DIY Motorcycle Windshield

Motorcycle windshields help keep the wind out of your face, reduce noise and protect you from water spray and bugs hitting you in the face. Making a windshield for your motorcycle is not difficult, and all you need are a few simple tools.

Things You'll Need

• Thin cardboard
• Felt-tip marker
• Masking tape
• Saber saw, band saw or miter saw with blades that have 12 to 14 teeth per inch
• Drill
• Palm sander
• 80- to 120-grit sandpaper
• 220 sandpaper

Instructions

1. Make a pattern out of thin cardboard. You can draw your own pattern or place the cardboard behind an existing windshield and trace along the edge with a pencil or felt-tip marker. After you trace around the outside, remember to mark the bolt holes. Cut out the cardboard pattern along the lines.

2. Place the cardboard pattern over the new windshield. This will show you where to put the masking tape. Remove the pattern piece and set aside. Cover at least a 4-inch-wide area with masking tape over both sides of your new windshield. You can cover most of the front and back with masking tape. This will help protect the new windshield from being scratched. Put masking tape to cover the area where you need to drill the bolt holes.

3. Place your pattern over the windshield. Take a felt-tip marker and draw along your pattern onto the masking tape. Mark the areas where you need to drill the bolt holes.

4. Cut the motorcycle windshield with a saber saw, band saw or miter saw. The blade you use should have 12 to 14 teeth per inch. Make your cut slowly and evenly. This will give you a more professional-looking cut.

5. Drill a small pilot hole for the bolt holes, using a slow-speed drill. The size of the hole should be 1/8 to 3/16 of an inch.

6. Drill the hole again, using a larger sized bit. Make the holes slightly bigger then the bolts. If you make the holes the same size as the bolts, the plastic may crack when the temperature changes. Drill from the front of the windshield, but do not drill completely through the plastic. Turn the windshield over and finish drilling the hole. By drilling on both sides, you will eliminate chipping the windshield.

7. Stand the windshield upright and sand the edges with a palm sander equipped with 80- to 120-grit sandpaper. If you don't have a palm sander, you can attach the sandpaper to a block of wood. Sand the edges again, using 220-grit sandpaper.

8. Install your new windshield by bolting it in place. Do not make the bolts tight, because this could crack the windshield.

Tips & Warnings

• Protect your windshield as you are working on it by wrapping it in a sheet.

References

• Motorcycle Cruiser: Cutting Down Motorcycle Windshields
• Calsci: Motorcycle Fairings and Windshields
• Plexiglass: Cutting Plexiglass