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I've been thinking of getting a windshield, since my previous bike had a small one as standard. I've got a concern though . . .

I can only get a fork/handlebar-mounted windshield (the shield on my previous bike was mounted to - well - the rest of the bike). Does a windshield mounted to the bike's steering mechanism affect its handling? Will it be harder to do an emergency swerve at speed? Does the bike become less stable in side winds (compared to a bike whose windshield is attached to the frame?

I understand it'll be hard to generalize because there are loads of variables; width/height of shield, height of rider, distance of shield from rider, all that stuff. Still, any info and advice from the more experienced is appreciated.

PS. If it'll help any, the bike is a BMW R1150R Rockster.

Grey Thumper wrote:Does a windshield mounted to the bike's steering mechanism affect its handling? Will it be harder to do an emergency swerve at speed? Does the bike become less stable in side winds (compared to a bike whose windshield is attached to the frame?

Yes, yes and yes. But not in any severity as to cause an accident. You will notice immediately upon installing a windshield that the bars will feel "heavier" at speed and that it will require more effort to initiate turns. You will also notice that more effort will be required to maintain a straight line while riding through crosswinds, but neither of these will have an adverse effect on your safety if you are alert to them. After a while, they won't even be noticeable, as you will quickly and easily adapt to it.

What you will also notice right away is how much easier it is on the upper body when riding with a windshield. Because the wind is blocked from most of your upper body, you are not constantly pulling yourself forward to counter the effects of wind blast and you'll find that you are much more relaxed and not as tired at the end of a long day's ride.

A point to consider when getting a shield one is that it's best to buy one specifically designed for your bike. An OEM shield is the best, but there are aftermarket manufacturers out there who can offer a good product as well. "Universal" type windshields should be avoided if at all possible, because their aerodynamic characteristics will not be specific to your bike and probably won't match the styling anyway. Whatever windshield you do get make sure that the top edge does not interfere with your vision, it should be about 2" below your line of sight while riding in your normal body position. This allows your vision to remain clear while riding in rain or other conditions which would make the windshiield dirty and hard to see through, but also allows you to duck behind it to avoid road spray or debris from passing vehicles. Also, due to the curvature of the windshields, the top 3-4" are usually very optically distorted and it will rip the eyes out of your skull trying to make sense out of the road ahead if you have to look through the windshield all the time because it is too tall. A clear windshield is best, but one with a light tint or smoke can be effective during daylight riding by reducing some of the glare on the speedo, tach and other gauges on the handlebars.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head for now, other than to say that you might end up spending a bit of money before you find the windshield that is right for you. Sometimes it might take a couple of different manufacturers and much fiddling about with the setup before you find one that "fits". But I'll tell you, once you do ride with a windshield that suits your tatste you'll wonder why it took you so long to get one!

Holy encyclopedic knowledge, Batman. Many thanks for the tons of info, Gummiente!

I'm also worried about the shield working "too well". I wear leather even though I'm in a tropical country (hey, at least it's perforated) and don't want the windblast reduced too much. I guess it's a "buy to try" situation, which can get expensive.

I have the R850 R and that stupid frame mount old man shield kept breaking.

I had some mounts made up and put a bikini on, what a difference, just enough to break the blast but not enough to affect performance.

go here viewtopic.php?f=2&t=37855

OT but . . . niiiiiiiice. I especially like the tank's swooshy orange trim on white. Why does it seem like everyone else is so much better at styling BMWs than . . . the stylists at BMW?