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'14 Heritage Classic and Windshield Updraft (Yet Again)
Hey folks.
So, I've got a '14 Heritage Classic. Love this bike.
Got a LRS Recurve Windshield.
With the windshield, the updraft is ridiculous.
Beard lift. The beard's too short to braid but long enough to flap up into my face. I understand that I have the option to shave it (nope) and the option to wear a full face helmet (I do when it's cooler out or on long rides). But I'd like to not have to shave it or always wear the FF.
I wear cargo pants at work. When I'm riding to or from work with the shield on, my pant legs rise up to and/or over my knees.
My shirt flies up. I'm about 20-25 lbs away from anybody needing to see that ****.
I got some fork mounted wind deflectors (fangs), but they don't seem to be doing anything. I may not have them mounted correctly? Attaching pics. I had to mount them over the windshield. That kinda blows, because I lose the quick-detach capability. But if they worked, I'd be OK with it. If I install the fangs before putting the shield on, the shield won't slide into place. The bottom slot on the shield won't reach the screw/mount because the deflector is in the way.
I stopped at my local Harley dealership today to ask if they had any advice. Disappointing, but they couldn't offer up a single thing. I asked about a wind splitter windshield, thinking that if the shield were vented, it would reduce the amount of air being forced under the windshield. Parts dude said, 'yeah, that could help'. But they don't have one for me to try. I'm not really in a position where I can drop $400+ on a windshield that may or may not resolve my problem.
I heard that lifting the tank might help, as the air would circulate under the tank rather than just upwards. seems like a relatively easy task... but I'd like to hear if others have done that in order to address the updraft issue and if it worked.
So, how about it '14 FLSTC owners? This can't be a situation unique to my bike. Has anybody found a resolution? Or is this just the way the bike is and I'll have to learn to deal with it?
Would really love to get this fixed, or find out definitively that I just have to learn to accept it.
Thanks in advance!
Charlie
Last edited by charliegriefer; May 12, 2019 at 05:14 PM.
Reason: Shrunk humungous images
What height LRS?
I run the 18". I'm 5'11"
I look just over it.
The fangs look right. That's how mine are
(Barely miss the turn signals)
Maybe run the Soft Lwrs ?
Mine's pretty good. I've been wearing a full face.
I'd say the fangs eliminate 75 % of the buffeting
I still take em off when summer really hits.
Just too hot + the extra heat off the motor with
those things on
The problem is the way the Heritage windshield mounts.
If you look, it's tilted fwd slightly. There's no adjustment.
That forces air down.
I Demo-rode a Deluxe 2 yrs ago with the Nostalga shield.
It tilts back more. Guess what . . . No buffeting. It was a
low shield too.
Shield's a 16" Heritage Elite from LRS. I'm 5'9". I look over the shield just fine.
When I bought the bike (used), I asked the dealer if they could throw in a windshield, and they did. I don't know what size it was, but it was _tall_. I was looking thru it.
Thought about soft lowers, but was told that, here in Phoenix at least, it's not a great option as it hinders air flow to the engine. Especially in the summer.
Still wondering if the wind splitter windshield would help. Kinda bummed that my dealership doesn't have any to test out. I asked the parts guy if he knew of any other dealerships around that might. He said he's worked for quite a few in the area, and none keep demo shields on hand :\
Also just dug up another older thread (that you and I were both part of) where a couple of people suggested that I might have the fangs installed incorrectly.
I have a wind-splitter windshield. Like you, I had the dealer throw it in when I bought the bike in 2017 for my Fatboy S.
I'll sell it to you, but some things you might consider. First, I don't know if it will fit your bike. I assume it will, but I'm not sure.
Second, I don't really think the vent does that much for buffetting. Then again, I've never really been bothered by updrafts. I have the fangs on my bike and another windshield (quick detach recurve with the HD hardware), and I'm happy as a clam, very calm.
I got my present windshield because the wind-splitter tilted too far back and prevented me from pushing my apes forward. I push them slightly forward because they fit better that way.
When I had the wind-splitter on, I was never bothered by turbulence, updrafts or any kind of wind problem. I love the shield because it's short yet still sends the wind over your head. Very easy to see over. But again, I don't really know if it affects buffeting because I've never had that problem.
Anyway, if you still want to consider it, I'll sell it to you. It's just sitting around here anyway and I don't need it. It hasn't been used much, and I've kept it covered. so it's in excellent condition.
Charlie, the only numbers on this thing are so small I had to read them with a magnifying glass, then I tried taking a pic with my cell phone, and enlarging it. The numbers don't match. I'm not even sure it's a part number.
I can't find any other numbers on the thing. It looks like the exact same shield, on the HD site, and it says it fits mine and yours.
Still, I'd hate to ship you the shield and have it not fit.
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'14 Heritage Classic and Windshield Updraft (Yet Again)
