Windshields, High Speeds, and the Cold

[USMC CWO]

As I was riding home from work today at a fairly high speed (80 mph), I looked at the OAT (outside air temp) gauge, which was reading a sub-freezing number, and I began to wonder if the combination of a stock windshield in the raised position, high speeds, and the cold could lead to the windshield cracking. Has this happened to anyone? I've ridden other bikes with larger windshields at high speeds in the cold with no problem but not all windshields are the same.

 

[Ignacio]

Let's see.....personally 11 degrees for 120 miles in the very remote wilds of Oregon at FJR nominal speeds and 70,000 other miles across North America and no problems.

Another rider in the middle of the summer who has a certain proclivity for attracting avian wildlife with regularlity, but not this time......windshield breaks for no apparent reason...go figure.

I wouldn't worry about it....until....or unless you're the rare sap that has a windshield break on them for no apparent reason.....or you like to carry around cups of hot water and throw them on your own winshield when it's cold. Point is, I'd worry about many, many other things before I'd worry about this.

 

[Fred W]

Point is, I'd worry about many, many other things before I'd worry about this.

Yeah, like global warming...

 

[SkooterG]

80mph?!?!?!

Pffffft! That ain't high speed!

I always thought you jarheads were a bit slow.

 

[Scab]

Heck, I crashed twice and the windshield didn't break.

 

[El Gordo]

80mph?!?!?!

Pffffft! That ain't high speed!

I always thought you jarheads were a bit slow.

Ya like shift it into 3rd!

 

[El Gordo]

Heck, I crashed twice and the windshield didn't break.

They are quite tough, I took mine high speed logging and all it took was a bit of buffing to make it purty again

 

[7xray]

Heck, I crashed twice and the windshield didn't break.

My Calsci cracked when I installed it! :angry2:

 

[El Gordo]

Heck, I crashed twice and the windshield didn't break.

My Calsci cracked when I installed it! :angry2:

Start with the curved ends forward?

Seriously, it was a CalSci I rode through the trees, I was amazed that it was okay when I picked it up. Did CalSci replace yours?

 

[Scab]

Heck, I crashed twice and the windshield didn't break.

My Calsci cracked when I installed it! :angry2:

Of course, mine was with the much-thicker V-Stream. That beast was thick. The second crash saw a nice high-side over-and-under that took it off, but it never did break.

 

[Checkswrecks]

The plastic screws are supposed to fail before the windshield and I'd worry more that those were over-torqued at installation.

 

[GunMD]

Another rider in the middle of the summer who has a certain proclivity for attracting avian wildlife with regularlity, but not this time......windshield breaks for no apparent reason...go figure.

For the record, GZ's shield was not a stock one. I can't recall what brand it was, but most of us referred to it as a 'barn door'.

 

[luvtoride]

I've frozen my shield w/ rainwater, continued to ride & it didn't crack. I'd guess that this really doesn't happen much if at all.

 

[johnny80s]

Mine is fine in the all the way up position at 100 degrees and 130 mph!

 

[zorkler]

maybe after i smoke some crack and a few donuts .(not the kind you eat)

 

[OBFJR]

Most quality shields are close to aviation standards with respect to temp resistance (not so on impact) so I suspect that you are in good shape with the cold weather riding. I'm impressed with your sub-freezing riding in the first place!

Bob

 

[Bugnatr]

My stock shield worked fine for over 2 hours at temps between 19 & 25 while riding at 75mph between 6-8 thousand feet elevation. Of course this was with it in the lowest position so I could enjoy the fresh air and no bugs! Funny thing was I didn't see any other bikes on the road.

 

[MrMung]

My stock shield worked fine for over 2 hours at temps between 19 & 25 while riding at 75mph between 6-8 thousand feet elevation. Of course this was with it in the lowest position so I could enjoy the fresh air and no bugs! Funny thing was I didn't see any other bikes on the road.

FYI Speeds driven aka "wind chill" make no difference to inanimate objects like plastic windshields. Speed/wind only impact animals/humans

FWIW