SuzukiSavage.com - Whindshield parallel to forks?

alcoa Full Member Offline never let the bastards wear you down Posts: 155	Whindshield parallel to forks? 09/15/08 at 12:26:25 or do you just keep moving it till you like the ride?
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buttgoat1 Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 1042	Re: Whindshield parallel to forks? Reply #1 - 09/15/08 at 12:42:56 I did start with mine more vertical and it blocked the wind better than parallel to the forks. I prefer the parallel look though.
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bill67 Serious Thumper Offline old tired Posts: 8517 genoa city wisconsin Gender:	Re: Whindshield parallel to forks? Reply #2 - 09/15/08 at 12:56:53 I think when it parallel to the forks it seems to me to hold the front end down a little better,The wind pressure pushes down.
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T Mack 1 - FSO Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline sold 2001 LS650 for a 1986 XLH1100 Posts: 2919 Emmaus,Pa Gender:	Re: Whindshield parallel to forks? Reply #3 - 09/15/08 at 12:59:20 Looks are one thing, but having the air go over your head is what it's suppose to do. Or maybe I should say the air shouldn't hit you in the face. On my W.S. (old Slipstreamer cira mid 80's) it is more vertical and the air stream is just touching the, top of my helmet.
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EssForty

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Re: Whindshield parallel to forks?
Reply #4 - 09/15/08 at 15:19:15

Depending on the size of your shield, a good starting point is to have the top of the windshield aligned with the base of your nose. That usually gives you a good view over the top to the road in front of you. You should not be looking thru the shield like in a car.

Make sure the front of the shield is square with the headlight. It is easy to have the left or right side a little cocked which will get more air one one side or the other. You want an even parallel flow around your shoulders.

Then it is a good idea to start at the rake angle of the forks and tip it forward or aft so that the wind goes over your head at max cruising speed without a lot of buffeting. The rake angle is a good visual reference but it is by no means ideal. Depending on how tall you are and how far forward or aft you sit, the angle will vary.

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savage2k

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Re: Whindshield parallel to forks?
Reply #5 - 09/15/08 at 19:05:16

Interesting topic.

I played around with my windshield for a week before I found the sweet spot. I agree that parallel to the forks looks much better, but with my particular windshield (SLIP STREAMER SPITFIRE SPORT SHIELD) , it directed the wind to my chest. I have it now at about 80 some odd degrees and the wind goes over my head.

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Jay Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 1445 Fort Worth, Texas Gender:	Re: Whindshield parallel to forks? Reply #6 - 09/15/08 at 20:59:59 With the top level with my nose, and the windshield parallel with the forks; it hit me in the neck and bounced my head like a bobble doll. It's more vertical now. Don't care for the esthetics as much, but it's supposed to be function over form.
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EssForty

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Re: Whindshield parallel to forks?
Reply #7 - 09/16/08 at 02:53:33

I got thinking about this a little more and it occurred to me that perhaps there might be some easier ways to dial this in. I've never tried it, so I'm just brainstorming...

For example, find a way to slip some little streamer tails onto the edges of the shield. The same idea is used to trim sails on sailboats. Might give a nice visual indication of airflow, both above and alongside the shield. Simple little pieces of yarn might do it. (Of course the guy on the Harley behind you might wonder why you're throwing pieces of yarn at him., but he's probably see worse at Sturgis. Tongue

)

Another rough setup idea might be to have someone hold a yardstick at the angle of the top of the shield while the rider sits in position. Then you can angle it back until the other end of the yardstick is at least a few inches above the riders helmet.

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T Mack 1 - FSO

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Re: Whindshield parallel to forks?
Reply #8 - 09/16/08 at 02:58:25

EssForty wrote on 09/16/08 at 02:53:33:

..........

For example, find a way to slip some little streamer tails onto the edges of the shield. The same idea is used to trim sails on sailboats. Might give a nice visual indication of airflow, both above and alongside the shield. Simple little pieces of yarn might do it. (Of course the guy on the Harley behind you might wonder why you're throwing pieces of yarn at him., but he's probably see worse at Sturgis. Tongue

)

.........

Hmmmm... I actually like this idea. I will need to get my SB goodie box out and tape some telltails on just to see the flow pattern.

NOTE: old "cassette tape" tape works good too.

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Engineers design things, Technicians make them work.
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30% of being mechanical is confidence/30% is knowing to go slow when needed/30% is looking repeatedly at what you have/10% is dumb luck Wink

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Jay

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Re: Whindshield parallel to forks?
Reply #9 - 09/17/08 at 20:06:49

Just dont get so caught up in watching the yarn or tape that you forget to look at the road. Especially at the speeds you'll need to travel to get an accurate picture of what works for you. At lowspeed, I didn't mind the wind too much; but as I appraoched highway speeds, my "sweetspot" for deflection from the windshield was altered ever so slightly. My adjustments were done by "feel", without my having to look at the windshield, or otherwise take my eyes off the road, to get the "bubble" for my head just right. It did mean a lot of start and stop riding, and pulling over on the highway; but the end result was worth it.

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