Honda tall windshield or Madstad?

[zeus661]

Currently have the tall Honda windshield with the vent. I like the Madstad but am wondering what difference I might notice.

Anyone with experience here?

[DMAGOLDRDR]

Currently have the tall Honda windshield with the vent. I like the Madstad but am wondering what difference I might notice.

Anyone with experience here?


One of the first things I did was get rid of that stock little shield and put on a Honda Tall Shield with the vent. It was OK but very noisy for me. I now have a Madstad 15" and am very happy. MUCH less wind noise and with the Madstad being a wider shield it has much better protection from the elements. I usually have it allmost the way down but really like the fact that in the cold here in New England I can slide it up all the way and stay warm and dry when needed.

[zeus661]

I am 6' tall and have a stock seat. I was thinking of 13". Does that sound right?

[srt8-in-largo]

A 13" Madstad should protect a 6' rider just fine; I'm 5'10 and use an 11" and it puts me in a still vacuum :icon_biggrin:

[Steve 0080]

I had a Honda Tall and just got back from a 140 mile ride with the new Madstad....very nice, better than the Honda tall...better than all I have tried and I have had a few !!!!! Second would be the Clearview Large... JMHO

[shooter]

I have an 11 inch Cee Bailey. Its OK. I would like a little more protection but I think 13 is too tall. I want wind in the top of my helmet. I just ordered an 11 inch baggershield which goes up to 12.25. I feel like that is going to work for me. I'll give you a full report when I get it mounted.

[Hornblower]

I am 6' tall and have a stock seat. I was thinking of 13". Does that sound right?

As you can see on the Madstad website, the 13" is suggested for a 6' rider:

http://www.madstad.com/s.nl/sc.7/category.11546/.f

[F6B1911]

I had a Honda Tall and just got back from a 140 mile ride with the new Madstad....very nice, better than the Honda tall...better than all I have tried and I have had a few !!!!! Second would be the Clearview Large... JMHO

... but you didn't state how tall you are and what size Madstad you have installed??

[RickJ]

Assuming any windshield is a package of looks, protection (sometimes over-protection) durability cost...maybe more; what exactly, would those who dislike the Honda tall, say are its shortcomings? With my Jeep, EVERYTHING was about beefier aftermarket- gears, protection, wheels... I'm new to Honda, but sense that their Goldwing platform is a thought-out 40yr. process of improvement. I've been assuming that when I get my F6 (warm up dammit) if the stock screen is too small, I'd go to the Honda tall.

This thread made me think about this- so I hope it doesn't sound like a hijack. Short q is what don't previous posters not like about the Honda tall...noise was one thing mentioned...(I'm coming from years of no screen on my Triumph, so I'm hoping the shortie keeps me happy for a while.

[Steve 0080]

... but you didn't state how tall you are and what size Madstad you have installed??




5'10" 13" Lt. Grey....Yes the 11" may have worked.... but taller can not hurt if it is not to tall.... I am somewhat tall waisted ...read 30" inseam

[DMAGOLDRDR]

One of the first things I did was get rid of that stock little shield and put on a Honda Tall Shield with the vent. It was OK but very noisy for me. I now have a Madstad 15" and am very happy. MUCH less wind noise and with the Madstad being a wider shield it has much better protection from the elements. I usually have it allmost the way down but really like the fact that in the cold here in New England I can slide it up all the way and stay warm and dry when needed.

After the Honda Tall shield I purchased a Clearview because I had one on my Valk, but I still wasn't happy. My first Madstad was the 13" and because I could see way over it when it was all the way down I decided to try the 15". With the 15" I can slide it down and see over the top which is how it is most of the time. BUT for me, on some occasions I want the extreme protection that the 15" offers.

[stukatz]

I have the 13" Madstad windshield. There is Zero buffeting. I'm 6'01". I have it set up all the way up and at a 55 degree angle. I've considered lowering it to get more wind (it's that good). I believe it has a 4" up/down movement and an angle adjustment of 55 - 65 degrees. It took me awhile to decide on this windshield because it's not as "sleek" looking as the original, but I haven't regretted it and now I'm used to it and kind of like it. Here's some pictures of my ride this past Sunday.

126621266312661

[radi0chik]

I'm 5'10" and have a goldwing takeoff windshield with vent on it. I love it. I actually can see through it (mostly) and just leave my visor to the helmet up (usually it's down, to prevent bug-in-eye-syndrome) when I ride. Granted I only have 80 miles on the bike so far, but still. :)

[F6B1911]

This thread made me think about this- so I hope it doesn't sound like a hijack. Short q is what don't previous posters not like about the Honda tall...noise was one thing mentioned...(I'm coming from years of no screen on my Triumph, so I'm hoping the shortie keeps me happy for a while.

prefix: I'm 5'10" and have the Mustang seat installed.
I had the Honda tall installed before I took delivery of my F6B.... came off of a BMW with a tall windshield.
The Honda tall, in my case does not provide the same "protection" that I had on the BMW, still had quite a bit of turbulence on the helmet.
Purchased a few other windshields, but not happy with them.

I just picked up the Madstad, but the weather hasn't let me try it out yet.

[RickJ]

prefix: I'm 5'10" and have the Mustang seat installed.
I had the Honda tall installed before I took delivery of my F6B.... came off of a BMW with a tall windshield.
The Honda tall, in my case does not provide the same "protection" that I had on the BMW, still had quite a bit of turbulence on the helmet.
Purchased a few other windshields, but not happy with them.

I just picked up the Madstad, but the weather hasn't let me try it out yet.

