Premium Member alejandro Posted August 16, 2015 Premium Member Share Posted August 16, 2015 tl;dr I am 5'9.5" tall (177cm), typical male proportions, Shoei Qwest helmet, and I am happy with the 24" Madstad. Ask for their newer bracket with detents. Ask them to check that the bracket hardware is assembled non-backwards before they ship it to you. More detail: I started with the stock windscreen. I was very unsatisfied with it. The wind separated and reattached WAY before it got to me, leaving me in noisy and turbulent air. In the process of my bike shopping, I had ridden a Triumph Tiger with a Madstad screen on it, and it worked great. So I figured I'd try one on the FJ. I called Madstad and told them how tall I was (5'9.5", 177cm). I told them that my numero uno priority was reducing wind noise. They recommended the 20". In order to install the Madstad, you need to remove the "alien" farkles on the hand grip guards, because otherwise they will crash into the screen. I actually removed the guards entirely, because they add inches of width to the bike, and I live in a place where lane splitting is legal (California USA). The Madstad is adjustable up-down by a number of inches; it's also adjustable for tilt. They recommend that you tilt the screen so that it is 60 degrees from horizontal. Adjusted this way, and at its highest point, my head was in very dirty air with the 20". It was no better for me than the stock screen. It seemed to me like the screen was way too low for me. Furthermore, the screen would not hold a particular tilt; regardless of how hard I fastened the thumbscrews, the screen would drift back toward full-tilt over the course of tens of minutes on the highway. I talked to them about it. They offered to send me a 22" if I gave them my credit card again; I would get reimbursed when I returned the 20". They also said that they had a new and improved bracket that would be less prone to losing its tilt. I accepted this offer. The 22" was still too short. When tilted backward more, there was more high-frequency noise. When tilted forward more, there was more buffeting. There was no sweet spot, unless I ducked down, which I wasn't going to do forever. I took a long trip, and the buffeting and noise were really a bummer. Over the course of the following 2 weeks, I sent them three emails asking them how to proceed. Some time after the third email, they offered me a 24" screen that isn't listed on their website. I decided to try it. I got the 24". I am happy with it in its highest position. I can sit bolt upright, with the FJ seat in either the lower or the higher position, and the wind just skims the very top of my helmet but does not cause a lot of noise or buffeting. I can ride with my face shield open if I choose to, and the wind and wind noise do not get me. I can see down the road over the top of the screen. Crosswinds still lead to buffeting, but some of this might be inevitable. On the highway, this setup is probably as good as it's going to get for me. The 24" screen does not look particularly sexy on the bike, but I have no problem with this in return for improved functionality. I get less wind on my face an my body (obviously), but I've ridden in temperatures up into the high 80s (Fahrenheit) and it has been okay. Overall, I am good with the 24". I wouldn't recommend it for anyone over 5'11", because I imagine that they'd have the same problems I had with the shorter screens. I haven't returned the 20" or the 22" yet. I shall do that next week and get my money back. One more note: Both brackets I received from them (the original one that would not hold a tilt, and the improved one) were assembled backwards. If you order from them, ask that they check the brackets for you. It will save you a bit of time taking them apart and putting them back together. Hope this is helpful to someone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sxx360 Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 I'm about the same height as you, maybe an inch shorter, and had the same problem with the 20" screen, rattles my head like no tomorrow. Was going to just go to the 22 but decided to just go all out and get the 24, should arrive Monday. No, they definitely don't look sexy but they do their job well. I only plan on using this screen for long trips, maybe weekend trips too. We will see after I get the 24 installed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sxx360 Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 24" screen seems to rattle my head less although looking through it will take some getting used to. Shouldn't be too big a problem as I plan to only use the big screen for longer rides anyways. I also drilled some new holes in the stock screen so that I could change screens without having to remove the bracketry as well and where the screen is now is definitely better than stock, keeps the wind off my shoulders more. The good/bad news is, I'm done buying parts for the bike for a while. Time to continue acquiring stuff for autocross next year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 I'm 6' with 32" in seam and have the 22" Madstad. It is GREAT! I can once again ride at speeds from 30 mph to 75 mph without the need to close the visor on my Shoei Neotec helmet! Wind noise is greatly diminished versus the OEM screen. My brackets were also assembled backwards from Madstad and it is the older design so the knobs need to be very tight to prevent the screen from tilting back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member alejandro Posted August 25, 2015 Author Premium Member Share Posted August 25, 2015 @sxx360: interesting. What is the stock screen like when it's mounted on the Madstad bracket? