Here's what I think...only kidding...sort of

 

That would make a great tombstone inscription!

Around these parts the pheasants and flying rocks make riding without a shield of some sort dangerous! Even the bumblebees could hurt at 60 plus.

We have a lot of open country around here that we ride in and I like to open the bike up a bit. A buddy just bought a new bike and didn't have a windshield for it yet, but we left his place for a little 70 mile loop. We play around with little drag runs and such going down some almost deserted highways, but he'd always fall way back. Oh, and he also pulled over to put a bandana over his lower face to keep the hot wind off him. He looked ridiculous, like he just held up a bank, but we continued on to the nearest town 30 miles away for some lunch.

As we pull in for gas and food, he mentions that he couldn't do much over 75 because the wind was too strong to hold on. Here I was going 100 plus and he could barely pull 80.

Thinking back about it, what "looked" better....Me with my near invisible windshield, or him with a snot rag over his face, hiding his grimace, while he tried to keep up? Not that I care about looks, I like function, but many on here seem to think that looks are what counts.

By the way, on our next ride, he passes me, gives me a thumbs up, and pointing to his newly installed windshield, gives me a nod and another thumbs up.

 

IF you have the option to get it, get it and try it, if you need to cut it, cut it so that you dont have to look through it. Looking through it will bother you the 1st mile you ride. get it cut so that the top rim of the shield is rigght at your mouth or chin and or even a little higher, but you DO NOT want to distort your line of site. Ride with it in a cold moring, ride with out it. Ride in the rain, ride in the rain with out it. Then make your decision.
As far as asthetics are concerned they can look lke crap o some bikes, maybe even yours if you think so, the key for shileds is saftery and comfort. Getting hit by massive june bugs going 80MPH down the highway will wake your *** up. Feel like a baseball bat hit you. around town take it off, but the shileds are worth there weight in gold if you ask me. JMO

 

You cheated

[jk...of course]

 

On my last bike I rarely rode without a shield but I don't own one for my new bike. They are definitely nice to have and if you plan on doing any distance riding I recommend getting one.

 

I guess I will try to pick one up somewhere. I dont want to pay the big bucks at the dealer, so I am hoping to find one that will fit (with hardware) online or at a swap meet. What other model bikes shields will fit my 04 heritage? I know but I am a noob.

 

Got mine on craigslist for $125 shipped complete with detach hardware and shield from a person who lives in Las Vegas. It looked brand new, just one very small scratch.

Fitment from Dennis Kirk:

# 2007 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic (EFI) - FLSTC
# 2008 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic (EFI) - FLSTC
# 1987 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic - FLSTC
# 1988 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic - FLSTC
# 1989 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic - FLSTC
# 1990 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic - FLSTC
# 1991 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic - FLSTC
# 1992 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic - FLSTC
# 1993 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic - FLSTC
# 1994 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic - FLSTC
# 1995 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic - FLSTC
# 1996 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic - FLSTC
# 1997 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic - FLSTC
# 1998 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic - FLSTC
# 1999 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic - FLSTC
# 2000 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic - FLSTC
# 2001 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic - FLSTC
# 2002 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic - FLSTC
# 2003 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic - FLSTC
# 2004 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic - FLSTC
# 2005 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic - FLSTC
# 2006 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic - FLSTC
# 2009 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic - FLSTC
# 2001 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic Injected - FLSTC I
# 2002 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic Injected - FLSTC I
# 2003 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic Injected - FLSTC I
# 2004 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic Injected - FLSTC I
# 2005 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic Injected - FLSTC I
# 2006 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic Injected - FLSTC I
# 2006 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail - FLST
# 2007 Harley-Davidson Softail Deluxe (EFI) - FLSTN
# 2008 Harley-Davidson Softail Deluxe (EFI) - FLSTN
# 2005 Harley-Davidson Softail Deluxe - FLSTN
# 2006 Harley-Davidson Softail Deluxe - FLSTN
# 2009 Harley-Davidson Softail Deluxe - FLSTN
# 2005 Harley-Davidson Softail Deluxe Injected - FLSTN I
# 2006 Harley-Davidson Softail Deluxe Injected - FLSTN I
# 2007 Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Boy (EFI) - FLSTF
# 2008 Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Boy (EFI) - FLSTF
# 2000 Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Boy - FLSTF
# 2001 Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Boy - FLSTF
# 2002 Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Boy - FLSTF
# 2003 Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Boy - FLSTF
# 2004 Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Boy - FLSTF
# 2005 Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Boy - FLSTF
# 2006 Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Boy - FLSTF
# 2009 Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Boy - FLSTF
# 2001 Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Boy Injected - FLSTF I
# 2002 Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Boy Injected - FLSTF I
# 2003 Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Boy Injected - FLSTF I
# 2004 Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Boy Injected - FLSTF I
# 2005 Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Boy Injected - FLSTF I
# 2006 Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Boy Injected - FLSTF I

Not sure if its been mentioned, their are several flavors of shields. You need one for a bike with aux lights/passing lights - the shield brackets are slightly wider to fit the aux light bracket.

 

The best thing about a softail is its versatility. I think it looks better without the shield, but it doesn't look silly if I feel like puttin' one on there. I've got a detachable batwing that's great for an out-of-towner and when it's cold or raining. But when the weather is good I prefer to go without.

 

I finally bought one because it's cold at 3am. It's worked out real well but it will come off during the summer.

 

If you travel on highways ... windshields make the ride more comfortable and you aren't as beat up by the wind. The newer w/s are made of clearer stuff. Rule of thumb is to have your line if sight either above or below the top of the w/s so your not looking through the break line. I'm 5-8 and shrinking...and I have a large w/s...I can hunker behind it when its raining or cold...and I've been hit by all sorts of shtt over the yrs...and been glad to have that w/s up there.