I've been riding bikes for close to 50 years and used to love the wind in my face, but now that I'm semi-retired I'm looking at longer touring rides. I loved my Fatboy but got a lot of buffeting at freeway speeds of 70 or more. I just traded for a new 2012 FLHTC ElectraGlide Classic. It will be my first bike with a fairing. I will be changing the windshield to a 10" from the stock 12" (I don't like looking through a windshield). Does anyone have advice about the contoured windshields such as Windsplitter, Slipstreamer, or other brands vs. the stock shields? This bike doesn't come with lowers. Are they worth the extra $700 or do the slip-ons like Desert Dawgs work well? Have you used the Harley air deflectors for the fairing or Baker Air Wings? I sound like an old foggy that doesn't want any wind but I want to ride 500 miles a day and not get beat up by the wind. Trial and error works but it's too expensive, so any advice I can get from guys riding tourers with fairing will be appreciated.
Fatboy 2

I like all the protection from the wind I can get, fairing, lowers and windshield, I would stay with the 12" windshield. Good luck, 500 miles a day is a lot.

I cut my wind shield down to 9 " so I can see over it.I didn't like looking through it.The other thing I did was put the fork air baffle on it.They quit putting those on because of the bigger displacement models created more heat so people began to complain so their solution to the problem was to remove the baffle and it allowed more air in the face of the rider. The baffle stabilizes the front end better and pushes the air downward towards the engine so it cuts the wind that lifts up around the tank into your face.The existing threaded holes are already in the fork to add the baffle.It can be added or removed with ease.

We have a couple things in common with this issue and I had that same conern as you. I felt claustrophobic behind my wind shield/fairing. Not to mention its bullsh*t trying to look threw it at night and in the rain. I am 5'7 so I went with the 6" windshield. It allows me to see over it yet the wind and what not is deflected over the top of my helmet comfortably. So do the math....if your 5'8-5'9 go with a 8" windshield, so forth and so on.

As far as the lowers...depends if you plan on doing much long distance traveling or get caught in the rain often? If not, other then extra protection from rain or extra storage place for trips, a place to toss a hat or map, a drink or CD?

The lowers are sweet in the rain and even better in the cold. They have other options as far as the lowers go. I've seen some that easily snap on to the crashbars, if you're not in to the look of the big factory units.

For me wind protections starts with the proper clothing.
I've gotten by with 2 pairs of jeans and in the real cold I"ve taken newspaper and lined the front of the legs between the 2 pairs.
As for the windshield I can't look through it either so I look over it. I noticed that when I used the visor on my helmet the wind was pulling my head off so I remove that. I have different types of jackets but the leather ones always fight the wind better. I keep my knees tight to the tank in the cold and wide open in the heat. So lowers would be nice when the temps drop but in the heat you want that air. I almost bought those snap on bags that attach on the engine guards with the pockets, but my buddy did and he swears by them in the cold. My bike has a removable windshield and it makes a huge difference in how you feel by the end of a trip, meaning that it helps quite a bit in the avoiding a wind beating. I have one last trick and that is a set of foam ear plugs, not so much for the sound but keeping the wind out and that makes a big difference.
Take a break often and enjoy the scenery.

I, too, have been riding a lot of years. My first Electra Glide was a 1988. Rolling across the plains into the wind was not always fun but the shield was good. [Previous cross country was on my 1977 LowRider with a silhouette shield.] Riding our 2005 Ultra through the Rockies was a big improvement over the first Electra Glide. Possibly the leg warmers helped stablize the air flow, but the temperatures being 100+ degrees necessitated running with the air dams open. We did not have the wing tip deflectors on that bike. Air turbulence would buffet my eye protection so severely that at times it would affect my vision. The current ride, a 2009 Ultra CVO, has a stock shorter shield, stock wing tip deflectors and leg warmers on (year around) and I love it. I found that the wing tip deflectors have a profound effect on rider in the face turbulence. With the deflectors closed, the strongest of winds only rarely messes with the glasses even though I am 6'1". I look squarely over the shield and yet if I keep the wing tip deflector closed, I can roll 80+ down the road as easily as 50. If I open the deflectors, I am reminded of riding into the wind on the 2005 Ultra. I am not an engineer, but the height of the windshield seems to have less effect than those little wind tip deflectors...