Windshield Help.

[Graman]

Last summer I bought a windshield for my 79 XS11 Special. I wanted some relief from the air pressure at higher speeds as well as the obvious safety it would provide from big bugs, flying rocks etc. I think it is a National Cycles Spitfire style. It was very easy to mount and looks quite good on the bike. Not too bulky looking. I was happy. That is until I got the bike up to around 50 mph. The buffeting on my head was bad. Felt like my head was in a paint shaker. I have played around a lot with the height and angle. I managed to reduce it some but I still was not happy. I removed it and put it in the closet. Before I put on Craig's list has anyone ever come up with a solution to this problem?

Graham

[Jeffintampa]

I like mine slipstreamer

http://s1113.photobucket.com/user/Jeffintamapa/story

PI do like mine slipstreamer and I am tall 5 11 and tall from waist up.

[VegasMichael]

Which model Slipstream? Did it go right on, or did you have to modify?

[DeanR]

I once bought the Spitfire and it was terrible no matter how I positioned it. Lasted a couple days.

[jwhughes3]

I used the Plexifairing III so my head was not buffeted before I switched to full fairings.

John

[Bikes]

Laminar Lip......i put one on my FJR...smooth as glass......i made a 'wind vest' for my sporty, just a small plexi-glass in the middle of the bars just to keep the wind off my chest, worked but buffeting was bad so I made a small "lip" and velcroed it to the front top of the glass....no more buffeting...it creates an air flow to get it up over your head, smooth out the air......works great...
I'll try to get a picture of the one I made but check with laminar lip's web site...

[Graman]

http://s1113.photobucket.com/user/Jeffintamapa/story


PI do like mine slipstreamer and I am tall 5 11 and tall from waist up.

I noticed right away that your screen has much more of a curve to it than mine. Mine is definitely a flatter profile and doesn't allow the air to flow around it as easily. I don't know if I want one bad enough to purchase another one but you have me thinking of a way to bend more of a curve into the upper section of the plexi without damaging it. Maybe a heat gun on low and a little pressure. I have really nothing to loose by trying. I doubt I would get much for it selling it used.

[IanDMacDonald]

Last summer I bought a windshield for my 79 XS11 Special. I wanted some relief from the air pressure at higher speeds as well as the obvious safety it would provide from big bugs, flying rocks etc. I think it is a National Cycles Spitfire style. It was very easy to mount and looks quite good on the bike. Not too bulky looking. I was happy. That is until I got the bike up to around 50 mph. The buffeting on my head was bad. Felt like my head was in a paint shaker. I have played around a lot with the height and angle. I managed to reduce it some but I still was not happy. I removed it and put it in the closet. Before I put on Craig's list has anyone ever come up with a solution to this problem?

Graham

Nope. It does not play well with my XS. My thoughts were that it would work well with a bike that has a low seat. But, on my bike, the wind wanted to take my head off. My neck actually took-on an ache using it. Switched to a Plexistar and loved it! I'll put it back on in the Fall.

[donebysunday]

added curve

I played wit these slip on/bolt on shields. On my K100LT I added a curved bit across the top of the shield with HD velcro and then could wear my Fedora hat up to about 80mph.. Whatever, I found even the little fly screen was better than none.
JMHO, Done

[Bikes]

You can see it here on the FJR.....looks like it would bother your line of sight but it doesn't

This is the one I made for the HD

About an inch space....

[MarkD]

These windshields are a bit of a peculiarity- read 'pain in the $%#. I have the Slip Streamer Hellfire and adjusted the height of it 'til I was blue in the face. I even added extensions on the brackets to raise it up. Finally, I added a 4" lexan extension to the top of the thing. I used 4 nylon smallish ''bolts'' and nuts. No more buffeting, and looks pretty good. I still am looking for a meier sport fairing for tooling around town.

[DeanR]

meier sport fairing

What I put on following the lousy Spitfire. Love the Maier. Takes the air off your chest and puts your head in clean air.

[DeanR]

meier sport fairing

What I put on following the lousy Spitfire. Love the Maier. And.... looks great in my opinion.

[IanDMacDonald]

What I put on following the lousy Spitfire. Love the Maier. And.... looks great in my opinion.

Maier Fairing:


Spitfire:


Plexistar:

[TopCatGr58]

I noticed right away that your screen has much more of a curve to it than mine. Mine is definitely a flatter profile and doesn't allow the air to flow around it as easily. I don't know if I want one bad enough to purchase another one but you have me thinking of a way to bend more of a curve into the upper section of the plexi without damaging it. Maybe a heat gun on low and a little pressure. I have really nothing to loose by trying. I doubt I would get much for it selling it used.

Hey Graman,

You should really look at the adding a section technique. I MADE my own screen using Plexiglass sheet that I molded/bent to a nice curve, but cooked it in the OVEN to about 225 degrees. I had cut off some angled pieces/triangles while making the shape, and test heated them first, and at just 250 degrees....the plexiglass bubbles! Heat guns can get over 1000 degrees, and so trying to heat it to just ~225 degrees to the point of plasticity without bubbling it could be very problematic, especially over a large area....across the whole fairing top edge! Just wanted to tell you a little bit about my experience working with Plexiglass....Lexan isn't much different. YMMV! Good Luck!

T.C.