style bikes have 1 inch bars. There are exceptions of course so make sure the proper mounting hardware is available or you will be hooped.

[greenhorn]

With a cruiser style bike, the lowers are almost a guaranteed requirement. Great post. What do you mean by "lowers"?

M

[Water Warrior 2]

With a cruiser style bike, the lowers are almost a guaranteed requirement. Great post. What do you mean by "lowers"?

M

Lowers can be a plastic air deflector that attaches to the forks and stops the wind from coming up into your face from below the shield. Also protects the legs in many cases from the wet and cold. Lynda's "M" has a large windshield that extends down past both sides of the headlight to accomplish the same thing. It is also wide enough to give good coverage to her hands in the wet and cold. It works quite well and only her feet will get cold or wet on ocassion. I rode the bike at higher highway speeds in the rain and was impressed with the coverage. My feet got a bit wet but that will be another project to tinker with in time.

[dhgeyer]

With a cruiser style bike, the lowers are almost a guaranteed requirement. Great post. What do you mean by "lowers"?

M

Thank you! Lowers are flat, usually clear wind deflection devices which sit below the windshield, and outside the front wheel on either side. Here are a couple of images I stole from a couple of sites:

http://www.gallery1700.net/linkto/lowers01.jpg
http://www.gallery1700.net/linkto/lowers02.jpg

From the look of them, you would think they would primarily protect your lower body from wind. However, their most valuable function, if they are large enough, is to keep the air blast from coming up behind the windshield, creating almost as much turbulence as you'd get with a poorly designed windshield, or one of improper height. As you can see, they usually attach to the fork tubes, although some lowers hang from the shield itself. I made my own for my '02 Vulcan 1500 Classic FI. Note that they are very large as lowers go. There was very little wind of any kind behind that big Memphis Shades windshield on that bike if the lowers were in place. The lowers were pretty ugly, but taking them off made such a difference that I didn't want to ride without them. I painted them black, which makes them a little hard to see in the photo. Sorry about that.

http://www.gallery1700.net/linkto/lowers03.jpg

[Easy Rider]

Here are a couple of images I stole from a couple of sites:


If you remember, where did that first one come from ??
I have been resisting lowers but I may have to give in.

If you think about fairings and what the bottom part looks like, a shield with "lowers" sometimes actually makes the situation worse because they are angled the wrong way. I have been trying to figure out a good way to cut the bottom off my lowers (about 3 inches) and re-attach them at the proper angle but I'm about ready to give up on that.

I'm probably gonna HAVE to do something 'cause my Shadow has a blast of air coming around the left side of the tank that goes right up inside the helmet and/or right up my nose !!!
It is only there about half the time (depending on wind direction and speed) but when it IS there it is VERY fricking annoying. :cry:

I had the same shield on the GZ and it wasn't a problem.......or not nearly as much anyway.

[dhgeyer]

You make a good point, Easy. Lowers sometimes take some fiddling to get them to work properly. Orientation is important, and so is shape and size. And just because a set of lowers comes with a windshield and was made for it doesn't necessarily mean the maker got it right.

The first image, by the name of the file before I renamed it, must have come from Memphis Shade's website. I went to Google, selected "Images", and did a search on "motorcycle lowers". Got a bunch of hits, and took the 2 most descriptive images from the first page of thumbnails.

[Easy Rider]

And just because a set of lowers comes with a windshield and was made for it doesn't necessarily mean the maker got it right.


I wasn't clear with that. The "lowers" I refer to are a PART of the shield; extensions that go below the headlight on both sides. Since they are part of the one-piece molded plastic, you can't position the main shield correctly without having the "lowers" stick out toward the front.
They need have the bottom angled toward the back.....like a real fairing, but I think that would probably blow the universal mounting aspect.

Thanks for the pointer; I'll have a look.

[Rob83]

anyone ever tried scootworks products? I'm especially interested in handshields, in these november days the weather is chilling my fingers

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v623/ ... lector.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v623/AtlantaDave/Vulcan%20900/handdeflector.jpg)

[Water Warrior 2]

anyone ever tried scootworks products? I'm especially interested in handshields, in these november days the weather is chilling my fingers

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v623/ ... lector.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v623/AtlantaDave/Vulcan%20900/handdeflector.jpg)

Lynda's GZ with Symtec heated grips and Power Madd deflectors.
http://s2.postimage.org/1mBNqS.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=Ts1mBNqS)

http://s3.postimage.org/MljgS.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=PqMljgS)

http://s2.postimage.org/1mCgmA.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=Ts1mCgmA)

http://s3.postimage.org/MlqLi.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=PqMlqLi)

[Rob83]

nice but way too enduro-like in my opinion...

I'd rather prefer something like this

http://images.endeavorsuite.com/catalogs/1673/products/detail/1a221355-80e5-4d68-9257-00dc124d4b47.jpg

[Water Warrior 2]

nice but way too enduro-like in my opinion...

I'd rather prefer something like this

http://images.endeavorsuite.com/catalogs/1673/products/detail/1a221355-80e5-4d68-9257-00dc124d4b47.jpg

That would work very nicely. IIRC some one here had a similar windshield on a GZ. Lynda's present bike has a windshield like that with the lower sections and it works very well in combination with heated grips.

[Easy Rider]

That would work very nicely. IIRC some one here had a similar windshield on a GZ.

I did and managed to break it by hitting a big pothole.
When I brought the replacement shield home, it was attached to a new bike !!! :roll:
I think Sarris has one similar and one of the guys on the Left Coast too.

