Tom in NM
New member
To start please keep this in mind; I am 5'7", wear glasses, don't like to ride with a helmet, I had a Madstad setup on my 2008 GS, and I always wear in-ear headphones ( the type that seal your ears ). My F3 had a Blue Ridge shield before I replaced it with a Madstad 20".
Here is what is most important to me in a windshield:
1: Protection from road debris, blown sand, bugs.
2: Silencing the wind noise.
3: Stable glasses, no blowing in the eyes.
4: All the typical stuff - clarity, lack of distortion, stability, durability.
On the Madstad site, http://www.madstad.com/s.nl/sc.7/category.13866/.f , they say that their shield makes a "dramatic" improvement over the Blue Ridge. I rate that as True.
The bottom-line is that it does an excellent job, it works.
I don't have to wear goggles at expressway speeds, in 3 days of testing ( at 85 mph plus ) I never got wind in my eyes or shaky specs. Wind noise ( which is highly accentuated by in-ear headphones, see this for details http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?80219-BIG-QUESTION&p=968695#post968695 ) was fine - under 45 mph, none really . . . . 55 to top expressway speeds, very good, not a bother at all. Wind noise (reduction) was way better than on my GS and much better than the stock shield on my ST-S. As I said above, wind noise ( reduction ) is one of my biggies - - - I am really smiling over how good the Madstad is at this. As far as debris, I didn't hit anything really big, but today with lots of blowing sand, only a few grains hit my face and in the conditions where that happened, I was impressed. It works.
Assembly
Well, I thought it was easy - I did it, and while I am mechanically competent, I am also very klutzy. From memory, it was easier than the on I put on my GS. Madstad has posted the assembly instructions - which has great pictures of all the parts - and you can view it here: https://system.netsuite.com/core/me...THEGgdUCAkwITsZe&cktime=131897&addrcountry=US
The instructions were clear and I though were very well done. The only thing that would have made the assembly go faster would have been if the individual packets of screws and washers were labeled, there are several and I was always wondering "Is this the one?" I would also recommend that you cover the F3's vents/grills that are in front of the instrument cluster. I am always dropping washers, screws, screwdriver tips into any available slot - so I did - and it saved me from having to take the bike apart to retrieve them. 3 times.
All the components were there and very good quality.
Measurements
On the 20" shield:
Really, there is only one flat surface on the F3 ( outside of the bottom of the trunk/glove compartment ) and that is the gas cap, which the shield does not really get close to. Combine that with the angle of the shield and its adjustability, angles and curves - it can be hard to imagine until you see it. I can say this, while the top of the Blue Ridge was under my chin, the top of the Madstad 20" ( at full DOWN ) is right at my eye level. As they recommended on their site, I [probably] should have gotten the 18" shield. As it is, I can hardly think of why I would want to raise it any higher, but lower would be nice.
Operation:
In the older model I had on my GS, you needed an Allan Wrench to adjust the shield, this version you just loosen two knobs and position the shield up/down/in/out with your hands. Then tighten the knobs and you are good to go. Fast, simple, really easy.
The brackets move about 3.5" up and 1.5" out. At the full up and out setting, the shield is nearly perpendicular ( for those of us who want to look like a motorcycle cop from the 50's )
In person, the shield looks like it is floating in front of the rider - that looks real different from the BR - I think of it as the "Susan Storm" effect ( for those into comic books ).
Performance
As I said, it works. The experiences below vary somewhat, depending on speed.
The air envelope does not feel quite as "firm" as on the BR, and since the shield is smaller, it is closer on the sides, but in all my tests, there was no buffeting or wind-rip. I think Rondo mentioned that "you get wind" on your body, I did too, but it felt more like circulation, not wind blasting.
At the full down and back position, the shield top at eye level, the little hair ( short ) that I have left was getting 'air', but less than a hairdryer ( if I can remember what that was like so many years ago ). I could just start to feel the air envelope about 9" above the top of my head ( above 55 mph ).
I have no clue as to what a passenger would experience.
