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|  | Topic : Windvest windshield unhappy ending [long post] |  |
| | | PapaSmurfMC | | Chaac |  |  | | Reg. Date | : | 03/10/2013 | | Posts | : | 871 | | Location | : | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States |
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| | Posted : 08 Nov 2013 - 04:19 Post title : Windvest windshield unhappy ending [long post] | | | It took a good month of research and shopping around to decide on a Windvest windshield for my Bird. Most of what I read was good about it's performance, no major buffeting complaints, I liked the minimalist look and I'd read good things about their customer service. Windvest is a small family-run business. The Windvest windshields are aerodynamically designed to flow air around the rider, not block it and push it out of the way.
I emailed Windvest support asking about their 16x18 shield, since they don't label the dimensions on their website, to find out if the 18" was height or width. I also told them what bike the shield was for and my height and asked for a size recommendation. I got a pretty prompt response from Tami, one of the company family members who told me that the 18" dimension was height but advised me to get the 16x16 shield, based on bike and my height (5'11").
I found a decent deal from the Powersport Superstore through Amazon and ordered the 16x16. It showed up around a week later and I was really impressed with the simplicity and quality of the billet mounts and the aerodynamically shaped acryllic shield. It mounted (via handlebars) in no time but it was immediately obvious that it was way too small. By Windvest's instructions, the top of the shield should line up near your upper lip; with a string and a level (and a 3rd hand), I found it was below chin level; and this was with 1" riser spacers on my bars and with the shield adjusted for maximum height. I also found 4" of space between the headlight top and the bottom of the shield which I thought would let an awful lot of air under the shield.
I emailed Tami directly and hadn't heard back by the next evening so I called their toll-free number and found myself speaking with Doug, the head honcho. I told Doug that Tami had advised me to get the 16x16 shield based on bike and height and he said the 16x16 was too small and that he'd exchange it for a 16x18 but he wanted me to pay shipping both ways. I objected, since I bought the shield they recommended so he at least agreed to pay shipping of the replacement 16x18 but I still had to pay return shipping for the 16x16.
The 16x16 wasn't on the Bird more than an hour all together and it never left the garage. About 5 days later, the 16x18 shows up and as soon as I opened the box I had a bad feeling about it. The protective wrapping was ripped and looked like it had been opened and reclosed a few times. I took the shield out and saw it had a dirty film on it, like it was hastily wiped and the areas around the mounting holes had residue from being previously mounted. I held it up to the light and immediately noticed a pinpoint blemish in the center of the shield a few inches from the top. Running my finger over it, I could feel that it was a tiny chip out of the inside surface.
I cleaned the shield up (with Plexus, great stuff) and in the right light, can easily see the chip; just a pinpoint with a couple of even smaller blemishes around it so this was obviously either a return or a demo shield that they sent me. Minor nicks happen but when I buy something new (and expensive!), I want to be the one who does the damage.
So, I emailed Tami and Doug, thanking them for the exchange but telling them outright that I was disappointed. On the one hand, they didn't have to do the exchange since I bought the shield from a dealer, not directly from Windvest. On the other hand, they gave me bad advice from the beginning and then exchanged a used, blemished shield for the new one I sent back to them at my expense. I also got no response from my email telling them that I was unhappy with the exchange.
I won't get a chance to ride with the shield until Saturday, so I can't say how effective it is, yet. I'll post that later. I do like the way it looks on the Bird but no matter how it performs, I can't recommend getting a Windvest due to the sloppy support.
I'm pretty much stuck with it now, since I no longer have a 16x16 to return to Powersport Superstore. All I can do now is spread the word that getting a Windvest is a risky proposition.
| 2013 Blue Marble Haze Thunderbird 1600 ABS
2009 Black Bonneville A1 ("Mag")
Buncha farkles
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| | | johnmark | | Set | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 01/06/2013 | | Posts | : | 53 | | Location | : | owensboro, kentucky, United States |
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| | Posted : 08 Nov 2013 - 18:12 Post title : Re: Windvest windshield unhappy ending [long post] (Re: PapaSmurfMC) | | | I have the Windvest 14x14 tinted and love it. ordered it direct from Windvest with no hassles at all. great product for fit and finish. what I really like the simplicity of it. Goes great with lines on the bike. I didn't want something big and gaudy. I don't know why they have not taken care of your problem, but would like them know that you have posted on line with other Bird owners. being a smaller company, they don't need bad press..........hope you get it worked out, I think you will like it once you get it going.