I have decided now that the extended lowers really aren't much help....and can actually make matters worse. To be really effective, the bottom part of the shield should slant DOWN; when you get the top part set right, angled back about the same as the fork angle, then the lowers are angled forward (UP).

That scoops a big "hole" in the air and the rush to fill it often blows right up in your face.

Last one like that I had, I cut about 2-3 inches off the lowers.....and it helped a little.
It's a Memphis Shades, Santa Cruz. I really like the style of the TOP of the shield....and am still thinking about how to improve the lower. My next one won't have those long lowers......even if I have to get one with an uglier top. :cry:

[mrlmd1]

The new one I got for my S50 looks like that without the lower extensions - It's called a Malibu, is taller, at 18", than the Slipstreamer (15'') I had on the GZ, .
Interestingly, on my GZ with the 15" tall shield I never got any severe wind blast coming up from below behind the shield. I do get it at 50-55mph+ on the S50 with the taller shield. I tried changing the rake forward and back, went to adding MS lowers and am at the third different positioning of these things to see if I can eliminate the annoying wind blast coming up beneath the windshield. That wind is almost worse than riding with a full face helmet on and no shield. I think the design and shape of the shield have a lot to do with it, but you can't try them out without buying them first.

[alanmcorcoran]

Yeah, the one in the picture looks like mine. Since I don't ride mine on the freeway anymore unless I'm taking it in for service, the windshield is not as important as it once was. I have effed with mine on at least three different occasions and I am still not 100% happy with where it is. There are an infinite variety of ways to install it and I have managed to find seven or eight ways I don't love. Either it's touching some part of the bike or the rake isn't quite right or it's not really centered or it's too low or its too high or there is something in the way. Somewhere on here I posted pictures of my last go round.

[alantf]

I have effed with mine on at least three different occasions and I am still not 100% happy with where it is.

In over 40 years of riding I have NEVER got it right. Perhaps that's why I hate screens. :cry:

[Water Warrior 2]

I have effed with mine on at least three different occasions and I am still not 100% happy with where it is.

In over 40 years of riding I have NEVER got it right. Perhaps that's why I hate screens. :cry:

Getting it right is like buying a lotto ticket. The odds are against you. There are just too many variables to deal with.

[Rob83]

a couple of hours here and you'll find the best position :)

http://image.circletrack.com/f/9224553/0610CTRP_01z+real_world_aero+a2_wind_tunnel.jpg

[Water Warrior 2]

Suzuki should invest in their own wind tunnel. A lot of their fairing designs are just for looks and do little for air flow. Of course this does create a big market for aftermarket designs and the economy.

[Rob83]

Of course this does create a big market for aftermarket designs and the economy.

you got the point but aftermarket parts for GZ 250 is EXTREMELY rare....at least in Europe...

[burkbuilds]

"Suzuki should invest in their own wind tunnel. A lot of their fairing designs are just for looks and do little for air flow. Of course this does create a big market for aftermarket designs and the economy."

Or they could just lease some time from a company that already has a wind tunnel. When we did the Lockheed tour they told us that a lot of companies use their wind tunnels to test things, including NASCAR who bring in the cars from the races after they are finished and test them just to make sure nobody "cheated" on the race by changing the airflow characteristics beyond whatever NASCAR has set for them.

[Water Warrior 2]

Fantastic trivia. It is good to know the wind tunnel is accessible to other interests.

[Rob83]

Barkbusters Handguards on my GZ250

not the best for the eye, but they do the job


http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/8541/25112009215.th.jpg (http://img403.imageshack.us/i/25112009215.jpg/)http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/346/25112009216.th.jpg (http://img341.imageshack.us/i/25112009216.jpg/)http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/6435/25112009217.th.jpg (http://img98.imageshack.us/i/25112009217.jpg/)
http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/5633/25112009218.th.jpg (http://img214.imageshack.us/i/25112009218.jpg/)http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/1104/25112009219.th.jpg (http://img403.imageshack.us/i/25112009219.jpg/)http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/5126/25112009220.th.jpg (http://img214.imageshack.us/i/25112009220.jpg/)

[burkbuilds]

Those handguards look like they'd help keep the wind off your hands really well. I've considered handguards but I noticed these mount by using the handlebar weighted end position and I've got heated grips which eliminated the weighted ends on my bike. Do they have other styles that mount differently or do they all use the end weight attachment method?

[Water Warrior 2]

Just realized where the name is.

[Water Warrior 2]

Those handguards look like they'd help keep the wind off your hands really well. I've considered handguards but I noticed these mount by using the handlebar weighted end position and I've got heated grips which eliminated the weighted ends on my bike. Do they have other styles that mount differently or do they all use the end weight attachment method?


BB, you might consider these handguards. Can't remember the date at the moment but there is some info and name in a posting a couple years ago.


http://s3.postimage.org/jXhsi.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=PqjXhsi)

http://s1.postimage.org/H9Be0.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=gxH9Be0)

http://s4.postimage.org/81kUr.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aV81kUr)

[Water Warrior 2]

Just realized where the name is.


I'm having one of those days. Can't see for looking.

[Rob83]

Those handguards look like they'd help keep the wind off your hands really well. I've considered handguards but I noticed these mount by using the handlebar weighted end position and I've got heated grips which eliminated the weighted ends on my bike. Do they have other styles that mount differently or do they all use the end weight attachment method?

nope, unfortunately this model can be mounted only replacing the end of the handlebar :sad: