OzSTOC
Farkles, Gear & Accessories => Farkles and Gear General Section => Topic started by: oztourer on April 29, 2012, 07:06:26 PM
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Being the saga of ever improving wind protection...
I bought a 2002 ST1300 in January. For a ten year old bike it was in great condition and I loved the effective weather protection. It was one of the early fixed screen models though, and I knew it wouldn't be staying that way for long. I soon had an electric screen kit on order from David Silver Spares, and being able to fine tune the screen height was a great improvement. I still found though that I was getting a lot of wind noise through my Shoei Multitec (flip-face) helmet at all screen positions. Not good!
Next to go on was a VStream screen, purchased from an importer here in Australia. This screen works extremely well for me, the turbulence and wind noise are reduced to a point where road noise from the front tyre has become a major irritant! My pillion was less impressed with the VStream, she was getting a fair bit of turbulent air around her helmet and I could not find any screen position that solved it. I had an idea that the airflow coming past the mirrors was pretty turbulent, and curling up towards the helmet of the pillion. I didn't figure on spending any money until I had proved or disproved my theory, so I made some deflectors from a spare piece of perspex and velcro'd them to the underside of the mirrors and to the side of the fairing.
The upshot of my experiments: the deflectors are staying on! They may not be the prettiest, having been cut approximately to shape using a router, but in conjunction with the VStream I and my pillion now both sit in turbulence-free air, with just enough of a breeze to keep us comfortable on a ride in sunny Queensland. I cannot imagine that much improvement is possible for us over this setup, unless I go for larger deflectors some time in the future. Really though, that would be nit-picking and, for the first time in forty-plus years of riding, I am finally happy with the wind protection on my bike.
The only variable I am still experimenting with is the screen mounting brackets. The setup works well in either bracket position, but there are minor differences. The higher mounting keeps the screen at a flatter angle and there is absolutely no turbulence, but it does sit a little high for low-speed manoeuvring (I have ducks disease and come in at a lowly 172cm), tends to move around very slightly in the breeze, and being held slightly further from the bodywork lets a fair bit of low pressure breeze past the dashboard. Using the lower mounting point brings the screen to a slightly more upright angle and causes a small amount of turbulence until I raise the screen to just under eye level; I think the bike may also be a fraction less economical with this setup. I cannot decide which setup I prefer, so they must both work pretty well!
Anyone else tried a similar setup?
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Good write up.
Now how about a bit of a personal "hello" and intro?
Welcome aboard anyways, and hope to see you on some rides.
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Welcome Oztourer. It's amazing how we all find different things that either annoy us or work for us.
Where in sunny Qld do you hale from?
Cheers.
Skip.
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Thanks for the write. I've been toying with the idea of a VStream for sometime. Thought you might find this link interesting:
http://www.bakerbuilt.com/bbairwings/page45.html (http://www.bakerbuilt.com/bbairwings/page45.html)
Personally, I don't go much on the look!
Cheers,
Tony
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Welcome Oztourer. It's amazing how we all find different things that either annoy us or work for us.
Hi Skip, wind noise is a long-time bugbear for me. I don't want to turn my bike into a two wheeled car but don't really want to end up even more deaf than I already am! I have custom-made earplugs which I generally wear, but they cannot defeat a lot of wind noise |-i. I like the protection I get from a screen but the downside is that most of them give a lot more turbulence than I would get from a naked bike. My current setup seems to give the benefits without the drawbacks. Me happy!
Where in sunny Qld do you hale from?
Cheers.
Skip.
I'm on the Sunshine Coast, near Noosa. Not sure about the sunny bit again at the moment, more rain on the way...
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Thanks for the write. I've been toying with the idea of a VStream for sometime. Thought you might find this link interesting:
[url]http://www.bakerbuilt.com/bbairwings/page45.html[/url] ([url]http://www.bakerbuilt.com/bbairwings/page45.html[/url])
Personally, I don't go much on the look!
Cheers,
Tony
I'm with you, it's not a good look. I also don't believe it would be as effective as my deflectors at cleaning up the airflow. Next time you are riding the ST try holding your hand palm down somewhere near your saddle. I am betting you will feel turbulent air. With the deflectors fitted I get dead air at that same spot.
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Some of the beemers have a similar idea, with wind deflectors up the front and in front of your knees. The K1600 has some little flaps that supposedly make a great difference, so the idea is sound.
Hi as well!
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I almost always rode with the V-Stream on till the crash. I found that if you slip a couple of nylon washers under the top mounting holes, the screen sits up a bit better and works a bit better. Only issue then was the bottom corners touching the body as it came down to the lowest position. This meant a washer under each lower mounting hole to lift the whole screen up away from the bike. The angle was still better and it worked well. Doesn't need much of a change to the rake to make an improvement.
Next thing was the bug catcher over the cutout to do what it says in it's name.
PJ
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Another different style of under mirror wing by Calsci.
http://www.calsci.com/motorcycleinfo/ST1300prod.html (http://www.calsci.com/motorcycleinfo/ST1300prod.html)
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The Calsci ones always looked to me as though they'd Crete a lot of drag and noise whereas Oztourer's take on the things look like they feed the air down and away better with less of both. I like the dea of a longer type like his.
PJ
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HI
I'm looking at getting the Vstream which importer did you get it through
:dred11
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I bought the screen here: http://www.mototoys.com.au/honda_139.html# (http://www.mototoys.com.au/honda_139.html#)
Their online shop is a bit clunky, you need to email the order and pay by bank transfer, but it all worked out OK.
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Thanks for that yeah you are right you would think with todays technology they would have a better arrangement
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I bought mine direct from National Cycle. have also seen them on flea bay for about $170+ postage
Cheers Greg :rofl
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Well Got mine from Mototoys, pretty prompt service, took no time to install and both my "speed controller" and myself love it. Would recommend it, particularly if you want to stay in the good books of the Missus.