T-Sport: First Two Years

On-Going Road Test

The principle reason for purchasing this bike was the motor. After the piece meal approach that I took on the Electra Glide where both time and money was wasted trying to achieve higher performance, I wanted a package that was complete and designed to work together right from the start. I readily admit, however, that I was not impressed by the T-Sport's looks. The fairing looked uninspiring and dated, while the nylon bags gave the rear of the bike a frumpy appearance. My first thought was to remove the fairing and replace it with a sportier windshield, but that idea was quickly scuttled when I discovered that the mounting lugs formed a permanent part of the triple trees. Ironically, the longer I owned the bike, the less negative I have become about the fairing.

The Fairing

Since I could not remove the fairing without leaving behind an aesthetic hindrance, I replaced the standard windshield with one straight from the Harley catalog. The darkly tinted and cut down shield dramatically improved the look of the bike. Although it did not provide as much protection as the original, it was more than adequate for the majority of the type of riding I do. That is to say, for day trips it worked well enough. It did come with a price that I should point out though. I found the increase of wind noise to be so intrusive that I actually considered the purchase of a full coverage helmet to get it under control. The half helmet that I normally wear allowed the wind to howl past my ears at a level that I found quite uncomfortable, not to mention distracting and damaging. My choices were, as I saw it, to start using ear plugs regularly, buying the full coverage helmet, or reinstalling the stock windshield. I found none of these options very appealing.

Stock shield on the left, cut down sheild on the right.
Note the longer-stemmed mirrors.

Luckily, I came across a personal web site that offered a fourth solution. A bit of air conditioning insulation foam covered in cloth and Velcro'd to the helmet straps was enough to reduce the noise to a level I was willing to live with. Now I put the standard shield on only for either cold weather riding, or longer trips. In those cases, I am more than happy to sacrifice form over function in order to make riding the pleasurable experience it should be.

One reason that I've grown fond of the T-Sport's fairing is the rising/tilting windshield feature. On a hot day riding around town, it is like having air conditioning when the shield is down. On the highway, even with the cut down shield on, rider protection is very good in the up position. Replace the short shield with the stock full size shield, and it gets even better. Which makes me think, if bigger is better, then perhaps I should consider the taller version also offered by Harley. If I do get one, then one thing will certainly be very evident; function will have decisively triumphed over form.

I also like that Harley chose to keep things simple by using a manual means of operating the windshield movement. Other manufacturers, like BMW, use electric motors to raise and lower their windshields with the press of a button. I see it as another thing to go wrong. It only takes a few seconds to fully crank the knob in either direction, and I do this regularly without any inconvenience.

One last comment; the windshield is not a "quick detachable" unit, but it can be swapped out very easily. Four screws are all it takes to remove it. I have purchased additional grommets for my second shield so that I do not have to transfer them back and forth between shields, and the transformation takes no more than five minutes.