OK... I've been riding softails for years.. Mostly Fatty's and Heritages... I still have my '03 Heritage in fact.
I bought a Streetglide, wanted a bagger and the Streetglide looks SO HOT. It looks fast just sitting in my garage! And holy c**p does it out handle the heritage.. the ride is unbeliveably better... Anyways.. I'm having serious trouble getting used to the fairing. Has anyone else experienced this? I'm also getting POUNDED by wind... and I don't mind the wind generally speaking..ride the heritage w/o the windshield often in fact. But the kingsize shield on the heritage offers me much more protection. I'm 6'1" and I installed a 6" SE windshield on the SG... I don't really want to go much bigger, cause part of the allure was the lower WS. And i don't really care for the look of the Cee Bailey's... Also, I'm experiencing a little more wobble at higher speeds on the interstate 75-85. Is that normal? I LOVE the styling of the SG but I'm seriously considering a RK. Should I wait it out?? Will I get used to the fairing? Any observations would be greatly appreciated.

 

At your height, you might have to go a little taller on the windshield. Even the 8 inch one looks pretty good with a dark tint IMO. If you duck down a bit when riding, does the wind situation improve? If so, try a taller one. Just my .02, hope it helps.

 

I went from a Roadking to an EG Classic and had no problem getting used to the fairing. I don't think I'll be going back anytime soon.

I have a 6" shorty smoked shield on mine and don't notice that much wind. It is less than what the wife gets with her Heritage. I ride with a ball cap all the time.


Regards,

Bill

 

I do not think the "wobbble at high speed" is normal with any tourer. My ultra classic is rock solid at 70-95. In fact 95 feels about like 70, and actually rides better 2 up than solo. IMO you shouldnt be getting any HS wobble.

 

I have a 6 inch black shield. I get a little wind but nothing that makes it uncomfortable. You may need to go with an 8 inch. It will not change the appearance that much and you will probably be more comfortable...

 

At 6'1" you could probably get by with an 8" black windshield...a couple more inches but the solid black really stands out. I think J&P Cycles sells a version.

 

Fought off the fairing for years, now I wouldn't want to be without. No wobble and I don't mind some wind blast with the 6".

 

I'm about the same height and needed a 9' dark smoked from Fastaire and it works perfect. Almost no buffeting at all. Changes the low sleek look just a little in my opinion but worth it. Wobble is not normal. Better get it checked out. You will never get used to the buffeting with the 6" IMO.

 

If you're getting a Front end wobble, you might want to check your tire pressure. no more than 36lbs.

Good luck

 

Fish...if you do a search you will find a few thread on this topic, one of mine for sure. My last bike was a Fatboy and I loved the ability to remove the windsheild but riding with the King sized windhsheild was for the most part turbulent free, unless winds were gusting over 20-30MPH. Even then, nothing too tough with that size sheild.

Fast forward to the Street Glide. I LOVE this bike. It out performs the Fatboy in just about every way. You should NOT be getting any high speed wobble. I'd check tire pressure and rear shock pressure before taking it in. My bike also rides better and smoother at 80 than it does at 60, but both speeds arer greatLet us know what you find out with that problem.

Now Batwing and wind bufretting....I have had issues with it, even though I never even attempted any serious riding with the 4" shield.
I immediately put a 9" smoked sheild from Fast Aire on it and still didn't fid the kind of protection I was used to with the king size Fatboy windshield. I'm an inch shorter than you by the way. The 9" worked better of course, and the 10" that much more, but still not great coverage. I determined this:


-over the the course of a two week period here winds were gusting every day up to 30-35 mph. The HARSH turbulence and not just WIND were pretty brutal. My ears hurt and I was seriously considering going the Road King route. When the wind returned to normal 5-10mph, things got much calmer but still not great.

-I added a Mustang Daytripper seat. It's lower, gorgous, fit's the bike perfectly, VERY comfortable for a non touring seat, and it sit's me in the bike vs on it like the stock seat. With a 9" and for sure 10" sheild, almost all buffetting is gone. I needed to be behind the windhshield more, pure and simple. Looking 4" over the top of a windshild causes major turbulence for me.

-I added the Freedom Wing wind protectors on the lower part of the fairing. They are adjustable so you can open or close them. They help a LOT and you really can't even see them with the right color. The factory puts em on the Ultras for a reason, just as they do 12" windshields.

-There is turbulent air that comes under the fairing as well that causes some of the harshness, but MOST of it can easily be controlled with the use of the lower seat, Freedom Wings and higher windsheild. For you, it needs to be a 9-10". I'm most comfortable with the 10", but usually ride with the 9" cause it looks that much better. When they are tinted, they don't change the lookk of the bike that much, but I know what you mean about retaining the look.

Bottom line is that Ultras come equiped with lower fairings, Batwing fairings, fairing wind adaptors, 12" windsheilds because it creates a quiet place to ride a motorcycle. It takes a bit of compromise on the SG to get the same thing, without robbing the look, but it can be done easily and not for much $$. I will most likely get a clear 12" for any long touring, ride with the 9" most other times, but having said all of that, I'm riding the stock 4" right now and it feels great with the low winds we've been having. Go figure. Let us know how you come out with this.