Finding the right windshield for suzuki boulevard c50 is probably the first thing most owners think about after their initial long-distance ride. The particular C50 is a fantastic cruiser with this classic, old-school look, but let's be honest—trying to maintain 70 mph upon the interstate without having any wind protection feels like you're seeking to hold on to a kite in a hurricane. Right after an hour or even two of fighting that constant stress against your chest, your arms and neck start to feel it. That's why a great screen is much less of an "accessory" and more of a "necessity" in the event that you plan upon doing anything more than just using to the regional cafe.
Why wind protection changes the entire ride
When you're using a naked bicycle or perhaps a cruiser without a screen, you're basically a huge travel. The Suzuki Boulevard C50 has a great upright seating place, which is very comfortable for your back, but it places your torso best within the path of the oncoming atmosphere. Adding a windshield for suzuki boulevard c50 doesn't just block the particular wind; it changes the aerodynamics of your entire setup. Instead of the particular air hitting a person squarely within the upper body, it gets diverted over your face or even around shoulders.
This does anybody searching for. First, it eliminates that "parachute" feeling where you feel like you're becoming pushed from the back again of the bicycle. Second, it keeps you warmer. If you've ever ridden in 50-degree climate, you know that wind chill is definitely a real killer. A windshield makes a little pocket of still air that will acts as a buffer, making those early morning or late evening rides way more bearable. Plus, it's the literal shield against road debris, rogue pebbles, and these massive June insects that seem like getting hit with a paintball game.
Getting the elevation just right
This is where most riders journey up. They think "bigger is better" and buy the tallest slab of plastic they can find. That's usually an error. When you're choosing the windshield for suzuki boulevard c50 , the golden guideline is that you should end up being looking over the top of the shield, not through it.
Ideally, the best edge of the particular windshield should be degree with the suggestion of your nose or possibly your mustache area when you're sitting in your normal riding position. Why? If it's too tall and you have to look through it, you're in trouble whenever it starts raining or if the plastic gets damaged and foggy over time. Looking by means of a rain-streaked, vibrating piece of plastic material at night is a recipe for a bad time. By looking over the top, a person get a clear view of the road, while the "air envelope" nevertheless carries the wind up and more than your helmet.
The dreaded helmet buffeting
If you get a windshield that's the incorrect height or shape, you might encounter "buffeting. " This really is that annoying vibration where your mind seems like it's inside a paint shaker. It happens when the air coming from the top of the shield is turbulent and hits the top of your own helmet.
If you're coping with this on your C50, you may want to adjust the angle of typically the shield or think about adding "lowers"—those smaller transparent deflectors that attach to the forks. A great deal of the surroundings that causes buffeting actually comes through below the particular windshield and moves up across the gasoline tank. Adding decreases in combination with your primary windshield can make the trip feel smooth as silk.
Selecting between polycarbonate and acrylic
You'll generally find two types of components when shopping for a windshield for suzuki boulevard c50 : polycarbonate and polymer (often called Lucite).
Polycarbonate is the heavy duty stuff. It's extremely impact-resistant—I've seen videos of people hitting these with hammers plus they don't crack. It's the little bit more flexible. The downside is that it may be more costly, and if it isn't hard-coated, it can scratch more effortlessly than you'd anticipate. Brands like State Cycle are big on polycarbonate.
Acrylic , on the additional hand, is usually less expensive and has better optical clarity. This doesn't yellow over time as easily as some lower-grade plastics. Nevertheless, it's much even more brittle. If the large rock strikes an acrylic cover, there's an opportunity it might crack or shatter. Memphis Colors is a superb brand that will uses a high-quality Lucite acrylic, and these people have an enormous following among C50 riders because their stuff looks excellent and holds up well for care of it.
Style vs. Functionality: What's your vibe?
The Suzuki Boulevard C50 is a classic-looking machine along with those deep valanced fenders and chromium bits. You don't want to ruin the lines of the bike with something that appears to be it belongs on the snowmobile.
- The Classic King Style: These are the big, traditional-looking windshields with chrome bracing. They fit the particular C50's aesthetic perfectly. They look like they might have already been on a bicycle in the 1954s.
- The Batwing Fairing: This can be a popular swap for the particular C50. It's the large, wing-shaped external shell that offers a lot more protection for both hands and arms. Some individuals even install stereos in them. It completely changes the look of the bike, making this look more such as a heavy-duty traveling rig.
- Sport Shields: In case you just want to take the "bite" out there of the wind flow but keep the bike looking trim and mean, the smaller sport face shield is the way to go. This won't give a person a calm wallet of air, yet it'll stop the particular wind from attempting to rip your own shirt off with highway speeds.
Installation and maintenance tips
Most aftermarket windshield for suzuki boulevard c50 kits include everything you need, but you should check if the particular mounting hardware is usually included. Some brand names sell the "glass" and the "mounts" separately.
When you're installing it, don't tighten everything down all the way until it's properly aligned. Sit on the bike, verify the height, make sure it's based, and then do the last tightening. Also, a little bit of blue Loctite on the bolts isn't a bad concept. Cruisers like the C50 have a little bit of a pulse, and people vibrations can slowly back out there a bolt more than a few thousand miles.
Cleaning your screen
Whatever you perform, stay away from Windex or something with ammonia. Ammonia will eventually make the plastic turn cloudy or develop tiny cracks (crazing). Use a dedicated motorcycle windshield cleaner or simply plain old mild dish cleaning soap and water. And never use paper towels! They're made associated with wood pulp plus will leave small scratches all over the surface. Use a clear microfiber cloth plus plenty of water to rinse away the grit prior to you start cleaning.
The last verdict
From the end associated with the day, including a windshield for suzuki boulevard c50 is one of the best investments you can make for your comfort. It turns the bike from a "round-the-town" cruiser into a machine that can actually manage a weekend trip across state outlines.
This might take just a little trial and error to find the particular perfect height—and you might have to play with the tilt a little to obtain the airflow just right—but once a person find that sweet spot, you'll question how you actually rode without this. You'll arrive in your destination sensation fresh instead of fatigued, and also you won't have to invest twenty minutes choosing bugs out of your teeth. That alone makes it worthy of every penny.