Recently I bought an Adventure screen for my GS, as fitted to the Adventure model GS as standard. Since buying the lighter (than my Shark Evoline)
Shoei Hornet DS Helmet, I could never quite get rid of the buffeting with the stock screen round the helmet peak, and fancied a bit more protection too. The Adventure screen is taller and wider and comes with a support bar useful for mounting a GPS. I bought the tinted version, quite dark compared to my standard light smoked stock screen, I do like the look of it and looks great with my blue paint work ( subjective I know), really sets the look of the bike off I think.
However, I couldn't quite get rid of the wind noise ... positioned toward me as far as possible was ok, but really noisy above 60 mph. I tried different screen adjust positions without much success....the worse was pushed right forward that caused severe buffeting and blurred vision to the extent that I was physically sick after a 10 mile ride between Much Wenlock and Craven Arms, riding at only 50 mph (
now known as the 'chuck-up' route). Anyway, I discovered that if I move closer to the screen, or I crouch down lower the wind noise and buffeting reduced to acceptable level, so there must be a way of finding a 'sweet spot' solution to this problem.
After research on various forums e.g.
UKGSER and
AdvRider, it seemed a workaround is to either fit a
Touratech clip on Spoiler (£90.00), or possibly one of the
MRA Xcreen generic spoiler (£60.00). Only the MRA comes tinted, and unsure from the website if the tint actually matches the tint of the screen. Last year in Scotland, Andy had the TT spoiler fitted to his Adventure, and he's a tall lad, so it must work to a point, but I kept seeing very mixed reviews, and an additional £90.00 for a gamble just didn't sit right with me. On top of this, there are numerous other options available, working in combination with stock screens / spoiler combinations e.g.
Tobinators or Madstad brackets to give the screen more adjustment options with the added bonus of creating gaps in the screen fitment thus equalising the pressure in the hope of reducing buffeting ( I read this as letting more rain and flies in too). Furthermore, for the GS Adventure screen there is also the '
Winglet' option, I have heard good reports, but I hate the idea of drilling holes in the bodywork to fit them - if they don't work you are stuck with them,. or live with the holes !!
As a Software Engineer, I spend most of my working life fussing and obsessing over solutions, testing and debugging and finding fixes for my code in the hope to reach perfection. Wouldn't it be great in my Motorcycle life to just get on the bike and ride .. the testing, debugging, fix cycle already done for me, where I can just ride my bike, optimised for me .. near perfection ? The
realistic option must be
to simply replace the screen, find the optimum settings, and just ride the damn thing with a smile on my face!!
So, forgetting the add-ons, why not swap the Adventure screen for either the
MRA Vario, or the
Givi Airflow 330. Both of these are split screens, and come in two halves, where the upper half has an adjustable height. The MRA looked good and is tinted, but the Givi Airflow doesn't have a tinted option at all, but has many, many positive reviews that outweigh the MRA. In fact, I couldn't find one single negative review for the Givi, but found mixed reviews about the MRA Vario. Was this just down to better marketing for the Givi that made them more popular, or are they really that good? I notice Givi make the Airflow for many other bike makes and models, and since Lindsay has just bought a VStrom, I notice in this months
ABR Magazine a review of the Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT suggests replacing the stock screen with the Airflow too. Hmmm, decisions, decisons. I also noticed the full adjust height of the Givi was higher than the MRA yet both screens cost about the same. Finally, I found the Givi Airflow is a patented design, and relies on the Venturi effect where pressure is equalised at a faster rate because of the curved upper screen creating a higher pressure between the two halves. This, as I understand means the whole screen can offer more protection at a shorter overall height without compromising protection - the overlap between the two halves of screens retains protection from rain and debris etc.
...everybody got mixed feelings
about the function and the form
everybody got to deviate from the norm..
So, finally, I chose the Givi Airflow 330, and decided that as much as I like the look of the tinted Adventure and MRA screens, it's not form, but function that counts. Imagine 2000 miles riding round Spain and Portugal with a screen that spoils the ride? Ultimately, It's the quality of the ride experience that counts, not vanity, so, I could live without the tint if the Givi really is as good as the reviews suggest. The Adventure screen would have to end up on eBay, to help recoup some money to finance the Givi purchase.
I ordered the screen from Nippy Normans reduced price of £139.00, who were great at getting the screen to me within 2 days via courier with free postage too! Excellent service. Many of the reviews complained about the Givi fitting instructions being poor, and they are, but having swapped screens before on the GS it wasn't too difficult to figure it out. Managed to get the job done in under 1.5 hours, just in time for an evening ride up to Ludlow and back via the 'chuck-up' route mentioned earlier.
The screen height as measured from the two lower front mount screws (nearest to headlight) to the top edge of the upper screen is about 460 mm, this is with the top part adjusted to way below my eye-line, about 75% up. The screen doesn't interfere with vision at all and this leaves about 40mm more height to raise the screen. I guess the overall height is therefore 500 mm (approx). the Adventure screen height is 430 mm max from the lower screw holes, so already I have 30 mm more screen height available using the settings seen in the picture. I must add, for reference, I am 5ft 10 in height, and have the GS stock seat in the low setting.
For best results I find the screen tilted back as far as it can go e.g. closer to me not away from me when riding. But have found anywhere upto mid point acceptable. With the screen pushed right back away from me there is buffeting, but this can be 'tuned' out to minimum using the height adjust, no where near as bad as the Adventure screen.
The width of the screen is about the same as the Adventure, but there is more of a 'bubble' shape. There is no mid support bar, two brackets instead, so I guess a downside is the loss of the GPS mount mid screen, however I do have my RAM mount, so may buy a longer 4inch connector (£12.99) to bring my TT Rider clear of the screen adjusters
...atmospheric disturbance
of human interface and interchange..
Well, I cannot fault this screen. Zero wind roar at 70mph+ I can ride with my visor open now, and there is totally still air in front of my face. I discovered that if I place my hand on the top of my helmet and then lift my hand up, I can move three inches before I feel the wind, so proves the air is passing over and around my head, while my head is always in clean none turbulent air, clearing the helmet peak on the Shoei. I honestly believe I will get no better for the GS - certainly without spending a lot of time and money with the 'hit and miss' add-ons. I can now adjust the screen while riding (with a bit of care on a straight road!), ideal for getting more protection on Motorway runs, and then drop the upper part down (or remove altogether) for hot days. The Givi is not as rigid as the Adventure screen, it does wobble a bit at tick over and low revs, and sadly I've lost the tint, but those seem irrelevant to me now after a much better ride experience. I'm actually looking forward to the Motorway ride down to Plymouth docks for once.
