Cutting slots in windscreen to help with the wind

[twosouls]

I just put on the MRacing screen on the bike and hate it..
Too much wind turbulence in the face compared to the stock screen.. I love the looks of the screen though, so am looking at a mod to help with the wind..
Has anyone ever cuts holes or vents in their screen to help with the wind turbulence problem?

Just want to find out before ruining the screen..

Thanks
Gary

 

[twosouls]

The cutting is finished

Just finished cutting the MR screen..
I'll post my results later today after I get out for a ride..
It actually looks pretty good with the vent hole cut in it..
I'll get a pic of it while I'm out for a ride...

Talk soon
Gary

 

[Redn01]

Hi Gary
have the Givi screen on mine but cut it down significantly and cut a slot in it. I doubt cutting the slot made much difference, it's done now and there is any going back, the cut down Givi gives me quite some protection even at speed.

What part of Aussie do you live? I am in Canberra.

james

 

[twosouls]

Hello James..
Good to hear from you...
I'm up in Coffs Harbour.. Not too far from where you live..
Cutting the slot in the MR screen helped a lot.. There was so much buffeting around the head area that it was impossible to ride with the visor open and even with it closed I was still getting banged about quite a bit around the helmet.. The first slot I cut didn't do too much for me..
I then decided to try and go bigger just to see what would happen.. I noticed a big difference.. The wind level went down to my neck rather than the middle of my helmet.. The air flow from the neck up seemed more steady and not jarring..

I have pics of it, just need to get some time to post them here..

Nice hearing from you..
Gary

 

[RiserOfEvil]

Please post slot pics

I just ordered an MR screen and would like to see your modification. Thanks.

 

[DNSarnia]

Givi screen with 'Extra'

I have the Givi, but was totally annoyed by the major wind turbulance and buffeting. Raising my hand to the top of the windscreen, it was just enough that both the buffeting and the noise was greatly reduced. I added this to it...(see picture)

 

[dndom]

Screen Height

Strewth Cobbers!
If you read the original posts all he achieved was to move the windblast lower.
Any screen needs to be nose height to effectively lift the wind over your head.
Slots just create eddys and weird noises!

 

[RiserOfEvil]

DNSarnia - thanks

I had considered adding one of those to the stock shield but figured it would be pointless. Once I install my MR, I'll consider something like that for "tweaking" the wind flow. Wunderlich also has a nice deflector, but wouldn't be good for those with taller screens like the Givi since a piece of aluminum would be in or very near your line of sight.

 

[Dotnick]

Givi screen

Hi all I recommend the givi tall screen . I am 5.9 tall and can do well over 85 mph no problem nice cruising speed WITH open face helmet, bike runs dead smooth and quiet Regards dot nick

 

[Sharona]

Which deflector is that and how did it hold up? I removed my Laminar lip and would like a clip- on for my Givi windshield that can be adjusted and extend much over the top. The lip worked well but it was clear on the Givi smoked , hard to clean between and different curvature looked poor with windshield.

Givi screen with 'Extra'

I have the Givi, but was totally annoyed by the major wind turbulance and buffeting. Raising my hand to the top of the windscreen, it was just enough that both the buffeting and the noise was greatly reduced. I added this to it...(see picture)

 

[Alexandre]

Hi Sharona,
It might be an eBay 280mm windscreen extension - I've just fitted one this week so here's a pic. Costs around 20-30 euros depending on seller and shipping costs.
(A link to the one I bought : https://www.ebay.fr/itm/353626593705)
I was surprised by the quality of the hardware - the arms are solid metal and the lot seems sturdy enough (haven't tested at motorway speed yet).
The mechanism looks identical to what is sold by Germany companies SW Motech and MRA.
Only gripe is that the screen is not of optical quality - slightly blurry but not a handicap as below eyesight - I suppose that's where the Germans justify their 100 euros pricetag.
I've seen it in smoke or grey, too, so you could have it look nice on the Givi screen.
Hope this helps !

 

[Sharona]

Wow that paint color, gorgeous! I meant to say a deflector that does not extend much over screen. Anyway I ordered the Puig clip on.

