How High is Too High?

[Beach Bum]

No I'm not smoking dope. My question involves windshield height. I have a 13" shield on my 06 RSV and my wife is complaining about buffeting. I've seen them available as tall as 17" and I was wondering if anyone has any experience with the taller windshields and how much protection a few more inches offers the passenger. How does it affect handling? Best shield for clarity?

[zagger]

You should be able to see the road ahead looking OVER the top of the windshield. If you need to look thru the windshield, then your ability to see the road ahead can be easily blocked by water drops, smashed bugs, etc. and, unlike in a car, you don't have windshield wipers to keep it clear. If you or your passenger has buffeting, you need to add lowers on the front forks to help boost the height of the airflow. Lowers are simply flat plates attached with clamps to the forks which typically sit just below the windshield/fairing. In my experience, lowers boost the height of the airstream a couple of inches. It takes a bit of trial and error but you should be able to find a height where you have a clear view of the road (over the shield) and also experience zero buffeting. I have always purchased windshields that I knew would be too tall and simply cut them down to the correct height. I cannot imagine how to purchase a windshield which is luckily the correct height from the supplier. The mounting location of the fairing, attachment locations for the windshield, and height and thickness of the seat all contribute to the actual windshield height relative to the rider/passenger. Buying a tall one and cutting it down to suit your situation works every time.

zag

Edited September 20, 2015 by zagger

[rbig1]

well I have the stock 17 I cant see over the top without leaning forward. Been in a few down pours as long as the windshield has pledge on it. There is no problem. There is a little wind buffering on steering but once your used to it no big deal. Cant say on passenger as don't have one right now. Don't see anyone interested either. My sister said there was quite a bit back there but the helmet she was wearing was way to big.

[H2O]

No I'm not smoking dope. My question involves windshield height. I have a 13" shield on my 06 RSV and my wife is complaining about buffeting. I've seen them available as tall as 17" and I was wondering if anyone has any experience with the taller windshields and how much protection a few more inches offers the passenger. How does it affect handling? Best shield for clarity?

I just put a 17" F4 on my '06. I'm 6' 3" and my line of sight is below the top edge of it.

We haven't been caught in the rain yet so I can't say how good or bad it is yet.

So far I like the way its working, especially the ease of cleaning......paper towel & Windex!

The wife says she's not having problems with buffeting.

If you buy a Clearview windshield they'll let you test drive it to see if the height fits your needs. If you don't think you've chose the right height they'll trade it out as long as you don't remove the plastic protective film it ships in.

[Beach Bum]

I have the lowers on my forks and the shield I have is at about eye height. I just want the queen to be happy. Seems that my shield has been replaced at some point as it's definitely lower than stock. If that is indeed the case, and one should have the top of the shield at or below eye level, does Yamaha assume every rider is 6'2"?

[zagger]

I have the lowers on my forks and the shield I have is at about eye height. I just want the queen to be happy. Seems that my shield has been replaced at some point as it's definitely lower than stock. If that is indeed the case, and one should have the top of the shield at or below eye level, does Yamaha assume every rider is 6'2"?

 

Plexiglas can be cut down to whatever height suits you - preferably so that you can see the road ahead looking over the top of the shield. I use a bandsaw to make the cut and a belt sander to smooth off the edge. Covering both sides of the shield with masking tape should minimize the chance of scratching. However, if your passenger has head buffeting, reducing the windshield height will make the buffeting worse. At least until the windshield is so low that the full force of the wind is hitting you both in the face! If your passenger is fairly tall, or the rear seat is extra thick, you will need to experiment with different lowers (bigger) and their positioning to see if anything can be done to raise the turbulent airflow enough to eliminate buffeting for both of you.

zag

[todd493]

I have the lowers on my forks and the shield I have is at about eye height. I just want the queen to be happy. Seems that my shield has been replaced at some point as it's definitely lower than stock. If that is indeed the case, and one should have the top of the shield at or below eye level, does Yamaha assume every rider is 6'2"?

 

I have 2 stock shields, your more than welcome to try one.

I think you'll eventually want something with venting if ya go to that height year round.

I'm in the Mandarin section of Jax.

PM me, we could meet up in the next couple days.

[Beach Bum]

I have 2 stock shields, your more than welcome to try one.

I think you'll eventually want something with venting if ya go to that height year round.

I'm in the Mandarin section of Jax.

PM me, we could meet up in the next couple days.

Dude, that's awesome!!! I'll definitely give you a shout. I was beginning to think I was the only guy in the area with one of these bikes.

[Wizard765]

I had the largest Clearview and now have the largest F4. I cannot see over the shield at all but that has never been a problem. the extra height and width extends the "pocket" past my wife and she is a happy camper which means she is more inclined to ride with me which makes ME a happy camper.. all it all either the Clearview or F4 with vent.. At backroad speeds no difference in mpg but on the slab at higher speeds it uses a little more. I find no difference in handling between stock and the F4 unless there is a cross wind or I'm directly behind a rig.. I can feel those maybe a little more...

