Talk to me about screens (again)

[petshark]

12 hours ago, Paddy01 said:

I can ride with visor open but clearly it increases blast on the face. I never, ever ride without earplugs. I’ve been riding for over 40 years and damaged my hearing through riding without them until it was too late (who knew in the 70s and 80s?). I now wear hearing aids (not while on the bike). I’m not deaf, just a bit deficient in the upper range. So maybe my judgment of noise is different from yours. Anyway, I digress. 

I'm sorry for your hearing loss, I've been suffering tinnitus from just before I started riding so I'm with you on the plugs.

But on my previous bike, a 2019 Kawasaki Versys 650, I had a Vstream screen combined with an MRA Xcreen spoiler and I really did not need them. The only noise was the engine, absolutely no wind. As you can see it was much more upright so it really kept my helmet out of the air stream. But I cringe when I look at it now. It just destroys the look of the bike IMO.

The Puig Touring with the same MRA Xcreen on the Tracer is almost as good but it's not quite so perfect.

I'm still unsure what the difference would be for me between the MRA Vario and Touring (with or without spoiler). If there is no turbulence that means that the air is either below or above the helmet. If the wind still hits you in the face that means it's below and seeing how the MRA is so much more aerodynamic than the Puig or Vstream I would be very surprised if it is even possible for a tall rider to direct the air above the helmet.

So that leaves me wondering if the spoiler does anything in this scenario as I already get clean air without it. That air is noisy  so maybe there is a difference there. It could be that I hear some turbulence (that I don't feel) on the torso and that this is eliminated with the spoiler.

[kiseliok]

Before buying a new screen, I figured I'd mess around with the stock one first.

While sitting on a long stretch with cruise control, I decided to move the screen up / down and see how it channels air around 60mph. To my surprise, higher position was not better. Stock screen has a lip on top that pushes the air up, but then it gets added to the force from the front and drops behind the screen into the 'void' or low pressure area. I'm 5'9 and this position made the air around my helmet really noisy and it was beating me up a bit.

Then I moved the screen almost all the way down and things quieted down / cooled off substantially. I think 'dropped' air went below my helmet (if I angled my chin down a bit, it was even quieter), and the rest went over my head.

I'm sure I looked really funky moving my hands around and 'feeling' air streams.  

Moral of the story - definitely make sure to play around with your stock screen. I find it bearable for now, but might consider an mra screen sometime in the future as I like a more slanted angle, which likely controls the air flow a lot better vs stock.

[piotrek]

I second what @CRFan250 said. My first ride In full summer attire... no hand guards, and sporting my new 16" Madstad. Straight swap with my 22" touring/fall/spring setup... I don't even have to fiddle with the brackets. Works great... this will be awesome in the summer heat.

[stringman]

So the saga continues!!!

Latest mod was to rotate the bar risers forward and twist the bars forward to get a lower crouching position .

I had hoped to swap the bars over to my old MT09 bars (which i had on the old tracer) but discovered they are identical to the GT bars.

Its getting there but its just not as good as the old bike.

Next modification is to start playing with spacers under the screen.

I am thinking of adding spacers just at the top to increase the angle, but also considering some 5mm at the bottom so there is more air flow.

After that I will try 60mm bar risers and/or different bars.

Never bloody ends

 

[Ride365]

I know that we are all built different if even the same height, but I literally get ZERO buffeting of any kind with my MRA sport touring screen. Just clean smooth air is what I get at any height, but I typically ride with it all the way down.

Edited May 22, 2022 by Ride365

[Paddy01]

I think the culprit is those bar risers. If you want a taller riding position have you tried the higher seat setting?  BTW I’ve also applied the seat mod; it makes a huge difference to comfort and stops you pitching forward. Just my ten cents worth.