Reflections on riding without a windsihield...

[Phil Tarman]

Yesterday and today, I rode about 250 miles without a winshield (and I don't feel like telling that story again!). Some thoughts:

The Schuberth C-3 is amazingly quiet without a screen.

The bike is not as stable without a screen. Turning my head caused the bike to turn. Not much, mind you, but it just felt a bit squirrely.

The screen gives lots of protection. Bugs on a faceshield interfere with vision more than bugs on a windshield.

My neck and shoulders are weary. 80 mph creates a lot of force.

I am ready for my screen to get here on Tuesday morning. It will be installed within ten minutes after Howard, the friendly UPS driver gets my signature on his little electronic box.

 

[ken45]

My Nighthawk usually runs without the windshield. Excellent, smooth airflow for hot weather. I thought perhaps that was why you were riding without the shield.

I put mine back on yesterday.

Ken

 

[hondaaddict]

No WS also means no buffetting. Buffetting can make a person miserable on long ride.

 

[Phil Tarman]

No WS also means no buffetting. Buffetting can make a person miserable on long ride.

Buffetting was one of of the difficulties with the Concours. There weren't many windshields that didn't have some buffetting that gave you good protection. The NT is much better, even with the stock windshield...if a person had a stock windshield on hand before a person broke their aftermarket windshield.

The other thing I didnt' mention was the number of bugs! By the time I rode home last night, 73 miles, mostly in the dark, I could hardly see through my visor. Makes me wonder how the Gnarley boys manage to ride, especially the really manly ones who don't even wear goggles.

At any rate, I'm glad I gravitated to the sport-touring side of the equation, and not the sport-touring side. I had a friend who did a lot of touring on a Hayabusa. Lots of fun, great handling, great power, adequate luggage capacity -- terrible weather protection.

 

[ken45]

No WS also means no buffetting. Buffetting can make a person miserable on long ride.

I think it varies greatly depending on the windshield design. Some give a smooth ride, others give a rougher ride.

Ken

 

[Phil Tarman]

Storm, your story reminds me of the first ride I took on my first Concours after riding it home. I had been riding a Silver Wing that had the biggest windshield JC Whitney sold. That thing stuck up probably 6" above the top of my helmet. The helmet was a 10-15 year old Bell that someone in my church had given me and it had no ventilation and always fogged up if I closed the visor.

The Connie's shield was a lot lower and I was on my way to a meeting in south Denver at 8:30 in the morning. Traffic was typical tail end of rush hour stuff. Wasn't going fast, but it wasn't stop and go. I'm riding along, happy as a clam on my new bike when I saw a rock coming. I didn't have time to duck, but it seemed like it took forever to get there. On the Silver Wing, it would have hit the windshield 7-8" below the top. On the Connie it hit the left lens of my glasses dead center. Popped it out and straight back into my eye socket. My eyeball wasn't touched, but I had bruises all around the socket. The lens was gone, naturally, and I'm so blind without my glasses that I had to close the left eye to be able to see. I rode on to my meeting with just my right eye.

Luckily, I had a staff meeting who was still at home but coming to Denver a couple of hours later. I had him go break into my house (not hard since it wasn't locked), find my spare glasses in my bedroom and bring them to me.

I bought a new helmet the next day!

 

[ken45]

As for buffeting, I'd rather deal with that than the wind pressure on my head and upper body.

Storm

I would guess that depends on the bike design and how you sit on it. On my old '81 CB-750K, with the aftermarket windshield, I had pressure on my back which transferred to my arms. When I rode without it, the wind pretty much balanced my forward lean and I was more comfortable. Now with my Nighthawk, I don't get the air pressure on my back with the windshield and the bike is pretty comfortable with or without the aftermarket windshield.

Ken

 

[charlie b]

Riding a naked bike is so much different than one with full faring and windshield.

May not have buffeting but the shoving from crosswinds and wind gusts is MUCH more tiring than with full protection.

Unless I am canyon blasting or just riding around on the surface streets I really don't want a naked bike.

 

[ARKNT]

Protection from flying objects is a great reason for fairings/windshields. I once got hit in the chest by a small bird while on a 650 Yamaha twin. It felt like a rock and about knocked the wind out of me.

Brad

 

[Phil Tarman]

I once got hit in the chest by a small bird while on a 650 Yamaha twin. It felt like a rock and about knocked the wind out of me.

I hit a buzzard with a car once. I'd really not want to hit a buzzard with a motorcycle!