Project Manager’s 2015 Road Glide Rider Profile

2016 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLTRUSE GT LARGE

A rider profile is the individual test rider end stage of our design process. To start the creation of a new Motorcycle Windshield we first sign up a local rider to work with. They help us create a good working prototype. Then we take that design and submit it to a larger group of riders with varying needs and riding styles. This approach gives us a dynamic that impacts the development of the design from many angles and allows input from all who are involved.

The test group helps to mold the shape of the new screen in a direction that works well for all 2015 2016 Harley Davidson Road Glide owners while identifying individual needs. The rider profile helps to give you, the customer, an idea of what Screen height and design style will work best for you. You can just match your body height, Pant Inseam, and bike modifications to rider with the exact, or at least close, list of physical and mechanical attributes.

Clearview Shields Project Manager

Bailey, CO

The best part of designing Quality products is not just working with riders directly and creating something that will make the thing they love better, but getting the opportunity to take my own concepts out for a spin. The idea of riding the newest bikes is not just fun, but hey, it’s my job. Somebody has to do it right? When it came to the new 2015 /2016 Harley Davidson Road Glide Windshield, the test riders were not just the proto-type bike owner and I, but a group of diverse Road Glide owners that brought a broad range of body sizes, bike mods, and riding philosophies to the design table. The focus group provided different angles to look at the bike from.  Whether it was the tall individual who tools around town and/or takes short day trips,  the female rider who enjoys long rides across the country, or the retired couple that spends miles and miles on their bike, all these people had valuable things to contribute to the windshields’ development.

For the next few weeks you will get more details on each Harley Davidson Road Glide participants’ own individual profile. From the size of their body to the seat or bars they may have changed. Most of them have put thousands of miles on our new Road Glide screens and, in the end, allowed us to fit the right screen to their specific needs.  We hope in turn that they will help you, the 2015/2016 Road Glide shopper, understand what style and height of Clearview Shield will best fit your needs based on the rider that matches you.

My review of our new Clearview Windshields was unfortunately only for a short time, roughly half of a day to be exact. The ride was to include Tonya (a co-owner of Clearview Shields) and myself.  Normally we spend a great deal of time riding two up, so I felt her feedback would be good input for other riders with a similar setup.

  • Body Height- 5’ 10”
  • Inseam (Pant Length)- 33”
  • Bike Model- Stock 2015 Harley Davidson Road Glide Special /FLTRX
  • Modifications- None

Suspension set at 10 clicks above low

The route was just less than 19 miles long; starting with a 10 mile section of two lane country road where we safely reached speeds of 60 to 70 mph and virtually no traffic and ending on a 9 mile stretch of interstate where we could legally reach speeds of 80 mph (with small bursts of 90+) passing a countless number of tractor trailers with plenty of dirty air trailing behind each one. Riding with the stock screen gave an immediate feel of the changes Harley Davidson made to their larger touring class motorcycle.  I played with all of the venting options as I plugged down the route chosen, in the end leaving them all open to get the best and smoothest experience.  For a touring Motorcycle, the 2015/2016 Road Glide channeled a lot of wind around the rider but for the sake of the new vented fairing and very short windscreen design, the airflow was not a horrible experience.  It was like getting the rushed air of riding without the pressure and eye tearing blast of wind that an un-faired bike provides.  I used the Stereo as a gauge for sound starting with 8 to 9 bars at 60mph and over 10 bars on the Highway over 80 mph.

We then test drove the four different sizes of Harley Davidson 2015/2016 Road Glide Windshields to find the size that fit our riding style and bodies the best.

2015-ROAD-GLIDE-measuring

When determining a height of windshield, we have established a single point of reference that all riders can use. Measuring up from the lower ridge of the center dash to the top edge of the windshield.  All vertical height references have been listed for each size reviewed.

 

