Windshield survey

[Pilgrim]

I had decided i was going to sell my Drifter so I returned the Rifle windshield. It was a real nice windshield and would have worked fine  except for the driving lights not being able to be installed on the OEM lightbar. Rifle customer service was great. Since then I have now made a decision to keep the Drifter so I was back in the market for another windhshield. I found a new OEM Drifter windshield with mounting hardware on Ebay for a decent price. Part # K46001-038. This particular windshield came in an assembly that included the mounting hardware. You cannot buy the mounting brackets seperatly and they do not have a part # of it's own because it was a part of the K46001-038 windshield assembly. National Cycle manufactured this windshield for Kawasaki, they do not have the brackets either. This windshield is obsolete and I was fortunate to find a new one on Ebay with the mounting brackets.

[pcarrell]

It was 4 half inch bolts that I spun off is about 2 minutes with a ratchet.

The original install was done by the OP, and it was a bit more involved.  You have to take the risers off and it sandwiches between the top triple tree and the risers, but once that's done it's just four 1/2" bolts to remove.  There are no bars or anything that attach to the handlebars.  Here's an old pic that shows the back side a little.

(Click to Enlarge)

[Drift1]

Thanks for sharing them pics,PC and taking your shield off for others to see.Imop Geuss if you really are going to add a shield wouldn't be that horrible to get use to the brackets.Are the brackets easy to get off or just a pain and time consuming to put on and off?I just saw one on eBay that by the looks of it attaches to the handle bars by 2 half clamps and If I remember correctly 4 Allen screws or bolts.Looks very easy on/off as far as install goes

[pcarrell]

Good info (as usual) PC.My question is does anyone have a pic with the windshield off so we can get a better view of what these brackets look like.I'm just curious if they are an eye sore when you don't want or need the shield on........

Took mine off real quick and took some pics (excuse the dirt and water spots).........

(Click to Enlarge)

[Drift1]

Good info (as usual) PC.My question is does anyone have a pic with the windshield off so we can get a better view of what these brackets look like.I'm just curious if they are an eye sore when you don't want or need the shield on........

[pcarrell]

The F&S windshield has 4 small bolts (2 on each side) to remove that hold the shield in place to the not so easy to remove brackets that attach under the risers.  If the tools are handy, maybe a whole 2 minutes to remove.  It also has built in height adjustment (sliders) that is super simple.  When the shield itself is removed you're still left with a bracket, but it's not a super ugly bracket.  It's pretty inconspicuous.

The National shield has the quick detach feature, but it has to leave some sort of bracket on the bike, and I have no idea what that looks like.

[darkdrifter]

does anybody know if theres a windshield for the drifters with a "quick detach" feature?

I don't have the spotlights, nor will never have them.

If nobody knows of a quick detach, how long does it take to remove the rifle or the fire and steel?

The idea is to only use the windshield on days with possibility of rain.
quickness of installing and removing would be very beneficial

edit:
just did some searching.
this says it has the quick detach feature.
anybody know if this would work?
http://www.bikerhaven.net/servlet/the-9979/NATIONAL-CYCLE-SWITCHBLADE%C2%AE-/Detail

[CDNRatMan]

 if you look there should be about a 2" adjusment slot for the windshield to move up or down.

[DriftinGirl]

 

You can always cut off, but it REAL hard to add!

LOL  ....suppose so.

[pcarrell]

You can always cut off, but it REAL hard to add!

[DriftinGirl]

   Good to see you like the Rifle windshield Pilgrim. I am leaning toward it also. Have spent the past few days following up on the suggestions/leads you guys have given,(thanks) and educating myself about pros and cons of windshield in general. Now that I'm nearing a decision...I find I left the paper with height measurement back in Nova Scotia! Anybody out there 5' 6" with a corbin seat - what height is your windshield?? Or anyone in southern NM who would let me sit on their bike and measure again?? Or can they be cut later if too tall??

[chief]

I have Rifle replacement plastic on mine with the old style light bar... spots mimic the headlight.

