Like others I find the stock shield pretty good for an OEM shield. However, I have to raise it farther (more than half way) than I like to get clean air at speed. I like shields that work in their lowest position or just raised a little.
I'm 5'8" (or less now that I'm over 50) with a 30" inseam. I ride the stock seat in the lowest position. I have Ilium risers. I spoke with Terry and he said 24" would be best the option for me for long rides but 22" would give me more flexibility for more air.
So I'd like to hear what size you are using, your height, inseam and what seat in what position and whether you use risers. I don't want to make the wrong choice.
I'm 5'11 with only 30 inch inseam...very tall in the saddle. I use the Aerflow tall and love it. Very quiet, doesn't need more than 30% rise to be effective. Gives enough air around the sides on my arms and shoulders for relative comfort on hot, humid days in NC in August.
I just returned from a 2600 mile trip to the Gap and environs. Spent over a week down there just riding every day. Ya-hoo!
I will not need to change this windscreen. It does all I want it to do.
I am pretty much the same measurements as you and same seat position. Also have the Illium risers. I purchased a 26" Werks windshield. I hardly ever raise it unless it is raining. Probably could have gone with the 24".
Almost the same stat as you, with the only difference in that I am an inch shorter, but with the same inseam!
I use the standard height shield, and ride with the low seat in the high position, which should be just a tiny bit (less than 1/2"?) lower than stock seat on low. Very happy with that. The top of the shield is well below my line-of-sight, and the nice thing about this shield is that I can leave the height setting the same whether I was riding the 4-laners or local roads. This video that I had made should give you some ideas of the comparison to the stock shield, and the height setting:
Already have! Looks like you guys are backing up what I told Hammick on the phone! Input from customers over the years has really helped me when asking what size will work best for them. Sometimes it isn't what they expected I would recommend, sometimes it is. Either way, getting the correct size matters........
I am 5' 10" with a 31 inch inseam and ride with the standard seat in the high position. I got the the 24 inch version and it works well for myself and my passenger. We did a 4500 and a 6500 km trip this year with some interstate sections. I would only need to raise it slightly for myself but often raised it to 3/4s plus to almost eliminate turbulence for the passenger. She found a tremendous improvement from last year with the stock shield, especially at higher interstate speeds.
I have the 24" and at 6'3" tall I believe it's too short for me so the 24" should fit you well. The 24" IS quieter than stock but more buffeting than I would prefer.
I'm 5'10" and 32 inch inseam. I bought the 24". What I noticed is with that lip at the top, I could run the shield lower than stock was and still get good airflow. So a 24" QW effectively gives you a couple more inches compared to stock.
My wife is 5'4" and 30" inseam. I also bought her a 24" QW. She also has a low seat. With the new shield, she runs just an inch or so up from full down. With the new shield, she's able to also hear the radio much better due to better air flow.
5’9” and 31” inseam with stock seat height, I love the 24” Werks screen in the lowest position I get lots of air, 1/3 up it quiets the ride significantly, 2/3 to full height up my passenger loves the quietness of it.
IMHO, in comparison to the stock screen there is absolutely no comparison to the Werks screen. Again IMHO the OEM screen is garbage.....
So I'm interested in this thread because I find the OEM shield just fine in dry conditions, but when it rains, it's seemingly worthless. I can have the shield full-up or full-down and it makes almost no difference- rain is going to pelt my face if I leave my visor cracked even a little.
It's like the airflow kicks the rain downwards slightly off of the top before a vortex(?) blows it right up to my face.
And, when traveling over 35 mph, the sound from the speakers is absolute trash.
I have been pretty happy with the stock shield on my RT, but after reading so many positives about the WERKS screen; I decided it was time to order one. I sent an email to Terry to ask if the screen size I "thought" I should get was the correct one. It was not. Thanks Terry for keeping me from making that mistake. I don't even have the windshield yet, although I know I am going to be happy with it. Terry didn't know me from Adam when I contacted him, but his prompt and thorough response to my questions was spot on. This is the way customer service is supposed to be. Kudos to Terry! I can't wait to get my new WERKS Quiet Ride.
I'm a little taller than you, but I really like my aeroflow tall. Doesn't need to be far up to be very quiet and I still get enough air when it's hot out.
Just to add another data point for others in the market: I received my 26-inch Werkes Quiet Ride yesterday, installed it and went for a short 50-mile ride to get an initial impression.
I'm 6' 2", 33 inch inseam, ride on the stock seat in the high position, with no bar-backs or handlebar risers.
