Tilting Windshield on 2011- R12R

[Neuro Rider]

This post is to illustrate one method for tilting the BMW touring windshield on the 2011 and newer R12R. As has been noted in earlier posts, the design for how the bracket is mounted changed with the cam head model and the DonC tilt block useful for the earlier R12Rs does not work on the newer design. In the new touring windshield bracket, the rear mounts are through two horizontal bolts that thread into into the top fork brace from either side. This makes it straight forward in principle to tilt the bracket backwards toward the rider by rotation around this pivot point. However, if you try to do this rotation, the front mounting flange of the bracket can't rotate up because it is mounted with two screws from below within the recess for the headlight. Above this point is a cover that could be permanently removed, but that would not be ideal. The solution I came up with is shown in the following figures.



Looking down at the modified front bracket from above:



The custom bracket consists of several parts as shown below. First, I cut off the end of the mount on the front of the OEM bracket with a dremel cut-off wheel. This leaves two stubs about 3/4" long (see photo further down in post; paint exposed metal ends with aluminum-colored Rustoleum paint ). The piece I cut off is shown in the left of the drawing below. It is not used again. It is replaced by the aluminum piece to its' right in the drawing, which is longer and curved to extend beyond the end of the plastic cover above the headlight and then angle up. It contains two 5 mm tapped holes for two 5mmx12mm allen head screws that are used to attach the angled piece to its' right, which together with the flat plate above it, are used to sandwich the cut two stubs that remain on the OEM front mount using a 8mmx15mm button head bolt (shown above flat plate; mine is a torx head). The black block is black nylon (delrin; from McMaster Carr) and used as a decorative cover to hide the screw heads on the assembled cracket.



Here is the extension plate in cross section. It is made from a 1/8" thick aluminum angle stock (for the 90 degree bend) that is then bent in a vise to make the shallow bend of the curved section on the left.



Here is the lower plate that sandwiches the stubs on the OEM bracket. It is also fabricated from 1/8" thick aluminum angle stock. I used a file to round the upper surface to match the underside of the stubs (which are slightly curved).



Here is a picture of the two stubs (about 3/4" in length) that remain when you cut off the rest of the front mount on the OEM bracket.



Here is a picture of the assembly on the bike, but without the delrin cover.



Here is a picture of the back of the delrin block. You can cut the basic shape easily with a bandsaw and round the corners on the front faces with emory cloth to give a nice matte black finish. I milled out cavities on the back to provide clearance for the screw heads on the plates this piece mounts onto. I used a milling machine, but these cavities could also be easily put in with a Dremel and bit. I attached the block to the plate with Permatex Super Weatherstrip adhesive. This stuff really holds it on tight; no danger of falling off.



This shows the height of the front of the touring shield from the headlight. After cutting off the end of the front bracket I rode the bike with the windshield only attached by the rear two bolts. You can then rotate the windshield by hand back toward you until you find the right angle for minimum air turbulence. Then get off the bike and measure this distance from the inner chrome rim on the headlight to the bottom of the shield with a tape measure. Fabricate your bracket so that it reproduces this height. Mine is at about 3 1/4 inches. The nice thing about this design is that if you want to change the height, you change the smaller right angle bracket, not the whole lower bracket.



I am working on some mechanical drawings of the parts with dimensions and will post them as soon as they are finished. Of course you will have to modify the dimensions to your desired height of the shield, but they should get you started.

[Newportcycle]

Nice job mate. Thanks for posting please keep us informed to your progress.

[David R]

Truly professional work.

David

[AncientMariner]

Thanks for posting, Neuro Rider. The method is brilliant and your pictures do the project justice.

Couple of questions: Did this work out as planned? What shield are you using? Could you have done this without cutting off the end of the bracket (although it probably wouldn't have looked as sweet)?

Bruce

[Neuro Rider]

Bruce,
In answer to your first question, yes it worked out as I planned, in the sense that I was able to mount the windshield at the angle that I found through direct testing (as explained in my post) to minimize turbulence when riding in the 0-65mph range. My height is 5'10" and, with the standard comfort seat and the standard OEM touring shield, the 3 1/4" windshield-to-headlight height shown in my last photo is what was optimal for me. I am quite happy with the noise and turbulence reduction. I only have the touring windshield and thus I only tested it with that shield.

If you want to keep the plastic cover over the headlight installed and unmodified, it would not be possible to mount the windshield at the height I used without cutting off the end of the front bracket. For reference, the distance from the cut end of the front bracket stubs to the plastic shield is about 3/4" on my installed system, while the length I cut off from the bracket is about 1 1/2". So it wouldn't work. But, it may be possible to make a cutout in the plastic cover, not cut the end of the bracket, and use some kind of spacer more like the DonC block; I decided not to pursue that method.

