Torque and Chrome - Is a windshield a good accessory for a motorcycle?

Is a windshield a good accessory for a motorcycle?

Would you say it's a must-have for any long highway driving?

Public Comments

how do you feel about bugs in your face at 55-70 mph?
Oh ya. It protects you from flying debris and bugs, especially on long riding.
I would say so, you dont want a million bugs hitting you in the face do you?
yep if you don't enjoy eating insects.... on the other hand if insects are a favourite snack of yours then i wouldn't bother x
It'll help keep the bugs out of your teeth, especially if you ride without a helmet.
sure is - try riding a bike in the pouring rain without one - or even worse through a bug storm!
If you have never had one you may be OK but after having a windshield, you will never want to do any serious interstate driving without it. I've had both, close rides i want a slick looking bike. Highways and interstate, i want a windshield and stylish comfort.
Yes. We ride without one only if for a very short distance and slows speeds. The windshield is a must for longer rides.
Depends on wheter you like the taste of bugs, especially for highway driving. Also it's a "looks' thing. Some bike owners don't like the looks.
Yes sir they are. It really hurts when you hit a big bug while you are doing 70-80mph on the freeway. I like the full face helmets to help keep the bugs out of my teeth. The windshield will also help break the wind and keep some of it off of you. If you are going long distances, the wind will really wear you down after a while.
I would say yes. I was a motorcycle officer for a few years and if you are doing a lot of highway riding, you will certainly need it. Without a windshield, at 60 mph, your body will get very tired holding on because your chest acts as a sail, so you will be constantly pulling yourself forward without knowing it. With a windshield, you are getting that wind off of your chest and over a period of time, you will be much more comfortable. So, in my professional opinion, get it, you will be happy you did. Most are easily detachable and can be removed quick if you hate it. Good luck, hope this answers your question.
it is unless you like the taste of bugs, an alternate solution would be a full faces helmet but that can impair your vision and cause you to wreck.
Yes, You'll feel the wind hit you, there is no protection from the wind and your body. There are pros to having such as not as many bugs will hit you, Wind resistant, Yours arms won't get as tired.
Its called a wind faring for a bike, I myself would use a good helmet with face shield, because going against a side angled wind pushes in a way that makes the bike harder to control. the more surface area or less streamlined, the more drag, and sluggish the bike will sometimes feel (depending on the wind direction). However I would never ride a bike, with the handle bar positioned so the rider lays on the gas tank....(the 80's Ninja) that is suicide. The best type bike I think built for wind faring use is the Honda Gold-wing. (I know its Honda, the "goldwing" as model may be misspelled) The owners of such go on tours together, they have stereos, heaters etc... built into them.
Yes, I believe it is a must. I see a lot of BUG answers here, which are definitely true. But, one thing people forget to think about are the rocks whick are kicked up by tires of the vehicle in front of you. I have relace my windshield twice because rocks have cracked my windshield. I can not try to imagine what my face would have looked like without the windshield. Personally, I don't view them as an accessory, but more of a necessity. The choice is yours. Same goes for helmets. Some states do not require them, but after going down once at over sixty MPH, my helmet was totally MESSED up. Thanks to the helmet, my face didn't get a scratch.
have 2 Harley's;06 ultra(tour bike with windshield) an a 99 softail fully customized that has 22" apes.Softail is a great bar bike,Ultra is the only bike I take on a 100+ mile trip.no comparison when it comes to comfort.however,the softail is a great "chick magnet".
Many people have mentioned bugs but they're pretty trivial if you ask me. If you plan on doing any long distance riding at all, say 50 miles, you'll sure appreciate one for two reasons. First, imagine yourself doing a 70mph chin up for 8 straight hours. The other is wind noise, a fairing or windshield will reduce the wind induced noise around your head. What many people don't realize is that when you ride a long distance with an open face helmet or helmetless, the skin on your face actually hurts after a long day's ride because it's been whipped, rolled and stretched.
unless u enjoy fighting the wind blast at 65+ mph, a windshield is manditory. then add the bugs of various sizes, sand, gravel...all of which hurts on impact at speeds above 35 mph, and if 1 of these bugs happens to be a bee...owwwwwww. 90% of the wind blast will go over ur head. it will also block some rain, but not all. sight line is supposed to be about 2" above the wind sheild, not thru it. i prefer a quick detachable 1. ez on, ez off with no tools. never use any ammonia stuff on mc wind sheilds. it'll ruin them. i use only soap and water, or lemon pledge to clean mine. i've had my sheild for a bit over 2 yrs, and it still looks good. btw, long rides are 3x's more comfy with the shield on.
Many of the answer's refer to protection from bugs which it does protect you from, but if your in a State that does not require helmets, and your not wearing one and it is pouring down rain these windshields are a true life saver, nothing hurt worse than to be going 60 to 75 mph on a cycle in a down pouring rain without a helmet or a windshield, it is like someone sticking needles in your forehead. Buy a windshield it is worth it all.
The Windshield cuts down on the force you have to exert to ride. So it comes down to how tierd do you want to be at the end of the day.
I don't have one on my V-rod. Ya bugs get ya in the face every now and then. But, I only care about how the bike looks. In my mind a windshield takes away from the lines of the bike. I Just wear a skid lid with no face protection. I put 9000 miles a year on my bike and have ridden in the poring rain (ouch). But if you want comfort GET the windshield.
Well, looks like I'm outvoted on this one. I hate the windshield, because it isn't transparent. It's not even as transparent as a car's windshield. It's just too much insulation from the view ahead, spoils the scenery. I use a full face helmet, and I have burly neck muscles, so getting a wind blast on the face is okay by me.
a windshield will keep you from fighting the wind. after 6 hours on the road with no shield your arms and shoulders will feel like jelly. make sure the shield you get just comes up to your nose, you don't wanna have to look thru the shield on a regular basis....
Yes. It helps prevent fatigue by keeping the wind off your chest and head.