Author Topic: Short Shields  (Read 6757 times)

Offline elvin315

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Short Shields
« on: May 18, 2011, 10:42:52 PM »


Pictured above is my favorite shorty shield. There have been others but I keep coming back to this one. I cut it super low for summer heat. What about foul weather riding? I've been caught in some serious rain with it and have to say it's not that bad. Let's be real. Ride a motorcycle in the rain and you will get wet. A tall shield hinders visibility when covered, inside and out, with droplets, fog, and mist. I'd rather deal with a wet faceshield. I can clean it with one swipe of my glove.

I've had good results cutting shields using a Dremel rotary cutting bit. It looks like a conventional drill bit except the cutting edges protrude in an outward spiral, like an auger. It comes with a depth guide/shield. You use it as a mini-router. I hold the Dremel with a pencil grip and get my eyes closer to the action (don't forget the eye protection).

I leave the screen mounted on the bike and cover the dash and tank with an old bedsheet. Then I cover the area to be cut with masking tape to prevent scratches. I mark the cuts on the tape. When I cut down shields I don't cut exactly on the line. Setting the Dremel at a medium to high speed I plunge the bit into the shield and apply light pressure above the cut line. If you push too hard the bit will pull to one side. I follow along the line but stay off it.

After cutting use a high speed cutting bit to file down to the line. Don't use a grind stone. The plastic melts into the nooks & crannies. Don't leave sharp edges or corners. Radius the corners and chamfer the edges. A foam sanding block followed by an emery cloth, then steel wool, gets rid of the file marks and polishes the edge. It's easier than it sounds. That's my method. Read the Motorcycle Cruiser article for another.
http://www.dremelstore.us/drem565mulcu.html
http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/tech/Chopwindshields/index.html
 
Here are some short Concours shields. You can find more in my Album:
http://www.pbase.com/image/7041113 http://www.pbase.com/image/7671218
http://www.pbase.com/image/8452566 http://www.pbase.com/image/1612947
http://www.pbase.com/image/4418507 http://www3.pbase.com/image/16939898
http://www3.pbase.com/image/19125224

enim57

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Re: Short Shields
« Reply #1 on: May 22, 2012, 07:32:41 PM »
I cut the lip only off mine to improve buffeting and it worked. There is more wind noise but it is constant, I find this preferable to intermittant buffeting. The bike is also more stable in all conditions - especially in dirty air.
My method was different to Elvin's. I removed the screen and did the masking tape and marking the same as Elvin. I cut it with a jigsaw with a fine hacksaw blade fitted then using a fine file removed the cut marks and then the burrs. I finished off by dragging a sharp blade across edge and corners.

An Australian tested his standard bike in a wind tunnel with very interesting results, which can be viewed here:
http://gtr1000.yuku.com/topic/617/speed-wobbles-a-0-kph