I had selected the 26-inch version upon the advice of Terry at Werkes. It works great and is the Goldilocks "just right" size for me. In its low position it allows plenty of flow for cooling and can be adjusted high enough to provide the true "cone of silence".
When I'm riding on back roads even at "brisk" speeds the clean air flow over a bike is not terribly objectionable to me. That is in stark contrast to riding on the superslab following other karzntruks. The wake and vortices they generate is the source of the highly annoying buffeting.
To evaluate how the QR does in these conditions I purposely followed a pickumup truck at highway speeds. I'm delighted to report that buffeting was somewhere between "minimal" and "non-existent". Everthying was quiet and smooth.
Not too suggest inferior quality but their windshields are made of acrylic material. BMW OEM windshields are poly carbonate. I suggest doing some research between the two materials before deciding to buy.
These guys sell poly carbonate windshields for the RT.
I have to agree with 6speedTi. While the Werks is a fine product I have found they seem to scratch easier than other windshields I have owned. Not bad at all but I find very fine scratches occurring from cleaning and yes I use only microfiber clothes and only products designed for plastic shields to clean and polish. On my '06 RT I had a National Cycle Ztechnik shield for nearly 10 years and when I sold the bike it looked great. Yes there were some small nicks (pin head size) from just being on the road for 10 years but very few if any polishing scratches.
My Weeks works fine and does the job but as 6speedTi noted you should understand the product you are buying. One of the reasons I bought the Works was because it came in light tint which the Ztechnik for my RT did not. I also like the overall shape of the Werks shield as it seems to flow nicely with the lines of the RT better than the Ztechnik but that is a personal choice.
As I noted for all the reasons I purchased the Werks I am satisfied with it. And Terry (Realshelby) is great to work with on orders and customer service.
I've had my WERKS shield for about 6 months or so and I've been super happy with it. I'm 6' 4" with a 32ish inseam and the seat set to high and I ordered the 26" shield and it works perfectly. Even in the hot San Diego days I can lower it and get decent airflow. It does a good job with letting clean air get to your chest, its not a ton of air, but its enough so you don't roast. I typically ride with the shield up maybe 70%, basically enough to where I still get air into the top vents of my helmet.
Ed, just remember that the video you posted is made by National Cycle. To promote their product.
There is a BIG difference in grades of Acrylic. What you see in the video isn't what I have seen in my own testing.....
Polycarbonate is more impact resistant. But it has some issues that I don't care for.
BTW, National Cycle makes the OEM windshields for our RT's! They make high quality products. But their shape doesn't compare in how effective they control airflow on the new RT's. I owned one of the first ones they built.......
Yes I totally get that video was made my NC and understand its goal is to promote the NC product. My personal experience has been very good with both NC Ztechnik and with BMW OEM shields from a durability perspective i.e. scratch resistance.
6'2" with 34" inseam here. I chose the 26" Werks shield and found the airflow starts just above my helmet, resulting in a small amount of wind noise while wearing a Shoei Neotec helmet. Certainly an improvement from the stock shield. On a warm day with the shield in the lowest position there is fairly clean airflow my upper body. Maybe I would benefit from the 28" shield, but I don't want to give up the airflow effect in the lowest position of the 26" shield.
At 6'4" tall 35" inseam I find the OEM screen ideal for excellent air flow in warm weather, scratch resistance and clarity, and perfectly suitable for wind deflection at any speed. I use my electric screen control frequently, lowering to all the way down around town and thru tight twisties, and 2" from full up on the highway. I won't own a bike w/o a full height electric screen having been spoiled by this. I've ridden in everything from light mist to the hardest sustained downpours and found the screen was perfectly fine. I appreciate the thickness & impact resistance polycarbonate of this caliber offers for flying rocks and other potential projectiles. I bought a nearly new replacement OEM screen from someone who wanted a different screen, believing the original screen wouldn't hold up forever but as it turns out at 42K miles the original screen remains in near perfect condition save a few pits. But I also use the stock seat, stock mirrors, no peg lowering etc so clearly I am easy to please when it comes to stock RTW attributes.
Yet you ride with the screen all the way down a good bit of the time?
Not picking on you personally Noel! Just bringing up a point. Just like those that swear Michelin tires are the very best in the rain, yet cannot explain how they came to that conclusion, there are those that claim polycarbonate screens are the only thing safe to ride behind yet ride with the screen down. Or if really taking a chance riding a bike without a windshield!!!!!
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