Ever since day one with the new V Strom, (2014 DL 1000) almost every review that I read commented about the sub-par windshield. Everybody loved how easy it was to adjust it. Four bolts to get get you a few inches of height or a simple spring mechanism to get the right tilt. But that’s about where it ended. Everyone commented about the ceaseless buffeting that the windshield seemed to provide most riders. Was this a power of suggestion?
I’ve got close to 6000 miles on the V Strom coming into this spring and I’m starting to become concerned about the amount of noise I am contending with when I ride. Power of reality? I do use ear plugs almost religiously and that helps to minimize the wind noise a bunch. My helmet is a Shoei GT air which reviews generally claim is pretty quite overall. So I come back to that windshield, where so many people that know so much more than I, determined the wind shield needed to be replaced. With diminishing hearing already, the thought of riding 8000 miles in a three weeks with that much wind in my helmet was beginning to scare me.
Time for some research.
On a tight budget for moto parts I needed to be choosy. Also there are tons of options and plenty of players in the aftermarket windshield game, so what the heck is going to work? I really hate spending money on something and than quickly realize it’s the wrong item. Prices ranges from 100 to 200 dollars, so that affords me to be choosy. The options included complete replacements as well as windshield extensions.
Not seeing a lot of info on how an extension would work on the V Strom, I focused my attention on a replacement. The mac daddy with all the positive reviews was the Givi Airflow. But it was also $200.00. That’s a lot of money when I’m working a second job to pay for this trip. The alternatives all came in around 160 and 190. But for only a few dollars more I could buy the Givi. (As a “gear guy” I say that way to often.) Then I came across the Puig for the V Strom. About a hundred dollars. Very positive reviews. Why not? I could spend another month obsessing over the details or get it by the the weekend to test it out.
It arrived today, brought it home and mounted it up. New windshield in about 10 minutes of time. The hard part was removing and installing the rubber grommets off the original windshield.
I have gained about seven additional inches of height and about two additional inches across the widest point. That should make a difference.
I haven’t yet had a chance to see if it helps with the wind noise. I will sneak out tomorrow for an hour to see if it was worth the money. I sure hope it was.
Handsome Chaps Motorcycle 
I just took my first ride with the new windshield. Made a huge difference in minimizing the wind noise. The thing that was a bit odd, and I don’t know for fact, but the bike seemed to handle a bit differently. I’m attributing it to the fact that I’m now deflecting more air. Does that make sense?
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Just in case you found this article and am wondering if I still like the Puig, I do. I love it. Last weekend I put the stock DL -1000 windshield back on to go to a local track day. The thought being that I won’t need as much protection while on the track and I didn’t want the larger windshield get in the way, while I was in my “race position” (dreamer). As soon as I got onto the freeway to go to track day, it felt like I had no helmet on at all. It was that much louder than using the Puig. My next thought was I am so, so happy that I switched out that windshield before I did my Alaska trip. I honestly think I would have permanent hearing damage when I returned.
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