BMW R1200R R1150R/T F800 K1200R R1100R/T R1250R RnineT Message Board

Purchased the MRA VarioScreen from Twisted Throttle. This appears to be the same VarioScreen that Wunderlich sells, but at a lower price.

http://www.twistedthrottle.com/trade/pr ... w/932/343/

Total was 164.99(Windshield) + 45(mount) = 209.99 +SH.

The Wunderlich version is 199(Windshield) + 125(mount) = 324 + SH. The mount Twistedthrottle sells is a universal mount, I believe this is different from the Wunderlich version.

As covered before, the Windshield allows for vertical adjustment. The mount also allows for angle adjustment.

I've given this shield a test ride and so far the results have been better than the loud ZTechnik I had been using. I'm going to tweak the angle and height over the next few days to see what kind of results I can get.

Pictures below:
Side angle

Front:

Universal mounting kit:

I like the looks of that windscreen. I don't like the looks of most I see.

Mark

How did you like it yim4? Looks nice...

Was this easy to install?
Thanks,
jeff

Installation was fairly easy. There are to brackets that mount on to the handlebar, after that it is mostly fiddling with positioning the shield (the distance the windshield is installed from the bike can be adjusted a bit). The instructions are unfortunately not that good, but it is pretty easy to figure out by looking a the pictures/diagram.

As for how I like it, still playing around with the angle/heights/distance. I'll post my conclusions later.

Celticus, I like the look also. Looks much sleeker than the ZTechnik I had before.

Would you fill out the windshield survey.
There isn't any data about a MRA VarioScreen.

Link to fill out.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=V ... 63fw_3d_3d

Link to view results.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/sr.aspx?sm= ... X3Vq95U_3d

How is the height adjusted? Do you have to unscrew anything? In the top photo is the WS at the top , lowest, or medium height. Looks nice! thanks for posting.

Height is adjusted by two thumb screws, you can see them in the third picture. I've adjusted this while riding, but I don't recommend it...probably not the safest thing to do.

The top picture I believe is the full height of the shield, the middle picture I can't remember. The height adjusted range is around 2 inches.

Hi there, have you had a chance to try out the screen enough to give an impression?

I've tried the little sport flyscreen, the BMW touring screen, way too loud, CALSCI 21 inch screen and the Cee Bailey 18 inch. The Sport screen didn't have enough coverage, the touring shield was too noisy, the california scientific gave me a turbulence at the back of the head that drove me crazy. The Cee Bailey's is definitely the best soo far but still has buffeting.
I'm 5 foot 6 with around a 28 inch inseam.
I'm thinking of trying out the Vario and now that I've seen the price you just posted I'm REALLY thinking of trying it out.

I think, in my case, the problem with the other screens is the angle, they hit the wind like a barndoor and it creates a loud wind surrounding my head, I'm used to sportbikes and think this Vario might do the job.

Please let me know.

Al.
08 R1200R that I really enjoy.

Hi,

I've used it for a few thousand miles and can say that I like it. I've found that the most important feature is the ability to adjust the rake. I loosened the screen just enough so that if I could adjust the rake while riding, and tested it out on around 80mph. The screen can go from extremely turbulent to not very solely dependent on the angle.

With the angle steeply adjusted towards me, I can get my head in clean air. With the angle adjusted the other way, I can get the air to hit around my forehead (I'm 5'9).

The height adjustment is not as effective, I just leave it at the highest setting.

In the end I left the screen around 45 degrees, which provides for me a decent balance between turbulence and protection. I do still get some turbulence, especially in high wind conditions, but it is much better than my previous shield (Z-Technik).

All in all, a good windshield that suits my purposes. Not perfect by any means, but good enough for now.

Cool, thanks for such a quick reply.

I'll probably take a chance and buy it, if it works for someone who's 5 foot 9 it'll probably work for me.
Also, it'll probably take care of the low frequency buffeting I get from the other barn door like windscreens.

I'll report back after I've spent more money that I don't have (:

Al.

Al,

I'll just add to your confusion.. I have a solution that after about a month of riding with it I'm finally happy with (and I own 6 windshields for the bike, and have sold several others..)

I'm using the 18" Cee-Bailey in a modified BMW mount. One of our members here - in seeing something I'd written about changes in the performance of a CalSci shield depending on the angle (and other people also reported the same thing) had his BMW touring mount modified. The bottom fastening for the mount (which is a U shaped section that mounts to a semi-circular clip on the bike right above the headlight) - was removed and replaced by one about twice the distance from the frame (IE - the sides of the U were made twice as long.)

The result of this is to tip the windshield top edge back closer to the rider, and bring the bottom edge up a bit and out - so it's about even with the leading edge of the headlight.

