Windshield cleaners/protectors

[t.delaney1]

Has anyone tried "rain-x" or similar products to their windshields and do they work like on a cars glass windshield?

 

[driver10]

Do not use rain x on your windshield. I use Honda polish or pledge and when I clean the bugs off I use 50/50 peroxide and water.

 

[t.delaney1]

A commercial came on and I've used rain-x on my cars in the past. I bought bike spirits all around polisher which works well on making my trike shiny! But would love to find something that would make the rain bead off the windshield!

 

[Ozarkryder]

Don't use Rind-X on plastic windshieds. It will etch the plastic and if your shield has a coating it will eat that away. A lot of folks,me included, have had good luck with Lemon Pledge. Clean the windshield well, then spray on the Pledge ( I look for the petroleum based kind), smear it around evenly then polish, using very clean cloths for each step. I usually do 2 coats. If you polish well, water will just bead up and fly away. Seems to help in keeping bugs from sticking too bad also.

(2¢ worh of advice, and I'll take a penny change.)
I won't use a micro-fiber cloth when doing the initial cleaning of my plastic windshields. Dirt, grit and pieces of bug will get stuck in the microfiber, and can scratch the windshield. I use a very clean terrycloth rag and rinse it out very often, as the gunk seems to wash out of the terrycloth a lot easier than microfiber. I've found particles of bug stuck in the nap of the microfiber after it came out of the washer.
Microfiber is great for doing the polishing steps.

 

[t.delaney1]

Thank you very much for the info

 

[dogman513]

If you have the pennies get the F4 windshield. Don't have to deal with it. Great Product.

 

[2006gold]

Don't use Rind-X on plastic windshieds. It will etch the plastic and if your shield has a coating it will eat that away. A lot of folks,me included, have had good luck with Lemon Pledge. Clean the windshield well, then spray on the Pledge ( I look for the petroleum based kind), smear it around evenly then polish, using very clean cloths for each step. I usually do 2 coats. If you polish well, water will just bead up and fly away. Seems to help in keeping bugs from sticking too bad also.

(2¢ worh of advice, and I'll take a penny change.)
I won't use a micro-fiber cloth when doing the initial cleaning of my plastic windshields. Dirt, grit and pieces of bug will get stuck in the microfiber, and can scratch the windshield. I use a very clean terrycloth rag and rinse it out very often, as the gunk seems to wash out of the terrycloth a lot easier than microfiber. I've found particles of bug stuck in the nap of the microfiber after it came out of the washer.
Microfiber is great for doing the polishing steps.

Now I never thought about the microfiber, but you're right. I keep a can of spray, quick dry polish in the trunk at all times. Clean the windshield at each fill-up.

 

[Craigar]

If you have the pennies get the F4 windshield. Don't have to deal with it. Great Product.

OK, I'm new... what's a F4 windshield? Mine will need replacing soon and I'm very interested in what is available.

 

[John Luciano]

A scratch resistant windshield. I put one on 5 years ago ($406 ) 4" taller 2" wider. Clear as glass even today. You can wash it with windex and newspaper or at the gas station with the paper towels. Water runs off it like off a ducks back.

 

[Ozarkryder]

dogman513 was right about the part about having the pennies for an F4. It takes a lot of them to put one you your ride. I have a friend that put one on his GL1500, after years of use it still looks almost new. He even regularly cleans it at gas stops with the window cleaner and fluid in the bucket next to the pumps. It has a small nick in a corner where a truck kicked up a big hunk of something with sharp edges, but it has held up remarkably. Here is a link: https://www.f4customs.com/

On my Harley, when the hard coating was coming off the stock shield after 17 years I went with a Cee Bailey's windshield. They also make airplane windows, so I figured they know their stuff. They also have a bunch of other interesting motorcycle items, too. I got a stock size windshield for much less than the cost of a stock HD windshield even though it is about twice as thick, and about 1/3 the price of the F4. I do have to give it a lot more care than the F4, but I can buy 3 of them for the price, and if the Cee Bailey's last like the stock shield I'll get 51 years out of 3 of them. I will be a very happy (old) man if I'm still riding at 109.
Link to Cee Bailey's: http://www.ceebaileys.com/cycle/

