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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> for those of you with windshields a ?
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Message started by rigidchop on 03/16/08 at 11:08:32

Title: for those of you with windshields a ?
Post by rigidchop on 03/16/08 at 11:08:32

i was reading about craig vetter and how his fairings increased fuel mileage. some of the newer windshields look alot like the old vetter fairings and should be alot lighter as well. have any of you with a shield noticed an improvement in mileage? and what kind of shield are you running?

Title: Re: for those of you with windshields a ?
Post by skrapiron on 03/17/08 at 06:59:45

I have the Suzuki factory bug screen. It came with the bike when I bought it, so I cannot comment on before and after fuel economy.

It does make a HUGE difference in rider comfort. Instead of the air blasting me in the middle of the chest, it is deflected around me and over my helmet, making for a much more enjoyable ride, especially on the interstate.

With the carb mods, wind screen and factory exhaust, I am getting 55-60mpg. I have been as low as 48mpg and as high as 64mpg. It just depends on how hard I ride and how much stop and go I get caught in.

Title: Re: for those of you with windshields a ?
Post by T Mack 1 on 03/17/08 at 10:11:48

One of my projects for the summer, take off the windshield for a few weeks and see what type of mileage I get.

I have a "used" aftermarket WS that was on my previous bike. Sorry, I don't know the manufacturer. I like it because it covers the hand grips which helps in cool weather riding. Can you say: I like feelings in my fingers..... ;)

Title: Re: for those of you with windshields a ?
Post by Paladin. on 03/17/08 at 10:44:59

There are so many varibles affecting fuel mileage that it would take some very serious testing to verify what savings a windscreen makes.

If you're looking for a little relief from wind pressure, a windscreen is the way to go. If you are looking for an improvement in fuel mileage there are other things that you can do that will yield much higher mileage increases -- reduce cruising speed, don't slow for corners, watch traffic lights far in advance so as to not stop, kill the engine and coast . . . . There is a article in this month's Readers' Digest about people getting 100+ mpg in cars -- using practices that I feel are dangerous.

Crossing 150+ miles of the Mojave on CA-62 using Arizona gasoline, running 45-50 mph, I got over 70 mpg. My normal city riding is around 45 mpg. I am not very green.

Title: Re: for those of you with windshields a ?
Post by rigidchop on 03/17/08 at 16:35:51

the reason i had asked was, that i had read that some fairings help quite a bit with fuel mileage. 11 mpg and up. that is quite an increase, from just bolting on something to a bike, with no mechanical parts. and i had seen some windshields that look pretty similar to a fairing. just figured maybe someone had noticed.

Title: Re: for those of you with windshields a ?
Post by Paladin. on 03/17/08 at 16:58:31

Ah.... Checked some records and found:

My orginal May Mojave Moon Madness, in 2006, running the flyshield, had a 350 mile round trip average of 57.5 mpg.

A similar run in June '07 was testing the Street Shield / suitcase setup:
http://www.dslretorts.com/Paladin/images/parks/Joshua_Tree.jpg
Round trip averaged 59 mpg -- about a 2.6% improvement.

Title: Re: for those of you with windshields a ?
Post by forrest on 03/17/08 at 17:52:58

I don't know how much riding with/without a screen effects MPG. I have an OEM windshield that I took off this weekend; the weather is getting warmer.

The screen will deffinetly reduce the wind against your chest. I always froget how much until I take the thing off! But when it's warm I prefer to ride without the screen.

I prefer the look of the bike without the screen and I feel less "restricted" when I remove the shield.