A windshield certainly cuts down on the neck pain caused by bracing for the wind going by you at 80 mph. A full face won't do that. I find my FB with a shield is quieter and MUCH more comfortable for the long haul than my FXST with high bars and no shield. Both bikes are louder than hell...

 

I had a sport bike once with a small windshield and getting low and under the wind sure did stop the wind noise and could actually hear the motor very well. But may not be the same on a cruiser sitting straight up

 

yes I did when discharged from the Navy.
I was on aircraft carriers for eight years..1958-1966.
I was told not to waste any money on hi-priced stereos.

but my hearing is good enough to hear the "pansys crying "..

 

Whether you hear wind or not.

 

Full face, ear plugs and the cleanest air possible...ie no windshield, is the quietest you can get on the highway.

Longer distances are tough though without something to block the chest blast on the highway. A full face will protect your hearing but your arms will get tired of holding on after 90 miles without something to block the chest blast.

Full face, ear plugs and the cleanest air possible...ie no windshield, is the quietest you can get on the highway.

Longer distances are tough though without something to block the chest blast on the highway. A full face will protect your hearing but your arms will get tired of holding on after 90 miles without something to block the chest blast.

 

Hearing loss sucks . . I have it (tinnitus). As a recording studio owner, musician I realize my profession has something to do with it, but I would say in my case, wearing a helmet with no plugs for a few years was the dumbest thing I could have ever done. Also riding with 'in ear' headphones at times was stupid (in my case). My dumba-ss, I thought I was bulletproof. Hearing loss sneaks up on you . . you don't think you have it until it's too late. Not even sure most FF would do the trick, without plugs

 

Get my hearing tested yearly as part of work. Have a hearing loss that is job related. Still have ear plugs when I ride. Not because noise is bad, just trying to save the hearing I have. And wear a ff.

 

The windshield on my Heritage cuts the wind noise a great deal. I wear a 1/2 when the windshield is on, and only need plugs for long distance rides.

I like the no windshield look, so I went FF for the summer at least. Riding with no windshield and the 1/2 helmet vs. the FF is no comparison. The aerodynamics of the FF make a huge difference - I do not feel my head being pushed back unless I turn to the side, and there is very little noise. It is much less effort riding without the shield when I switch to the FF.

I think a lot of it depends on the bike/rider and the setup. The Heritage seems to be the fit for me. I don't have buffeting or other problems so many have with windshields.

 

I prefer no shield at all, but if I'm going to do some highway riding I'd rather wear a full face because I can still have the "feel" of wind flow around my body. A windshield makes me feel like I'm riding inside a pocket of still air and doesn't give me a sense of freedom at all. I feel disconnected from the environment and that defeats the purpose of riding.

I prefer no shield at all, but if I'm going to do some highway riding I'd rather wear a full face because I can still have the "feel" of wind flow around my body. A windshield makes me feel like I'm riding inside a pocket of still air and doesn't give me a sense of freedom at all. I feel disconnected from the environment and that defeats the purpose of riding.

 

In town, I like wearing my FF with no windshield. The noise isn't too bad for the most part. If I'm doing any time on the highway more than a few miles, I like to bring the windshield since I cruise at 80+. But on longer trips, I definitely do the ear plugs/FF/windshield combo. I still get enough sound that I can hear the bike and things around me like emergency vehicles, but it blocks out all the wind noise.