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About LinkBacksOn Sunday I was tidying the garage and a screen fell on my head (it had been stored in the roof since I sold my 1200GS). Fortunately it was bubble-wrapped but it got me thinking..........the screen on a 1200GS isn't particularly big but it offers good protection, and now the weather's getting colder and wetter I'm feeling pretty exposed on the TA, particularly on the motorway. I've not heard much praise for aftermarket screens for the TA so perhaps BMW's wind-tunnel testing was worth trying......
An hour and a half in the garage yesterday evening resulted in this:
It's pretty rough and ready - I didn't bother smoothing off sawn edges, but for a first attempt I was pretty happy with it, and having now done 30 miles or so with it I'm even more happy! The nature of the rubber front mountings (Blackbird rear tank mounting pads) means that the angle of the screen is adjustable to a degree (well, about 20 degrees, probably), the angle being determined by the length of the spacers on the rear mounts. The rear mounts use the original upper well nuts in the upper screen mountings, just with longer 4mm bolts and rubber tube spacers. This means no holes needed drilling in the fairings and the remainder of the original screen is still held firmly in place. The new screen is rock solid at speed, but the rubber mounts at all points should allow enough flexing to prevent cracking.
The GS screen is cut around a bit - the 'returns' on the side that BMW use for mounting have been cut off, and the sides are re-profiled to provide clearance for the hand guards on full lock.
The mounts need tidying up (the front ones need tubular steel or ally spacers through the middle) and the edges need smoothing off too but I'll leave that until I'm happy with the basic principle.
Rider's view (excuse the reflections caused by the camera flash - you don't get that when riding the bike):
A bonus of this screen arrangement should be that I can mount the GPS above the instruments where it's easier (and safer) to see.
Obviously it meant ruining a standard screen but if you'd seen the state of my screen you'd realise that wasn't much of a sacrifice....Anyway, I've got another one.
Riding impressions - a vast reduction in wind blast on the head and, I think, a bit of a reduction on the shoulders too, means easy (and somewhat unexpected.....sorry, officer) cruising at 90mph whereas previously anything much over 75 was a struggle for any length of time. No buffeting at all at any speed, even when passing or following large vehicles - I reckon this is due to allowing air to flow between the original screen and the GS one, equalising air pressure behind the screen. I've also got rid of the eddy of air that was coming up under the chin bar of my lid and making my face cold and my nose drip! Sounds like a little thing but it can be very uncomfortable getting a cold draft around the base of your helmet......
As for noise I'd say this is probably slightly worse than with the standard screen (without ear plugs), but I think the screen really needs to be a bit more vertical than it is. Unfortunately I don't have any longer 4mm bolts for the rear mounts to make this adjustment but I'll find some and try it.
With ear plugs the ride is completely smooth at high speed - no buffeting, no vibration, no noise or draughts. A complete transformation. Personally I like the look of it too - it seems to make the front of the bike look a little more modern, but maybe that's just in my mind......
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Originally Posted by Lord Vader
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