Wind fatigue is one of the most underrated enemies of long-distance touring. You can have the most comfortable seat in the world, perfect ergonomics, and a smooth-running motor — but put your body in a constant 110 km/h wind blast for five hours and you'll arrive at camp exhausted in a way that's hard to explain until you've experienced it. Managing wind properly is one of the highest-return investments you can make on a touring motorcycle.
After testing the Indian Pursuit's stock setup against several aftermarket options — including the genuine Klock Werks Flare Wings and AliExpress knockoffs — here's what actually makes a difference.
The goal isn't to eliminate wind — it's to redirect turbulence away from your head, neck and shoulders. A well-designed windshield and deflector system creates a "bubble" of calmer air around your upper body, which dramatically reduces the constant micro-tension your muscles carry when fighting turbulence for hours.
Height is only part of the equation. A tall windshield that pushes turbulence directly into your helmet can actually be worse than a shorter one. Shape, rake angle and side deflectors all matter more than most riders realize.
The stock windshield on the Indian Pursuit is a reasonable all-rounder. At highway speeds it does a decent job of keeping direct wind off your chest. But the sides are where it struggles — turbulence wraps around the edges and hits your shoulders and arms, and on windy days that buffeting becomes tiring quickly.
For around-town and shorter rides, stock is fine. For 400+ km touring days, most Pursuit riders will want something more.
Flare wings attach to the sides of your windshield and redirect turbulence outward and upward, away from your arms and shoulders. The difference is immediately noticeable — especially on crosswind days when you'd otherwise be fighting constant lateral buffeting.
Klock Werks makes the benchmark flare wing for the Indian Pursuit. They're well-made, fit precisely and genuinely work as advertised. At $150-200+ CAD they're not cheap, but the genuine article is a proper piece of kit.
The AliExpress knockoffs I tested held up well over a month of regular use and provided comparable wind protection. The acrylic quality is slightly lower and the mounting hardware isn't as refined, but for $25-40 they're a very hard argument to make against.
💡 Height matters for flare wings: The effectiveness of flare wings depends on your windshield height. If your stock shield is already on the shorter side, adding flare wings without also raising the shield height may not give you the full benefit. Consider both together.
A taller aftermarket windshield can work well, but the key is getting the top of the shield to direct air just over the top of your helmet — not into your face, and not into buffeting turbulence above your head. This varies significantly by rider height. What works perfectly for a 5'10" rider may be wrong for someone 6'2".
If you go this route, look for windshields with adjustable rake if possible, so you can fine-tune the deflection angle for your height and riding position.
Spoilers and vents that claim to "eliminate turbulence" through small design features are mostly marketing. Airflow physics at highway speeds requires meaningful physical surface area to redirect — a small spoiler clip-on isn't going to meaningfully change what's happening at 110 km/h. Save your money.
If you're serious about touring distances, investing in proper wind management is one of the best things you can do for your riding enjoyment and end-of-day energy levels. Flare wings first — they're the biggest return for the least money. If you're still not happy after that, look at windshield height and rake. Start with the knockoffs, ride them for a season, and decide if the genuine article is worth the upgrade for you personally.
Watch the AliExpress Flare Wings 1-Month Review →