Touring trip to the Alps and Going to see the French Pope!

Hi RR re the wife's Tiger, suggest to her to take the screen off completely, just as a test.

You may find it'll never go back on.

 

Go to any single make site, search for "screen" and put aside a couple of days to read the posts

In my experience screens are almost inevitably a triumph of form over function. I've spent a fortune on screens over the years and still have 3 screens for a Tiger 1050 in my basement! I even tried removing the screen on the 1050. It looked shit (form over function) and although it was fine up to about 50 it was so uncomfortable at motorway speeds the screen went straight back on as soon as I got home.

There are so many factors involved in getting a screen that suits. Height, helmet, riding position and (probably most important of all) expectation. What suits me might not suit you.

I've seen all sorts of bizarre ideas being tried. Some folks are convinced that mirrors are part of the problem. I tried removing them, no difference. Some think creating a flow of air under the screen will help and I tried putting spacers under the screen to raise it from the fairing, no difference. Some swear by those flip up things that bolt to the top of the screen. Tried it, no difference.The interesting thing for me was that each time I tried something different I'd spent the first half an hour or so desperately trying to convince myself it was working until finally accepting it was all a crock of poo.

The best screen I ever had was on a Guzzi Spada 1 in the early 80s. A curious bar mounted contraption that I thought looked good and actually worked. The difference was is that Guzzi had their own wind tunnel and it showed. Oddly enough the next generation of Spadas were awful. It was as if Guzzi abandoned the wind tunnel and adopted the prevailing fashion of big fairings on touring bikes.

Riding a motorcycle is not like driving a car. You're in touch with the elements, that's one of the reasons we ride. Being part of the environment rather just passing through. The trick is finding a balance between comfort and fun and in the end that's down to the individual.

Have fun chaps, shiny side up

Spada 1 (the same as mine)



Later Spada

 

Hi Dick, I notice the later Spada had a flip on the top of the screen.

I've ridden Kitten a fair bit now without a screen at all and on balance that's my preferred state.

 

Yeeeeeeeeeeeessssssssssssssss . Just not in the shape of a Mitre

 

She got the Tiger as we're doing more long distance riding and needed more wind protection than her Street Triple could give. Surely taking the screen off just turns it into a naked.
This is also the same problem I'm having with my Speed,I need to be able to sit on the motorway at 80+ for more than 20 mins.

 

Normally it takes just a few minutes to remove a screen - just six screws - so why not just try it on the Tiger ? She'll find it much quieter.

 

The thing is, why wouldn't you try it ? It take 2-3 minutes to take the screen off, then go for a ride.

 

While I think it's worth trying no screen I'm not sure it's really that practical if you do a lot of motorway type miles although it would depend on the riding position and expectations.

It will certainly be quieter and more comfortable at lower speeds but I found it was a pain on the motorway on the 1050 and in the end just got used to the buffeting and noise (good ear plugs help) from the screen.

 

Yes, there was a flip up but the screen and fairing were pretty crap compared to the earlier two piece effort.

 

I'm sure she'll try the no screen option.
If there's no cross wind I can do 80+ for longer but throw in some buffeting form trucks etc and it gets a bit tough.
I test rode a Tiger Sport and while there was plenty of noise there was no buffeting.

 

When I first got the Bonnie I thought I was going to fly off the back between 75 and 80 mph. I did fit a Dart Fly screen and this helped but I still rode a lot without it. After a while it stops being a problem and you don't seem to notice it at all. The Trident has a screen that is barely worthy of the name - it finishes just above the instrument panel, yet I have never felt like I was being buffeted or pushed back on this bike, despite the higher speeds it's capable of.

I think you just get used to it and maybe your core strength improves.