 

[Knob]

Better try the 360 mm wide visor, I just installed it on top of the Givi. Considerably better protection than with small one I had earlier.
https://www.ebay.fr/itm/384046564604
I bought the german MRA made version, but I saw and can say the chinese bootleg is also usable. German has a bit better quality, mainly those black plastic installation components look nicer. You may need to use knife to clean some plastic residues away from chinese made parts.

I drilled thru the Givi and installed the additional vizor on screws, not on those metallic U-components. I did try those and by my experience those metallic U-parts are too heavy and 3 mm thick Givi will not carry those well enough and will start to wobble pretty badly at roadspeeds. And it does so! Also with plastic drillable installation parts, but much less.

Next step I'm thinking how to modify the installation to be stronger of the Givi windshield itself, it needs some more support in front end. I hope there is possible to add somewhere a bolt or couple for that purpose.

Considering optical quality - you are not supposed to look thru the windshield, but over it anyway.
By my casual experience if I can see 10 meters ahead over the windshield on the road while driving, then the windshield's height is right by means of wind protection.

 

[Alexandre]

Thanks for the useful info ! I reckon the main problem with the Givi is its thickness - I'm not sure it can really be improved in an aesthetical way... I've seen someone add metals tube over the handlebar to attach to the Givi screen, but it is so sad to ruin the good looks of the DN. If only Madstad would do a new kit for the DN !!!

 

[Knob]

After using some time the MRA extension on a top of Givi screen I became to understanding this solution will not satisfy my needs. Bugs still fly over the screen extension into my helmet vizor and the whole construction starts to flap quite aggressively at speeds over 100 km/h, especially when there is a bus or big truck coming onward on another lane or even at stronger side wind boosts.
Also experiments with Ermax screen to build an extension to it did not give expected success.

So here comes todays solution I made after re-thinking the whole thing.
Basic screen is still Givi. Extension is produced from clear 2 mm Polycarbonate (PC). PC is very flexible and therefore do not need thermal treatment to bend it over Givi screen. This also somewhat improves the stiffness of the Givi screen upper part.
The extension is fixed by 5 mm bolts to the upper part of Givi screen.
Against wind caused flapping I developed side supports to make the whole set more rigid. Installing of side supports will need some drilling into side covers, but there is a suitable place for the 5,5 mm holes. In the end the screen side supports pintching side plastics a bit made the side covers a bit less noisy too.
If you want to try this kind of extension I added the drawing for the extra PC made part. I will send the cad-drawing also if somebody may want it.
I can not provide the side supports drawing as these are produced (bent) casually on the site during installation work.
Now the screen is high enough for me (as I am 182 cm/6'00) to keep most bugs and rain away, still letting me look over the screen top.
How it looks visually for you? For me the achieved look is not bothering. But let the comments come, perhaps you can generate some new ideas.

 

[Alexandre]

Neat setup, and I guess the bike feels more secure and solid now ! Motorways trip should be pretty comfortable now.
But I can't help lamenting the poor fabrication and design of the Givi screen (flimsy, not tall enough, weird shape... and not even really transparent). So much work is needed to make it functional ! Congrats on putting such labour into it.

 

[Knob]

About the length of original Givi windscreen: it seems the root of the problem is in the screen installation system. Honda windscreens (the low and a bit higher accessory model) are both quite low. And Honda made the supporting points for those windscreens giving decent support enough for low screens.
The situation changes right away if you want to install some higher screen, the support for screen is not so good any more and screen starts to feel flimsy and flappy.
So, considered that bike owners are people just wanting a simple bolt-on type of screen, Givi just couldn't make the screen higher, as it starts to flap due to poor support.
There is possible to produce those extra side supports, but it will need drilling some holes into side covers and probably the accessory screen producers (Givi, Ermax etc.) decided bike owners nowadays are not capable of doing this.

So for my eye this is the main reason nobody produced real higher type of windscreen for DN.
Second reason is the beauty is in the eyes of beholder. People driving mostly in cities obviosly do not need higher screen at all.

About visual transparancy - this really is not an issue. OEM screens are both black, non transparent at all. Anyway driver should look and see OVER the screen, not thru it. The DN is a motorcycle, not a little italian scooter where rider hides behind the enormous windscreen on those rainy days
I found out in a practical way the good height for motorcycle windscreen generally is when you see some object lying on the ground about 10 meters ahead.