Surprisingly to me - this seems to be a satisfactory solution, at least for someone 5'7" with a 27" inseam and a low seat. I have no turbulence now. Feeling around with my hand above my head at speed, it feels smooth at least 3-5" above the top of my helmet. I can crack open the shield on my Schuberth Concept-II helmet, and (1) it stays cracked open (2) it doesn't vibrate from turbulence. Major change over the performance with the standard mount. I never had a smooth faceshield cracked open with ANY other shield.

I think two things are happening with this modification (1) the angle of attack is better and the air streams off the top edge of the shield without creating vortexes (2) the larger opening at the bottom of the shield allows more air to come up inside the shield to break the vacuum created by pushing it through the air.

So - far I'm rather happy with it. I tried mounting my CalSci shield to it, but it wouldn't fit if I wanted my GPS to stay where it is (on a cross-brace on the top of the BMW touring mount.) I tried the MRA VarioShield I'd modified to use the BMW mount, and for some reason, it now hit the back of the instrument pod, preventing me from putting it on. Before - it just rubbed against it a bit, now it was a solid hit. No dice.

I originally tried the 16" C-B shield, it didn't work as well as the 18" for me, but did work much better than in an unmodified mount. It allows a bit more air than I like to hit my helmet. The 18" gives about the same wind protection in this modified mount as the 16" in a standard unmodified mount. I also own the 20" C-B shield and will likely try it as the weather gets colder.

One modification I had to make to the C-B shields is to black out the bottom edge. Since the bottom edge lines up right with the forward edge of the headlight - it picks up light from the headlight and worked like a light-pipe, the top edge of the shield was brightly illuminated at night, very distracting to me. (Think of the restaurant signs where they use glow-in-the-dark crayons..) I bought some U-shaped door-edging for car doors (in black) which has a bead of adhesive on it - and used that to black out the bottom edge. Works fine, light is no longer a problem.

Overall - I'm quite happy with it. I think I've found my solution.

The chap who modified the BMW mount had it done by a friend. He no longer is riding his R12R - and he very generously gave it to me to try. I promised to report on what I found, but I wanted to wait until I finally did a long ride in rain to report. Did that today for about 3 hours and it worked fine - the water coming off it DIDN'T hit my faceshield, so it passed the test. Thanks MUCH Doug!

I'll have to take a photo of the modification. I imagine others could get this done for a reasonable price, or someone could design a modified mount for where it attaches to the bike that accomplishes the same thing (perhaps a spacer behind the mount..)

Wow, thanks for the post,
Very interresting.
Actually, I'm about to modify my cut down Calsci shield and add an adjustable lip to see what that does.

I'm also going to look into what you just mentionned, makes perfect sense.

It's a great bike and I think that even with the aerodynamic battle of getting some quiet it's worth it.
Just makes me wonder why BMW can't get it right though since the 96 VFR in the driveway is perfectly silent at 200km/h. Mind you, sitting low with wind hitting me in the chest is how I'm used to riding so this sitting up position is a totally different aerodynamic thing.

Thanks,
I'll report back,
Al.

Look at the "Air Flow Control" thread - we may have hit upon something...

I also have the Vario screen, but it is slightly different from the others I've seen here. This was installed by the previous owner of my bike. At the time this was done there was no installation hardware available for the R1200R. I don't know which bike this hardware is supposed to be for, but it works well. When I first started riding with the screen there was a lot of wind noise, but I could duck down behind the screen and it was quiet. So I started raising the screen and testing, eventually I found this to be the best setting for me. The bottom of the screen is about four inches above the top of headlight. I always keep the adjustable top part of the shield up as high as it goes. This puts the top edge just under eye level when riding. It is nice and quiet behind the screen now, up to about 70mph. I can stand up to get my helmet into clean airflow, or just lean off to the side, and the noise becomes much louder. With crosswinds the noise increases, and with higher speeds the noise increases a lot. There is moderate buffeting, but it isn't enough to bother me. I'm pretty happy with it as is, but I don't understand why MRA made it so small and short.

Mr. Moderator, Please hunt down aabchuan and kill him or her.

Mark

So I went for a ride and tried out different sized tankbags. I hadn't used a tankbag since I'd bought the bike. Well wouldn't you know it, the buffeting was cut down to a level that made me comfortable. I was originally going to spend the money for a Parabellum Scout fairing but now I'm thinking I'll buy a vario and find a way to stuff the front of the tank in a safe way so I can still move the handlebars.
The buffeting really is coming from the tunnels in front of the tank, I wonder why BMW hasn't been called on this yet.

The rest fo the money I'll use to get a seat that's actually comfortable.

But that's for another topic (:

I'll let you know how the story ends.
Al.

It could be the tank bag is what is keeping the buffeting offn me. i almost never ride without a tank bag and I usually use the sport screen.

Mark

Well, I've done it, took a chance and have a Vario screen on the way, I'll let you guys how it works out.

If this one doesn't work out for me I'm already talking to my dealer for an F800ST test ride.

Results to come as soon as I've gotten the screen and broken speed laws in all provinces (:

Did you get a chance to test out the screen? Just wondering what your thoughts are.