Sport Screen vs no screen

[PaulLP]

Does anyone have any input on if it is less noisy and buffeting without the sport screen on? I'm 6'7" tall and have the hi comfort seat on my R, and with the sport screen I get a lot of buffeting and noise at hiway speeds. I took it off and it does seem better w/o it on, but I miss the look of it and the protection it gives the instrument cluster. On the other R1200R forum someone posted that he trimmed the screen down 50mm and it was an improvement.

[Ric]

Wow ......6'7" !!! Can you try out for wide receiver at Alabama ?

I'm a mere 5'7" and the sports screen works well for me. It has the air stream flowing right across the top of my helmet, hitting just above the top of the face shield. Certainly less buffeting than without a screen. Of course wind speed and direction has a big effect on buffeting. As for noise, a top of the line helmet and ear plugs cure that.

I should think you would like BMW's slightly taller screen.

[deilenberger]

What year R12R? Supposedly the later ones (camheads 11 and up) do better with no shield and less buffeting due to the new instrument cluster design.

(Be a good thing to put in your SIG.. hint..)

[PaulLP]

It is a 2012. I will put that info in, thought I had, thanks!

[Bill Stevenson]

In my experience the least turbulence is always provided by a bare bike with no windscreen. That is with your body and head traveling through undisturbed air. While it is true that our helmets create turbulence, too, most if not all of the turbulent air and associated noise caused by the helmet come out behind the head. So a fairingless bike is probably not great for a passenger all else being equal. Any windscreen or fairing is a compromise involving a lot of factors.

[redwing]

Have a BMW sport shield.I got one first to protect the instrument cluster and discovered this shield let me ride at freeway speeds and up without having a death grip on the handlebars. I have no buffeting. You probably know BMW offers a short shield with the standard frame for shields. The frame for this one is only for this one.

Robert

Picture of my bike.

[Woland]

I'm 6'4" so not quite as tall as TS, but I have most of my length in my upper body so the height of my head in relation to the bike and screen might be comparable.

What works for me is first of all earplugs. Will not ride without them.

Secondly I use the BMW touring screen. Gives a me a little more turbulence than the sports screen but with alot less wind on my upper body and is at the upper limit of the size I find acceptable on a naked bike. Sport screen is quieter but makes all day riding to tiresome unless you ride really slow, which I don't

Thirdly comes the helmet. Shape of helmet has an impact on how its affected by turbulence and buffeting. My former HJC FG-15 was pretty decent I thought until I switched helmet to a Schuberth S2 which is both quiter and moves better through the air.

Fourthly comes a jacket that fits properly with no fabric flapping about in the wind in the head/shoulder area.

After trimming in those four variables wind, turbulence and buffeting isn't my limiting factor for how long I can ride, now its my ass.

Just my 2 cents, opinions and results may vary

[websterize]

I would add to Woland's list a note about the overlooked (literally) space between the front of the neck and the helmet. Schuberth says the space under the helmet is the source of most noise inside it. To mitigate the roar, a scarf, balaclava or beefier neck padding is needed to fill that gap.

Try this on the next ride: while under way, take your left gloved hand to your throat, as if you're choking yourself, placing the webbing between the thumb and index finger where your neck and helmet meet.

If the roar ebbs, you've got a leak to plug.

And I vote no screen.

[PaulLP]

Good suggestions. I agree that the noise leaks from under the helmet make a difference. I looked into a sort of gasket type piece that attaches by stretching over the bottom of the helmet that you slip your head thru when putting on the helmet that seals around your neck but yet to try one.
Also about the right riding gear. When I got a decent jacket and pants it definitely made riding easier, especially the sensations of getting wind whipped. Still trying to find the right earplugs. As hard as i try they always seem to fall out when I put on the helmet.
And in the end between the OEM sport screen and no screen I feel that it is better at hiway speeds without one on at all.

[websterize]

Still trying to find the right earplugs. As hard as i try they always seem to fall out when I put on the helmet. …

It sounds as if you're not inserting them properly. Check out this EAR/3M video on fitting foam earplugs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPNPZJingZA

[PaulLP]

Thanks Bill, good video, I can see i wasn't getting it right, will try it out next ride!