The F4 allows water to just bead up and run off.. but the clearview I use to wax when I cleaned the bike and it also beaded up and ran off. the clearview is a little more sloped while the F4 sits somewhat more straight up..

[mirider]

Have always been intrigued by the statement that the w/s should be at a height that you can see over..... In my view, the w/s is there to protect you from the wind, bugs, road debris kicked up, etc. and if you can see over it, it fails at those criteria. Guess it's really a matter of personal choice.

[eusa1]

stock 17 inch shield on this rsv, been on there 200.000 miles and not my first rsv. I will let you know the first time I take a bug to the forehead... until then I will keep looking through the shield, rain or shine.

[Beach Bum]

Have always been intrigued by the statement that the w/s should be at a height that you can see over..... In my view, the w/s is there to protect you from the wind, bugs, road debris kicked up, etc. and if you can see over it, it fails at those criteria. Guess it's really a matter of personal choice.

^^^This^^^ I'm going to try the stock shield which should be about level with the top of my head and see how it feels for the wife. I kind of find it aggravating having the edge of the shield at eye level. Needs to be above or below,

[rickardracing]

I have a 9" shorty smoked on my 07 RSV. My wife says she does not get any buffering. Rode that bike from Michigan to Colorado, down into Georgia and not one complaint. Then again, my brother inlaw had an o6 Midnight with a taller windshield and her sister complained constantly, even when he went to a 17". But then again, she complains about EVERYTHING! If she sits higher than you and actually islover your head, she maybe getting wind.

[Great White]

Have always been intrigued by the statement that the w/s should be at a height that you can see over..... In my view, the w/s is there to protect you from the wind, bugs, road debris kicked up, etc. and if you can see over it, it fails at those criteria. Guess it's really a matter of personal choice.

 

The idea is that you can look over the screen if it becomes obscured.

 

On my 83, the screen is horrible at night. It also fogs on and off driving through highs and dips around here. No fun to have the screen fog up on both sides at highway speeds. You definitily want to be able to see over it when that happens.

 

Sometimes it is also better to have your helmet out in the air stream. I wear a modular (flip up full face) and when I know I'll be bombing around town for a while, its better to have my cut down sheild on the bike. Get my helmet in the air flow and most importantly, get nice air flow to the helmet vents for heat control.

 

The shorty buffets a bit on the highway, so long distance running get the tall sheild, which is just above my eye level.

 

I'm actually working on a motorized compound sheild for my first gen so I can have airflow around town and then extend it up for smooth highway running. Lots of other projects to finish before that one gets some time on the bench though.....

[zagger]

Have always been intrigued by the statement that the w/s should be at a height that you can see over..... In my view, the w/s is there to protect you from the wind, bugs, road debris kicked up, etc. and if you can see over it, it fails at those criteria. Guess it's really a matter of personal choice.

 

Just because you can see the road over the top of the windshield doesn't mean that you don't have protection. The airflow over the windshield carries virtually everything up and over the top of your head - bugs, most rain, etc. Occasionally a compact shaped bug will pass through the airflow and hit the rider in the face - a good reason to wear eye protection. In reality, it is pretty rare for anything to hit me in the face, even though the windshield itself is covered with the smashed bugs, etc. Naturally, a super tall shield would give even more protection from debris but the rider is then forced to look through all of the junk stuck to the windshield, glare on the windshield, scratches, fog, etc.

 

IMO, the best compromise is a windshield cut low enough so that your natural view of the road ahead passes an inch or so above the top of the shield and the airflow passes a couple of inches above the top of your helmet. Controlling the flow of air with lowers should be able to eliminate problems with turbulence and head shake. I have two bikes with windshields - both are cut low enough to allow me a clear unobstructed view of the road over the top of the plastic and both have zero turbulence and head shake. It seems to me that most people struggle with this issue because they cannot purchase a stock windshield that is exactly the right height. So they get a tall one, look through it, and say it is great. I'd agree that cutting a windshield down is an unpleasant job and it is somewhat tricky to avoid wrecking it. But I'm going to keep cutting them it because I prefer a clear view of my surroundings.

zag

[zagger]

^^^This^^^ I'm going to try the stock shield which should be about level with the top of my head and see how it feels for the wife. I kind of find it aggravating having the edge of the shield at eye level. Needs to be above or below,

 

Agreed! The top edge of the windshield should NOT be inline with your natural view of the road ahead. However, I've found that the opaque "strip" caused by the cut edge can be minimized by belt sanding the edge at an angle which aligns with your natural line of sight. However, this entire issue is minimized by cutting the shield short enough so that nearly all of the time on the road is spent looking over it.

zag

[Beach Bum]

It's not me, I'm fine with wind and buffeting etc. My wife sits considerably higher in the back than I do and she's not digging the wind knocking her around.