I'm thinking about getting a windshield for my Savage.
Is there any advantage to having a windshield? ???

I use the National Cycle Street Shield on mine.  It does a really good job and isn't very expensive.  However, I am toying with changing over to the NC Dakota at some point in the future.

Click below to see the shield I'm talking about...

N2560 Street Shield

Thinking about fitting one for longer trips as I find in a strong head wind I feel like I am being pushed off the bike backwards. I got one for free when I bought the bike, but haven't used it.
Can anyone tell me how much difference it makes to handling, my other half who has a hayabusa keeps saying "it will be like having a sail on your bike, you will be pushed all over the place"

I live in a very windy city.

windshields, like mag wheels belong on a cage.  

if you need that type of comfort buy a convertible.  8)

in all my years of riding i have never felt like i was being pushed off the bike or that i've gotten tired because of the wind.  and yes i've been hit with lots of stuff.  birds, trash can lids, about 50 cig butts. it's a hazzard i tolerate to enjoy the environment.  i protect my head with a full face hemet most of the time.

just my opinion, it's like a ....... well you all know the rest of the statement.

It may depend on where live and ride - I like Rob find it's a great debris deflector - and some of the bugs along the gulf coast are what you might call full grown, wear armor , and carry spears.

yeah I think 911radioman's shield is one of the best I have seen but  Im still not into them tho.  Like sluggo I like the whole open wind idea.  I wear a full face helmet too.  It seems everytime I dont wear it a bug will hit me in the eye or ect.

I don't have a problem riding without a windshield, never have felt like I was going to be blown off the back of the bike or anything like that.  I guess I think the shield just makes for a more comfortable ride, so I use one.

I haven't put a windshield on my Savage. When I started looking into doing it, I just wasn't going to be happy with the results - making a purse out of a pig's ear - I think was how one person described what I was trying to do.

I will say that having a windshield on my other MC brings up a whole new set of conditions. One that I have not noticed is that the windshield becomes a "sail." I think even with a real heavy quartering cross wind - and I've seen a lot of those in the past couple of weeks that the windshield is just a mild addition to the rider, and MC. You do have to deal with turbulence behind the shield (if you find yourself in this turbulence it's a lot like being buffeted around behind a truck only much faster I had to change my riding position to feel this, not enjoyable, but it confirmed that it's there, I'm just not riding in it when I'm in my "normal" riding position). My suggestion for this if you find yourself in this position, modify the shield not your riding position (unless you think your riding position is bad). The upside of the windshield is that it allows you to ride in a cushion or bubble which in winter is great. Without the windshield, I don't think I would have been able to ride all winter. I also noticed the other day that it does keep the bugs off of you - must be spring, I had to clean my windshield after riding the other day.
One thing that I noticed on a lot of the "add on" shields is that they attach to the forks rather than the MC. That's one of the reasons that I didn't add one to the Savage. I could see fighting the handlebars in a cross wind as being very tiring.