I am looking at possibly getting 2015 Road Glide Special. How is the Road Glide at protecting you from the "needles to the face" sting in the rain at higher speeds with a stock windshield?

I know that different windshields would make a ton of difference, but I'm just trying to gauge what, if any protection to the face the stock RGS might provide. Can I tuck down at all on the RG?

I have been flipping back on forth between getting a SGS and a RGS. I have ridden both, and really like them both for different reasons. And everyone tells me the SGS would be better for rain in the face. I don't mind getting soaked by rain, its just the pelting of the rain on my face at 50+ speeds that bothers me. I wear a half helmet with goggles usually.

On my Fatbob, when I do have my windshield clipped on, it REALLY helps. Without the windshield I am cussing the whole way home as I get nailed in the face with rain.

Looking for some real world experience from all you RG owners out there.

 

The RGS with the stock windshield offers no protection. It is way too short, and is there for looks only. The first thing most people do is change out the windshield to something that actually works. After a couple of false starts, I settled on the Freedom Shield 13" light tint. Works great, excellent for wind management, and good for the rain.

I also had a '12 SG, and after a windshield change, it offered about the same rain protection, but with much less wind management with a LOT of buffeting.

 

Full face or modular helmet...

 

+1 on the a full face helmet or visor. No windshield is going to keep the water off of your face.... especially on an RG where the windshield is 3+ feet away.

 

Or a half helmet with a flip-down face shield.


I've had some pretty tall windshields, and even those let enough rain through to be painful. I try to avoid rain, but when (for example) I get caught in one of the Black Hills daily rain showers, I keep a half helmet with a flip down face shield in the tour pac. Never had this problem since ....

 

.......
..... i can duck down behind my shield (HD tall) for a fair amount of protection, but that's not feasible for extended periods

 

My stock height SG windshield sucks just as much as my stock RGS windshield. Both bike I can ride with my hat facing the correct way up to 65/70. I'm 5'10"

I wear a 3/4 with a shield all summer. Full face in the cold.

 

I have a 11 RG with a Cee Bailey 14" windshield and the wind goes over my head. When I'm on a trip, I always carry a half helmet with a slip down sun visor and a 3/4 helmet that has a sun visor and a full face shield. When it starts to rain I just take out the 3/4 and everything works well with the windshield. The face shield get a little water on it but nothing like driving rain.
If you want to stick with a half helmet and goggles, get a large bandanna and tie it over the unprotected part of your face and it will help with the "needles." It's kind of like water boarding yourself if you take deep breaths...

 

Unless you're looking through it while in your normal riding position, there is no windshield that will protect you from rain hitting your face.

None.

If you have a fairly tall windshield, but you still look over it during normal riding, you can crouch down behind it for short periods, but your back won't put up with that for very long.

Want to keep rain off your face at speed? Full coverage helmet, or a 3/4 with a full face shield.

That's it.

 

If you figure it out , you'll probably get rich, so far my best for seeing in the rain has been a helmet, with the flip down half shield