| 2012 thunderbird red marble haze, hogslayers, K&N filter
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| | | PapaSmurfMC | | Chaac | | | | Reg. Date | : | 03/10/2013 | | Posts | : | 871 | | Location | : | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States |
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| | Posted : 27 Nov 2013 - 04:51 Post title : Re: Windvest windshield HAPPY ending | | | Update:
Two weeks after my post, I got a call from Doug out of the blue that he'd heard I wasn't happy with the condition of the shield and he wanted to make it right. He was referring to the email I had sent 2 weeks earlier but something tells me he either saw or heard about the post and realized I wasn't just casually let down.
He said he'd send a new, fresh-from-stock shield and he'd take care of shipping in both directions. Today I received a new shield in perfect condition and a return shipping label, good to his word.
It's mounted, the old shield is packed for return, I'm a happy camper and Windvest's good reputation is intact. Now, if only it was a little warmer than 32 degrees out!
| 2013 Blue Marble Haze Thunderbird 1600 ABS
2009 Black Bonneville A1 ("Mag")
Buncha farkles
| | Post edited by PapaSmurfMC on 27 Nov 2013 - 04:58 |
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| | | woody | | Chaac | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 10/07/2010 | | Posts | : | 874 | | Location | : | goulburn, nsw, Australia |
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| | Posted : 28 Nov 2013 - 00:26 Post title : Re: Windvest windshield HAPPY ending (Re: PapaSmurfMC) | | | I also have a windvest and while I love it's function I'm not so keen over it's look.
Would it be possible if you guys could post some photos of the different types ie the larger screen and tinted screen just so I could get some ideas of how the other types look fitted to the bird.
here are some of mine.
Thanks
Woody
| Woody
Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive.
| | Post edited by woody on 28 Nov 2013 - 00:27 |
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| | | magpie | | Jupiter | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 12/02/2011 | | Posts | : | 1,507 | | Location | : | NSW, Australia |
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| | Posted : 28 Nov 2013 - 01:50 Post title : Re: Windvest windshield HAPPY ending (Re: woody) | | |
Woody,
That's the cleanest I have ever seen your bike ........did Tanya have some spare time 
magpie
| Magpie - "I dream of a better world.....where chickens can cross the road without having their motives questioned "
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| | | woody | | Chaac | | | | Reg. Date | : | 10/07/2010 | | Posts | : | 874 | | Location | : | goulburn, nsw, Australia |
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| | Posted : 28 Nov 2013 - 02:52 Post title : Re: Windvest windshield HAPPY ending (Re: magpie) | | | You know what I'm going to say next..........................
| Woody
Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive.
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| | | PapaSmurfMC | | Chaac | | | | Reg. Date | : | 03/10/2013 | | Posts | : | 871 | | Location | : | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States |
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| | Posted : 28 Nov 2013 - 03:55 Post title : Re: Windvest windshield HAPPY ending (Re: woody) | | | woody wrote:
-snip-
Would it be possible if you guys could post some photos of the different types ie the larger screen and tinted screen just so I could get some ideas of how the other types look fitted to the bird.
-snip-
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Here's mine, 16x18 clear:
| 2013 Blue Marble Haze Thunderbird 1600 ABS
2009 Black Bonneville A1 ("Mag")
Buncha farkles
| | Post edited by PapaSmurfMC on 28 Nov 2013 - 03:56 |
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| | | woody | | Chaac | | | | Reg. Date | : | 10/07/2010 | | Posts | : | 874 | | Location | : | goulburn, nsw, Australia |
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| | Posted : 28 Nov 2013 - 07:59 Post title : Re: Windvest windshield HAPPY ending (Re: PapaSmurfMC) | | | Thanks Papasmurf,
quite a bit bigger than mine. it's hard to tell what they will look like when windvest don't have any photos of them fitted to the bird.
| Woody
Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive.
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