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If you ride a lot of high speed interstate, then buffeting can be an issue. Its difficult to know unless you can rent the bike for the day and go the speeds you would normally ride. All kinds of shields and wind deflectors to help.
And riders on touring bikes also have buffeting issues, so its not just the Heritage. Every ride is different.
Never had ANY kind of buffeting on my RGS. Like I said I wasnt using it for what it was made. Thats the only reason I sold it
I wonder about this too. I’m 5’8 have a Rifle windshield that is about 13-14” and buffeting has not been an issue at all. I’ve owned pre-2018 Heritages, a 2018 Heritage and now a 2019 Heritage and just don’t get what folks are talking about. Not saying it’s not real....I just don’t see it....or feel it.
I agree. I have a 2020 Heritage and I just don't feel it either. I'm 5-10 with the stock windshield. I do get that updraft from wind coming up from both sides of the gas tank, but it's not that bad, and in fact feels good. I ride with a helmet - both half helmet and open face - and without a helmet and just don't get the buffeting. I also do a lot of interstate riding with no problems.
Last edited by tmac00333; Mar 3, 2020 at 07:10 AM.
Apparently they were stock on touring bikes for awhile. Stops the wind from coming up between the forks and over the gas tank, providing a more serene riding experience. Less buffeting and whatnot. I may buy one and see if I can make it fit, but thought I'd see if anyone beat me to it. Thanks!
I had a similar item in my Street Glide. Made a small amount of difference but negligible compared to fork mounted wind deflectors - they made a massive difference. May be different on a Heritage of course.
Apparently they were stock on touring bikes for awhile. Stops the wind from coming up between the forks and over the gas tank, providing a more serene riding experience. Less buffeting and whatnot. I may buy one and see if I can make it fit, but thought I'd see if anyone beat me to it. Thanks!
Made a huge difference on any bike I ever had one one.
I have to ask is the wind buffeting that big of a deal. Im a little concerned since I have one waiting for me to pickup as soon as the weather breaks
Thanks
Chances you'll have wind buffeting? Depends. There are various parameters involved. It's possible that they'll all line up right and you'll have buffeting. How your seat sits you (up, down, forward, back), how your handlebars affect your seating position/posture, where the top of the windshield is in relation to your nose, the helmet you wear, etc., can determine the outcome.
Piece of advice... If you have buffeting problems, make sure you sort out the other contributing factors and potential solutions before you address the windshield.
I'm somewhere in the neighborhood of 5'7" to 5'8". I had sever buffeting in the stock configuration. First step I took to solve the problem - fangs (in my case JES Customs). The fangs help a lot but don't totally eliminate the problem. I tried a recurve windshield from Freedom Shields. Didn't get the job done for me. I then tried a Clearview Shield with recurve and vent. Huge improvement. Pretty much resolved the issue. However, the taller Clearview Shield shape is based on an older design. I didn't care for the looks of it. Plus I was simultaneously going through the teething pains of getting the seating right. Seats impact your relationship with the windshield height. Once I was able to get the seating right, I was then able to determine the correct windshield height. I special ordered a Clearview Shield with recurve, vent, and the shape of the stock shield (tombstone). Problem solved.
About that vent... The idea behind it is that it relieves a low pressure zone the forms behind the shield. This low pressure causes turbulence in the airflow over the shield. Bottom line, it works. The vent is 5 position. You have to find the sweet spot. For me it's two positions from completely closed.
The current setup works fantastic. I still get plenty of air behind the shield (plenty good for hot days) and it's not turbulent. Sometime this summer I'll probably try the windshield on it's own to see how it performs without the aid of the fangs (fangs are really focused on controlling the air the comes from underneath, up the side of the tanks, and into your chest and face). If it renders the fangs superfluous, then I may just lose them.
Chances you'll have wind buffeting? Depends. There are various parameters involved. It's possible that they'll all line up right and you'll have buffeting. How your seat sits you (up, down, forward, back), how your handlebars affect your seating position/posture, where the top of the windshield is in relation to your nose, the helmet you wear, etc., can determine the outcome.
Piece of advice... If you have buffeting problems, make sure you sort out the other contributing factors and potential solutions before you address the windshield.
I'm somewhere in the neighborhood of 5'7" to 5'8". I had sever buffeting in the stock configuration. First step I took to solve the problem - fangs (in my case JES Customs). The fangs help a lot but don't totally eliminate the problem. I tried a recurve windshield from Freedom Shields. Didn't get the job done for me. I then tried a Clearview Shield with recurve and vent. Huge improvement. Pretty much resolved the issue. However, the taller Clearview Shield shape is based on an older design. I didn't care for the looks of it. Plus I was simultaneously going through the teething pains of getting the seating right. Seats impact your relationship with the windshield height. Once I was able to get the seating right, I was then able to determine the correct windshield height. I special ordered a Clearview Shield with recurve, vent, and the shape of the stock shield (tombstone). Problem solved.
About that vent... The idea behind it is that it relieves a low pressure zone the forms behind the shield. This low pressure causes turbulence in the airflow over the shield. Bottom line, it works. The vent is 5 position. You have to find the sweet spot. For me it's two positions from completely closed.
The current setup works fantastic. I still get plenty of air behind the shield (plenty good for hot days) and it's not turbulent. Sometime this summer I'll probably try the windshield on it's own to see how it performs without the aid of the fangs (fangs are really focused on controlling the air the comes from underneath, up the side of the tanks, and into your chest and face). If it renders the fangs superfluous, then I may just lose them.
Really appreciate your insight. I did have the fangs on my 09 Heritage but really dont care for the look and besides they are not available yet for the 20 as far as I know. Once I get the bike and put a few miles on it hopefully if the buffeting is bad Im hoping to possibly rectify it with that Clearview windshield.
Who knows I may get lucky and not have any but at least if I do I have some good info to fight it with.
Thanks
Really appreciate your insight. I did have the fangs on my 09 Heritage but really don’t care for the look and besides they are not available yet for the 20 as far as I know. Once I get the bike and put a few miles on it hopefully if the buffeting is bad I’m hoping to possibly rectify it with that Clearview windshield.
Who knows I may get lucky and not have any but at least if I do I have some good info to fight it with.
Thanks
HD doesn't yet make fangs for the '18+ models. But others do. JES Customs makes them (as seen in my pics). Taste differ... When I first starting looking for fangs I felt the HD ones looked better (considered modifying fangs for pre - '18 models to fit but decided to pass). However, the HD fangs are quite a bit bigger than the JES fangs. Over time the JES fangs have grown on me I'd probably say I prefer them.
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