With lockdown now relaxed to allow unlimited travel to meet with one other person, myself and Mark enjoyed a long awaited ride out last Saturday afternoon up and down the English side of the Welsh border (Welsh roads are still forbidden) starting out in Tenbury Wells, we took the scenic route down through St Michaels, and then out via Leominster back up past Shobdon and on to Mortimers Cross before heading up in to Shropshire before winding home via Morville and Kinlet. It was so good to get out and ride after all of these months. A sunny day today but unfortunately the flies weren't keeping to social distancing rules, I couldn't believe the splatter on my screen and helmet visor. For sometime I've been thinking of replacing the stock GS screen for a taller, wider aftermarket one that might offer better protection and really fancy a 'smoked' colour to better match the bike too. I quite like the Puig screen Mark has fitted to his Versys, and found they produce a nice tall touring one for the GS, so perhaps now was the time to try one?
One advantage of working from home is the immediate freedom to finish work and quickly take off on an evening ride out before tea, so on Tuesday this is what I did, heading up and over over Wenlock Edge and out to Church Stretton before continuing over the wonderful Shropshire summit top of Long Mynd. A good two hours riding pleasure as the sun came down casting long shadows as I head home using a similar route as Saturday but this time along the now quiet twisty Bridgnorth road down through Quatt. On the way I was forced to stop outside Bridgnorth to clean the splatter off my visor again, bemoaning how I do miss the protection I had on my last GS with that Givi Airflow screen, but unfortunately that screen isn't an option for this later model, so on my return I started sourcing a Puig 6486 Touring screen. They do several colour varieties ranging from clear, light smoke, dark smoke and black. I sent my order off to Will who has an Amazon Prime account, he ordered me the 6486H - light smoke hopefully delivered in time for fitting at the weekend.
On my headlight and some in my teeth!
The new screen arrived Friday evening, well packaged and excellent quality with the edges bevelled nicely, and no apparent distortion and was well protected in its wrapper with very clear fitting instructions. I removed the lower cowling first, and then four screws to remove the old screen and the reverse to fit the Puig by reusing the rubber grommets from the stock screen.
So, here's the stock screen (left) for comparison with the new Puig screen (right). The new one is 13cm taller and a good deal wider too. No doubt it will offer more fly protection. While sat on the bike on the lowest setting I can still see clear over the screen which is a good thing and avoids the top of the screen distorting the view but it's always a concern when fitting a new screen we don't introduce buffeting on the helmet, so I accept it will be a trial and error affair getting the correct height to match my height and helmet profile. Its possible to get some additional support brackets to firm up the screen flexing too, both from Puig and Cymarc, but for now I'll try the new screen without the brackets until I have test rode it this week during my week off work.
So, here's the new Puig light smoked screen fitted. I do like the colour and think it matches my bike well. Can't wait to get out and try it sometime this week, but for today I'm just happy to look at my clean bike instead, without the dead fly splatter all over the front!
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