Actual difference between cutting stock screen and aftermarket screen

[malicious439]

Hello,

I'm new to this forum and to motorcycles in general so this may be a stupid question. I've read several threads about people cutting their OEM wind screens down to eliminate "turbulence" I have a 2006 FZ6...

Im not sure if I understand exactly what they are getting at by this and what the difference in lamens terms would be.

I'm just under 6 feet tall and I do notice a considerable amount of wind noise, particularly around 50+mph. I have an Icon Alliance SSR helmet as well, the wind noise struck me as being greater than I expected after riding older naked style bikes like the SV650 and smaller 250cc bikes that I had learned on.

My Dad has a 2008 Harley Vrod so hes really not much help with this issue...

I did notice that during a few canyon drives the wind from the side of the mountain really caught be off guard and seemed to effect me much more than my Dad on his bike. Is it possible my helmet that's causing much more wind noise of just the airflow that is pretty much directed at my helmet based on how I did.

What exactly is the goal of someone who cuts down their OEM screen or buys an aftermarket screen? Would a cut screen cut on wind noise but make it more difficult to ride at higher speeds or in windy conditions?

Sorry in advance if these are stupid questions...

 

[blitzcraig]

My understanding of what the taller screens (compated to stock) do is raise the airflow over your helmet. I am about the same height as you and I experience the same thing... it's like the wind begins to hit right at about the neck area and up. I am trying to find a smaller than stock screen beacause I would rather take more wind to the chest. I just feel like that way, the turbulence would not be focused 100% on my head. I still am having no luck finding an aftermarket screen that is shorter than stock, and everything I have found on this forum thus far points to cutting it myself, which I think I am going to end up doing. Someone had a good point on here about that, where if you screw it up too bad, another used stock screen could be found on the cheap. I am going to take a ride without the screen and see how that feels first though just to see how much wind protection only the fairing itself provides.

 

[wlaroche]

I put a hole in my windscreen and it took away most of the turbulant air away from my helmet. I still get the straight on wind, but that is less ear pounding and less head slapping side to side movement.

Look under my name. There are pictures around the form on what I have done. I basicly added a hole like what the 07-09 has stock.

 

[sxty8goats]

I put a hole in my windscreen and it took away most of the turbulant air away from my helmet. I still get the straight on wind, but that is less ear pounding and less head slapping side to side movement.

Look under my name. There are pictures around the form on what I have done. I basicly added a hole like what the 07-09 has stock.

http://www.600riders.com/forum/fz6-...ce-touring-windscreens-givi-3.html#post333898

Images there..

To the OP. If you have the confidence, stand up a bit while going quick. You may notice that you have less noise with your head higher in the wind. This is because the air coming off of the top of the screen is very turbulent. I've had the touring screen and while over all wind was less, the noise was horrible and the buffeting was harsh. Going to a stock screen solved most of that. Cutting a hole like wlaroche did can ease/eliminate a lot of the low pressure area behind the screen and reduce the buffeting. Cutting the screen to a smaller size will lower the point where the turbulent air hits your body and may be enough to get your head into 'clean' air.

 

[malicious439]

http://www.600riders.com/forum/fz6-...ce-touring-windscreens-givi-3.html#post333898

Images there..

To the OP. If you have the confidence, stand up a bit while going quick. You may notice that you have less noise with your head higher in the wind. This is because the air coming off of the top of the screen is very turbulent. I've had the touring screen and while over all wind was less, the noise was horrible and the buffeting was harsh. Going to a stock screen solved most of that. Cutting a hole like wlaroche did can ease/eliminate a lot of the low pressure area behind the screen and reduce the buffeting. Cutting the screen to a smaller size will lower the point where the turbulent air hits your body and may be enough to get your head into 'clean' air.

Thats exactly what I was looking for thx! I will prolly end up cutting the stock screen, I don't mind the wind resistance just the wind noise drowns out everything over 40mph, not to mention I think i would prefer the smaller windscreen look as well.

 

[sxty8goats]

Thats exactly what I was looking for thx! I will prolly end up cutting the stock screen, I don't mind the wind resistance just the wind noise drowns out everything over 40mph, not to mention I think i would prefer the smaller windscreen look as well.

I had been thinking about cutting mine for a couple weeks. This thread and one the other day inspired me to do it after work. It is done and it is good.

Pre-cut, the wind tended to hit my just about mid shoulder, Head was just on the edge of the buffer zone and I had a small amount of air flow at my chest. Now, cut 4 inches down, the wind hits me dead center in my chest, I have good air moving to about the middle of my belly and my head is in clean air. I'm very happy with the mod.

There are a couple "how too's" here.

What I did was to tape the shield with masking tape.

Tape a string to the base of the fairing in the middle and made a loop in the string so the pen (Sharpie) could be held in the loop and met the shield at the corner near the mirror. Then used that as a guide to draw a line across the shield.

This made an even line @ 4 inches down and the arch nearly matches the original arch. (I did another with the string attached to the front of the tire to see if a longer radius made a better line. It did, lower by about an inch but ending at the same corners.)

I chose to cut the taller line as the shorter cut can be done later if I want. I used a dremel, cutting against the rotation of the dremel to maintain a bit more control. I also cut @ 1/2 why through the first time then went through on the second pass. Using a friction wheel. The two passed help maintain control. The the masking tape helps to protect the shield from incidental scratches.

After the cut I finished the edges with a course file. A good course file can remove a lot of material and the long flat surface is good for evening out the edge which may be wavy from the dremel cut. A fine file to finish and round the edges. Then a bit of polishing compound on a low speed dremel wheel/pad. Wipe the compound off and finish with a glaze. If you are brave you can flame polish it with a blow torch after the fine file. Quicker, cleaner but takes a bit of a touch. I was too lazy to look for my torch and had the compound at my feet.

