Simple improvement today

[sjh]

Hello all, This is my first post here, and it's about screen turbulence... from what I can tell posting on this topic seems to be a rite of passage in Vstrom ownership.

My `12 glee came with a Suzuki Vario screen, I tried it at all positions and with the screen in the top/middle/bottom heights, I found having the screen at the top with the little fin on its lowest setting/closest to the main screen was the best for turbulence, in fact having the vario bit anywhere but its minimum settings made everything worse.

After fretting about all the many screen options and the specter of entering into an expensive trial and error process I tried the longer rubber spacers at the bottom, making the screen less vertical ... talking to a Honda Pan European owner and seeing the angle those screens are at gave me the idea.

This has significantly reduced turbulence for my 6'2" frame. From riding at 60-70 and moving my hand up and down around my helmet only the top inch or so of my helmet catches a bit of rough air. I think moving the screen forwards by 5-10mm or so with longer spacers will leave it sailing clear over my bonce.

I still have a fair bit of wind noise, I suspect the mirrors may be a significant contributor there though so I'm going to take them off and go for a run around one evening.

[Hilldweller]

I found something similar with the madstat bracket.

If I set it near vertical it nearly rips my head off. Set it low like a sport screen and it's pretty good. I don't mind wind hitting my helmet as long as it's not turbulent.

I have fitted the recommended Tuono mirrors but I did not do this in a scientific before/after test. I just took this forum on trust. No bad thing to do.

"Rite of passage" - hits the nail on head without doubt.

[sjh]

Being able to read road signs again while travelling at speed is really nice. I wonder how Suzuki got it so wrong, were they trying to ape rally raid bike type looks with the screen being so upright? If so they need a severe talking to about priorities!

In the interests of science though: I commute daily with my drift-hd, it's microphone is crap and it picks up nothing but wind noise, but I think that very crapness might just serve as an objective measure of improvement.

I've got plenty of useless footage commuting the same road at the same speed at the same time of day to average out variations of wind and posture, so If after removing the mirrors things sound quieter, I don't mind venturing £30 on the mirrors and getting enough footage to make a comparison.

[Juvecu]

Not everyone has the buffeting issues, it's a combination of rider seating position, your helmet, the speed you're travelling at, the mirrors you have, the bike's aerodynamics and the screen (probably some I missed.) You can only really change the mirrors, the screen and your helmet, the latter is obviously undesirable. What works for one person doesn't always work for the next, but a lot of people on here have great results by changing to the Givi Airflow screen.

[bosnjo]

I took that "expensive road" myself. I'm 6'2.5 and was desperate to the point of buying screens and almost selling the bike as it didn't give me any pleasure of riding it except on low speeds. Just as the last test and already without hope, I bought one more screen and promised myself that after that one I'm going to sell the bike. It was Givi Airflow. And just like it was metter of God's involvement, that screen solved my issues and I started loving the bike. I wouldn´t sell it now for any money offered. After understanding the way Airflow works, and existence of "invisible" screen it produces, I was able to position it right (hight means nothing with Airflow, higher settings can even produce some turbulence/buffeting). I had Tuono mirrors on extenders since the first day of owning the bike. I just made those wind deflectors only as addition to already perfect settings and I live in heaven ever since. Just can´t stop riding. Tomorrow I'm going to pick new helmet as my latest heavy investment on this bike - Schuberth C3 PRO.
My "expensive road" left me with 3 screens laying on my shelf:
- OEM one
- MRA Touring Vario
- Puig Tall
Well, whatever, the road was expensive but my enjoyment is priceless now.

[Hugo Magnus]

All that money you could have saved if you'd gone for the Givi Airflow to start with

[Jacko]

I find less is more with screens. Take the standard one and the mirrors off and go for a ride, you'll see why. Big fancy screens are the problem.

Clean, undisturbed air hitting my lid provides the least agitation.

[bosnjo]

All that money you could have saved if you'd gone for the Givi Airflow to start with ::

Sadly, at the time I was fighting with my screens and posting right on this forum all of my troubles, you didn't say a thing. What good your wisdom can do now, beside laughing your arse out?

