Motorcycles

[j]

Yes. Yes. Now I have to find some "beginner" off road rides to try it out on. Around town and highway though, it's awesome. I do think I'll have to change out the windscreen to a shorter one because it's pretty loud and I prefer having my head in fresh air.

What do you all think about windshields anyway? What is the point exactly? To keep your head totally out of the wind? To deflect water/bugs away from hitting your visor? To keep wind pressure off your chest? Having started out on bikes totally without them, I am not sure I understand why people like having them at all.

 

[Tokyo Slim]

Originally Posted by j

Yes. Yes. Now I have to find some "beginner" off road rides to try it out on. Around town and highway though, it's awesome. I do think I'll have to change out the windscreen to a shorter one because it's pretty loud and I prefer having my head in fresh air.

What do you all think about windshields anyway? What is the point exactly? To keep your head totally out of the wind? To deflect water/bugs away from hitting your visor? To keep wind pressure off your chest? Having started out on bikes totally without them, I am not sure I understand why people like having them at all.

At speed, they enable you to ride longer with less fatigue. Also, for bugs and rocks.
The downside is, depending on the design and your height, you might get a lot of helmet buffeting. At least, that's that's what people have discussed before on Stromtrooper.

 

[j]

They only help for rocks (or heavy bugs) if you are looking through the windshield, which is a pretty big windshield. And I don't want to look through plastic while riding. So that leaves fatigue, and I'm totally unconvinced. I feel like unless the windshield fits me perfectly, it's going to make riding a hell of a lot more noisy, which to me is more fatiguing than holding myself up. Also, they often focus all the wind that would be hitting you in the chest/stomach so it's all hitting you in the face, which means your neck gets way more strained than it would. Overall, I can't see a reason to have one, unless I'm just missing out on the bliss that a perfectly-fitted-to-me windshield must be.

 

[Tokyo Slim]

From what I gather, it is entirely possible to, with a good shield, sit in a relatively calm pocket of air. In practice, I'm not sure how big a screen that would entail, but I think screen shape matters a lot too.

 

[Tokyo Slim]

Apparently the stock F650/Dakar windscreen is almost as bad as the stock 'Strom windscreen as far as buffeting and airflow for many taller riders. This might help: http://faq.f650.com/FAQs/Buffeting.htm

 

[j]

I already swapped out to the short one and it's better. I may try mounting them both with a spacer in between to try to get some of the shielding benefits of the taller clear screen without too much of the wind blocking "benefits". I'll mess with it some and see what I can do. If all else fails, it's pretty good with just the short one.

 

[emptym]

Congrats!

When I first got my bike, I thought of getting one, but then heard it just deflects wind from your chest to your head, so I didn't. The only place rocks have bothered me is my shins and my neck if I'm not wearing a gaiter.

 

[j]

Did the Mountain Loop Highway yesterday. Next time I will start earlier in the day... pretty dark and cold by the time I got down from the mountain. Still some snow at the top, but luckily not on the road.

Mein neues Motorrad @ Big Four Mountain

 

[CDFS]

Nice bike!

Originally Posted by CDFS

Tomorrow, I'll find out that the first half of my licence exam will be canceled due to snow.

Ice, lots of ice.

 

[sushi7474]

Originally Posted by j

What do you all think about windshields anyway? What is the point exactly? To keep your head totally out of the wind? To deflect water/bugs away from hitting your visor? To keep wind pressure off your chest? Having started out on bikes totally without them, I am not sure I understand why people like having them at all.

Well,
after riding whole days, I like the option to put my helmet-shield up and enjoy the fresh air without bugs and dust particles bumping my face

I installed a Wunderlich windshield on on my 650 GS and it does not create additional noise or wind twirls. I am ~ 6' tall, so this also might play a role...

 

[wasabi-rabi]

Originally Posted by celticgent

since the fellow who posted the pic didn't chime in;


That's a Road King Custom

It's the nicest looking (cleanest...less chrome, bling, etc) of the touring line, so of course none of the chrome-shining chap-wearing pirates bought it and HD stopped making it.

I'm still paying off my current ride (XL1200R) and once that's paid off I plan on finding a nice used Road King Custom.

Celtic Gent - you are a man of wisdom. Thanks for chiming in in my absence.

Wetnose, Sorry to have not responded sooner...I was away.

The bike is indeed a Road King Custom. 2004 in fact.

Kudos to you Wetnose for recognizing that it's a Harley. Since I pulled off all the Harley bling (to include the tank emblems) people often ask me what kind of bike it is...

Kudos to you CelticGent for recognizing the model. You're obviously a connisseur of bikes that are meant to be ridden...

 

[CodeRed]

Picked up a white Brutale last week

 

[Salad]

The sun came out so I took the bike out for a quick spin and to get some gas. 1975 Honda CB400F.

The exhaust was the only reason I wanted this particular bike. I'm glad my headers are in good shape because nice stock pipes are not easy to find and when you do see them, they're not cheap!

 

[j]

Suh-weeet... I bet that thing revs a little high.

 

[bubbleboys]

Did not know there was a motorcycle thread on sf. I think I'll be on here a lot more.

Originally Posted by j

They only help for rocks (or heavy bugs) if you are looking through the windshield, which is a pretty big windshield. And I don't want to look through plastic while riding. So that leaves fatigue, and I'm totally unconvinced. I feel like unless the windshield fits me perfectly, it's going to make riding a hell of a lot more noisy, which to me is more fatiguing than holding myself up. Also, they often focus all the wind that would be hitting you in the chest/stomach so it's all hitting you in the face, which means your neck gets way more strained than it would. Overall, I can't see a reason to have one, unless I'm just missing out on the bliss that a perfectly-fitted-to-me windshield must be.

My understanding with windshields at least on sportbikes and for racing is that in a full tuck the windshield drastically reduces buffetting and wind resistance but for the kind of bike you seem to have, my guess is just for neck fatigue since you don't have to fight to keep your head from flying back and bugs and rocks.

Originally Posted by CodeRed

Picked up a white Brutale last week

*gasp* a brutale! That is my dream streetfighter bike. Such a sexy bike. Which one did you get? 910R, 910S, or the new 1078.

Originally Posted by Salad

The sun came out so I took the bike out for a quick spin and to get some gas.
1975 Honda CB400F.

The exhaust was the only reason I wanted this particular bike.
I'm glad my headers are in good shape because nice stock pipes are not easy to find and when you do see them, they're not cheap!

wow 1975, that looks really well maintained. Very clean. When did you pick it up?