For 20 years I rode bikes with no windshields. I started riding HD heritages in the early 90's with them. Yesterday I took the windshield off the R* and took a ride...I couldnt go 5 miles on it! My eyes watered up so bad I couldnt see, and I was wearing tight fitting 'bike shades' too. Just wonderin' if I cant handle it anymore due to age. LOL .. oh well, gotta go bolt the windshield back on.

I like my shield for long rides and when the weather heads south but I can't wait to get it off in the summer. If your eyes are watering I would say you shades aren't working right.

I dont wanna wear those 'foam lined googles' ..never liked that, ..circa 1944 kamikaze look. Is it better to wear sunglasses tight against your face or loose? Had mine tight maybe I should have worn them more normal like.

I must be old. It isn't fun for me to ride without the shield. My bulldog cheeks bet my ears to death...

I wear prescription glasses so I have 2 different things I wear. The first is a pair of photo grey prescription glasses that I wear at night or in low light situations. They're semi wrap around but there is a lot of open space on the sides. The second is just a pair of clip ons. I don't have trouble with wind wearing either.

Depends what your glasses look like.

The larger the bridge and the more tight fitting around the nose area the less tearing. For years I wore a pair of aviation shades with a leather piece over the nose. Still teared some but not as much as without it.

A couple of year ago I bought a pair of kamikaze glasses (Wiley X) and I'd never wear anything else. The faster you go the better they work.

PS .... I never use a windshield.

Doc

Yeah, you're getting old.

Welcome to the club, Gramps...pull up a rocker and grab a can of prune juice.

I keep meaning to take the shield off...I just keep forgetting to do it...

RK

Doc made a real good point about the open area around the bridge. I tried a pair of clip ons that were open between the lenses and it sucked big time. It was like it funneled the air right in to my eyes

Test rode a VTX1800 the other day at 80mph my arms got streched near blew me off the seat! about then I rembered how good the sheild is,I dont take mine off,ur getting old enjoy it,cant change it

I think the "tearing factor" has to do with the shape/size of the glasses you wear. I wear perscription glasses and when I first started riding back in the early '80s I wore the aviator style glasses that were popular in the '60s & '70s. Never had a windshield and never had a problem with tearing. Later on I switched to more "stylish" frames and suddenly I couldn't ride without my eyes tearing up. Added a windshield though and never looked back!! For several years now I've had persription shades that I wear for riding, but since they are perscription, they're not a true wrap-around, and I still have a problem with tearing when I ride without the windshield. So even though the aviator style frames may be a little "dated" when it comes to style, I think they got thier name for a good reason.

In The Wind,
(with no tears!!)
Aaron