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The best windshield for Street Glide owners is the Klock Werks Flare: its patented “hips” push air around you, the “flip” at the top lifts the airstream over your helmet, and it comes in heights from 4 to 11.5 inches for 2014–2023 bikes. Taller riders who tour should look at the National Cycle VStream, and if you own a 2024 or newer Street Glide, buy the dedicated Klock Werks Flare for the new fairing.
Quick picks
-
Best overall
- Heights
- 4″–11.5″
- Material
- Lexan polycarbonate
- Price
- $$
-
Best short windshield
- Heights
- 3″–8.5″
- Material
- Lucite acrylic
- Price
- $$
-
Best for tall riders
- Heights
- 7.25″–14.5″
- Material
- 4.5mm polycarbonate
- Price
- $$
-
Best for cutting buffeting
Wind Vest Replacement Windshield
- Heights
- 6″–10″
- Material
- Coated acrylic
- Price
- $$
- Best for custom color: Klock Werks Kolor Flare
- Best for 2024+ Street Glides: Klock Werks Flare (2024+)
The stock Street Glide shield is short and looks great, but plenty of riders find it sends a stream of turbulent air straight at their helmet at highway speed. The six windshields below were picked on published heights, materials, fitment and RevZilla owner ratings. Throttle Buff is a research site, so these picks come from manufacturer specs and owner feedback, not our own wind-tunnel time.
Street Glide windshield comparison
| Windshield | Heights | Material | RevZilla rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Klock Werks Flare | 4″–11.5″ | Lexan polycarbonate | 4.6/5 (825) | $$ |
| Memphis Shades Spoiler | 3″–8.5″ | Lucite acrylic | 4.7/5 (136) | $$ |
| National Cycle VStream | 7.25″–14.5″ | 4.5mm polycarbonate | 4.6/5 (180) | $$ |
| Wind Vest Replacement Windshield | 6″–10″ | Coated acrylic | 4.7/5 (145) | $$ |
| Klock Werks Kolor Flare | 4″ or 6.5″ | Acrylic | 4.5/5 (21) | $$ |
| Klock Werks Flare (2024+) | 6.5″–12″ | Lexan polycarbonate | 4.6/5 (825) | $$$ |
Ratings and review counts are from RevZilla product pages, November 2026; RevZilla pools reviews across each windshield’s model versions. Heights are for 2014–2023 Street Glide fitments unless noted. Price tiers: $$ is roughly $150–$200, $$$ is $200–$250.
Best windshield for Street Glide: 6 picks
1. Klock Werks Flare: best overall
Klock Werks developed the Flare to keep its bikes stable at speed on the Bonneville Salt Flats, and it is now the shield most Street Glide owners compare everything else against. The outer “hips” route wind away from the rider and add downforce on the front end, while the “flip” at the top kicks the airstream up so cleaner air flows back over your helmet. It is molded from Lexan polycarbonate with an FMR hard coat, pre-drilled for the stock hardware and made in the USA.
You can pick 4, 5, 6.5, 8.5, 10.5 or 11.5 inches in clear, tinted, dark smoke or black. Klock Werks measures from the center bolt hole to the start of the flip. The short 4- and 5-inch versions are mostly about looks; the 8.5- and 11.5-inch shields are the ones to buy if wind blast is your problem. With 825 reviews averaging 4.6, RevZilla owners mostly report less buffeting and better stability, though some mention fit issues with certain accessories.
Pros
- Widest height and tint range in this list
- Polycarbonate with hard coat resists cracking and scratches
- Bolts on with stock windshield hardware
Cons
- Black version is fully opaque, so you must look over it
- The 8.5-inch shield will not clear H-D radar detectors or GPS units in the recommended fairing mount position
On a 1996–2013 Street Glide? Get the Klock Werks Flare for 1996–2013 touring models; the older fairing uses a different shield.
2. Memphis Shades Spoiler: best short windshield
Memphis Shades designs its windshields with computational fluid dynamics software, and the Spoiler is meant to be looked over, not through. Its spoiler profile diffuses the airstream and pushes it up and over the rider, which lets the shield stay short and clean-looking. It is molded from Lucite acrylic and made in the USA.
