Clearview Windshields

[Randy3269]

Is the vent worth the extra money?

Thanks,
Randy

[Jess from VA]

I've never had one (though I have interstates that are vented under the windshield).  But mine are plugged most of the time because bugs taste bad with my half helmet, and rain goes thru and up the shield to foul it on the inside.  

However, unlike an IS vent where it's either open or closed, the std/tourer shield vents are adjustable, and I understand when closed they are pretty tight.    

I don't like things blocking my clear view ahead (or how they look), though I believe they are located pretty low in a std/tourer shield.  

But, I think how hot your usual riding season is very relevant.  In constant 80/90s, I might want one.  I have heard in the 100-110s like TX AZ, fast flowing hot air actually cooks you.  

[Bone]

Owned a 85 Goldwing Aspencade. I installed a tinted Tulsa shield with the vent there was very little air movement around the the cockpit. The vent made that a new ride. When I traveled in some Hot states it was fantastic wide open was like rolling down all the windows in your cage.

 Closed it stopped most of the water in a downpour

[Woton]

Purchased a vented 17" Clearview for my '97 Tourer this past spring which, given my "lying down" riding posture, allows me to see over the top as is my preference.  I like the look, but I can tell you that I notice absolutely NO difference if the vent is closed or open.

I would hope a longer shield, or the wider-than-stock ones, might be benefitted by the vent.  I defer to others on that. 

Now, I'm certainly riding with it closed here in mid-January!  And, I'll open it up for the summer months.  Still, I advised a Valk friend considering sending his 17" shield back to Clearview to add the vent to not spend the money and bother.

Finally, the vent on a 17" does not block your view at all on a Tourer...

[Gunner]

Yes...I ordered my Clearview with one for my IS and I would not order a replacement without it now.

Gunner

[sandy]

I have a stock height Clearview. Love the vent in hot AZ. I had access to the OEM vent so I asked if Clearview would cut the vent hole without the vent parts. They cut the hole free. Parts were a perfect fit.

[Kunkies]

I also have a 17" vented "Shorty" on my 2000 GL1500CT and there isn't much difference.

Save yourself the $'s

[michaelyoung254]

I have a Clearview with the vent on my Standard (Tourer windshield with Clearview replacement shield), and I love the vent. It makes quite a bit of difference, especially on our hot Texas summer days. On cold days, simply shut the vent, and it's like it's not there.


Mike

[CoachDoc]

I find my Standard to be a hot bike in the literal sense in hot weather........so much heat comes off the engine when it gets into triple digits. I bought the 17" Clearview with the vent, and I like it a lot. It helps to get that much additional airflow on your body when it's hot on the road. Go for it.

[Hoser]

I like the goldwing vent installed in a clearview down low with the open close option.  Hoser

[DK]

I installed one only last week. 25", + 1" width, tinted and with 5 position vent. So far I've rode about 500 miles with it installed.

First, I'm impressed with the company's service. Couldn't have been better. Patient explanations, good advice, and they drive you to distraction with emails keeping you appraised of all stages of the fabrication process and expected delivery date. I mention this because there is some critisizm out there of the company. I can emphatically state that it is absolutely unfounded.

I'm impressed with the vent. It has 5 positions that lock in firmly and it closes tightly and is completely below the field of vision on the Valk standard.

I think I'm going to regret the tint. It seems to cause somewhat impaired visibility at dusk. However, it does help facing bright sunlight.

Part of the problem with the tint is that I ride a trike and prefer to look thru the shield but like to be able to sit up and peer over it when needed. For me, the 25" is a couple of inches too tall for this.

I haven't been in the rain with it yet, but I don't see how the vent could be a problem due to closing tightly and also being set low on the screen. Also, even opening it slightly reduces buffeting noise.

I'm going to tilt it back to the limit of the top mount slot and I think that will solve my height problem. Cutting it down is not an acceptable option as it is contoured like the original Honda screen with a turned up tip to increase wind velocity over the top. Clearview will trim and repress it at no charge but shipping to & from would be about $100.00.

[Randy3269]

Great info guys. Thank you! Does the Tourer windshield have the recurve at the top?

[Bone]

Randy I don't have an answer to the recurve.
Thanks to all of this windshield talk I called them a couple of days ago to order one for my 98 Tourer.
I missed the 20% discount they didn't have my model in stock. The man told me to wait until Sat., Sun. or Mon.
and I can order online and get $25 off a special they are offering.
I'm getting the tinted, 2 inches shorter (19") with the 5 position vent. Going with the stock width.

