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Windsheld distortion
- Thread starter 3rdwheel
- Start date
LV2RYDE
New member
2014 ST limited is the same.
Dan_Ashley
New member
Looking over the windshield is better for safety reasons too.
Yes, I agree! :thumbup:
Fat Crip
New member
It's not. 'Problem' as such, you're just trying to use it for something it's not designed for. It's purpose is to whip the wind up and over your head (hence the curve); not to look through, but over. If it's too tall for that, you need a lower windshield.
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joebryanjr
New member
I have a BRP touring windshield on my 2011RSS and I look through it. There may be some distortion but I am not looking to read fine print through it, just see vehicles an obstacles.
i am a new ryder but have not seen this as a problem. Any time you bend glass or plastic you will have some distortion. Sharper bends make the distortion more noticable.
i am a new ryder but have not seen this as a problem. Any time you bend glass or plastic you will have some distortion. Sharper bends make the distortion more noticable.
PMK
Active member
Back to the OP's original issue, distortion.
We have a 2014 and there is some distortion. Fairly uniform and slightly annoying but not bad.
Having worked with aircraft acrylics over the years, and also had the opportunity to get heavily involved in some aircraft window distortion problems I learned a lot.
First off, there are different grades of clear acrylics used for windshields. The better the quality the more it costs. The cost increase vs less distortion is not a linear change. Good quality, low distortion acrylic is pretty expensive compared to the lesser products.
FWIW, all the clear acrylics, and even Lexans start as flat sheets. In the flat shape, distortion is almost not a problem for all but the cheapest stuff. The plastic is then heated, but not melted. After that it can be drape formed or pulled under vacuum to shape. Here is where the problem lies, once reshaped and curved, the way your eyes see through it can pick up degrees of distortion. Kind of like the refraction of bending a pencil when stuck in a glass of water. The better the base material, the less apparent this becomes.
Will you ever get a distortion free windscreen from plastic, probably not. Cars use glass which is an entirely different process, and usually gives better results. I have seen some recent cars with a lot of distortion in the corners. These are on cars with larger windshields.
So how do they inspect a plastic for optical clarity. Ideally, a smart shop will inspect the flat sheets before making a windscreen. Pretty much a garbage in garbage out. You can do this at home to a less technical degree, but basically they will support the windscreen in front of a large white background with uniform lighting. On the white background is a series of horizontal and vertical lines in black. Simply by inspection of looking through the windscreen and checking for distortions in the lines will determine if the item is acceptable or not acceptable. To check at home, use simple items line a power pole, a fence or similar to see how wavy the item appears with the naked eye vs through the windscreen.
Obviously they will not make a glass Spyder windscreen. Possibly, some of the aftermarket companies could make you a windscreen from higher grade materials and hopefully produce an acceptable item for you.
Myself, I try whenever possible to look over the windscreen, but have on occasion needed to be behind it. Not perfect by any means, but not that bad either.
PK
We have a 2014 and there is some distortion. Fairly uniform and slightly annoying but not bad.
Having worked with aircraft acrylics over the years, and also had the opportunity to get heavily involved in some aircraft window distortion problems I learned a lot.
First off, there are different grades of clear acrylics used for windshields. The better the quality the more it costs. The cost increase vs less distortion is not a linear change. Good quality, low distortion acrylic is pretty expensive compared to the lesser products.
FWIW, all the clear acrylics, and even Lexans start as flat sheets. In the flat shape, distortion is almost not a problem for all but the cheapest stuff. The plastic is then heated, but not melted. After that it can be drape formed or pulled under vacuum to shape. Here is where the problem lies, once reshaped and curved, the way your eyes see through it can pick up degrees of distortion. Kind of like the refraction of bending a pencil when stuck in a glass of water. The better the base material, the less apparent this becomes.
Will you ever get a distortion free windscreen from plastic, probably not. Cars use glass which is an entirely different process, and usually gives better results. I have seen some recent cars with a lot of distortion in the corners. These are on cars with larger windshields.
So how do they inspect a plastic for optical clarity. Ideally, a smart shop will inspect the flat sheets before making a windscreen. Pretty much a garbage in garbage out. You can do this at home to a less technical degree, but basically they will support the windscreen in front of a large white background with uniform lighting. On the white background is a series of horizontal and vertical lines in black. Simply by inspection of looking through the windscreen and checking for distortions in the lines will determine if the item is acceptable or not acceptable. To check at home, use simple items line a power pole, a fence or similar to see how wavy the item appears with the naked eye vs through the windscreen.
Obviously they will not make a glass Spyder windscreen. Possibly, some of the aftermarket companies could make you a windscreen from higher grade materials and hopefully produce an acceptable item for you.
Myself, I try whenever possible to look over the windscreen, but have on occasion needed to be behind it. Not perfect by any means, but not that bad either.
PK
I honestly don't have an answer. Maybe its because of the expected distortion of the windshield materials? Better overall visibility when looking across the top? Dunno...
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Highwayman2013
New member
I usually look through the windshield riding on my two wheeler or on the spyder. A small amount of distortion is always present but after a while it becomes unnoticeable.
No disrespect taken at all and a good conversation for sure. Its totally personal preference. However, it doesn't suggest a fault or defect in the windshield either.
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Yazz
MOgang Member
If you've ever ridden through a gully-washer of a rain storm, you'd know you can't see anything through the windshield. Have to look over it.
Now if that windshield wiper was installed that you were pondering about, then you could see through the windshield.
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