I made this little fly screen that works so well I thought I'd share it here in case anyone else was looking for something like this.

First, let me explain why I made this. The stock surf board that came mounted on the front of my bike isn't aerodynamic, like the Batwing on the Road and Street Glides. True, it does keep the wind from beating on my chest but the turbulence, noise, extremely poor gas mileage at speed and reduced effect of horsepower makes the windshield completely useless.

Coming from the sportbike realm, I've owned a dozen different bikes with tiny little windshields that allowed me to ride at speeds in excess of 160 MPH, comfortably and smoothly.

So why the big giant boogie board? I never figured out the purpose, when it rains I get just as wet. I only need to block the chest blast wind so I can ride long distance on the highway at 90MPH.

But nobody makes a fly screen. So I made one out of 1/8" plexiglass. It works so well that I feel like I bought a different bike.

I can ride 90 MPH on the highway all day in super smooth clean quiet undisturbed air with all wind blocked from my chest and shoulders. My gas mileage at that speed is almost as good as it is at 70MPH and my bike feels like it gained 50 more horsepower on the highway.

Tom

 

Looks good, nice job. But I have to ask, if it's deflecting the wind from your chest & shoulders, isn't redirecting the wind right into your face? Or is that ok because you wear a full face bucket & shield? Even then it seems like it would be a lot of force blowing your head back, no?

 

Looks like a similar concept to a Windvest, but probably way cheaper.

 

Good idea, but IMO it looks tacky.

Find a better way to mount it, and you've got something nice!

 

I learned a long time ago,that just a jacket or sleeping bag tied to the 'bars will cut down a LOT of wind,and even seem to put the wind over your head. On my baggers I've always used a windshield that is just tall enough that I can look through it,or over it,if I need to. Works for me.

 

Seems like a simple concept.
I saw a bike once with ape hangers that had a similar idea.

 

I've thought about something that small and wondered if it'd work, like attaching it to my risers, since there's no way I'll put a big windshield car part on my bike.

 

I hate the look of windshields, functional or not, and I'd almost try one of those. Smoked plexi of course. Come up with a better attachment and I'll bet you could market that.

 

Hey, if you're happy with it, that's all that matters.


I'm not so young anymore, I like having a windshield.

 

I admire you ingenuity but I think you are way off base on the overall functionality of a shield. I will agree that they look like crap but the rest of that stuff is a bit of a stretch to say the least...It sounds like your stock shield didn't fit you properly. If it did, you would only be complaining about the looks. Your aerodynamics are also probably better with the shield. Smooth glass has cut the wind better than your body...You sit straight up on a touring bike and your body is a sail. The reason you were able to ride your sport bikes that fast (I have done a ton of seat time in a country with no speed limits so I can relate) with a tiny shield because you were in a tucked position. If you have ever came out of that tuck at a considerable amount of speed, you have to remember the wind wanting to tear you off the bike.