Cutting Down Fairing Windshield?

[natemoen]

So my fairing windshield is way too tall. I would say that when I am looking straight at it I am looking through about 4 inches below the top edge.

So my question is this. Where about should the top edge of the windshield be?

And, what's the best way to cut the windshield?

[madmax-im]

about 4" lower...not sure on the best way to cut it...a band saw??

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Nate,

Can't advice very well about the height...recent threads have stated that it should be about CHIN high to prevent the buffeting...but not totally sure.

As for cutting it....again, I would hope that it's made with LEXAN and not Plexiglass. Lexan is easier to cut because it's not brittle. Plexi is more brittle and so needs a finer toothed blade. When I made my replacement shield that was out of Plexiglass...I used a REVERSE cutting blade...it cut on the UP stroke so that the jigsaw base would provide stabilty against the material while cutting...moved the blade slowly but had the blade jigsawing at a very high rpm/cycle rate. Lexan will be easier.....can use same setup if you like with less worries about making cracks! OR you could try a large cut off wheel on a dremel tool....but you'll get a fair amount of MELTING in the cut with the LEXAN with that approach.

T.C.

[bikerphil]

I have heard many people say that nose height is the correct height for a windshield, might want to look into that a little more before cutting. You really don't want to be looking thru the shield, just above it.

[MaximPhil]

So my fairing windshield is way too tall. I would say that when I am looking straight at it I am looking through about 4 inches below the top edge.

So my question is this. Where about should the top edge of the windshield be?

And, what's the best way to cut the windshield?

Hi Nate,
Here you go. http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14011
Phil

[crazy steve]

Nate, I've had good luck cutting thicker plexi with a router. A laminate bit works best, but any smaller sharp bit should do the job. Use a fabricated guide, and you'll only have some medium sanding to do for finish. I'll agree with Bikerphil on height...

[natemoen]

Yeah, it is insanely tall and annoying. It is, I am assuming, the original Pacifico windshield so, considering it's age, is still in decent shape but not crystal clear anymore. It is just so big! Plus I hate looking through it.

I figured I would probably use a fine tooth blade in a jig saw. Tape both sides and then I can easily mark my line. I will probably just take a little off at a time try it for a few rides at each height before I do the finish sanding.

Any other thoughts or discussion on height is welcom! It will be a little bit before I start cutting.

[tomcos67]

Windshield height

I can not tell you the answer to that either.The top of mine happens tobe right at eye level, litte anoying at times.But. what I can say is you do not want lexon .Scratches.way to easy.Like just cleaning it leaves fine lines.Have to be very careful from start.Plastics something by maguires works well on it.100% cotton only to clean with.Next time plexiglass for me.Good luck...

[jayel]

Yeah, it is insanely tall and annoying. It is, I am assuming, the original Pacifico windshield so, considering it's age, is still in decent shape but not crystal clear anymore. It is just so big! Plus I hate looking through it.

I figured I would probably use a fine tooth blade in a jig saw. Tape both sides and then I can easily mark my line. I will probably just take a little off at a time try it for a few rides at each height before I do the finish sanding.

Any other thoughts or discussion on height is welcom! It will be a little bit before I start cutting.

NO not a jig saw they jerk up and down to much and will case cracking, use a band saw (best) a dremel tool is doable but slow with a lot of clean up with a mill file also easier to rework the edge after cutting than sanding, you should look about two inches over the top of the window, use masking tape on both sides of the glass to prevent accidental marring

[MarkD]

I added an extension made of lexan ( not plexiglass) to my windshield. I taped it- both sides- marked it, used a bandsaw, and went at a medium paced feed. No splinters, cracks, or any poor results. Do a little sanding, and Voila! It's all good.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Jayel,

I have to disagree....took me a little while to find my old photos....couldn't find my old post about it, was 1 year after I got my bike rebuilt and after I had dumped it on my first LDR Rally ride to Alexandria Bay NY ~2002 IIRC.

Here are the photos of my windshield replacement process using PLEXIGLASS, and I cut it with an "UPCUTTING" fine toothed jigsaw blade/saw, and as you can see, I made some intricate cuts...straight and curved!!













Yes, Plexi is more scratch resistant, but it also SHATTERS fairly easily with impacts...see the photo of my shield with corner broken off. There's a YouTube video showing the difference between LEXAN and Plexiglas if you're interested in searching for it. IF you want actual IMPACT protection....ie. large rock/bottle/tire shred, etc. then you will want to use LEXAN. But if you arent' too worried about that, then Plexiglas is fine....YMMV.

T.C.

[MPittma100]

Windshield

I don't have a problem looking through my windshield. A shield that is too low is worse than no shield. This is especially true when using an open face helmet. Just too much buffeting. I clean it, then apply Pledge on both sides afterward to make it clearer. If you end up making a new one, you can buy Lexan that is scratch resistant. Use this stuff in my race cars. You can barely scratch it with sand paper. It is just that tough.

[Ken Talbot]

When you decide on a height, here's some ideas on how to do it:

Cutting down a windshield

[Bikes]

I just put this fairing on the other day...windshield was way too high....this picture is "after" I cut it down three inches....

Still too high.......i used a low tech way to guage the right height....riding at about sixty, i moved my hand straight up in front of my helmet till I felt the wind on my hand...estimated it at four inches above the top of my melon....but, remember, its easier to subract windshield than to add so I went three.....rode it again, figured on another inch ish.....cut it down with a bandsaw, cleaned up and polished the edges, works like a charm...
I've also used a small circular blade for a dremel, looks like a 1 inch skill saw blade.....I chucked it in my drill because the dremel is too fast and not adjustable....that worked well too

[3Phase]

Passengers

I got the 'tall' windshield for the fairing on my '80G and left it alone but I did get the pop-out vents this time.

The 'tall' windshield is a little too tall for me but I tried to cut one down before and it put the passenger's head in the turbulence, which put my head right back in heavy turbulence at the first rest stop.

.