[Bone]

Soon as the temps start warming (Michigan) I tilt my stock shield pulling the bottom out. When I go back to stock adjustment I'm constantly looking over the top which is a little stretch for me. The 19" should work I don't want to give up the shield we have a variety of weather. 

[Jimbo97]

I ordered a 19 in Clearview windshield and did not see a option to order a recurve windshield.  Did I miss the recurve or is it not avaiable?

Jimbo

[DK]

Jumbo,

When I ordered my Clearview shield a few weeks ago, in a phone conversation with Clearview, they mentioned that they did recurve additions to shields but the option was not available for Valk shields as they were formed exactly like the original shield & already had the recurve feature built in.

Give them a call on this. They're good people.

Dan

[kodiakfisher]

I will add a bit of opinion on why the vent makes little sense with the Interstate.

The interstate already has a vent and as the air moves over the fairing and through the vent it creates a high pressure system there and a low pressure system right above it. Basically sucking much of the air into the high pressure flow of air leaving very little to go into a vent just above the one in the fairing.

Also I quickly realized last summer in billings that in really hot weather having more airflow feels more like having a hair dryer pointed out and will dehydrate you much faster.

I can see where a standard or tourer windshield you could see additional airflow.

Kodiakfisher

[Jess from VA]

I will add a bit of opinion on why the vent makes little sense with the Interstate.

Agreed, and when I chose my new Clearviews for my interstates, I got out the ruler and trimmed a bit of OE shield height on the bike with the lower seat. 

IE, with the existing vent, all you really need to do is get the shield height just right for YOU.   

[Rosie]

 I am happy with mine, you dont get a ton of airflow but you get enough that it helps cool you off. I also got the light tinted one, I like that also.

[WintrSol]

When I bought my Tourer, the PO had installed the extra-tall Clearview windshield, with the vent. I don't like looking through a shield, so replaced it with the 17", and moved the vent. My eyes are just over 2" above the top of the shield, and I find opening the vent has a bigger effect on buffeting from the air over the shield than it does on cooling me, although that does increase some. Just a guess, but I think the open vent subtracts from the air moving vertically up the shield, thus reducing turbulence there. I just have to remember to close it when it starts to rain.

[Ken Tarver]

Vent, YES
I like it

[Jims99]

I was just getting ready ask the same question.
Thanks for responds. I think I decided to go with the vent, but now I’m wondering
about hight. I was going with the 21, the stock shield I look right at top, but was thinking about wife. Does the little bit of hight diferance affect the passenger? I know she gets more wind than me. Sits up more. We’re both short, but want it as comfortably as possible for her.
Thanks.

[WintrSol]

Do you prefer looking over the shield, or through it? The 17" shield stops about 26.5" above the driver's seat - I have a Corbin seat, so YHMV - and my eyes are about 2.5" above that when seated. So, the 21" shield would have me looking forward through the top of it. Since I've never ridden b#tch, I don't know what the air is like back there, but expect there to be some buffeting. The higher the shield, the less air, I presume.

[Bone]

Put a Clearview on my 98 Tourer.  I rode a few years with the stock shield tilted enjoyed it so much I bought 2 inch shorter than stock Clearview (with vent).
I'm 6 ft tall and have 2 things I don't like with this choice. The stock shield I could duck down when getting hard rain the shorter shield I take on a lot of water.
The second thing is noise. I have handlebar mounted speakers  that I can't hear or hear clearly at 50 mph or faster. I never gave noise a thought. I can crank up the volume up  but don't care for the loud stuff on a long ride. 

[kodiakfisher]

Due to the vent that already exists on the I/S there is a high pressure system created as the air moves through that vent pulling air in towards that vent. This creates a low pressure system above the vent.

If you install a clearview vent in the windshield there is not much additional air to move through the vent. You can see this when riding in the rain. The rain does not move up the windshield very quickly right in that area.

With standards and tourers others have said there is enough air moving around to not really notice the additional air flow.

I have found that when it gets really hot the last thing I want is to get blasted with any additional hot air. I am very white and grew up in AK so I'm very heat sensitive.

Hopefully this helps

Kodiakfisher

[Houdini]

Due to the vent that already exists on the I/S there is a high pressure system created as the air moves through that vent pulling air in towards that vent. This creates a low pressure system above the vent.

If you install a clearview vent in the windshield there is not much additional air to move through the vent.

Wrong!  I have one on my IS and get a nice blast of air on my chest when it is open, much more air than comes in the little IS vent.