I 'think' your hands are more exposed than with the BR, but probably 50% less exposed than a shield-less F3. I did feel sand hit them today and yesterday riding to the top of the Sandia Mountain ( still snow up there ) my hands got cold - that surprised me.
The shield does have a strong air-flow up the inside surface, but I don't think it hits the rider. I am not sure how that will work in the rain, but I don't think it will ever fog up.
Yesterday on a 3 lane expressway down a steep canyon, 75+mph going in and out of lanes passing semis going 70 at least, there was no noticeable wake blasts. I was very surprised. Today, in high winds, two lane road across a mesa, 65+ mph, meeting semis going a similar speed - no real wake blasts when we passed each other - I was like "Wow!". Due to some cross winds ( 40-50 mph ) when one semi passed - it kicked up some sand and that was the only time some sand hit me in the face - just a few grains. It was really windy here today - I paced tumbleweeds at 45 mph and sheets of blowing sand at 40 mph. In similar conditions, the Madstad so outperformed the BR and the shield on my ST-S, with the Madstad, it was like being in a convertible with the top down. When the road turned across the wind, yup, you got hit with crosswind, but it didn't feel like getting slammed in similar conditions.
So, going 85 mph into 45+mph winds, my glasses didn't bounce or move. Perfect! Given the high speeds and wind, the shield did jiggle a little, but I didn't notice any at normal expressway conditions.
I rode for about 20 minutes with a 3/4 helmet, it was quieter, not as fun. No bobble-head, but I don't get that with the BR either. All other riding experiences were without a helmet.
Riding at 45mph in normal conditions, for those inclined, you can smoke a cigarette without burning your face with hot ashes.
The End
Hey, I really like the Blue Ridge - not at first, but I really like it now. But for all the things that count for me, the Madstad system works. For me, it is a keeper.
Tom
Here is what is most important to me in a windshield:
1: Protection from road debris, blown sand, bugs.
2: Silencing the wind noise.
3: Stable glasses, no blowing in the eyes.
4: All the typical stuff - clarity, lack of distortion, stability, durability.
On the Madstad site, http://www.madstad.com/s.nl/sc.7/category.13866/.f , they say that their shield makes a "dramatic" improvement over the Blue Ridge. I rate that as True.
The bottom-line is that it does an excellent job, it works.
I don't have to wear goggles at expressway speeds, in 3 days of testing ( at 85 mph plus ) I never got wind in my eyes or shaky specs. Wind noise ( which is highly accentuated by in-ear headphones, see this for details http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?80219-BIG-QUESTION&p=968695#post968695 ) was fine - under 45 mph, none really . . . . 55 to top expressway speeds, very good, not a bother at all. Wind noise (reduction) was way better than on my GS and much better than the stock shield on my ST-S. As I said above, wind noise ( reduction ) is one of my biggies - - - I am really smiling over how good the Madstad is at this. As far as debris, I didn't hit anything really big, but today with lots of blowing sand, only a few grains hit my face and in the conditions where that happened, I was impressed. It works.
Assembly
Well, I thought it was easy - I did it, and while I am mechanically competent, I am also very klutzy. From memory, it was easier than the on I put on my GS. Madstad has posted the assembly instructions - which has great pictures of all the parts - and you can view it here: https://system.netsuite.com/core/me...THEGgdUCAkwITsZe&cktime=131897&addrcountry=US
The instructions were clear and I though were very well done. The only thing that would have made the assembly go faster would have been if the individual packets of screws and washers were labeled, there are several and I was always wondering "Is this the one?" I would also recommend that you cover the F3's vents/grills that are in front of the instrument cluster. I am always dropping washers, screws, screwdriver tips into any available slot - so I did - and it saved me from having to take the bike apart to retrieve them. 3 times.
All the components were there and very good quality.
Measurements
On the 20" shield:
At full-down, the shield top edge is 15" up from the bottom of the BRP logo on the instrument cluster. There is an angle - the edge is about half way between the cluster and the top bolts that hold the handle bars.
At full-up, the shield top edge is almost directly above the two top handlebar bolts and measures 18".
