Sportech Cruise Series
Sportech Cruise Series
CW EVALUATION
Easy-on, easy-off windshield
AWINDSCREEN IS A WINDSCREEN, right? Pretty much same-same since
the 1930s when acrylic was invented and someone decided that having a clear wind-block on a motorcycle was a dandy idea.
Not that there haven’t been some advances in windshields. Take Sportech’s new Cruise Series, for instance. Available in Low (15-inch-tall),
Mid (20-inch) and High (22inch) versions, the shields are made from polycarbonate, treated for scratch resistance. Optics are outstanding and each shield has a bit of a reverse lip at the top designed to kick air up and over the rider (more on that later).
It’s the mounting system, though, that’s really clever. Two split collars clamp around the handlebar. Thin grooves machined into the top and bottom of each stainless-steel collar match up with the two-pronged mounting arms, also stainless, attached to the windshield. Align the prongs with the grooves (inset photo), give a firm push and the shield locks firmly into place bayonet-style. On or off, the whole procedure takes mere seconds, no tools needed.
We tried all three size shields (Mid shown) on a Honda VTX1300, with test riders ranging from 5foot-9 to 63, and have to report mixed results. We attached the shield with the mounting arms in the as-delivered position but that left a gap of almost 6 unsightly inches (see photo) between the bottom of the shield and the headlight. A call to Sportech revealed that on some bikes with bar risers, like the VTX, the shield-mounting arms must be unbolted, inverted and swapped side
to side. A simple operation and yep, the screen now snuggled right up to the headlight. Much more aesthetically pleasing.
Only problem, in that position at
speeds above 30 mph, there was way too much turbulence around the rider’s head. Same held true for all three shields. Switching back to the “ugly” mounting position gave relief, though there was some blowby under the screen-appreciated on a summer’s day, maybe not so much in cold weather.
Of course, your results may vary, depending on many factors, including rider size, steering head height, fitment of bar risers, etc. We’re impressed by the Sportech’s obvious build quality and its brilliant quick-detach mounting system, but on our VTX at least, we had to choose between looking good and working well. That’s a choice we’d rather not have to make. □
DETAILS
Sportech, Inc. 15703 Jarvis St. NW Elk River, MN 55330 763/712-3965 www. sportech inc. com Price...$289 to $400 Ups A Increases a cruiser’s usefulness A Fits most Harleys and Metrics A Tinted available A Lifetime warranty against cracking Downs ▼ Pricey ▼ Not quite right-high or low-for VTX1300 ▼ No more bugs-inthe-teeth nonchalance