Thanks- sounds like you are a little taller than I. I'll still see what the lower shield feels like- but I am following this thread! It'd be nice not to need a full face helmet...

From some of the threads I've followed, it sounds like a mere inch or so rider height can make a big difference.
Thanks again for elaborating.

[srt8-in-largo]

This thread is making me miss my Madstad; I may pop my Clearview off and put the M back on.

If you're waffling about sizes, of any shield, consider the larger one if you ride two up; it may offer a better ride for the passenger.

[SoCal Rich]

I'm 6'1" and have the 13" Madstad. Perfecto. I could raise it up another inch but it's perfect set right in the middle. I tried 3 other one piece shields and nothing satisfied until I got this one. Highly recommend.

[F6BPDX]

I have had my Madstad for about 20k miles at this point and it is great with the 13" shield, it is also really good with the 11". I am 6', and slightly tall waisted I suppose.

I tried the stock shorty and a Tulsa sport before getting the Madstad and then recently had a wild hair and decided to try a Clearview for the looks of it....the Clearview was second best, but it took literally about 3 miles to decide to send it back. The Madstad (and presumably windbender as well although I have never ridden with one personally) are really in a whole different ballpark than everything else for being able to ride in a quiet bubble with just a bit of breeze in your face. I look over my shield by a couple of inches, and have zero issues riding 70mph on the freeway with my face shield up. Trying that with a "normal" screen you can look over is nutty.

The one thing I will say is that I do wish I would have gotten the clear top shield as the dark smoke causes a distracting darker spot in my vision at night. Also if you look back through old threads I have a whistle that is maddening. Since that point I have started wearing earplugs and because of that I don't hear it anymore, but I rode to lunch the other day without them and it is still there, and I have never been able to track it down. So just be aware that it has it's own set of potential issues, but it is IMO the best shield going.

[srt8-in-largo]

...

Also if you look back through old threads I have a whistle that is maddening. Since that point I have started wearing earplugs and because of that I don't hear it anymore, but I rode to lunch the other day without them and it is still there, and I have never been able to track it down. So just be aware that it has it's own set of potential issues, but it is IMO the best shield going.

I thought the whistling issue was solved. Didn't Madstad say it was due to the shaping or something at the top of the shield... and new shields were changed to get rid of it?

[stukatz]

I've only had my Madstad windshield for three weeks. If I pay attention; I could hear a faint whistle at slow highway speeds, but it's not that noticable. Although my wife says I have bionic ears.

[DMAGOLDRDR]

My Madstad still whistles. When I sent the 13" back and orderd the 15" I talked to them about the whistle and they said they would make sure they smoothed out the edges BUT it still whistles.

[hiflyer]

My Madstad still whistles. When I sent the 13" back and orderd the 15" I talked to them about the whistle and they said they would make sure they smoothed out the edges BUT it still whistles.

When I first got mine, it whistled, but I have since changed the brackets around and improved the airflow. No whistle now. I have the original brackets that have way more adjustment than the one they sell now, and I've used all of it at one time or another. I still don't understand why they quit offering these brackets.

My outer shield is closer to the inner one with this adjustment, and is "almost" the same rake as the inner one. I've got the 11".

[F6B1911]

When I first got mine, it whistled, but I have since changed the brackets around and improved the airflow. No whistle now. I have the original brackets that have way more adjustment than the one they sell now, and I've used all of it at one time or another. I still don't understand why they quit offering these brackets.

Just to be clear, the new brackets resolved the whistle issue, but have less adjustment?
Does everyone with the original brackets experience whistling?

[srt8-in-largo]

I have the old brackets (I think) and have a wee bit of whistling.

HiFlyer, any chance of getting side by side pics of the new and old?

[hiflyer]

I have the old brackets (I think) and have a wee bit of whistling.

HiFlyer, any chance of getting side by side pics of the new and old?

If we can get Hornblower to post a pic of his. He is the only one I know personally that has the new brackets. Like I said, I've fumbled around with this thing since day one, and the outer shield being closer to the inner one with this setting may have something to do with it, if in fact the whistle is due to the older style brackets. That said, the whistle I had was random, faint, and never bothered me anyway. I've been fine tuning the airflow for my tastes, and can tell you that it is quieter now than it has ever been, which says a lot, because even in the original setting, it was quieter than my other shields.

[srt8-in-largo]

My whistling also doesn't bother me, but if it's something I can get rid of for cheap, I'll do it :icon_biggrin:


Ken,

Ol buddy ol pal... can you post a pic of the new bracket?

[Hornblower]

OK...just for you special guys. Here are a couple of pics of my Madstad brackets (and BTW, I have NO whistling):

First, showing the outside of the left bracket:
12779

Next, showing the inside of the right bracket
12780

[srt8-in-largo]

Thanks!

Am I blind? I don't really see a difference with the old brackets.

[Hornblower]

Thanks!

Am I blind? I don't really see a difference with the old brackets.

Frankly, I don't know whether my brackets are considered new or old style. All I know is that whistling has never been an issue with my setup.

[hiflyer]

Thanks!

Am I blind? I don't really see a difference with the old brackets.

Yessir, you ARE blind, lol. My brackets are the old style, Ken's are the new style. The bracket that mounts to the base is what has been changed. The bracket mounting to the outer shield remains the same. On mine you can move the outershield closer to the inner shield with 3 different positions. On Ken's the outer shield bracket cannot be moved closer to the innershield. Look harder, you will see that Ken's outer shield is a lot further out than mine.

Here's a pic of the inner side,

[srt8-in-largo]

Ahh, there it is! Thanks Hiflyer... now I know :icon_biggrin: