View Poll Results: windshield ?
always with windshield
69
37.10%
almost always with winshield
66
35.48%
only on long rides
39
20.97%
never
12
6.45%
Voters: 186. You may not vote on this poll
Road King - ride with or without windshield?
Tourer
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 338
Likes: 2
From: North Central CT
Before I put on my fairing, I rode with it off exactly twice....coming home from picking it up the first day and one other time (where I got about 2 miles down the road, turned around and went and put it back on). Life going with a half lid, wouldn't do it without the shield/fairing.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 12,653
Likes: 18
From: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
I tried running without the shield once. I don't know what is so different from when I was in my teens and 20s, but it didn't take long for me to turn around and return home to put it back on. Wind was beating me to death, and I couldn't even hear my pipes to tell when to shift the bike (I've always just gone by the sound of the motor). I didn't think I was that old at 55, but I guess I am. So now it stays on all the time.
Kind of funny because even the first day I got this bike, I was determined that I would remove the shield and ride without it. But the first ride on it kind of made me think having it wasn't a bad idea.
Kind of funny because even the first day I got this bike, I was determined that I would remove the shield and ride without it. But the first ride on it kind of made me think having it wasn't a bad idea.
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 103
Likes: 0
From: Cape Cod
I thought I'd be 50/50 when I bought the bike. It stays on about 75% of the time though. Always on if riding two up and/or going on the highway. Funny...it seems more nimble w/o the shield on....know it is just a perception.
Going to get apes and a solo seat....love that look without the shield.
Going to get apes and a solo seat....love that look without the shield.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 12,359
Likes: 74
From: WI
I will occasssionally ride around town without it. however, around here, when the weather warms up enough, it seems that the bugs are always out, especially at night so I have a tendency to leave it on more often than not.
I've ridden thousands of miles without one on my Street Bob, and came to the realization that bikes look so much better without windshields, but the ride is so much better with one on.
I've ridden thousands of miles without one on my Street Bob, and came to the realization that bikes look so much better without windshields, but the ride is so much better with one on.
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Novice
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: Cape Cod
I will swap between my Dead Center fairing with 4.5" shield and my Recurve 17" Clearview Windshield depending on the ride. Rarely ride without any shield. When I swap out the fairing with the windshield it feels like I'm riding without a screen!
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,953
Likes: 28
From: Houston, TX
I pull it off for around town rides, on for long rides. Rode without it Saturday, about 250 miles. 140 miles was interstate, 100 miles back roads. There is a night/day difference between 50-60mph and 70mph - or at least that was my threshold. At about 70 my 3/4 helmet was catching a lot of wind. At 50-60mph the ride was perfect.....