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I knew I would need one eventually, but one of the reasons I've kept putting it off is that I don't know what size to get. I'm 5'4" on a Vstar 650. I want to be able to ride in cooler weather. If the windshield is below my line of vision, will it deflect the cold air well enough to be comfortable, or is it going to point cold wind straight at my head? Do I need a gigantic one to hide behind?

Hi MZ,

I can't speak for people who have Large Windshields, but I had the stock windshield on my Ninja 250 and that made a huge difference in deflecting wind and cold air and that barely came up to my waist. I think if you have something that goes higher than your chest you'll be ok.

I have a shellaclava that I wear under my helmet which is pretty nice. The top part of it is skinny (so you can get your helmet over it) and the bottom part is really warm.

But then again I don't get cold easy :p

Personally, I have both a winter and a rest-of-the year windshield. Both are low enough to look over rather than through, but the winter throws the wind over my head rather than on to it.

You might write these people and ask what they recommend for your height: http://www.cruisercustomizing.com/detai ... ct_ID=3344

Summer and winter shields here too, wind turbulance line below head in summer and above it in winter. Also the wings on the big Plexi 2 give much needed hand protection for below freezing winter weather. I agree, shield should be below your line of sight.

look up Memphis Shade on the net

they have a lot to offer. I ride year round, and I would not with out one.

gsJack wrote:Summer and winter shields here too, wind turbulance line below head in summer and above it in winter. Also the wings on the big Plexi 2 give much needed hand protection for below freezing winter weather. I agree, shield should be below your line of sight.

Oh yeah I totally forgot get some heated gloves or hand guards. I bought some Joe Rocket thermal blah blah blah gloves. They are very nice and very warm and even WITH these gloves after riding around for even 15 minutes doing around 35mph my hands are freezing!

Unless someone has some other experience I can say that no glove alone is sufficient for winter riding.

MZ33 wrote: If the windshield is below my line of vision, will it deflect the cold air well enough to be comfortable, or is it going to point cold wind straight at my head? Do I need a gigantic one to hide behind?

This should not be an "if". The windshield has to be below your line of vision for safety reasons. Since you'll have no winshield wiper, rain or mud could dangerously obscure your vision.

Given that, I'd suggest heading over to the National Cycle website and plugging your bike into their system. They've got a lot of options.

http://www.nationalcycle.com/

Click on "Products By Bike"

I've been using NC windshields for a few decades and they make a good product. Most can be installed or removed in minutes. Personally, I prefer the larger size shields for long highway trips and during the colder months. It's a personal preference, but I like the wind protection.

A full sized shield that is properly positioned a few inches below eye level, will direct the airstream pretty much toward the top of your helmet at highway speeds. This could mean a bit of exta noise because of the turbulent airflow around the helmet. I just wear earplugs and it's fine.

My current bike has an NC Plexi 3. It provides excellent coverage for the arms, torso and even has lowers to keep your knees from freezing in the winter.

I have a V-Star 1100 Custom and I have a windshield on it. For me, it's a must have. Without it, I can't seem to go over 60 mph without the wind trying to rip me off. . . I got the 17" windshield off the yamaha website (which is the shorter one)



I think it took my SO about 20 minutes to install. I love it! It's enough to deflect the wind and bugs, but not so much that I feel it hinders my riding or my ability to see the road. I'm about 5'4". . sorta on the short side.

It's also really hard to see through the bugs!
I have a National Cycle Switchblade on my M50. Mid-size, I'm only 5'4".

the nicest thing about the windshield, is on hot days when I'm booting around town, it pops off. It doesn't look like a pop-off when it's on.