Heights for 2014-and-later touring bikes run 3, 4.5, 6.5 and 8.5 inches. The tint options are the useful part: Ghost is a light black tint with 85% visible light transmission, Smoke is a medium bronze at 30%, and Dark Smoke is close to black. RevZilla owners (4.7 from 136 reviews) praise the wind deflection and easy install; the main complaint is some distortion from the curved surface.
Pros
- Three tint levels, including a light Ghost tint for night riding
- Short heights keep the stock Street Glide profile
- Highest owner rating in this list
Cons
- Acrylic is more brittle than polycarbonate
- Some owners report distortion near the curve
3. National Cycle VStream: best for tall riders
If you are over six feet or ride long interstate days, a short shield will not reach high enough to move the air off your chest and helmet. The VStream is National Cycle’s answer, offered at 7.25, 9.5, 11.5 and 14.5 inches, with light or dark tint on the shorter versions and clear on the tall ones. National Cycle measures from the bottom center mount hole to the top of the shield and recommends picking a height that sits close to or just below your eye level.
The shield is 4.5mm polycarbonate, which National Cycle says is 40% thicker than stock, with its Quantum hard coating for scratch resistance. It uses the OEM mounting hardware. Owners (4.6 from 180 reviews) mention reduced buffeting and helmet noise; a few report light optical distortion or tint that came out darker or lighter than expected.
Pros
- Tallest option here at 14.5 inches
- Thick polycarbonate with a hard coat
- Lowest starting price in this list
Cons
- Tall versions change the Street Glide look
- Clear only at the tallest heights
4. Wind Vest Replacement Windshield: best for cutting buffeting
Wind Vest builds its replacement shield around a flip at the top that, the company says, makes the airflow feel 3 to 4 inches taller than the shield actually is. That is the trick riders want on a Street Glide: the protection of a mid-height shield with a shorter, cleaner look. Heights run 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 inches in light smoke (95% transparent) or dark smoke (90% transparent).
The material is DOT-approved shatterproof acrylic with a scratch-resistant coating, it uses the OEM hardware and it is made in the USA. RevZilla owners rate it 4.7 from 145 reviews, mostly for lower wind noise and less buffeting, though a few found certain heights did not suit their helmet and seating position. A separate Wind Vest shield for 2024+ Street Glides is also sold.
Pros
- Flip makes a short shield work like a taller one
- Five heights in one-inch steps
- Both tints stay highly transparent
Cons
- Acrylic rather than polycarbonate
- No clear option
5. Klock Werks Kolor Flare: best for custom color
The Kolor Flare uses the same hips-and-flip shape as the standard Flare, but in acrylic and in colors: red, yellow, orange, green, blue, bronze and purple. It is offered at 4 or 6.5 inches for 2014-and-later bikes, so it is a style piece first. Pick it if you want the shield to match custom paint or trim and you already sit comfortably behind the stock height.
Owners (4.5 from 21 reviews) report a precise fit and easy install. Several note that the bronze tint reads as dark smoke in person, so check a real photo before you order. Klock Werks recommends choosing a height you can look over comfortably in your true riding position.
Pros
- Seven colors to match paint or trim
- Same patented Flare airflow shape
- Pre-drilled for stock hardware
Cons
- Only two short heights
- Colors can look darker than product photos
6. Klock Werks Flare for 2024-and-newer models: best for new Street Glides
The 2024 Street Glide got a new fairing, so 2014–2023 shields do not fit it. Klock Werks makes a dedicated Flare for the new bike in 6.5, 8, 10 and 12 inches, in clear, tinted, dark smoke or black. It keeps the Lexan polycarbonate construction, the FMR hard coat and the pre-drilled stock-hardware mounting of the older version, and RevZilla lists it for the 2024-and-later Street Glide and the 2023-and-later CVO Street Glide.
If you want a shorter shield on the new bike, the Memphis Shades Spoiler for 2023–2026 Street Glides comes in 2 to 6 inches in Dark Black Smoke (25% light transmission) or dot-matrix finishes, but it needs Memphis Shades’ adapter kit MEB9085, sold separately.
