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Windshield Help

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Old Dec 15, 2018 | 07:59 AM
  #11  
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You need to find what works for you I’ve always got the taller sheilds to help with my passenger and keep the buffering wind from my passenger.
 
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Old Dec 17, 2018 | 04:55 AM
  #12  
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When I bought my 2012 Ultra Classic, the windshield was already installed. I don't know who made it. A little bit larger than stock windshields which is perfect when it's raining and probably 8 inches tall.
I had the same wind issue with the wind hitting the helmet just over my glasses.
Instead of replacing the windskheld, I've bought a Puig ajustable wind defector and now, that's perfect on long and high speed travels (80/85 MPH).
 
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Old Dec 17, 2018 | 07:40 AM
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Originally Posted by beuz
When I bought my 2012 Ultra Classic, the windshield was already installed. I don't know who made it. A little bit larger than stock windshields which is perfect when it's raining and probably 8 inches tall.
I had the same wind issue with the wind hitting the helmet just over my glasses.
Instead of replacing the windskheld, I've bought a Puig ajustable wind defector and now, that's perfect on long and high speed travels (80/85 MPH).
I've used one of those with great success on my Buell, riding in France!

On my old Glide, this is my solution, works for both of us when 2-up:

 
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Old Dec 17, 2018 | 08:27 AM
  #14  
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I am not an aerodynamicist but I have read a lot about how the airflow is affected by pushing these fairings and bug catchers (windshields) through the air. California Scientific Windshields (http://www.calsci.com/) was the first place I read about the turbulance caused by the low pressure behind the windscreen and the need for a vent. Once I read about the effectiveness of the 'vent' to diffuse that bubble I realized what BMW has been doing with the gap at the bottom of their windshields since at least 2005 on the R1200RT. Then HD vented the fairing of the Rushmore models and that has a button to open or close it. Open = reduced buffeting, closed = buffeting like the old 1999 I had.

With that in mind there needs to be a path for the air to get behind the screen. I was going through this on my 1999 and tried several different kinds of shields (probably $500 worth over time if not more) and then stumbled on this one for 1996-2013 models: https://madstad.com/collections/harl...lide-1996-2013

I have the 2014+ version in my potential list for my 2018 Ultra Limited but to be honest, the vent in the fairing pretty much eliminates the buffeting issues I had with the 1999 Ultra. No more tall/short/recurve/bigger recurve/add-on shields for me. The bonus is this is also adjustable! The separation of the shield at the bottom provides the needed venting.


From the website for the MY in question

I hope this helps!
 
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Old Dec 17, 2018 | 08:33 AM
  #15  
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A vent in the windshield has been around since the 1970s IIRC, courtesy of Vetter, if nobody else. My shield above is inspired by another BMW model, that odd looking faired Custom twin they made for a while, which got good reviews from the rider's seat. I have a vent of sorts between the batwing and the bottom of my shield, also on my adapted Buell Firebolt fairing. They do help!
 
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Old Dec 17, 2018 | 08:39 AM
  #16  
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Originally Posted by grbrown
A vent in the windshield has been around since the 1970s IIRC, courtesy of Vetter, if nobody else. My shield above is inspired by another BMW model, that odd looking faired Custom twin they made for a while, which got good reviews from the rider's seat. I have a vent of sorts between the batwing and the bottom of my shield, also on my adapted Buell Firebolt fairing. They do help!
LOL...yup, I remember those. Honda vented the Goldwing shield too when they put their own branded fairing on it; probably mimicking the Windjammer II that people were putting on them already. I, personally, never equated that vent with reduced buffeting and instead thought it was there as a sort of window to let air in to cool the rider behind those ginormous screens! Of course I was playing with much less expensive equipment at the time so I never knew. I did have a Vetter Quicksilver on my 1979 Suzuki GS400x and I rode that darn thing anywhere I could! I was sold on it when a large sugar beet hit it falling off a truck...saved me it did! Ah...memories....
 
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Old Dec 17, 2018 | 09:09 AM
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Originally Posted by dceggert
LOL...yup, I remember those. Honda vented the Goldwing shield too when they put their own branded fairing on it; probably mimicking the Windjammer II that people were putting on them already. I, personally, never equated that vent with reduced buffeting and instead thought it was there as a sort of window to let air in to cool the rider behind those ginormous screens! Of course I was playing with much less expensive equipment at the time so I never knew. I did have a Vetter Quicksilver on my 1979 Suzuki GS400x and I rode that darn thing anywhere I could! I was sold on it when a large sugar beet hit it falling off a truck...saved me it did! Ah...memories....
Some of the early touring fairings also had vents in them, below the level of the windshield itself, such as the original BMW RT models, although I'm not sure if they had the same benefit (I preferred the RS and had two of them):

 
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Old Dec 17, 2018 | 02:14 PM
  #18  
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Aero Polycarbonate Windshield from Fast Aire - He still has them for the 96-13 Models - www.FastAire.com
Call Jim & ask for a discount
 
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Old Dec 17, 2018 | 02:48 PM
  #19  
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The dealer should allow u to 'trial' windshields. The effectiveness largely depends on riding posture? The top of the shield should be between ur upper lip and nose.

edit: NEVER fit a windshield that you're looking through! You should always be looking slightly over the top!
 

Last edited by assiniboine; Dec 17, 2018 at 02:49 PM.
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Old Dec 17, 2018 | 02:54 PM
  #20  
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I ave been using the LRS Javelin Recurve 8" with pretty good sucess. I am 5' 11" and wear a full face. The full face helmets seem to like to buffet more behind windshields. I have no issue with full face when the helmet is in free air without a windshield. You can also get some buffeting from under the fairing, I have not tried any of the wings/ etc stuff but some people seem to have success with those.
 
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