Looking for a windshield

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by dhgeyer

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.

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]

Originally Posted by dhgeyer

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

[Water Warrior 2]

Originally Posted by 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

Lynda's GZ with Symtec heated grips and Power Madd deflectors.

[Rob83]

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

I'd rather prefer something like this

[Water Warrior 2]

Originally Posted by Rob83

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

I'd rather prefer something like this

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]

Originally Posted by Water Warrior

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.

[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.