[Hugo Magnus]

For future reference if you use the search box (top right) you will find my comments on Givi Airflow screens along with a library of other helpful posts.
I'm glad you got it sorted, you didn't really object to my " laughing your arse out" did you ?

[bosnjo]

Nah, don't worry about it...

[V-Twin]

Bosnjo
"schuberth C3 PRO."

Yup got one of those.
Bought it at the NEC in Dec.
Lovely bit of kit.
Very quiet.
Apart from being behind the screen of a V strom.

Going to try the spacers on the screen first see what we can do...
VT

[bosnjo]

They still didn't call me to go to pick the helmet up and I didn't call them as I had two days off and the dealer is located near my work. Tomorrow I'll call them from work to see if it has arrived. Can't wait to test it as I read only the best reviews about it. If I was just that smart on my screen choice from the beginning...
Now at least with the helmet I'm going straight to the top.
The lesson learned with screen, I'm applying to tyres change. I ride 100% paved road so the choice is Michelin PR4. I already got front one and the difference is amazing. Hope to get the rear one sometimes during this spring. They can't compare to OEM ones.
Let me just get back to the screen lesson. It was all about saving some money and not being patient reading tons of V-Strom screens information all over the Internet. I thought to save some money and went to less expensive screen. First one... then second one... then finally Givi Airflow. So, I have screen problem solved for huge money...
After that... Time to change my helmet? Straight to the best one (I really only want modular helmet). Time to change tyres? Straight to top category.
There is old english saying: "I'm not rich to buy cheap things". I'm not English but you english people have some very wise sayings.

[V-Twin]

So what have you done with the Screens you fitted and have not used.

The saying here is  Buy cheap buy twice.

Its good if you have loads of cash.
VT

Let us know how you get on with the helmet.

[bosnjo]

I gave away OEM one to a friend that crashed his DL650 L3, as a little help. MRA and Puig are laying on my shelf.
Picked the helmet up this afternoon, will test it tomorrow and let you know. Today was one of rare days I've used my car, to get some shopping and bring the helmet home boxed.

[V-Twin]

Trust the helmet is exactly what you want.
I was very pleased with mine.
(did you get the Flip front)?
If you want to make space on your shelf send me the MRA screen, & I will test it out......

[bosnjo]

All "C" series from Schuberth are flip front. "S" series are full face.
They make BMW helmets as well, and are copy of their series. For example, C3 is BMW System 6. C3 PRO is BMW System 6 EVO. Just some small differencies to make them look like BMW, but at the end, it's the same helmet.

[bosnjo]

As for the screen, I have to keep one to put it on when I trade the bike in for newer DL650 (or DL1000, who knows). I want to keep Givi Airflow. Few months ago I asked if somebody wanted one of my screens (Puig or MRA). I was to sell it half a price but nobody answered.
In the meantime, I've seen the photo of new DL1000. The bloke simply used brackets from lower screen of his previous ride (DL650), put them on OEM screen, the used Givi Airflow top screen. Yhay way he achieved perfect result.
I'll never let go my Givi AIrflow.

[bosnjo]

OK, first day of riding with C3 PRO. Some pros and some cons...
It's good, very quit helmet. It envolves your head all arround and you feel safer in it then with any other helmet I owned. Wind noise is dramatically reduced. But, first 50 kms of riding I rode with visor crack open as temperature today was over 30ºC. As soon as I go over 80 km/h I feel slight head shake and it stays there, the same at any speed over 80 km/h. I mean, nothing special, but it's there. Strange, I had no such a thing with my cheap Haisen Flip. But, if I close the visor down, it has no any kind of head shake (buffeting). As it has excellent cooling, probably there is no need to ride with visor crack open.
Anyway, I lowered this evening my Givi Airflow to middle holes, just to see if it makes any difference tomorrow.
I'm hapy with helmet and I know that now I own fiber helmet. All previous ones were policarbonat. Much safer, this one. Also, flip front closing is much stronger then on any other helmet I've owned.