 

[Calgary]

Why not buy the windshield sold by F4 direct from the manufacturer at www.opticarmorwindows.com/

Gl1800 windshields starting at 240.00

Great warranty & prompt delivery.
:10::10::10::10::10::10::10:

 

[Mick]

One of the things youll find with a windshield that no matter what you clean it with or the brand until the light coat of dust is washed off you wont get much water repelling. I use 210 spray po;ish and cleaner on my Tulsa and until the road grime is washed off it doesnt repel the water. A friend I ride with has an F4 and basically the same thing happens with theirs. If you want to get a good water repellent for you windshield go to your local HD dealer. They sell a water repellent for windshields that come in a hard pack of wipes. Ive used them on trips and for what you pay for they work really well. If you run across any other brands just make sure theyre compatible with polycarbonate and acrylic plastic.

 

[Speedy]

I use Hydrogen Peroxide and H20 to clean the bug guts off and then I polish it with Black Labs, All Clear. You can buy the one for motorcycles or the one for airplanes, I use the one for planes, they are the same stuff and the plane stuff is 2.00 a bottle cheaper. it keeps dust off and polishes the windshield, I have a Tulsa that has been on my trike for 12 years.


Speedy

 

[dogman513]

Wingstuff.com did have sale going on the F4 windshields. Join the VIP Club you save even more on that and all the other items they offer. I don't regret spending those pennies for that windshield, Got the plus 2 tinted no vent for my 02 Wing. Still see over it like the OEM, the plus 2 also still lets adjust up if you wish.

 

[FRR]

Perfect Glass sold by Bed Bath and Beyond is excellent on all motorcycle windshields and any glass product. It is great. Inexpensive and does not hurt plastic. It is all that I will use.

 

[txlander]

My 2 cents worth. I think most motorcycle windshields are acrylic. Harleys use Lexan which is polycarbonate. Both are plastic composite. Both have a tendency to craze after being beat on by the force of the wind and the effects of the sun. I use plain water to wash the windshield by laying a wet cloth across it and letting it soak/melt the bug crud for awhile. Periodically, I polish it with turtle wax. Turtle wax is a hard acrylic based wax that does a good job of filling in the fine cracks and restoring the surface to a like new condition. It is also excellent for repelling water drops. I also polish my helmet visor and my acrylic sunglasses to keep them fresh. I believe that if Turtle wax is good enough to protect acrylic paint, then it should be good on acrylic windshields. But like anything, over time, the windshield will become beyond the maintenance stage and will have to be replaced. I put a lot of miles on both my trike and my Harley and I have replaced a windshield only once over many years. There are a lot of excellent plastic cleaning products out there, but I don't buy them. I can for sure tell you not to use Windex. It has a chemical in it that is not compatible with plastic. IMHO.

 

[docred49]

I use ReJex makes water bead really good also makes bugs very easy to clean off with just a damp cloth. Also works really well on the rest of the bike. Like the add says nothing sticks but the shine. I have used this product on all my cars and am a true believer. Docred49

 

[orange winger2]

Lemon pledge, been using it for the whole bike. Why, works for rain causing water to bead and go up over top, takes out swirls on older wind screens. polishes chrome, keeps seat looking new, polishes tupper ware. Can be bought almost anywhere and it's cheap.

 

[retread83]

I was told not to use lemon pledge or rain-x on the isinglass and lexan windshield on a boat I owned.I was also told that it was o.k. to use them.I used both for 9 years,no ill effects,so go figure.

 

[Hog Wild]

Has anyone tried "rain-x" or similar products to their windshields and do they work like on a cars glass windshield?

A friend bought a National Cycle V-stream windshield and it came with a bottle of stuff called Rain Zip. He said it was like Rain-x but safe on plastic windshields, so we tried it on my OEM Goldwing shield. It worked so good I bought a bottle and use it about once a month. The company is very proud of it judging by the price they have on it. It works about like Rain-X does on a car windshield. A small bottle is around $20 but I have used it a few times and haven't used enough to notice.