TUSK REMOVABLE HALF WINDSHIELD

By the staff of Dirt Wheels

TUSK REMOVABLE HALF WINDSHIELD

With few exceptions, production UTVs don’t come with any protection in the front opening of the cockpit. When conditions are perfect, having all that air coming into the cockpit feels like a perfect plan. Let the weather change up, or get tired of the wind blast, though, and some sort of a windshield starts to look pretty good. There are numerous options for windshield size and material. There are further innovations in fitment and permanence. Some of our favorites drop flat or lift up for pleasant weather. You must decide what sort of wind and weather protection you want and need.

WHAT IT IS

The Tusk half windshield is perfect for drivers looking for protection from the elements without the negatives associated with a full windshield. It offers plenty of wind protection while still allowing air flow inside the cab to clear dust. The scratch-resistant polycarbonate plastic helps prolong the clarity of the windshield even after numerous cleanings.

Quick-release hook-and-loop roll cage clamps make it a breeze to install and remove the windshield.

HOW IT WORKS

The Tusk half windshield is a nice addition to any car. It is vehicle-specific, so the height, width and lower portion are a perfect fit. With an overall height of 11 inches and a 1.5-inch lip at the top, it was a great fit on our Kawasaki KRX 1000. The bottom edge has a rubber seal that the owner installs to prevent air and water from blowing under the windshield.

There are both pros and cons that go along with any type of windshield on your UTV. Ours worked great at diverting the wind blast up over the head of our 6-foot-tall tester, yet it didn’t interfere with our vision down the trail. Not having to look through a piece of dusty plastic is a real plus, especially when the sun is low on the horizon.

The 3/16-inch polycarbonate is sturdy enough that it doesn’t flex or vibrate while going down the trail. As far as the benefits of the scratch-resistant coating, the windshield in these pictures has been cleaned at least a dozen times, and it’s holding up well.

The key to prolonging the life of any plastic windshield is using the proper cleaning product and technique. We use a quality plastic cleaner and a clean micro-fiber cloth when it’s time to remove the built-up dust.

There is enough wind protection that we feel you could comfortably use this half windshield well into the colder months. The “quick-release clamps” aren’t just some jargon, as ours took about one minute to install or remove once the various pieces where assembled.

As far as cons are concerned, any time you put any style windshield on your car, it’s going to create negative pressure behind the screen. This causes dust to be sucked into the dead air space and swirl before blowing back out of the cab. Our local riding area hasn’t seen much rain in the last couple of months, so our trails are pretty dusty.

At lower speeds the Tusk half windshield did a good job diverting the air over our head. As the speeds increased, the calm air pocket seemed to get larger and hold the dust inside the cab. The only real solution is to wear a quality goggle with your helmet. Sunglasses don’t cut it. For those of you who actually know what dust-free or wet dirt looks like, this could be the ideal windshield.

TUSK REMOVABLE HALF WINDSHIELD

BOTTOM LINE

With a price of $119.95, the Tusk removable half windshield is a great addition for any UTV. It offers enough wind and weather protection to make any trip in your UTV more enjoyable. Just remember to bring goggles if you ride in a dusty area.

We got ours from www.rockymountainatvmc.com.

To subscribe to Dirt Wheels Magazine in print or digital form click here https://hi-torque.com/product/dirt-wheels.