windshield

[liefe]

I wonder if there is a slightly lower windshield than stock for my 07 venture, oem or otherwise. I think I would like it to be a couple of inches lower. Have considered cutting it down but it is quite scratched up anyway. Any advice??

[etcswjoe]

Show Chrome and Clearview http://www.clearviewshields.com/ both have shorter ones click on the banners Don has in the upper right hand corner and you can find several options. I have the show Chrome and I like it several people have the clearview too.

Edited November 9, 2010 by etcswjoe
Added Link

[Bobby G]

Completely agree about the Show Chrome windshield. Perfect height - 13 in. I think - and 2 inches wider on each side. No buffeting at all.

[2nd Blessing]

I will also be shortening the windshield on my O7 but will be cutting it down. Friend of mine use to work on planes and can buff the scratched one back to pristine condition if cost is an issue or if you simply don't want to change shields yet for a few more years. may be a consideration. He uses a cut polish of some type (I could find out what), and a variable speed buffer. cleaned up the windscreen on a very old, very scratched up 78 wing for me couple of years ago. It is just a thought.

Wally

Spring seems a long way off

[fxitdude]

If you cut the scratched up one you can see if you like it before you buy a new one. If you don't like it you can buy a new one the original size.

[RandyR]

I just bought a Showchrome short & wide clear. Not too expensive, and I like it so far after 2 weeks.

[fredfloon]

I cut my stock windscreen down in the spring. No problem to do, I used a hand held jig saw. In fact, I did it twice, when the first time didn't lower it enough. The stock windscreen is a danger in the rain; you just can't see through it...throw in your helmet visor and glasses, and maybe the dark, and you risk your life riding behind it. Advice: cut it down or get a new one. I found the stock also detracted from the ride. Riding behind a fairing and looking through it, as opposed to looking over it, removed the...intimacy? from the ride: hell, I might as well have been in a car or on a gold wing (o:

This is what I did.

First time:

-I removed the fairing, easy enough to do. Then I traced the pattern to which I was going to cut the fairing down to (if that makes sense) by taking a brown paper bag and cutting it open so it was a single long piece; I cut out the rectangular bottom out of the bag and threw it away.

-I next took the brown paper bag and traced the curve of the top of the windsreen onto it using a magic marker.

-Next I moved the pattern down two inches, made certain it was "plumb" side by side, then transferred the design to the fairing using an erasable whiteboard marker

-I next took masking tape and put it on either side of the pattern to protect the lexan/plastic from being scratched by the saw.

-Put on ear muffs and glasses, and proceeded to cut the fairing along the line I'd drawn. I was surprised at how easily the plastic/lexan/whateverthehellitis cut: no problems. It showed no tendency to shatter or splinter, which is what I was afraid of prior to starting. I was using an old hand held jigsaw with...14-20 teeth per inch on the blade, as I recall.

-When completed with the cut I mounted the fairing on the bike so I could smooth the very sharp angle on the fairing lexan using a palm sander and working my way from 200 grit to about 400 grit sandpaper. I used the special but expensive atomic powered lexan plastic sandpaper only available by special order from Home Depot, and kept in a safe in the back (that last part is a lie; I just used regular old wood sandpaper, worked just fine). I went back and forth over the new cut for about 30 min total and smoothed the edge just fine. It will be obvious to you how long to do this: it's self regulating.

-This is not rocket surgery (or is that brain science?) and can be done in less than a couple of hours the first time. less the second time. Make certain when you replace the fairing that you get all the screws in place that hold down the fairing. There's one hole on the fairing which is closed: make sure one screw goes through this into the fairing, it keeps the fairing from coming out if you hit a bump: don't ask me how I found this out.

 

I cut it down another two inches about two weeks later because it was still too tall. (Note: this was just a tad too much cut down, I thought at the time, but I've come to like it)

Second time I just left the screen on the bike, applied the masking tape on both sides of the plexiglass, and cut away. I tried to keep the saw going in one motion from start to finish so as to prevent irregularities in the cut. I was only partially successful but the post cut sanding did a remarkable job of taking off a tad bit of lexan with each pass, smoothed out the "bump" just fine. Take a little or a lot off, just stop when you're done.

level of difficulty: maybe four out of ten. If you have a hand held jig saw and a hand sander and can use a screwdriver you're home free. Good luck, FF:happy34:

[Rick Haywood]

Completely agree about the Show Chrome windshield. Perfect height - 13 in. I think - and 2 inches wider on each side. No buffeting at all.

 

 

This is the one I have and I like it much better. Only paid like $90 WHICH MAKES IT EVEN NICER

[bike nut]

Thanks to everyone for the advice.I will cut it down.I tried a few types of buffing and waxing compounds and it distorts the view.Cutting it down might look pretty good.I will end up buying a new one anyway.

[allwx]

I think Yam makes three heights of windshield for the Venture, and that the one that comes stock is the middle height. As I recall, there is a 2" difference between each.

[MongoE9]

I cut mine down 1.5 inch and worked great. I cut from the bottom instead of the top so I didn't have to worry about the possibility of a bad cut of sand job. The oval cut leaves a lot of bad possibilities and cutting the bottom was very easy. Also you can find an assortment of good short shields for reasonable price on ebay as well.