We have one or two of the flat backed spotlight bars for sale which look like they would work as well.
Rifle also sells a light bar adapter kit for use with their windshields. $29
http://rifle.com/Lightbar%20Adaptor%20Kit%20Drifter-P2166.aspx

[Pilgrim]

I received the Rifle shield today and installed it. Installation was easy and took me about 30 min.
The windshield looks great on the bike and you were correct PC, the nobar light installation will be impossible without adding brackets. I think i am going to keep the windshield though and make brackets out of aluminum like those in the first gadget link you posted . I like these brackets because it will get my lights forward and even with the front of the headlight and they will also clear the windshield. I haven't rode yet because it has been raining here for 3 days with flooding and stuff.

[Gerhardberger]

When i bought my bike, it came with a GIVI Windshield, and I'm quite happy with it !!!!!

[jamey wright]

I tried angling my national cycle windshield to match the forks, and although it looked nice, this made it the perfect height to allow bees and bugs to hit me square in the bridge of my nose. A little more vertical, and it sent them over my head. After a few good bee stings, I learned that function is sometimes better than form.

[chief]

Accessories area of the web site...

http://www.vulcandrifterriders.com/reviewpost/showcat.php?cat=23
Mods
http://www.vulcandrifterriders.com/reviewpost/showcat.php?cat=61

[pcarrell]

You might at least mock it up and see what you think.  If it won't work, something like this might: http://www.gadgetjq.com/jm_spotlight_bracket.htm or this http://www.gadgetjq.com/jh_1600_nomad_lightbar.htm

[Pilgrim]

I may have to return the Rifle then because I do plan on mounting spotlights-nobar, but I don't mind cutting the shield alittle if I have too. I do want my shield to angle back in line with the forks.
The windshield I bought for my 1500 I wound up cutting 6" off the heigth and cutting out for my lights at the bottom.
I will find out this week because my lights are due in tomorrow and the shield Wed.

[pcarrell]

As was explained to me by a fellow Vulcan owner who had to deal with this.......

The Fire & Steel shield, like yours Ratman, only has a single curve to it....vertical across the whole face of it.  The Rifle shield has a compound curve.....vertical across the whole face of it and horizontal across the lower portion.  That's where the problem is with mounting spots (other then very shallow ones, and it makes the "Nobar" mod basically impossible).  The bottom end points for the shields are virtually the same (compare where the shields end in relation to the headlight bucket), but the Rifle shield is more forward 2 or 3 inches above that point because it goes almost straight up from that point before it starts angling back.  The F & S shield just angles back, allowing more room for the bucket of a spotlight.

Of course, if you don't plan on using spotlights this is all irrelevant........

[CDNRatMan]

 ok I used a Fire & Steel light bar for a Vulcan and the lights mount really easy and are not bothered by the windsheild. JMPO don't like the windsheilds with the arms and brackets on the handlebars, looks messy and not as secure to me.

[pcarrell]

I've heard that it's hard to mount spotlights with the rifle shield because of the way the shield itself is shaped at the bottom.

[Pilgrim]

I just ordered a Rifle shield and it comes with the mounting hardware. You can get clear or tinted and the mounting hardware polished or black. I can't give a review on it because I haven't received it yet.
I'll update once i get it installed.

http://rifle.com/Motorcycle-Windshields/Classic/Kawasaki/Rifle-Classic-Windshield-Kawasaki-Drifter-1500-800.aspx

[DriftinGirl]

Tks guys, now i have a place to start my search.

[pcarrell]

Yeah, that looks like the Fire & Steel shield.

[CDNRatMan]

Mine came on the bike and the PO told me it was on there when he bought it at the dealer, nothing on it saying who makes it or any other info.
That one that PC has posted is close, mine is the 10 hole, it is 21" high and 27" wide at the widest point and it has brackets as you can see that allow you to adjust the height and make it fit you. I rubber mounted the four mounts to the bike itself.