 

[malicious439]

I had been thinking about cutting mine for a couple weeks. This thread and one the other day inspired me to do it after work. It is done and it is good.

Pre-cut, the wind tended to hit my just about mid shoulder, Head was just on the edge of the buffer zone and I had a small amount of air flow at my chest. Now, cut 4 inches down, the wind hits me dead center in my chest, I have good air moving to about the middle of my belly and my head is in clean air. I'm very happy with the mod.

There are a couple "how too's" here.

What I did was to tape the shield with masking tape.

Tape a string to the base of the fairing in the middle and made a loop in the string so the pen (Sharpie) could be held in the loop and met the shield at the corner near the mirror. Then used that as a guide to draw a line across the shield.

This made an even line @ 4 inches down and the arch nearly matches the original arch. (I did another with the string attached to the front of the tire to see if a longer radius made a better line. It did, lower by about an inch but ending at the same corners.)

I chose to cut the taller line as the shorter cut can be done later if I want. I used a dremel, cutting against the rotation of the dremel to maintain a bit more control. I also cut @ 1/2 why through the first time then went through on the second pass. Using a friction wheel. The two passed help maintain control. The the masking tape helps to protect the shield from incidental scratches.

After the cut I finished the edges with a course file. A good course file can remove a lot of material and the long flat surface is good for evening out the edge which may be wavy from the dremel cut. A fine file to finish and round the edges. Then a bit of polishing compound on a low speed dremel wheel/pad. Wipe the compound off and finish with a glaze. If you are brave you can flame polish it with a blow torch after the fine file. Quicker, cleaner but takes a bit of a touch. I was too lazy to look for my torch and had the compound at my feet.

Excellent advice, I tried someone else s suggestion by standing up at around 50+mph and the sound and wind was MUCH more manageable, and what I found at higher speeds it just gets worse. So this definitely is something I'm planning on doing just a matter one time when I can must up the courage to cut into my new baby!

 

[616ah]

Ooooo - the ever present FZ6 wind noise issue (drives me crazy too).

From my experience: a puig racing screen helps a little over stock. I don't want too cut mine down because I'll freeze in early/late season + cool evenings so in looking for other solutions...

I figure the way the air interacts with your helmet may make a large difference. I wonder if a helmet something like a Bell vortex would help. Those have a real neat wind collar that looks like it might reduce the wind and noise from blasting up your neck. Might be hot in warm weather though...

Just a thought.

 

[sxty8goats]

Ooooo - the ever present FZ6 wind noise issue (drives me crazy too).

From my experience: a puig racing screen helps a little over stock. I don't want too cut mine down because I'll freeze in early/late season + cool evenings so in looking for other solutions...

I figure the way the air interacts with your helmet may make a large difference. I wonder if a helmet something like a Bell vortex would help. Those have a real neat wind collar that looks like it might reduce the wind and noise from blasting up your neck. Might be hot in warm weather though...

Just a thought.

Some helmets will preform better than others but it is really about getting your head into a smoother air flow. It is kind of like driving. If you are in your cage and going 90 MPH on a calm day, there isn't a lot of noise, and the noise you here is pretty steady. If you do the same on a windy/gusty day, you hear the wind buffeting against the car and can sometimes feel it pushing you around the road. You get that same effect if your helmet is in turbulent air. So you end up with a noisy ride and a tired neck.

 

[616ah]

(sorry - double post)

 

[616ah]

(sorry - double post - AGAIN - geez)

 

[616ah]

Some helmets will preform better than others but it is really about getting your head into a smoother air flow. It is kind of like driving. If you are in your cage and going 90 MPH on a calm day, there isn't a lot of noise, and the noise you here is pretty steady. If you do the same on a windy/gusty day, you hear the wind buffeting against the car and can sometimes feel it pushing you around the road. You get that same effect if your helmet is in turbulent air. So you end up with a noisy ride and a tired neck.

Agreed - just a thought to help minimize the effects for the OP. But hey, today I cant seem to even drive my computer...

 

[malicious439]

Well, i bit the bullet and cut off about 4" of windscreen, I noticed an improvement but still get considerable wind noise over removing the screen all together.

I also went and painted it with VHT nightshade, I think I went a bit overboard with the coats because its black as night haha. Its all good though, overall I like the improvement and new looks. Ill post up some pictures when I get some more time

 

[YamaSpeed]

this is a really interesting thread for me. It never occurred to me to take the screen down rather than up to fix this problem. I am wondering if some more people with Touring and puig screens may chime in with their thoughts and experience with noise and turbulance reduction.

 

[aaronshum]

I had the same problem with the stock screen, and with the cheapo HJC helmet I had before it really bothered me.

Going to a Puig race screen + upgrading to an Arai helmet that fit better solved the problem. Now when I go above 80mph I can feel some wind on my helmet but duck a little and the wind problem is gone.

It does suck that the Puig race screen is so tall, almost looks nerdy with that setup, but functionally it's a gem.

The whole wind issue is a big reason I'm resisting going naked. I've ridden for a half hour in the rain and not get wet (well, cept the helmet and a bit on my back).

 

[sxty8goats]

this is a really interesting thread for me. It never occurred to me to take the screen down rather than up to fix this problem. I am wondering if some more people with Touring and puig screens may chime in with their thoughts and experience with noise and turbulance reduction.

I had the OEM Touring screen that is @ 4 inches taller than stock. It was horrible. Knocked my head around at speeds above 50 MPH and was very noisy at just about any speed due to wind buffeting. This in a Shoei helmet.