I`ve have witness less buffeting and wind noise riding a bike with the right sized windshield, mounted at the right angle, with a good set of lowers, as compared to riding a bike with a "cowl" or fairing.
'

 

I don't have any experience with a fairing. But, I put an inexpensive Slipstream Spitfire on my 2009 Honda Shadow Aero 750 and it made all the difference in the world when riding on the highways. It was a 30-minute install and easy to adjust to get the right height and angle. Maybe a good first step?

 

I've tried windshield, and front fairing and honestly I prefer nothing up front. Now, I recently switched to drag bars and no fairing and I love it. The visibility is great. Bike looks awesome. And you get a more raw experience from it. I do not miss my windshield. I ride 85mph to 90 regularly and only some days where it's super windy I have to slow down due to wind turbulence but it's something I'm willing to live with.

 

 

If I had to choose I would go with fairing tho.

 

I really like this small windshield from National Cycle.
Eliminated neck/shoulder muscle stiffness I'd get on longer rides.
Kevin

 

Winterized

 

I have no experience with windshields-- well, other than taking a 15 minute slow ride on my cousin's touring bike, many moons ago.

Is the idea that you actually look at the road through the windshield, or do you look over the windshield for most things you want to view, and you would only look through the clear plastic if you were looking at something very close to the front of your own bike?

Is the windshield's purpose to basically big be a giant fairing, but one that you can see through when necessary for maneuvering at slow speeds in parking lots etc?

 

If the way to use a windshield is to look through it, then I know that I wouldn't be happy unless it were perfectly clean and even then the glare would bother me some times.
I don't like having my front side windows on my car up, because they give me glare and they reduce my vision to some degree even though they're perfectly clear un-tinted glass.

Putting on safety goggles at my workbench annoys me because even though I keep the lenses clean and throw them out when they become scratched, I am very conscious of the fact that I'm looking through another piece of material and it does somewhat mess with my view.

 

'

If the windshield is at the right height and angle, you should be looking just over the top of the shield, not through it.
'

 

You look over the windshield or fairing. If it's set up well, the airstream goes just over your head.

 

The one I`m running now is 2 inches too tall, but I adjust my sitting posture to make up for it...
However, I`ve had bugs hit that two inches, missed me...

I`m lazy I ain`t gonna cut it off,
Dennis

Check "winter air" in the tires