I like the look of a relatively stripped down motorcycle but I have been feeling the cold more this winter than ever before. Are you folks with windshields and/or fairings keeping considerably warmer with that equipment than without it? I dress (layers) for the cold and my kids bought me a heated vest for Christmas that cranks out the heat but I wonder if having a fairing/windshield really makes a signifigant difference in keeping warmer than just dressing for the occasion.
I don't mind the wind blast but I must admit that I have been wondering what it is like riding behind that stuff.
Oh yeah, I also wonder what a windshield/fairing does for ya in fog and rain. Can ya see through the damn thing okay?
You must stay a little more dry...don't ya?

After screwing a shoulder up, and subsequent tendonitis, I started using a windshield on my old '78 FLH. I have a quick detach on THE MAMA's Nightster and my '87 Sloptail. I use 'em in cold weather. They do help. They also help in the rain & fog. But you shouldn't be looking through them; size 'em to be looking over them.

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Chrome sucks.
Barges are for chopping. Otherwise, they might as well be Gold Wings!
Ride it! Beat it! Break it! Fix it! Ride it some more!

Size it so you're looking over it? Is that right? I didn't know. If it's set up properly, does that throw wind, rain and whatever over you or do ya wind up with that stuff hitting you at eye level and hence, impairing your view?

A good windshield keeps the cold windblast off you, so for sure you'll stay a little warmer. YOu don't have to fight the wind to hold on (you don't realize you're doing this till you try a shield...) so it's easier to ride longer. Size it so you're the top of the shield is a couple of inches below your line of sight. I like to look over it rather than through. For the most part the shield directs rain up and over your head - it's much better then without.
Before I got my '00 Standard when I toured some on the FXB, I would put the stock length shocks back on, a set of throw over bags, a big puffy seat, the mid mount pegs (I put forward controls on the bike), and a big hideous HD removable shield. An FXBTC, if you will
It looked like hell but it was a lot more functional. The shield makes a huge difference.

Hmm, I guess all i need to say was yes, you'll stay warmer and it's way better in the rain...

You may want to give a full face helmet with a balaclava underneath a try too, it's way better than an open face (or none) in cold/wet.

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'00 FLHT
'81 FXB

Two or three years ago I bought a full face helmet from Harley. "The System" I think it is called. I'm sure it's not the best helmet around but its a Cadillac of a helmet compared to the ones I had before (all open face). The helmet I'm talking about flips up in front and the windscreen flips up separately as well. Which brings me to another question. What sort of stuff do you guys use to service the windsceen on your helmet? I have been using Plexus on the outside of it and Fogpruf on the inside surface. Those products work fairly well but I'd like to know what works for others.
I have never tried a balaclava.
Thanks very much for the info so far, I do appreciate it.

I use Plexus on the shield (both helmet and bike), but for fogging I bucked up for a Pinlock system. It works extremely well - I can not make the shield fog up. In the US I think they're only available for Shoei and HJC helmets.

www.pinlockusa.com

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'00 FLHT
'81 FXB

Wow.
I'll look real seriously at a helmet that offers that Pinlock system next time I buy one.