Order66

Agreed... can't do the barn door look. I need something that looks like it was made for the bike, not a slab with the right holes drilled in it.

My next project is to take off the damn curb feelers that like to catch pants, oh and I rode it!!!!! Funny thing is that I've already taken off the feelers... this was just the end of the footpeg. Just bad luck on an oddball thing that's never happened to me ever before.

I dropped mine today. Does that count as doing something to my FJ? It's ok - my pants leg got caught on my footpeg just at the wrong moment of balance and I laid it down next to my sister at a stop sign. One or two minor scratches, zero damage. I laughed as much as anything else. 30+ years riding, never had something quite like that happen to me. I'm still laughing.

I didn't use any locktite, and just checked them again after seeing your post... still nice and snug after 1500 miles.

Question that I don't think has been answered yet... do you think we're talking aerodynamics or material flex here? If the stock screen were to stay perfectly still, would we still be getting the same amount of turbulence? I'm no aeronautical engineer, but I wonder if any screen that was significantly stiffer (whether by thicker material or extended bracing, or some combination thereof) would tend to be less likely to give off a dirty airflow? All that flapping around has to be a big part of the cause, no?

Since hard bags aren't in my budget currently, I've been running a set of Nelson-Rigg sport saddlebags I had leftover from an older bike... but it's been driving me nuts how I have to un-install the bags from the bike every time I want to get under either seat, so I started brainstorming a more permanent solution. So I took off the bags, took off the stock brackets, bought 4 longer bolts, a bunch of large-diameter washers for support, and went to town. Measured and poked holes in the bags (they're already semi-rigid), ran the new bolts through new washers and the old bushings to get a little stand-off from the bike, and an hour later, I have hard-mounted soft bags. They're solidly mounted, I retained the straps folded neatly underneath in case I have an exceptional heavy item, and it looks exactly the same as before, just no straps. Best part is I have easy access to the seat again. No pics, since I don't feel like opening an image hosting account, but if you can imagine a set of soft bags being held on near invisibly, there you go.

That's exactly what I was going to do... glad to see it works nicely

I haven't noticed any difference at all in turbulence with them installed, other than I can now see traffic (to the side and behind me) and not my elbows.

Im quite happy with the stock screen but would like it tinted, all the tinted after market screens are either bigger or smaller,ive been looking for a same size tinted screen and had considered getting it tinted, so any info about how you did would be appreciatedThere's a local (to me) shop that does tinting and wraps and graphics... we tried it out on mine. If it works well (so far so good after 3 days and 300 miles), we're going to offer it out here to those who might want it. We used a tinted laminate, which allowed us to contour the material to the indentations where the mounting screws go. So far, so good. Looks great. I'll keep you posted.

FWIW, I tinted the stock screen the other day and it looks a lot better, if not quieter

I took a long backroad ride today, and I found the exact same thing to be true (at least below 60 or so). With earplugs, the clean air was silent, but I had to stand to get there. Same height as bubba, too. Had me thinking a shorty shield would be great. But part of why I bought this bike was for some wind protection; instead, I use earplugs all the time because of the noise. I really want to find a good solution.

Just put them on my bike last week - HUGE difference in visibility! Worth every penny.

And again, I don't think I should have to modify my bike to fit an aftermarket piece designed for the bike. I don't believe the the majority of the turbulence is coming from the lower sides of the screen; more from the top - I really wonder how much of a difference it would make to trim a little off the sides to accommodate the stock bike's design.

That's what I mean, and I agree with your choice; it'll be the likely direction I go if I decide to change it, and I love the handguards, too. I just don't believe it's 'made for the model' when it doesn't fit the model as it come stock, that's all.

Wait - the $200+ screen doesn't fit the bike as is?

Actually, you might be (unintentionally) onto to something... maybe a slightly larger shield with a Gold Wing-style vent cut low into it might do the trick.

I agree with JimF... I don't mind some wind, and I don't mind it aimed at my head. But having it off the chest is a godsend on a long trip. And while I don't mind the wind, I do mind disproportionate wind roar and buffeting, so I'm trying to find some cleaner air in which my helmet (and head and neck) can be happier.

And I do usually wear earplugs when I'm going to be doing highway speeds... But I'm still aware of the roar.

I'd thought of that, too. Haven't tried anything else yet - I have about 5 to choose from. I like helmets. Tomorrow I'll try an Icon and see what happens.

I'm not sure which way I'm going, but I know I have to do something. Just coming home from the dealer yesterday (seat low, shield high), I was getting an incredible amount of wind roar - enough to make me question the bike as a good choice, and I was wearing a very aerodynamic helmet (Shoei X-12). The cruiser I came out of (with zero wind protection) seems silent by comparison. I changed the seat to high today and will try again to see if it makes a difference, and also will play with the shield height. I'm 6'0" and need to figure this out like yesterday. Love everything else, btw. Just gotta get this worked out.