[websterize]

You bet, Paul. I'd be willing to bet half the motorcyclists who wear foam ear plugs insert them improperly. I was one of them.

[Steve H.]

I am 5'6" short and I can hide behind a wunderlich trophy screen.

Steve H.

[Steve H.]

In addition,my bike is in lite duty mode synce my gross weight is 160lbs including my skin.

Steve H.

[shawn_speed]

I started riding Valentine's day, 2012. After a couple of thousand miles on a 2009 Monster 696, I flew from Phoenix to Detroit, picked up a 2007 Monster S2R 1000 and rode it 2400 miles back to Phoenix. It was a fast way to get long distance riding experience. The monster's screen is a flimsy version of our sport screen. Coming across the plains of Kansas, there were sustained 50 mph plus winds. By then, my preferred method of cruising was to hook my boot heels on the passenger pegs, use my $20.00 lever to fix the gas grip against the brake handle, tuck my right hand behind my right leg, lay my chest on the tank and bend my neck slightly to see above the screen. With my helmet so close to the screen, they would join to create a nice slip stream over me. The faster I went or the stronger the wind, the more I would get pushed down on the bike. The bike would lean quite a bit against the wind, but I would be comfortable. After that 600 mile day and a tornado warning, lying down on a bike feels like sitting on a couch watching TV.

I duplicated the experience this past August by flying to South Florida, picking up a bone stock 2012 R1200R without a screen and riding it 2,500 miles back to Phoenix in four and a half days. I would do the majority of my cruising by lying down on the bike and it would get pretty uncomfortable at speed above 85. I really couldn't see safely above 100 MPH. Not that I did a lot of high speed riding. But there were some long desolate stretches. My routes always include minimal freeway riding. Shortly after getting to Phoenix, I fitted the bike with a sport screen and it makes a huge difference with my riding style. Where I put my head in relation to the screen determines ride comfort, buffeting and noise. However, sitting normally on the bike, I can't tell the sport screen vs. no screen.

I am 5' 10” with short legs. Between the Monster and the R, I’ve ridden 25,000 miles in the last two years.

Websterize, the video of the proper earplug fit is fantastic and invaluable information. Thank you so much.

Shawn
Phoenix

[PaulLP]

Wow Shawn that be some long distance riding!
I started riding 45 years ago on cafe racer Nortons with clip ons, and never any wind screens, and don't remember any serious wind buffeting issues. But then again I was a young guy riding fast in the moment.
On the R I am just too tall (6'8") to tuck in, and I am sure my height adds to the wind factor. I have tried with and without the sport screen and probably (it is subtle) think no screen is better. But I have kept the screen on as I got used to the way the bike looks with it in place, and since it is such a small difference with or without.

[vwdoctor]

You bet, Paul. I'd be willing to bet half the motorcyclists who wear foam ear plugs insert them improperly. I was one of them.

I was another. Thanks you very much for posting the link

[johneric]

You can easily test the difference with any windscreen just by standing on your pegs at a speed that is comfortable for you and comparing that to sitting behind your fairing. I have done this with multiple fairings and I have found that they all increase the turbulence and noise. I have even taken an inch off my sport screen and it still increases the noise, just not as bad.
Obviously a huge unsightly screen would be the quietest if you can stand its looks. Personally I don't like the wind hitting me in the back of the head. If I want a wind free ride I'll ride in my car.
I generally like some wind protection with either my cut off sport screen or my touring screen which is really noisy. In town I use the sport and on trips I use the touring screen…….But.
If you are getting a good seal with your ear plugs any screen will be ok.
Good luck……Eric

[Stefan]

For me, it is best to drive the bike without any screen. My observattion is that it gives the least buffeting.
For some reason, you do not miss or need a windscreen on this bike, even at a 100mph.

I had the sport screen in the beginning, and had a lot of wind buffeting, and wind noise. It is much better w/o the screen.

(just my personal observation of course)

[PaulLP]

Stefan,
May I ask how tall you are?
I have to agree with you that the sport screen does add to the buffeting.