2015/2016 Road Glide Windshield Small 11” Vertical Height

The first Screen of choice was the 2015 Road Glide windshield GT Small, 11” up from the center Dash. A height that allowed my view of a low lying object 50’ out in front of the bike while sitting comfortable and still.  This is a method we recommend to all of our clients for determining a good comfortable height.  The most important thing to remember is to use the visual reference as an intersecting point for the top edge.  It may seem like you will be looking at the top of the screen during your whole ride but once you hit 20mph the edge fades away and you realize you have a comfortable view of the road ahead. Another tip when riding with a passenger: be sure that they are on the bike when determining height. On both the Scalloped and the GT, the design provided virtually no distortion when looking through it.  That was very important to us when designing this screen, not just because of our name, but as a rider you want little to no distraction when riding. The Temperature was comfortable with almost no wind. The height was easy to look over at slow speeds and very easy at 60 mph+.  The difference in coverage was huge. Only a small amount of wind came over the top while the wide screen redirected the side airstream around both me and the passenger.  At speeds of 60 to 70 mph down the country road, we could easily last all day long with no fatigue without the constant wind blast the stock windshield created. Stereo 7 to 8 bars.  Highway riding at 80mph created a slightly windier pocket than the country rode but as we passed each truck and car, the reason for the added turbulence became evident. Stereo an easy 8 bar setting. You felt just a little more air than at slower speeds, which is to be expected but still very comfortable. We could easily stop at this height, if we were not committed to trying the other taller options. The Scalloped version of this height offered a bit more air around the sides but still was still enjoyable at both speeds.

2015-Harley-Davidson-FLTRX-Small

 

2015-2016 Road Glide Windshield Medium, 12.5” Vertical Height

2015 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLTRX MEDIUM

 

Moving to the medium, we started with the scalloped style. By this time of the morning, we felt a slight increase in temperature and on the second ride with the 2015 /2016 Road Glide windshield the wind picked up: head wind going out at the lower speeds, tailwind coming back on the interstate. The 12” vertical height at speeds of 10 to 20 mph, found the top edge bouncing in my field of view. At 30 to 40 mph, if I stretched and sat straight in the saddle, I could see over the top. Once 60 mph was reached the need to stretch to look over the top was greatly reduced and I was able to relax a bit. As with the Small, I noticed no annoying distortions to take my attention away from the ride. The coverage was slightly improved with a little less wind coming over the top. Stereo now was reduced to 6 to 7 bars down the country road with 7 to 8 bars on the Highway. Our Harley Davidson Road Glide GT style with the wider side coverage continually locked in the lower bars on the stereo due to the improved air stream.

2016 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLTRUSE MEDIUM

 

2015/2016 Road Glide Windshield Large, 14” Vertical Height

2016 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLTRUSE GT LARGE

For the large height, I knew my view would be looking through the screen after riding the Medium height.  I made no attempt to try to look over the 2015 Road Glide windshield but instead just relaxed behind it. The Air was warmer now, being early afternoon, and in turn the wind a little stronger, but coming from the same direction.  The benefits of no distortion became very important, now that I had no outlet for looking over the screen. For kicks, I produced a vented version of our GT Large just to get an idea if it would be something that would make the ride better and I knew that in the back of my head I would wonder if it created any change for the rider or passenger. With the two large vents in low in the fairing and the upper windshield vent, would riders notice any difference?  Personally for me, I did not feel a change so I closed the vent and almost immediately felt a slap on my back. Tonya asked what I did and after telling her she demanded that I open it back up.  The wind around her ears was smoothed out with the addition of this 4th vent option. All other aspects of this taller height seemed to not change the airflow when compared to the medium. The main difference I first concluded was a simple feel of protection, now having to look through the screen.  I knew the possibility of a rock or a large bug hitting me or my passenger was greatly reduced, which is one reason many riders prefer this riding environment. But having started with the stereo as a gauge from the beginning, I noticed I only needed to turn it up to 5 bars at 60 mph and 6 bars on the Highway. For the owners of the 2015-2016 Harley Davidson Road Glide, I guess it does make a difference overall in how quiet the pocket becomes with a screen that you look through. The addition of taller sizes is not just for riders who like to look through the screen but is also for taller riders looking for excellent coverage while looking over the top edge. As with the other heights, the scalloped cut added a little more air around the sides without compromising a comfortable ride.

2015 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLTRX LARGE

 

2015/2016 Harley Davidson Road Glide X-Large, 15.5” Vertical height

2015 Road Glide XL

Due to the fact that I normally do not like to look through a screen and since I only noticed a slight reduction in the Stereo when I moved to the Large, I chose not to test drive our 2015 Road Glide windshield X-Large height. This height would work very well for many of the taller 2015/2016 Harley Davidson Road Glide Owners or for those who have changed the height of their seat or position of their handlebars.

After testing the Large, Medium, and Small height options for the new Harley Davidson Road Glide, the Passenger and I concluded that the Road Glide GT Small was the best windshield for us. The combination of the extreme change in the comfort in the pocket and my ability to easily look over the screen fit well for my preferred style of riding while providing a quiet ride for the passenger as well with one request, if we ever decide to own the 2015/2016 Road Glide, I would add the vent to avoid the constant slap, slap, slap on my back.

Look for our test rider reviews in the upcoming weeks.  With the varying rider sizes and bike mods, they will help you decide on the Clearview Shield that will work best for you to.