I have read alot of post latley regarding windshield/yes....windshield/no wellI guess the topic of this could go on forever till we're all blue in the face ( no that's not a without windshield pun).On some calm warm days I have ridden without ,removed my bags and backrest for that roadster look from the 40's and had no issues as i really didnt cruise over 45-50 mph but the other day I went on a 300mi excursion and it was one of those freak warm days in the middle of a shitty week.The wind was blowing fairly well but you still didn't need any heavy apparel.Well at around 65 it started pounding, during some open road throttle twisting @75-85 i was getting my *** handed to me!..........It was not pleasant by no means! I thought i was going to get ripped off the bike if not for the grip I had on the bars ( I'm 6'4' 220 lbs) I am no small person by a long shot. Well after the rideI was whooped! after a small rest at the house I tossed on the windshield and headed for I-81 in Chambersburg,Pa and busted down the Interstate towards the Md state line, it was like I was floating on a cloud! Their is a significant difference in the two and some minor almost non existant buffeting was in no way anywhere close to the full force vengence of mother nature with no deflection device!
Now to be fair the next experiment will be a repeat on a nice calm wind free day........I do not want to be known as not being fair and objective. The windy day kicked my *** let's see what the difference will be on a more mundane outing

Give me your thoughts or similar experiences. It seems there may be a time and place for both choosing wisely is the key.

 

A week or so back, the weather broke a bit around here, so I zipped home at lunch, dropped off the truck, and picked up the Fatty, and road back in to work. The windshield was off in the garage. (I generally only put it on for longer highway rides...) It was clear, but a bit breezy. The ride to work is only about 10 minutes. A bit of residential, a bit of main drag, and a bit of highway. I was at highway speed, wearing only my half shell, and was cruising along quite nicely, even at about 110 kmph. (just under 70 mph...) I was pleasantly surprised. On the way home however (I guess riding INTO the wind...) I was holding on for dear life at highway speed, and my mouth was literally being blown open by the wind, the cheeks puffing out, etc. It sucked large, and I was quite happy to hit the city limits, and slow down some. She may not look as sleek with the windshield on her, but she's sure nicer to ride at speed. As I said in another thread on this topic, as I get older I find I'm willing to trade some "cool" for some comfort. [8D]

 

For me, anything over about 55mph without a windshield is not fun.

 

It sounds like we were in line for a Head-on collision.

A couple of days ago I jumped on the Interstate and pointed my Deuce towards Cumberland, MD, with the windshield off. I believe its somewhere around 180 miles on I-68 fromMorgantown, WV to Cumberland and back. Winds were stiff out of the northwest and so on the ride to the east I had the wind at my back. I was getting blown around a bit because the wind was comming a bit from the side, but it wasn't too bad. I fish off shore though so I knew what was comming. Its like when you head out to fish with a following sea - the ride out is nice enoughbut you know that comming home is going to be brutal. I was right.

You're big, I'm not, 5' 8" and about 160 pounds. I made the decision that the windshield would stay on the bike during that ride. It wasn't a hard decision to make at all. The ride back was miserable.60 or65 was just about as fast as I wanted to go. Anything above that was not only uncomfortable, it was out andout dangerous. You cannot call it a safe ride if much of your attention is devoted to staying on the bike, much more of it devoted totrying to say in your lane, and even more of it fighting the continous buffetting and lift of the helmet (something that the windshield eliminates). Anotherpart of the reason for using the shieldis that the Deuce is the best looking bike that Harley ever made - EVER - and the windshield just enhances the way it looks. So when you add increased rider comfort and safetyto enhanced looks of what is already the most beautiful bike on the road there just isn't any 'down-side".

Kong (FXSTDI)

 

Got a wind vest and wouldn't ride without it. It's been raining large bugs lately and it's nice to miss a few behind the windshield. I carry an extra shirt behind it. COOL HAS ITS LIMITS...SOMETIMES YOU GOTTA PICK FUNCTION OVER FORM....if I used a full coverage helmet - I wouldn't need the wind vest......

 

I am right there with you. I bought a windshield for my last bike thinking I would only use it on long Hwy rides. I put it on and went out for a 100 mile ride and it was great. The next outing I thought I'll take it off since I had no plans of riding anywhere long distance. When I got back to the house the windshield went back on and stayed there!!!!

 

I took the windshield off the wife’s Deluxe the other night, and took the bike out for an unpleasant ride. A fellow HOG chapter member was killed by a cager, and the chapter was riding over to the viewing/receiving. https://www.hdforums.com/m_1456913/mpage_1/key_/tm.htm#1456913

On the way over there, I was riding at about 55-60 mph, and here it comes.. I see it, but no way to avoid it.. WHAP!!![/b] A big ol bumble bee hits me right between the eyes! That sucker caused a welt, and it’s still sore 2 days later! On the freeway, riding at 70-75 was not a pleasant experience either. I have foam lined goggles, but the wind was still getting to my eyes, making it hard to see. From now on, I’ll keep the windshield in place, UNLESS.. it’s going to be less than 45 MPH riding the entire time. I ride with a 6.5 inch windshield on my Ultra and it does a good job deflecting the bugs.. not much help with rain though.

 

I don't leave home without it. When I go on long trips I take it off and bring it in the motel room at night,just in case it develops legs and walks off.[/align]

 

Its a no brainer, Of course they work well and make the ride more enjoyable. You get your *** kicked without one. But when your young it takes more to kick your *** and you feel cool is way more important than being relaxed and comfortable.I was the same. Then later in life when the brain fully develops , Yoy get a windshield

 

I usually only use the windshield on the longer freeway rides and when it is below 50 degrees. I don't really mind riding without iton the freeway on the shorter rides. I will say that it added a lot of rides to my season as I would not have been comfortable on those 40-45 degree days.