So I've been riding for a year now and have put a little over 12,000 miles on my dyna super glide. I love the ride and have no issues most of the time. One of the things I have found is that when I ride in the rain I get issues with seeing through my goggles or eye pro depending on the helmet I'm rocking. I frequently make 2 hour plus rides and have done it many times in the rain and have been debating on whether a windshield or fairing would help out at all. I like the wind when it's not raining so would prefer something detachable but could get used to something permanent if necessary. Does anyone have input or use something for just the rain?

 

Its a Super Glide, so in my opinion, go with a detachable windshield. That would protect you somewhat from the rain in the face problem, and kind of, somewhat, a little bit, keep the integrity of the bike.

 

I like the wind with my sportster, but sometimes it's cold and wet and the windshield is good. Also riding it more than a couple hours; my back doesn't handle the forwards longer than that. This is a Plexifairing 3, really blocks the wind and rain, best I've ridden behind that wasn't a frame mount fairing. It's noisy, though, but most are. It doesn't get the wind blast from underneath that rocks your head like a lot do, too; I'd guess that's because of the lower extensions. It comes off easy, too, just leaves small mount points that can also come off easy, but then you have to rig it straight when you put it back on.



Notice the shiny parts and speedometer behind the windshield are almost dry. I didn't get very wet, either.

 

In my experience it doesn't matter which you have,, rain is rain, it comes down from the sky and no amount of vortex created by a windshield or fairing blocks the rain from your face.
You may "lesson" the degree of force the rain hit's you with by a small margin but varying speeds pretty much eliminate any gain.

 

Windshield. Quick detach.

Yea, rain is rain but it does help to have one.

With the quick detach you can have it on or off in a matter of seconds.

 

What JohnMn said. With or without a windshield when it rains you're still going to have rain hitting in you in your face which will impede visibility.

 

What??


Nevermind.
I now assume you meant visibility.

 

Damn spel chck.

 

A lot depends on the windshield, and how you're able to keep moving. Batwing - get wet, sharknose (Tour/Road Glides), you can stay pretty dry. I've been in a pouring rain and only got occasional drops on my helmet faceshield behind a few different setups, and some, like my Ural with factory fairing, seem to direct it right into my face. My experience has been that a good setup makes a huge difference, but I'll admit, most don't. Not having to stop makes a huge difference; get in town with stoplights, any kind of windshield just isn't going to make much difference. Interstate with lots of cars, again, you get soaked from car/truck spray. An all day ride... you get wet without rain gear, even the little splatters add up eventually.

 

I've found on both of my Dyna's the windshield provides protection from small projectiles like stones or bugs, birds, etc. The rain will get sucked up from just below the gas tank into your face. Even on my Road Glide with it's fairing the rain still fell between me and the backside of the fairing, of course that rain would have choked a frog it was so hard. So still at a minimum some face protection maybe needed.