Gordon's enthusiasm knew no bounds, but his health certainly did. In 1974, his son Barry rode home and took over the family business as President with his brother, G.B., as Senior Engineer and Partner. Nation's Cycle Center would now be known as National Cycle.
With vigor and dedication, Barry went to work on new windshield designs made from new materials. Barry’s pioneering spirit introduced the worldwide motorcycle industry to the No-Hole Ballsocket, one-piece scooter windshields, quick release windshields and backrests, and other designs utilizing his numerous mechanical patents.
Most importantly, in 1975 he developed and introduced the very first motorcycle windshield made from General Electric’s new MR40T4 polycarbonate material (later called FMR hardcoated Lexan®). This new windshield was called the Heavy Duty™ and was available for all brands of bikes.
Barry chose Lexan polycarbonate for its superior strength – 20X more impact resistant than acrylic, the standard material at that time for motorcycle windshields. An avid motorcycle enthusiast himself, Barry immediately realized the benefits of polycarbonate for motorcycle riders. The rest, as they say, is history.
Barry takes a quick wintertime test ride on a KZ900 to test the new National Cycle Plexishield.
The new Plexishield™, made from High Impact Acrylic instead of the older Pyralin material, on a Kawasaki KZ900.
The new Plexishield™ on an early Honda GL1000 Gold Wing.
The big news in the motorcycle world came in 1975 with the first windshield made from FMR hardcoated Lexan® polycarbonate. This is the Heavy Duty™ Windshield on a GL1000.
The Lexan® polycarbonate Heavy Duty™ Windshield is paired here with a National Cycle Spotlight Bar.
The cover of National Cycle’s 1979 Catalog.
Also introduced in the 1979 Catalog were the new Plexifairing™ and the updated Big Mirror™ The Plexifairing’s extended lowers and extended hand coverage made it perfect for year-round, all-weather riding. The Plexifairing here is shown with the optional Plexistripe adhesive decals.
The Plexifairing™ on a Ducati 900SS.
The Plexifairing™ on a Yamaha XS1100.
This 1982 ad introduced the new Plexistar and the next-generation Plexifairing 2™, both featuring the patented, new NoHole Ballsocket™ and RakeAdjust™ for attaching the windshield to the mounts. This was a significant advancement, since High Impact Acrylic is subject to stress fractures when drilled.
The new Plexistar™ on a Yamaha XV750 Virago. This photo also shows the new QuickSet™ Mounts that allowed the rider to remove and reinstall the windshield in less than a minute.
The updated Plexifairing 2™ on a Yamaha XV750 Virago.
1983 saw the introduction of the National Cycle Deflector Screen™, probably the world’s most-copied windshield design. These also featured the NoHole Ballsocket™ and RakeAdjust™ mounting hardware.
The Deflector Screen™ on a Kawasaki Vulcan.
RakeAdjust™ Mounts gave the rider the ability to adjust the windshield to whatever angle offered the best wind protection.
Nation's Cycle Center developed the first one-piece windshield for scooter. This one is on the popular Vespa.
Another early windshield design that was called the Mistral, seen here on an early Yamaha Riva scooter.
The cover of National Cycle’s 1984 Catalog with an artistic portrayal of the Plexifairing 2™.
The era of boom boxes gave birth to National Cycle’s Audio Cannon™, an AM/FM/Cassette player that mounted to the handlebars. This concept was a little too far ahead of its time. Just a decade later, audio systems became factory options on big touring bikes, and standard equipment a decade after that.
The first replacement screen made from hardcoated Lexan® polycarbonate was introduced in 1984, for the BMW R100RT. It was a phenomenal success.
In 1984, National Cycle Introduced the Plexifairing 3™ with the NoHole Ballsocket™ and RakeAdjust™ hardware featured earlier, but now also with QuickSet™ hardware for quick-release convenience.
Wind in your hair when you want it; Full wind protection when you need it™. The Plexifairing3™ on a Honda CB750S.
The Plexifairing3™ shown on a Honda VT100 Shadow.
The new QuickSet™ Mounts in detail. RakeAdjust™ was enabled with the lower toothed pivot point.