At full-up and full forward, the shield top edge is just under 20" to the bottom of the BRP logo on the instrument cluster.
With a tape measure, the curved widest part of the shield is just under 21", across the back, in a straight line, it is 19". A straight line across the top is 14".
At full-up, the shield top edge is almost directly above the two top handlebar bolts and measures 18".
At full-up and full forward, the shield top edge is just under 20" to the bottom of the BRP logo on the instrument cluster.
With a tape measure, the curved widest part of the shield is just under 21", across the back, in a straight line, it is 19". A straight line across the top is 14".
Really, there is only one flat surface on the F3 ( outside of the bottom of the trunk/glove compartment ) and that is the gas cap, which the shield does not really get close to. Combine that with the angle of the shield and its adjustability, angles and curves - it can be hard to imagine until you see it. I can say this, while the top of the Blue Ridge was under my chin, the top of the Madstad 20" ( at full DOWN ) is right at my eye level. As they recommended on their site, I [probably] should have gotten the 18" shield. As it is, I can hardly think of why I would want to raise it any higher, but lower would be nice.
Operation:
In the older model I had on my GS, you needed an Allan Wrench to adjust the shield, this version you just loosen two knobs and position the shield up/down/in/out with your hands. Then tighten the knobs and you are good to go. Fast, simple, really easy.
The brackets move about 3.5" up and 1.5" out. At the full up and out setting, the shield is nearly perpendicular ( for those of us who want to look like a motorcycle cop from the 50's )
In person, the shield looks like it is floating in front of the rider - that looks real different from the BR - I think of it as the "Susan Storm" effect ( for those into comic books ).
Performance
As I said, it works. The experiences below vary somewhat, depending on speed.
The air envelope does not feel quite as "firm" as on the BR, and since the shield is smaller, it is closer on the sides, but in all my tests, there was no buffeting or wind-rip. I think Rondo mentioned that "you get wind" on your body, I did too, but it felt more like circulation, not wind blasting.
At the full down and back position, the shield top at eye level, the little hair ( short ) that I have left was getting 'air', but less than a hairdryer ( if I can remember what that was like so many years ago ). I could just start to feel the air envelope about 9" above the top of my head ( above 55 mph ).
I have no clue as to what a passenger would experience.
I 'think' your hands are more exposed than with the BR, but probably 50% less exposed than a shield-less F3. I did feel sand hit them today and yesterday riding to the top of the Sandia Mountain ( still snow up there ) my hands got cold - that surprised me.
The shield does have a strong air-flow up the inside surface, but I don't think it hits the rider. I am not sure how that will work in the rain, but I don't think it will ever fog up.
Yesterday on a 3 lane expressway down a steep canyon, 75+mph going in and out of lanes passing semis going 70 at least, there was no noticeable wake blasts. I was very surprised. Today, in high winds, two lane road across a mesa, 65+ mph, meeting semis going a similar speed - no real wake blasts when we passed each other - I was like "Wow!". Due to some cross winds ( 40-50 mph ) when one semi passed - it kicked up some sand and that was the only time some sand hit me in the face - just a few grains. It was really windy here today - I paced tumbleweeds at 45 mph and sheets of blowing sand at 40 mph. In similar conditions, the Madstad so outperformed the BR and the shield on my ST-S, with the Madstad, it was like being in a convertible with the top down. When the road turned across the wind, yup, you got hit with crosswind, but it didn't feel like getting slammed in similar conditions.
So, going 85 mph into 45+mph winds, my glasses didn't bounce or move. Perfect! Given the high speeds and wind, the shield did jiggle a little, but I didn't notice any at normal expressway conditions.
I rode for about 20 minutes with a 3/4 helmet, it was quieter, not as fun. No bobble-head, but I don't get that with the BR either. All other riding experiences were without a helmet.
Riding at 45mph in normal conditions, for those inclined, you can smoke a cigarette without burning your face with hot ashes.
The End
Hey, I really like the Blue Ridge - not at first, but I really like it now. But for all the things that count for me, the Madstad system works. For me, it is a keeper.
Tom
