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Yet another MadStad thread!

6K views 21 replies 16 participants last post by  jack6hd 
#1 ·
Like so many others, I love my RGC but didn't like the stock 'thumbnail' windshield. I tried a couple Windvests and I really like their windshields but still had the dreaded buffeting. I wear a 3/4 helmet with a full face shield and I also wear custom molded ear plugs. While the buffeting was not too bad, it was the sound transmitted from the vibrating helmet to the plugs and into my head that got old quick. Not a real problem below 50 but once over that it got increasingly worse.

I don't ride highway a lot but the wife and I are planning more and longer trips this coming season so finding something that cut the buffeting was going to be imperative. Unlike so many here, I actually kinda like the look of the MadStad. I think it looks kinda high-tech and cool. At least the short ones do. My one worry was that I would have to look through the windshield, which I do not like. I also like the look of the really dark shields - another reason to be able to look over them.

I had several questions that were not really getting answered here by reading the various posts so I emailed Mark at MadStad and was pleasantly surprised to get a quick reply. This led to several emails over the course of a couple days. I explained my concerns about wanting the lowest shield. Mark informed me that they actually make an 11" version but that it's not up on the website. I said this sounded perfect for me and ordered one in dark gray.

It arrived today and went on fairly easily. The quality is obviously very good. The new Easy-Adjust adapters are just that - easy. Unfortunately for me, it's still winter up here in New Hampshire and there's even a snow storm raging outside as I type. So I won't be able to test it out for probably another month but I have high hopes.

I've got some crappy cell phone camera photos I'll attach. I took a few with the windshield all the up and all the way down. With it all the way down it's about as high as I want it. I'm glad he makes the 11" version as the 13" would have been too tall. I'm 5' 7", btw. So now I just hope that the MadStad can do it's job in the all the way down position. Time will tell. I've got 90 days to decide anyway.

Mark and MadStad are great to work with. Here are some of the photos. They are taken in my cluttered basement so don't look for great pictures here! I'm going to post the photos from various angles showing the shield fully down followed by the same relative position showing the shield all the way up for easy comparison:

Front:





Left side:





Right side (low shot is a little too high - sorry):





Since I can only do 6 photos per message, I'll do the rest in the next one!
 
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#2 ·
And here's the rest!

From rear, off center slightly:





And last, sitting on the bike, looking straight ahead:





Needless to say, now I'm REALLY jonesing for this friggin' winter to end. It's going to be a long month! I'll post more feedback to this thread once I get it out into the wind for some test riding.

Bring on the heat!
 
#3 · (Edited)
A Road Glide and a drum kit. No clutter there, just great toys!! I think you will really be happy with the MadStad. If I could choose ONLY ONE mod for a stock FLTRX, it would be the MadStad. And I too like the look.
 
#4 ·
Looks great. They're about the best shied out there for height vs. Protection. I found a 57degee angle works the best for me. I have mine set at about upper lip height.
 
#5 ·
The 11" looks Awesome on the custom. You will like it even better when you can test it out. I got the 13" on my ultra, 5 11" set at chin level, way less buffeting or wind than stock. Wait a minute, I had no buffeting stock, just looking thru the wind shield when slouching and over stretching my neck. now I'm looking way over the top of the shield and the wind is null. I can actually hear the wind going over and around me and hardly feel any wind at all until I get over 65 or so.
 
#6 ·
Madstad

I put mine on today and test road, made adjustments and LOVE IT!
I am 6ft 5in my inseam is 35 so I have a tall body, I got the 16in.
I rode 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100+mph on my test and adjust and could not believe how smooth it was. At 90-105 My glasses were not vibrating at all! Rode about 90 miles. I have it set all the way out at the top and and the hight is about 1 1/2 in up.
BTW I don't have lowers or the HD wind buffer things, I do have Sanchos.
 
#9 ·
From the top edge of the gauge housing to the top of the windshield the measurements are:

Highest: 12"
Lowest: 7.25"

From the top edge of the stereo housing to the top of the windshield the measurements are:

Highest: 9.25"
Lowest: 4.5"
 
#11 ·
Finally got a chance to take the bike out and test the new Madstad. I sorta wished I had waited to buy/install the windshield until the weather was better and more conducive to riding. The reason for this is because since the bike has sat all winter, I have not ridden it since November and therefore I cannot really fully remember what the buffeting felt like with the 8" WindVest. It would have been better to have that feeling 'fresh' in my mind when doing the comparison with the Madstad. Sure, I could just throw the WindVest back on but I'm not going to do that.

Anyway, I spent a couple hours the first day just running up and down the highway getting on and off the same two exit/entrance ramps and pulling into the same two places and making adjustments. People were looking at me like I was crazy. Right out of the gate the Madstad seemed to work fairly well. While I couldn't remember exactly how the WindVest felt I did remember that it was pretty good up to 50 mph. After that it quickly got worse as the speed increased. By 70 it was unbearable.

Now keep in mind that I have the 11" - a much shorter version than most people get (13"). I experimented with angle and quickly discovered that keeping the Madstad at the same angle as the screen it attaches to works the best. Going in the other directions created VERY bad buffeting and reminded me of what I used to feel a little.

Then I experimented with the up and down positions. The farther I raised the screen the more the buffeting was reduced at even higher speeds. In the end I put the screen all the way back down because I don't like the look of it up high and it's only really more helpful at excessive speeds up around 80 and 90 mph. I don't ride real fast up here in NH. We don't have super long highways where we are driving for long times with nothing to see or do. And I generally don't take long trips anyway.

The Madstad provides very good buffeting reduction down in the speed range I ride which is 45 to 70. Once up around 70 I start to feel what I probably started to feel at 50 mph with the WindVest but even that is still not too bad. And if I ever do need to go on a long trip where I will be riding 80 +/- I'll just raise the windshield a little then.

I'll probably do some more testing when I have some time and better weather. It's still been pretty cold up here for this time of year, barely getting up to 50 during the day. I want to experiment with pulling the screen farther out - I haven't played with that at all. But overall I am quite happy with the Madstad. I even like the look. So does the wife.

I'll post more when I do more experimenting if I find an even better sweet spot or something else worth posting.
 
#12 ·
Good review...I have had my 13" on for about 6000 miles and love it. I am 5'11" and keep it set at lip level at a 57 degree angle...wife hasn't complained about any buffeting since the install and for the first time I was able to hear the rear speakers when riding solo at highway speeds.
 
#20 ·
You say your wife doesn't feel any more buffeting on the RGU w/ the Madstad? Before I do any more work to the bike, I've got to solve that problem. I have a '13 RGU and my wife (who is 5'2) says she gets beat to hell on the back seat when we get above 60 mph. I already have the plastic paddles that go on the engine guard, and have Sancho Wings coming in this week. I was looking at a WV or Bagger Shield, but if I get enough people that say their wives love the RG after getting the Madstad...think I'll have to join the group as well.
 
#13 ·
Does the Madstad mount onto the stock windshield?
 
#15 ·
Thanks for all the info guys. I have worn out the search function over what windshield to buy. Just took advice people have given and ordered the Madstad. I finally pick up the bike tomorrow, and should have the shield in a week or 2.
Mark advised the 14.5" should work best for me, I'm 6'1. So time will tell.
 
#22 ·
After getting mine set, my wife gave it her seal of approval. I got hell for not buying it in the first place.
 
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