[deilenberger]

Neuro Rider (name?),

Did you give any consideration to bending the tabs on the windshield mount? When I looked at your photos that immediately occurred to me as perhaps also allowing the elimination of one of the added aluminum bits (the one that fastens to the windshield mount.)

Just thinking out-loud. I don't have one nor do I have one handy to look. It may be that the metal is too thick to easily bend (but a metal "break" or is that "brake"? might do it..)

[AncientMariner]

Neuro,

Thanks for the additional info. The bottom line is, something has got to be cut.

(Or, perhaps, as Don has pointed out, bent.)

I love windshield mods on my roasters.

Bruce

[betres]

Neuro,

Thanks for sharing your project. Looking forward to seeing the mechanical drawings.

[Neuro Rider]

Here are the mechanical drawings. Dimensions are in millimeters with the equivalent in inches in the subsequent parentheses.

For the lower bracket that extends out to the front of the headlight, first make the following piece using 1/8" thick extruded aluminum angle stock, which is used because of the 90 degree bend.



Then clamp the unbent end 15mm in a mechanics vise and bend the bracket about 56 degrees to produce the second bend. Check the fit on the bike and make appropriate adjustments for the right clearance with respect to the plastic cover over the headlight. Mine has a few mm clearance between the ends of the bracket and the cover.



The upper L shaped bracket is also cut from 1/8" extruded aluminum angle stock. As shown in the photo in the original post, round the top surface that clamps the windshield frame using a file to fit the curvature of the underside of the "stubs" .



The windshield "stubs" are clamped (with an 8mm bolt) between the above bracket and the top plate shown below:



The cover is made from black delrin. It can be easily cut in a bandsaw. As shown in the photo in the original post, use a dremel and bit to carve out pockets in the back of the block for clearance of the screw heads. Then attach with Permatex Super Weatherstrip adhesive.

[Neuro Rider]

Don E,
In answer to your question about making the mount simpler by bending the original front mount on the OEM bracket, yes, I think there are possibilities to that approach. The front mount has a curved cross section, so it would need to be flattened in a vise before bending. Also, it might require a torch to bend the steel in order to avoid breaking it off at the welds onto the main windshield frame. It might also need to be shortened somewhat after bending to avoid hitting the headlight. But in general I think that approach could also be taken.

Neuro Rider

[betres]

Neuro rider,

thanks again for taking all this time and effort in posting the pictures and drawings and i am really looking forward to getting on with this in a couple of weeks. betres

[poperr]

I thought I would share this simple solution. I cut a 1/2" diameter PVC pipe into 1 1/2" sections and then cut the windshield end at a 15 degree angle to match the angle of the windshield. I put a washer in each end to keep it centered and got longer bolts. According to my wife it has just about totally eliminated the buffeting. Total cost was less than $5

Hopefully the picture posts with this, otherwise I'll try again.

[poperr]

[poperr]

[dbrick]

Very nicely done, poperr.

[roger l]

Yes Popper that is a very simple and elegant solution to the problem of tilting back the windshield. I know that I tried many different height "Don C" blocks when I was working with my windshield. This is a much simpler approach. Good Job.

Roger L

[deilenberger]

Popper -

Bringing this thread back to life a bit.. I played with mine (on the "new" R12R - an '12) last night, with spacers (somewhat shorter then yours) and my Cee-Bailey screen.

Am I correct in assuming that you had to drill new mounting holes in the screen?

It looks like you have a CalSci screen. I was somewhat involved in the development of the screen, and worked with Mark on it - pushing it out at the bottom as you did was what worked with it. Before that it had fairly awful turbulence.. I didn't bother keeping that screen on the bike since it was way more screen then I like (I like air around my head - I don't like turbulent air. The C-B short #1 screen gives me clean air right at about eye level when it's tilted back a bit..)

BTW - nice color bike..

[deilenberger]

The idea of moving the bottom screw point out gave me an idea for a somewhat simple goober (tech-term) to move the bottom out without having to drill new holes in your shield.

Anyone have access to a milling machine and a few lumps of aluminum or some engineering plastic? I have a drawing (cartoon) that outlines the idea..

[deilenberger]

Just an update - thanks to someone here on the forum, I have a sample set of spacers in hand, and intend to install them tomorrow (have to tap a hole in each one, requiring visiting a friend with some metric taps.) The design appears as if it will work, and is simple, and applicable to ANY R1200R windshield using the BMW Touring shield mount.

Pics and a drawing will be appearing shortly..

[dbrick]

What happened to your icon?