Well i may find some use for my HD quick release compact windshield at some point. Maybe when its cold. For reference sake most trips are under 100 miles. I drive it 20 miles a day back and forth to work and longer on weekends. I gave it a week and never really liked it. I didn't have unbearable buffeting but i did have some. The noise from turbulence and buffeting was very, very annoying. It's worse then steady wind sound by far. There is no such thing as windshield with NO turbulence/buffeting. Heck most cages have buffeting if you drive with windows down depending on wind direction.. I've read 1000 posts of people trying to get rid of it. Why waste the time, money and effort.

If you reach that point * no wind * you might as well drive a cage. Even leaning down below windshield had little or no change to the buffeting. No wind coming up from the tank either. Turbulence behind vehicles and from crosswind is by far worse then no windshield at all. I wear a leather jacket and FF helmet. With shield no body cooling. Shields do impact control no matter what height.

So i took off the shield looked over the bars and said WOW. A totally open unobstructed view like i've always had before. Hey isn't that on the tops list of the motorcycle driving experience? Other then some wind noise that can totally be defeated by wearing ear plugs, FF helmet/leather jacket takes care of bugs, rain etc, etc. So i'll deal with the wind on the body. It's really only bad on WINDY days and even so its easy to deal with. Now i just have to hope the spouse dont see that near 400 dollar HD windshield setting against the wall in the spare room. If i can't dress warm enough to drive it in cool weather i may put it on then. Last and not least is most windshields take away from the beauty of our rides.

P.S. my visor never fogged up until in had a windshield on.

Just saying, Have a wonderful weekend and ride long and hard!

 

My buddy did the same thing - could`nt avoid the head bobbing no matter what setting he used - took it off after a week and it`s sitting in his garage.

 

I know it's all personal experience and taste, but I'm really not sure what the head bobbing described is. Maybe because I'm only 5'7. Is it the wind going over the windshield and hitting your face? I use a compact QR, and when I'm going fast it is a much better experience. I think wind has a lot to do with it, it is ALWAYS windy on the freeways here cuz it's either by the coast or the bay. Where are you located?

 

into the wind, i get head bobbing (without a shield)- and if its a long enough ride i get a sore neck! so i am considering adding on a removable shield (around town it would be off).
i do like the feel of the wind on my face as long as its not all the time and heavy!

 

Mine is an 18 inch shield and i get air hitting the very top *less then 1/3rd* and top sides of my full face helmet. If i open my visor i get buffeting ie slightly blurred vision as i wear eyeglasses as well. Visor down there is no real head bobbing or shake that is noticeable unless you are hit with a crosswind or behind basically any vehicle.

I've leaned down and forward, etc, etc behind the shield just to see if i can eliminate either completely and it can't be done and who wants to ride a motorcycle with an enclosed feeling. I think one of the problems is motorcycle windshields are really not aerodynamic like helmets are. It's not your head that gets wind pressure but your body and the type of jacket you wear plays part into the wind pressure. Leather like i wear just grabs all the air lol.

I can't imagine a freeway with wind with cars and trucks not shaking the crap out of a motorcycle considering i was driving behind a SUV the other day and felt and heard noticeable turbulence with the windshield on. I suppose i could get my windshield chopped down so that it only blocked the wind on my body but this still would create increased turbulence as the crappy aerodynamic profile would still exist.

Though i love my Jeep Liberty it gets totally crappy gas mileage where as the wifes car gets great mileage. My windshield is nearly vertical and hers is laid back. This is a a good reference to why most motorcycle windshields have poor aerodynamics. Anything that sits almost vertical is like a barn door lol..

I drive mainly early morning and in daylight so bugs are not a big issue during those hours. It's not always blowing 35 mph winds or higher and if it was I'm not sure my bike would feel stable with a windshield in those conditions with or without. *used to getting blown around *

So far the only plus to having it on was relief of wind pressure on the body and even that takes away from the cooling affect we get when driving with no windshield. There is just something about looking over the handlebars and seeing the ground in front of you that you don't get with a windshield. A windshield distracts from that view by putting a shaped piece of Lexan in the way.

 

I ride full face at times,I find no problems with my shield,it actually helps the head bob more than hurt it,I'm lost on what your talking about really. I'm 5'10" 180lbs and have my Sportster set up for me to be comfortable for me. No issues with my windshield on or off the highway. I ride with it off to & live in PA with no helmet law and find wearing anything less than a full face without a windshield to really suck,feels like it is going to suck my head off my shoulders,especially on a highway at 70. I ride without it alot though and usually only with a skid lid or no helmet and feel fine except when that huge bug splats off my cheek!

 

Last weekend I went on a 200+ mile ride with a windshield, for the first time. It was OK - cut down wind resistance, but made me hotter. I'd just as soon do without it.

 

I want to get a bubble put around my entire bike to keep me protected from wind, rain, sand, dirt, mud, rocks, etc.. That way I feel nothing but still look cool. jk!

 

+1. I came to the same conclusion a long time ago after trying several windshields. The buffeting on my helmet is worse than the clean air. That's why I run drag bars on my 1200C. By slightly leaning into the clean turbulence-free air I can comfortably do 70 mph. I had apes on my Street Bob and felt like a sail going down the freeway. The only thing I've found that can help a little is a small aerodynamic headlight fairing because they cut the wind and create minimal buffeting.

 

The windshield in effect creates the same thing you feel when passing a semi truck and trailer. If your far enough behind it you get clean air and draft. When you get up beside it you are in dirty air and your bike feels unstable. The difference is that truck punches a much bigger hole in the air then a motorcycle windshield does.

The distance from clean air which is right on the edge of your shield to dirty air right behind the shield is basically nothing. * hold your hand out* I wear prescription lenses which means i need my body and head to move smoothly through the air. Any turbulence at all and it causes oscillations of your visual focus. Clean air on most occasions has no turbulence to us that ride without windshields. I can be going 80 plus with no shield and a FF helmet and see everything, signs etc perfectly clear. If i did that with a HD QD shield i would for one have a headache from hell eventually and secondly have a hard time focusing on what the sign post actually said.

I'm not sure hacking the shield down so that it only relieved wind pressure to my body would even work. It still wouldn't be as smooth a ride as no windshield at all imo.