Windshield glass is an essential protective and safety feature of every vehicle. Due to its important roles, the need for a genuine type of windshield glass can never be overemphasized. It shields both the divers and passengers from debris, dust, and dirt from the environment.
Types of windshield glass that are distinctively different include the Aftermarket glass, Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) glass, and Dealer glass. With its genuineness, a windshield glass should be shatterproof to avoid injuries from broken bits of glass on the car occupants during accidents.
This article examines the types of windshield glass and their uses. Also, we’ll let you know why you should never install a non-genuine windshield on your vehicle.
What is Windshield Glass Used For?
Depending on the type of windshield glass, there are several purposes for using windshield glass for your vehicles.
1. Protection
The main role that a windshield glass plays is to protect the driver and passengers in the car. It protects them from debris, dust, dirt, wind, and other elements in the environment. In addition, with a UV coating, the windshield glass will protect the car occupants from the sun’s harmful UV rays.
2. Safety
Safety is of paramount importance in the automobile industry. Despite how careful a driver could be, collisions are still inevitable. There could be shatters and injuries on the occupants in such situations. Being shatterproof, windshield glass will hold its bits in a web-like structure if cracked during a collision. This will reduce the risk of injuries while enhancing the safety of the driver and passengers.
3. Supports Vehicle’s Roof
Windshield glass, among other roles, supports the vehicle’s roof. Without the windshield glass, the roof may not get an adequate balance to suspend it on top.
4. Noise Reduction
Windshield glass is also an excellent means for noise reduction. It wades off the noises of the car, keeping the atmosphere within the car quieter and comfortable. Thus, while driving, you can hold conversations or listen to music from your vehicle.
Types of Windshield Glass
The three types of windshield glass are
- The Dealers windshield glass
- The Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) windshield glass
- The Aftermarket windshield glass
1. The Dealers Windshield Glass
The Dealer windshield glass comes directly from the manufacturers. Their marketing and sales are under windshield auto repair or installer’s brand.
The purchase of a dealer windshield glass is only through any dealer that the manufacturers have authorized for your car service. Thus, the windshield glass you get will be exactly the type your vehicle had at the point of its assembly line.
2. The Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Windshield Glass
This type of windshield glass comes directly from the manufacturers of the car. The manufacturers carry out precise testing to ascertain its fitting in maintaining your vehicle’s safety and performance.
Thus, the certification of the Original Equipment Manufacturer glass lies in the hands of the manufacturers. This’s because the OEM windshield glass has the same standard of glass with which your vehicle emerged from the assembly line.
3. The Aftermarket Windshield Glass
This type of windshield glass is under the production of companies that directly deal with the vehicle’s manufacturers. The production companies always try to produce the Aftermarket windshield glass with the same specifications as the Dealer glass. However, they are not rated as the original windshield glass.
Thus, the Aftermarket windshield glass is less expensive than the Dealer or OEM glass. Despite that, the Aftermarket glass has the same thickness as your vehicle’s original glass. Also, it gets the same guarantee, just like dealer and OEM glass.
Do You Need a Windshield Glass for Motorcycle?
There’s always the argument among motorcycle riders whether they need or not need a windshield for their bikes. Though it’s not a mandatory requirement for motorcycles, there are good reasons for getting a motorcycle windshield for road glide.
No matter how it might come off, a windshield offers great assistance for vehicles that engage in high speeds. Thus, a motorcycle is not excluded.
Here are some pros and cons of having windshield glass for your motorcycle
Advantage Of Using Windshield Glass For Motorcycle
1. Wind Protection
Just like the name goes, a windshield glass offers you protection against the blowing wind as you’re riding. With such protection, it makes your ride more comfortable and enjoyable even as you move at high speeds.
2. Protection from other elements and particles
Besides protecting you from the wind, having windshield glass on your motorcycle will also protect you from other things. Some of the particles such as debris, dust, and dirt that fly around the road could be a distraction to your ride.
Additionally, you will receive protection from rainfall while you’re on the move. However, once you come to a stop, the windshield glass has coverage against the rain pouring on you. But if you’re riding, the windshield will shield the blowing rain from your body.
3. Enhanced aerodynamics
While riding your bike, there’s a slight dragging effect from your body on the motorcycle. This will be greater for people with more weight. Windshield glass reduces the dragging effects from your body and propels the bike to move forward.
Thus, by reducing drag and invariably air friction, the windshield glass will enhance aerodynamics for your ride.
4. Fatigue reduction
Exposing your body to the full blow of climatic elements will tale a tore on you for long-distance movements. In addition, conditions such as wind, rain, and other particles will easily wear you out in your ride. With windshield glass, you will receive less impact from these influences. So, using a windshield for your motorcycle is good to remain active and reducing fatigue during and after your ride.
Some Negative aspects
1. Aesthetically unappealing
The major challenge while lots of riders kick against the use of windshield glass is the looks. Windshield glass makes a motorcycle aesthetically unappealing and less sporty.
2. Limited vision
Using longer and tinted windshield glass can be limited to your vision. This could be a great challenge, especially where the rider is short and may need to look through the windshield most times.
3. Buffeting
Riding with windshield glass creates buffeting that focuses only on the rider’s head or helmet. Most riders find this quite disturbing. Though there’s still buffeting while riding without a windshield, this usually spreads throughout the body.
However, some modern motorcycle windshield comes with small holes that allow the passage of air to reduce buffeting.
Why Should You Never Get a Non-Genuine Windshield Installed On Your Vehicle?
A windshield offers protection to you in different aspects of your vehicle. You can only get that when you’re using a genuine and original windshield.
Non-genuine windshields can’t meet the required standard for safety. They are manufactured with raw materials of low quality. Hence, they are compromised and susceptible to chips, cracks, and leaks. Using such windshields exposes you to risks.
Final Words
The three types of windshield glass are dealer glass, Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) glass, and Aftermarket glass. The importance of windshield glass in vehicles is quite inestimable. Besides providing you with protection, windshield glass offers safety to drivers and passengers of the vehicle during collisions.
Using windshield glass on your motorcycle will protect you from the environmental elements. Also, you’ll get enhanced aerodynamics for your long riders without feeling fatigued. But, remember, you can only get the best from windshield glass when you avoid a non-genuine type.
