Tips for Buying a Windshield for Your Motorcycle

The more you ride your motorcycle, the more you’ll start to appreciate the features that make you feel comfortable on the road. One of the most valuable ergonomic features for many types of riding is a windshield. You might not be ready to change the look of your bike so drastically, but there are many reasons to consider upgrading your bike with this valuable tool.

What’s the Use of a Windshield?

If you’ve never ridden with a windshield before, you don’t know what you’re missing. Windshields help to deflect rain, dust, and mud while you ride, which helps to limit distractions. For commuters, this is extremely valuable. You can never predict exactly what weather you’ll be encountering on your ride, and if you get caught in a cloud burst, road water kicked up by trucks and other vehicles can make riding almost impossible. A windshield can push that water right over the rider’s head, meaning you’ll have a better chance of getting home without having to pull off to wait out the storm.

What may be an even more valuable feature of windshields is that they deflect wind and turbulence from the rider’s upper body. For longer rides, this means you’ll fatigue much more slowly than you would normally.

Types of Windshields

Windshields can vary in size, shape, and style, meaning there are likely several options for your motorcycle. If you go directly to your bike’s manufacturer, you can probably find a windshield that matches the paint and style of your bike.

If you get into the realm of aftermarket parts, you’ll find a variety of options. Some windshields fit multiple makes and models of bikes and essentially clip onto the motorcycle. Others are just simple plastic shields that can be quickly added to your bike when you know you’ll be riding in the rain.

Proper Windshield Height

If the windshield you choose can be adjusted, make sure that it sits at the proper height. A windshield that’s too high can limit your vision, and one that’s too low won’t provide the protection and wind redirection that you need. For power-adjustable windshields, you simply need to press the button to raise or lower the height. Your windshield should ideally stop just below your line of sight on the road. This way, when you look down, you’ll still be able to look through the clear glass of your windshield, but it will be high enough to deflect air over your head.

If you’re still looking for the perfect bike to install a windshield on, stop by Hideout Harley-Davidson® in Joplin, MO, to see what we have at our dealership right now. We proudly serve all those in Springfield, MO, and Rogers, AR.