Best Windshields?

The OEM ST1100 windshields had a clear flexible trim piece similar to a car door-edge moulding that is installed on the upper edge of the windshield. It does a good job of catching the rain that runs up the outside of the windshield and redirecting it to the outside edges where it blows off directly on to your sleeve. The same could easily be installed to any windshield. As long as your sleeve has rain gear on you're good.
 
I've been running the V-Stream shield that came with the bike for about 40K miles. By and large it works really well if you keep both hands on the handlebars. The airflow requires this. If you don't, that slight change alters the airflow and buffets something awful. With the shield all the way up, for speeds up to about 70 MPH (assuming now head/tail/cross winds) it's pretty darn good. Above that speed and the buffeting gets pretty bad. A few hours out West with higher Interstate speeds left me really wishing for a shorter shield.

To me, it's a balancing act between airflow and high frequency noise and buffeting, and I'll pretty much always avoid buffeting whenever possible.

More recently (prior to any "long" trips), I've installed a Bike-Quip shield out of the UK. 20", clear. At 60mph with the shield all the way up, there overall protection and smoothness of airflow isn't as good as the V-Stream (with both hands on the bars), but at higher speeds there isn't as much buffeting, either. More experimentation is needed.

I also have a rather wider and somewhat taller shield that came with the bike. It's a Clearview. 22.5" max height, 25.5" at the widest. Has two air vents cut out. It's a bit of a barn door. I will experiment with that as well.
Overall, I suspect I'll go the @W0QNX route and locate some shorter shield I can cut down a bit. I vastly prefer a "smoother" airflow vs. overall protection.

For anyone in the area (or that will be in the area for a while), feel free to get ahold of me if you want to try one of the shields I have. They go on and off easily enough, and I'm happy to oblige.
 
My V Stream windshield works very well at all speeds. The motorcycle is much quieter with the windshield at higher speeds of over 200 km/h on the German highway. You can ride with the flip-up helmet open up to over 160 km/h without any problems. The windshield is perhaps 2/3 extended. I am very satisfied.
 
I too went with a V-Stream for my ST. I got the standard model. At first I was disappointed. It is basically the same size as the stock shield. But then I took the bike for a ride. I could tell right away the V-Stream did a better job of blocking the wind. I usually wear a motocross helmet in Florida (full face with visor but no shield). I noticed right away it is much calmer and quieter behind the V-Stream. I'm not sure why. Maybe its the shape of the shield. But it definitely works well for me.

I'm 6'. Don't have handlebar risers installed.
 
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