windshield

[Clutch]

hey SCJJR65 and VA Steve,

do you both have the same windshield?  I noticed that style looks like it deflects wind off of your hands too...does it?.  Do you all have the euro bars?  Do you like the windshield?

thanks

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

 [smiley=beehive.gif]

I just took my little mini windshield off for the warm weather.  I didn't realize how much I dislike it!

(euro bars)

[Clutch]

yeah, I'll probably wait until it gets cold again to get a windshield, but I went on a camping trip back in January on my bike, and it was pretty dang cold (high of ~35 degrees).  The ride was only about 2 1/2 hours, but my hands were hurting so bad that I was seriously wondering if I was getting frostbite.  I knew after that I wanted a windshield.  Of course it was extremely windy too...all around miserable weekend, but spent with friends so not too bad.

Rob, do you think that I'd have to make some modifications to my display console (like you did) to get a windshield on my bike?  I have the standard/american style handlebars.

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

With the higher handlebar, you will have plenty of room to clamp windshield mounts.

As far as keeping your hands warm, there is nothing better than Hippo Hands!

They may look dorky, but after the first 2 minutes you will forget all about it!

[Clutch]

I'll have to seriously contemplate the hippo hands.  I was also thinking about putting on some of those brush guards, like what come on the GS's.  Does anyone have any experience with the brush guards?  My friend says the brush guards are also good for keeping the rain off of your hands too (I'm sure the hippo hands would be better at keeping your hands dry).

Rob, did you just get the hippo hands designed for the R80?

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

I don't have the Hippo Hands like the ones pictured.  Those have a firmer structure to what I have.

I have had mine for about 20 years.  I don't know where you would get something like what I have, perhaps a snowmobile dealer.  Do snowmobiles have mirrors?

http://www.pbase.com/tomfarr/image/67047578/medium
http://www.pbase.com/tomfarr/image/67047629/medium
http://www.pbase.com/tomfarr/image/67047795/medium

I don't have any real good pictures of them on the bike, but here are some.  You can change the size of the picture at the bottom of the page to see more detail:
http://www.pbase.com/tomfarr/image/68520183
http://www.pbase.com/tomfarr/image/68520280
http://www.pbase.com/tomfarr/image/68520120

[SCJJR65]

I have what would be considered a "large" windshield for my bike, a National Cycle "Plexi-Fairing 3".  It has lowers that help keep the cold off my knees, and the windshield extends out sideways enough to keep my hands out of the cold and rain.

I'm not sure if I'll leave the windshield on during the summer.  When I had the little windscreen on last summer, I have to admit I did enjoy riding Britta with it.  When I bought Britta, it had an older Plexi-Fairing 3 windshield on it, and I got used to riding the bike with a large windshield on it.

I have to say that because I rode my bike daily through the past winter with a small windscreen (and it got pretty cold some mornings), I really missed not having the "big windshield" to keep the cold and rain off me.  But since the Plexi-Fairing 3  goes on quickly and easily, it would make it easy to buy another small windscreen for the summer and put the "big one" back on once winter sets in again!

But I do like the feel of the wind in the spring and summer!!  8-)

[milkman]

 I always liked to go around naked, and so did my bike  :-/
Then my LS had a small bikini fairing on it and i didn't realise how much it kept the wind off my chest. Coming into winter over here I might keep it on now.

I think if you're not sure, you cant go wrong with a set of handguards/barkbusters. You could find them cheap on ebay or motocross stores have the new ones.

They do vary in price somewhat, but after losing all sensation in the first two knckles in each finger on both hands and trying to ride with my palms on a cold rainy day throuh the mountains, i'm looking to add some.

You could even get the easily click on and off ones as opposed to the full hand guards on a GS

[thrang]

Handle bar muffs (hippo hands) are the dogs bollocks if you do any serious winter riding.

[trolle]

My new warm handles are really good. Even at temp. near freezing and at speeds above 80 mph they keep my hands warm, and when my hands are warm, the rest of me is warm too. They have prolonged my riding season with nearly a month.

On the subject of windshields: Last year I bought a new screen for my S-fairing. The new screen has a curvature that throws the wind above my head instead of into my breast, as the old one did, and that makes driving a lot nicer. The S-fairing makes the driving more economical as well, appr. 10% better and I never drive without it.

greetings from a warm and sunny north

trolle

[Ed Miller]

clutch, most windshields won't do anything to take away that old, familiar ache in the hands from the cold.  A Windjammer will, and probably some of the other large, frame mounted fairings like a Rabid Transit or an RT from some other Beemer.  The Hippo Hands are the way to go, or heated grips or gloves, if you're willing to put up with wires.

I hate it now when my Windjammed R65 breaks down in winter and I'm stuck with my naked Triumph, as I haven't modified my fake Hippo Hands to fit around bar end mirrors yet.  And I though I was done with that pain, sheesh.

[msbuck]

Handle bar muffs (hippo hands) are the dogs bollocks if you do any serious winter riding.

Is this a good thing??  :-/

I used to have Hippo Hands, but I sold them on Ebay a couple of years ago.  They were a little disconcerting whenever I needed to take my hands off the bars.  If I had ridden more in winter I probably would have gotten used to them.  I used the handguards for awhile and didn't really feel much difference in terms of warmth.  I don't use those anymore either.

 Actually, to be truthful, I don't ride very much in the cold anymore.