In 1986, at only 18 years of age and no more than a few months out of high school I purchased the business that is now known as Clearview Shields.
With the financial, physical and mental help of my lovely wife Tonya, together we managed to build a successful motorcycle windshield manufacturing firm that after 32 years is known worldwide for high quality and unique replacement motorcycle windshields.
I have to admit our first plan was to run the business long enough to fund our college educations, but with coaching on fabrication from the previous owner and my wife receiving instruction on how to keep solid books from my then entrepreneurial grandma the reality sunk in… THIS WAS OUR COLLEGE EDUCATION!!
Later in 1988 Clearview Shields received our first break. Hearing about the halt of production at Vetter Corporation, we managed to get on the Vetter Corps referral list and began manufacturing and distributing Vetter’s replacement windshields to Dealerships across the country, covering all of their fairing lines.
Our Dealer network grew and the business took off showing revenues soaring over that of previous years. Now we both knew that we can make Clearview Shields work. Ironically we purchased our first major Touring bike (aHonda GL1000) with non-other than a Vetter Windjammer fairing attached. Then graciously received a 1988 Kawasaki Concours as a 30th birthday gift from my wife (yes I said my wife) and quickly sold the Wing.
From the very beginning, I always applied myself to truly helping the rider. Designing enhanced motorcycle windshields tailored to their bikes. I found that working directly with motorcyclist was the best part of the business. To pursue more of a background in design and increase my knowledge of flow dynamics, I spent many weekends at the Wind Engineering and Fluids Laboratory (WEFL) at Colorado State University.
With the help of some faculty and other students I learned more about air flow and how different shapes influence the airstream. Motorcycles are the most difficult to design for. The key really, is to know the correct angles and their relationship to the rider. Each motorcycle with the accompanying fairing produced it’s own new dynamic to producing effective comfortable airflow’s for the rider.
On top of that each rider has a different body style and a different expectation of what they want from their motorcycle windshield and the ride. Every new design challenge further increased my understanding of the ergonomics of Motorcycling.
1991 arrived and so did our first child Brandon, now graduating Clearview Shields to Family owned business. Early 1994 we had our second boy Ryan. During the whole course of operating Clearview Shields and raising a family we never had to take our kids to day care, we just always brought them to work. As they grew they were immersed in Motorcyling not just through the business but also as a recreational activity.
As a family we all grew to enjoy Colorado and the different motorcycle riding it provided. The family attended many motorcycle shows and Vending at even more. The boys were always with us at these events and outings while they were growing up. Ryan has helped at many rallies not only attending to customer questions but installing screens on site.
Now our oldest Brandon, graduated from the Air force Academy as a second lieutenant and Recently advanced to Captain. His brother Ryan advanced to Business Partner and is now Vice President of Clearview Shields. He has been actively Developing new products himself which you can find on our Indian Scout Product line and Indian Scout Fork Lower Pages. This screen was also featured on the “Veterans Charity Ride” lending it’s comfortable and stylish design features to Joshua Stein and passenger.
Clearview Shields is still run on family values. Even after 32 years we have a managed to maintain a modestly sized production crew that believes in manufacturing only quality products together for you the rider. We work every year at bringing unique designs for current and New model motorcycles, never limiting ourselves and our customer to just a few choices and expanding our knowledge of how a motorcycle windshield can be one of the best changes a rider can make to improve the quality of their riding experience and not just the looks of the bike! We will always be a manufacturing company first. This is one thing that I vowed at the beginning. Keeping a close eye on all areas of windshield production and keeping all production within our facility.
Craig Stenger, President
Clearview Shields