Pros
- Made for the new 2024+ fairing
- Heights up to 12 inches for touring
- Polycarbonate with hard coat
Cons
- Costs more than the 2014–2023 version
- Black version is opaque
How to choose a Street Glide windshield
Confirm your model year first
Street Glide shields split into three groups: 1996–2013, 2014–2023, and 2024-and-newer (plus the 2023 CVO Street Glide, which got the new fairing a year early). A shield for the wrong fairing will not line up with the mounting holes. Check the fitment list on the product page against your exact model code, such as FLHX or FLHXS.
Pick a height you can look over
Most riders want the top edge at or just below eye level, so they see the road over the shield rather than through it. Brands measure differently: Klock Werks measures from the center bolt hole to the start of the flip, National Cycle from the bottom center mount hole to the top, and Memphis Shades (on its 2024+ Spoiler) from the center of the top vent cover to the top of your current shield. Measure your stock shield the same way before you order. If the stock shield already hits you with turbulent air at helmet level, going a couple of inches taller usually helps more than going shorter.
Shape matters more than height alone
A flat-topped shield that sits right at helmet height often causes the worst buffeting, because the edge of the airstream hits your head. That is why the Flare, Spoiler and Wind Vest all use a lip or flip at the top to push the air higher. If you ride with a passenger, a taller shield can also shift turbulence onto them, so pair this choice with a quiet helmet and decent intercom speakers.
Tint and night riding
Dark tints and black shields look sharp, but you can only see over them. If you ride at night or in rain, choose clear, a light tint, or a height low enough to look over easily. NHTSA still recommends proper eye protection on a motorcycle, and a short windshield does not replace a face shield or riding glasses.
Polycarbonate or acrylic
Polycarbonate (Lexan) is tougher and resists cracking; acrylic (Lucite) is usually clearer but more brittle. Both scratch if you wipe off dry bugs. Use a plastic-safe cleaner rather than ammonia-based glass cleaner, and see our guide to motorcycle plastic polish for fine scratches.
Accessory clearance
Fairing-mounted gadgets can block taller shields. Klock Werks warns that its 8.5-inch Flare will not clear H-D radar detectors or GPS units in the recommended mount position, so plan where your phone mount and dash cam will go. All six picks mount with the stock windshield hardware, and owners mostly describe the install as easy.
FAQ
What height windshield is best for a Street Glide?
For most riders of average height, 8 to 10 inches gives real wind protection while keeping the Street Glide look. Riders over six feet often need 11.5 inches or more, and anyone who wants only a style change can stay at 4 to 6.5 inches.
Will a 2014–2023 windshield fit a 2024 Street Glide?
No. The 2024 and newer Street Glide uses a new fairing, so buy a shield listed for the 2024+ FLHX, such as the Klock Werks Flare (2024+), the Wind Vest 2023–2026 shield or the Memphis Shades Spoiler with its adapter kit.
Why does my Street Glide windshield cause buffeting?
Buffeting happens when the edge of the airstream coming off the shield hits your helmet. Going taller or shorter moves that edge away from your head, and a flip or spoiler lip lifts it higher. Fairing lower vents and seat height also change the result, so a new seat can shift where the air hits you.
Is the Klock Werks Flare worth the money?
For most owners, yes. It costs a little more than the Memphis Shades or National Cycle shields, but it has the largest owner base, polycarbonate construction and the widest choice of heights and tints.
Can I use a 1996–2013 windshield on a newer Street Glide?
No. The batwing fairing changed for 2014. Owners of older bikes should buy a 1996–2013 version, such as the Klock Werks Flare above or the National Cycle VStream for 1996–2013 touring models. See National Cycle or Memphis Shades for full fitment charts.
Verdict
For most riders the best windshield for Street Glide models from 2014 to 2023 is the Klock Werks Flare in 8.5 or 11.5 inches: tough, well proven and easy to fit. Buy the Memphis Shades Spoiler if you want a short tinted shield, the National Cycle VStream if you are tall, and the Wind Vest if buffeting is your main problem. Owners of 2024 and newer bikes should start with the Klock Werks Flare (2024+). Planning a long trip? Read our motorcycle touring checklist and our guide to riding in the rain.
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