Installing and setting up the 1800 Windbender HP
Like any High Performance equipment, getting it set up correctly is important to truly take advantage of its capabilities. Please read these instructions through to understand them before installing the Windbender high performance windshield.
Installation
After removing the windshield, reinstall the lower half of the Windbender windshield reusing the existing hardware and reassembling in reverse order.
With the lower half adjusted down to the lowest setting, slide the top half of the windshield onto the bottom half. The top half of the windshield may need to be flexed a little flatter in order to accomplish this. Once the two windshield halves are mated up, install the two pins in the two brackets aligning the highest slots in the top windshield half. (The windshield is now in its lowest position.) Loosen the four nylon screws that hold the two brackets on the top half of the windshield. This allows the brackets to align with the bottom ones and center themselves. Tighten up the four screws. (DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN, just snug them up.)
Set Up Adjustments
Now that the windshield is mounted, it’s time to set it up for your particular height and riding style.
1. With your motorcycle sitting in a parking lot, measure and place a marker 88’ from the front tire in the direction you would be riding. (This is one second of travel at 60 mph.)
2 Sitting on your motorcycle in your natural riding posture (with at least one foot down so you don’t tip over) look at the marker you placed at 88’ in front of you. Adjust the windshield so that when looking at the marker, your line of site is just going across the top of the windshield. (Here’s a tip, most of us tend to slouch a little after riding for awhile. Try to create as much of a true riding position as possible. Let the bike sit on its wheels, don’t use the side or center stand.)
The adjustment can be accomplished by either raising the windshield with the factory adjustment, moving the upper half by removing the pins and sliding it up to a different slot, and for fine tuning the height, there is an inch adjustment available by loosening the four nylon screws on the top half and sliding it up. Your final setting can be accomplished by any combination of these adjustments.
3. After riding for awhile, you will more than likely make another final adjustment. The key to this set up is to have the 88’ target somewhere in the middle range of your adjustment. Here’s the reason, the goal is to have an unobstructed view over the top of the windshield from one to two seconds of travel distance. This distance increases at high speeds and decreases at low speeds. This necessitates the requirement to adjust the windshield up and down for different riding situations. For example, the rider can travel quite comfortable at 70 mph with the windshield set down at 88’ site distance, but the co-rider who sits up higher, may need it raised to about the 130’ site distance to be comfortable. At the other end, cutting curves on a secondary road at 50 mph will be more fun if the sight distance is down to 65’ and wind isn’t as much of a problem for the co-rider.
Cleaning and Maintenance
By pulling the two pins in the slide brackets, the windshield can be separated for easy access to clean both halves. It’s recommended to clean the windshield with a soft cloth using cleaners approved for acrylics. To maintain easy adjustment it is recommended to occasionally wipe the bracket sliding area with cleaner also.
What makes the Windbender different?
A typical windshield configuration as it comes from the factory and like many aftermarket shapes available, by nature, create a low pressure area directly behind the windshield. The wind buffeting on the helmet and shoulders felt by the rider and co-rider is the effect of the air flow collapsing before it has a chance to get very far past the trailing edge of the windshield. If the windshield is big enough, the rider may find some calm air, but it would be unusual for the co-rider to avoid the turbulent airflow. In addition to that, other problems now arise, reduced clarity from looking through another layer of plastic is just one. By making the Windbender a two piece windshield assembly, air coming up the back side of the windshield reduces the low pressure area typically found on the standard configuration. This allows the air to be more stable and to hold its flow profile longer, allowing a more stable airflow environment for both the rider and co-rider. In addition to this benefit, motorcycling is back to its pure form, not hiding behind a windshield.
WARNING
Firecreek Accessories advocates the use of proper eye protection. Even though it’s entirely possible to experience calm conditions looking over the top of the Windbender windshield, as with all windshields, heavy objects like gravel or hard shell bugs can penetrate the wind layer and cause eye injury.