look over or under windshield

[pru7536]

I never gave much thought to whether I was looking over or through the windshield, but this post made me realize I look through it. I just reviewed some of the cockpit photo shots from my adventure and the windshield is well above the horizon as I am riding. In order to look over it, I would have to cut it a little more than half its height now. As I was curious, I just went out and measured it and found it was 12 3/8 high. To look over it without having the top in my line of sight, it would have to be about four inches high. I’m not sure it would do anything as far as keeping bugs, rain, etc. from hitting me in the face at that height. I have seen plenty of short windshields, but I have never ridden a bike with one. As I don’t ride at night, headlight glare is not an issue for me. Personally, I’m not sure a shorter windshield would be beneficial, but I’d sure like to try one just to know. I will keep an eye on this thread as it appears most riders prefer to look over the windshield. So many people could not be wrong, so maybe I’m missing the boat here.

 

[RetiredJake]

Pru,

You're about the same height as I am. My windshield is 9" and I look over it quite well. Mine is a recurve style so it throws the wind well over my head.

Jake

 

[NEWHD74FAN]

Pru, I am quite surprised you did not run into heavy fog on your ride to California... just lucky I guess. I have been in fog so thick that I was wiping my full face shield with my left glove which was soaking wet like a chamois. Having that high a windscreen would have had me and my gal stranded in the mountains. Try a windscreen like RetiredJake stated, those few inches make a big difference.

 

[ProF]

I suppose it's pretty obvious, but the age and clarity of the windshield probably have more to do with the ride than the height. I have a new shield on my heritage, and it must be the tall one, as I'm looking thru it with about 4 inches to spare. But it's new and clear, and I can see just fine. By this time next year I may be either cutting it down or replacing it, as looking thru a scratched or semi-transparent clouding up windshield would drive me crazy.
On my roadglide, I looked over the windshield and never had a bug problem. Maybe a bit more buffeting but never cared. Like everyone says, personal preference.

 

[Blindrage]

<snip>
Here is my unknown; is the dreaded love bug so big that it will not be carried up and over, but rather smack you right in the forhead?

they are pretty small, and since it is two bugs locked together they are not very aerodynamic either. That means they get pushed around by the wind pretty easily, so I think the air flow will do just fine at keeping them off you. At least that has been my experience with them.

 

[Dr.Evil]

they are pretty small, and since it is two bugs locked together they are not very aerodynamic either. That means they get pushed around by the wind pretty easily, so I think the air flow will do just fine at keeping them off you. At least that has been my experience with them.

Thanks, I will make sure to bring Pledege if I get south of the Manson Nixon line.

 

[pru7536]

I think I will leave well enough alone for the time being. With 33075 miles on the geezer glide and 9580 miles travelled in 27 days, I have never encountered a scenario where I wished I had a shorter windshield. Going across the Golden Gate Bridge, it was so foggy, I didn’t even know I was on it. If the fog and rain wasn’t on the windshield, it would have been on the helmet visor, if it wasn’t on the helmet visor it would have been on my glasses. In ’06 I took the deuce on a 5316 mile adventure and it didn’t have a windshield of any size. I guess we have to adapt to what we have at the time. ProF makes a good point, if the windshield is scratched or crazed, that may cause a significant problem, especially when riding into the sun close to the horizon. Good food for thought here, as usual.

 

[Jim B.]

I think I will leave well enough alone for the time being. With 33075 miles on the geezer glide and 9580 miles travelled in 27 days, I have never encountered a scenario where I wished I had a shorter windshield. Going across the Golden Gate Bridge, it was so foggy, I didn’t even know I was on it. If the fog and rain wasn’t on the windshield, it would have been on the helmet visor, if it wasn’t on the helmet visor it would have been on my glasses. In ’06 I took the deuce on a 5316 mile adventure and it didn’t have a windshield of any size. I guess we have to adapt to what we have at the time. ProF makes a good point, if the windshield is scratched or crazed, that may cause a significant problem, especially when riding into the sun close to the horizon. Good food for thought here, as usual.

All you have to do is whip out that well used cleaning cloth that you keep in your pocket and wipe off your windshield, visor, glasses, etc. Your windshield is always so clean I think you must pull over every hour to clean it. I'm sure you cleaned it before you left your brother-in-law's house in Nipomo before you met me 10 miles down the road in Santa Maria. And then you cleaned it again before you left Santa Maria.

 

[pru7536]

I sure hope rockinreel doesn’t feel like we have hijacked his original post, but he posed a legitimate question that has generated significant responses. Jim B. has me pegged! I am relatively unconcerned about the cleanliness of my bikes while on a trip, but I do not allow bugs to collect on my visor while on the deuce, or the windshield while on the geezer glide. Having relatively poor vision under the best of circumstances, I make sure I can see as well as possible by keeping any barrier as clean and scratch free as possible. I went so far as to bring an extra pair of glasses with me on my adventure hoping they would not be needed. Fortunately they went unused. Had they been pressed into action, something untoward would have occurred, but I was prepared anyway.

 

[PigSnot]

Mine is cut down to look over when sitting tall. Looking through in mist or rain at night with headlight glare was a safety concern for me. Followed the self-help and tips and tricks of this forum, and worked well.
As always, appreciating all the comments and experiences.