Has anybody cut down their windshield?

laraza

Turbocharged
Joined
Sep 30, 2009
Messages
843
Location
Southampton, UK
Ride
09 R3 Classic
The standard Touring windshield is too low for me but the taller one is too tall, I hate looking through it.

Has anybody here cut down their windshield? If so how did you go about it? I really need to do it as I can't find anyone that will do it for me (a local company said that the machines they use spin too fast and the shield will just melt?) but I am nervous about messing the job up.

Help please!
 
Yup, I did exactly that.

First get a big piece of cardboard or something that will hold its shape and trace the curve of the top of the screen. Then cut along the line.

Assuming you know how much you want to remove, tape both sides of the screen, I used plain old masking tape, and using the piece of cardboard draw a line on the tape a little above where you want to end up cutting. Better to cut too little than too much.

I used a Dremel with a cutting wheel and ran it just fast enough to cut the plastic. Once you're done use increasingly finer sand paper to smooth the cut line.

I took off about 2 inches, just enough so that I could look over the top.
 
i just cut one down on my roadking. turned out about the same size as the roadster screen i'd taken off the rocket. all i used was a makita jig saw with a metal cutting blade in it on a slower speed. draw the shape you want with a felt tip pen so you can clearly see it , put tape round the part of the screen that is left so the shoe of the jigsaw won't scratch it. then either use fine wet and dry or as i did a fine file to clean up the cut. it took me 30mins tops and the finish is better than stock. its easier than you think, go for it.
 
A coping saw will also do if you don't feel comfortable with using a power tool. Same setup as the other cap'ns said but use the "manual" method. You could even do a trial cut above the template line to get the feel of the saw in plastic. I use a coping saw for many materials, even aluminum. Better control. A rotating cutting device tends to want to drift off line, were the saw blade approach can be directed on a curve easily.

Just remember, a coping saw "cuts" on the "pull" stroke. So make sure the blade is orientated in the saw properly.

See ya.
 
You can also buy jigsaw blades for cutting Makralon /perspex, they are really coarse teeth and very sharp. If you mask it as described it should give you a good finish cut which will need a light rub over with some emery to finish.
 
If you have access to a heat gun, running it across the cut edge after you sand it gives a nice finished look.
 
CeeBailey.com makes replacement windscreens any size or color you want out of aircraft grade optical quality plastic, just in case you or anyone else decides not to cut the one you have.
I got a very tall replacement from them not sure I wanted to look through the screen, but It worked out nicely. The screen doesn't distort and is difficult to scratch.
 
Thanks for the replies. Bit the bullet and did it using a coping saw. Finish was not too bad but I've put a piece of trim around the top anyway so it looks perfect!
 
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