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member alejandro Posted August 25, 2015 Author Premium Member Share Posted August 25, 2015 So I've been riding the 24" more. Still happy. When I'm in town, I crank it all the way down, and when I'm on the road, I crank it up. All is great, except that some wingnut seems to have tried to steal it while I was at lunch the other day. I got back from lunch and both thumbwheels were full loose. I guess this genius didn't have a hex key with him (these people are almost always hims). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sxx360 Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 @sxx360: interesting. What is the stock screen like when it's mounted on the Madstad bracket? For me, there's still a bunch of wind noise but there's no buffeting. Where i drilled the stock screen it seems to keep more wind off my shoulders too which definitely caused me pain on the first long ride i took. On top of that it's much cooler than riding with the 24 madstad. And at some point I plan on going to the hardware store to replace the knobs with a nut and bolt that should stay tight and in position with the 24. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member peporter Posted August 25, 2015 Premium Member Share Posted August 25, 2015 @sxx360: interesting. What is the stock screen like when it's mounted on the Madstad bracket?For me, there's still a bunch of wind noise but there's no buffeting. Where i drilled the stock screen it seems to keep more wind off my shoulders too which definitely caused me pain on the first long ride i took. On top of that it's much cooler than riding with the 24 madstad. And at some point I plan on going to the hardware store to replace the knobs with a nut and bolt that should stay tight and in position with the 24. I have the "scalloped" brackets Madstad offers and have had no problems. I am 6' 4" with a 32" inseam and ride behind the 22" shield, and I really don't understand why you guys have problems with the 22" screen unless you ride with it tilted back. I have mine adjusted into the first stop (most upright) as I have had on V Strom, and it is perfectly quiet and a comfortable air flow over my torso. In my opinion, it looks very nice, and functions exactly as I want it to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buggyman Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 Any pics Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buggyman Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buggyman Posted October 4, 2015 Share Posted October 4, 2015 Got one and love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member peporter Posted October 12, 2015 Premium Member Share Posted October 12, 2015 Any picsAlso, the KTM hand guards and ProGrip 714(?) grips. Really like both additions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huck Posted October 17, 2015 Share Posted October 17, 2015 Peporter, I run the same KTM hand guards, and am interested in the Madstad system. I would like to keep the hand guars, but will let them go to get the windscreen that is widest at the bottom as that is where most of the excess wind blast comes from. It looks like you have sone that... Which screen are you using with the system? I think the wides one is about 19+ inches wide, is that the one you use? Also, I seem to be having a hard time getting them to return my calls? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member peporter Posted October 17, 2015 Premium Member Share Posted October 17, 2015 Peporter, I run the same KTM hand guards, and am interested in the Madstad system. I would like to keep the hand guars, but will let them go to get the windscreen that is widest at the bottom as that is where most of the excess wind blast comes from. It looks like you have sone that... Which screen are you using with the system? I think the wides one is about 19+ inches wide, is that the one you use? Also, I seem to be having a hard time getting them to return my calls? The KTM hand guards do not hit the Madstad at any point, not even close. I have the 22" screen, and that is measured in height. I'm not sure that the 24" screen is any wider at the bottom than the 22". I don't know what information you want from a phone conversation, but the website is pretty self explanatory. I just ordered on line, but I had a Madstad system on my DL1000 V Strom, and loved it. Now, I have it on my FJ-09, and I love it. It looks great, and works great also. The only gripe I've had, and has been echoed on the forum is that probably for comapct packaging reasons, the brackets come assebled backwards, so you have to dis-assemble them and re-assemble also. Adds about 3 minutes to the operation, a mild annoyance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huck Posted October 18, 2015 Share Posted October 18, 2015 Great, thanks for the info. I'l go ahead and order on line. Interestingly, I met someone with a Strom, traveling through the Redwoods in NorCal, with a Madstad and they also said they loved it. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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