RIDING NAKED ... but flexible

[TAL2GK]

I prefer to ride naked. This IS a naked motorcycle, after all. I just think the looks of the bike are 100x better without a windshield and the majority of my riding is non-highway, 1-2 hour duration rides ... so its doable. Its all I've EVER done on my R1100R ... but I limit my highway rides because of the windblast and effort takes its toll on you if you're going any kind of distance.

So as I set to upgrade to an R1200R, are there effective windshields out there that are relatively easy to put on and take off regularly? Since I've never had a winshield, I haven't the slightest clue. Ideally I'd leave the bike naked all the time, but if I was planning any kind of longer distance ride I'd head to the garage and put the windshield back on.

Possible? I have no doubt ... but is this plausable? Is it something I can do in 15 minutes or will the constant installation and uninstallation cause eventual degredation of the shield mounts and/or be too big a PITA to realistically do?

Thanks!

[Mollygrubber]

You can mount the BMW touring screen/hardware in about 2 minutes, maximum.

As to longevity of the fasteners, I think it depends mostly on how careful you are, and how well you observe proper torque of said fasteners.

'Effective' is subjective. The touring screen works OK for some people, and is a good place to start as you'll have mounting brackets that work with other aftermarket screens (Cee Bailey for example).

It's all a grand adventure from there on out...

[Boxer-Lust]

Just get the sport-windshield from BMW and your "problem" is solved.
Enough windblast to have quiet clean air at your helmet without too much noise or buffeting and good looks because it fills in the gap between the headlight and instruments nicely.
Looks really good in tinted especially on a black bike...
The one from Z-Technik in comparison I would ride naked too.Barn-door looks and buffeting/loud noise...
The BMW touring shield in comparison takes away from the looks and creates more turbulence/noise so that BMW put the "sports"-shield on their "touring package"...
You also could take the MRA windshield which of very good OEM quality.
It's 2-piece vario-screen is very quick to adjust or top part comes off to go from naked to sport to barn-door...

[Bodes]

I am on my second R1200R by choice, & have done over 60,000ks on the two since 11/07. I am 6 foot tall so that makes these experiences subjective to my size.

On the first R1200R I tried the taller OEM shield. Copped the buffeting straight into the top of my visor - did my head in and I didn't like the look. Got rid of it.

Then I got the OEM sport-shield. Buffetting around neck / bottom of helmet and noisy even with earplugs. Cut down the OEM sport-shield to top of instrument binnacle, buffeting now toward upper chest but still an updraft to helmet. Still buffeting & noisy. Got rid of it.

Now the cleanest air with no buffeting. Allright it can get chilly in winter without 'chest protection' but you just stick a newspaper inside your jacket and that's sorted. Can also get tiring on a long trip (just did a 1,000k trip with only petrol stops) but the trade off is you have an incidental cruise control because it becomes hard work over about 140 k's (87 mph).

Now the bike looks at its best, I get the cleanest quietest air and I won't have to spend another cent on shields.

I'm stoked.

[snag]

Windshields discussed ad infinitum here, you don't even have to do a search. They are a completely personal choice, what works for one may not work for someone else. This is, without a doubt, the most contentious R1200R topic/issue; have fun finding your own solution (meant in a good way). I have the BMW sport (in black on a black w stripe bike, looks marvelous), BMW touring and a 20" Cee Bailey. Each has its own use. For me, the sport shield in no way detracts from the naked look IMHO.

Good Luck!

Doug

[GOTJ]

Check out this National Cycle Flyscreen. There are several other options of varying heights, widths, and mounting methods. One system has a no-tool removal mount. I haven't tried any of these or even seen them but some of them look promising.

http://www.nationalcycle.com/catalogue/Flyscreen.shtml

[Kieran R1200R]

I just spent nearly $400 on BMW bracket and 16'' Cee Bailey screen, put it on last night and went for a ride today. I am 6 foot tall and it is the noisiest thing I have ever encountered on a motorcycle, it's ''crap, crap, crap'' Oh did I mention it's crap.
I'm taking it off and not having one. It's too much of a expensive exercise to keep trying to find one. I tried it at every speed up the 140km and still noisey.
I'll brave it and go naked.
Oh by the way, 1 brand new screen and bracket for sale!!

[Mollygrubber]

I have just bought the same screen, and find it very noisy as well. The vibration at highway speeds actually hurts my teeth! It is in the stock position, and I will take Don's advice and tip it back to try and find his elusive 'sweet spot'. Failing that, I'm putting the BMW tall screen back on for the time being.

Obviously we are still looking for the solution here...

[gbagen]

I have just tried the V-Stream 18.5 inch, the V-Stream 21 inch and the V-Stream 21 inch with Laminar Lip. Totally wasted hundreds of dollars. I was just as happy with the little BMW Sport shield. And, the mounting of the V-Stream bracket was a real pain. Frustrated ? You bet.

[Motorcycle_Girl]

I can't add much more to the exisiting thread other than to say that I really do prefer my bike naked....Windshields NO sir I do not like them

I do not ride for extensive periods on the highways. I find the highway boring...using it when I need it but try to find the road less travelled for the most part. I do ride long distances in a day 8 hours of riding is not unusual for me. I have gone on week long and longer trips on my old Honda Nighthawk as well as my R1200R with no real fatigue problems...perhaps being short I tend to have less of my upper body flapping the the wind then some of you...

My two cents...Riding Naked and loving it!

Celeste

[RonR]

My two cents...Riding Naked and loving it!

+1 to that. I have been riding behind a Parabellum Scout fairing w/ 20" wind screen for the past 16 months. Took it off two days ago to have it painted along with my system case lids (gloss black w/ clear coat) as it has acquired a few dings along the way.

I have had no complaints with the Scout. It provides very good protection and generates minimal noise and buffeting. (At some point I'll probably get a 22" screen; when I lower my head just a couple of inches behind the 20" things get really quiet. So a 22" should be perfect for my next long trip.) However, for all its benefits, I now realize by way of comparison that it has a negative effect on handling. Not from weight; it weights less than 5 pounds. Not from side winds or passing big rigs; it's rock solid. But in the course of doing what it's made to do, deflect air flow, it makes the R's steering feel heavy.

Yesterday I took a quick run on my now naked R up to Griffith Park Observatory, down Sunset Blvd., and up the Pasadena Freeway to home and...I have just fallen in love, again. Wind blast was no problem; the air temp was around 80 F and I had on my perf'd summer jacket. All good. And the handling was magical, just as it was when I was lured into this relationship almost two years ago by a vixen loaner provided by that pimp dealer who was servicing my '05 RT.

Will I dump the Scout? No, for protection on my long journeys up and down the California and Oregon coasts it's just right. But I will ride naked on my local runs around SoCal. Installing the Scout, after you've done it once, takes about 30 minutes. Removal takes about half that, most of it spent fitting the headlight back into its brackets and adjusting its aim.

So with the R it is possible to have it any way you like it.

[Rocket]

I agree with Snag - it's a personal choice.

Regarding Mollygrubber's experience, I must admit, I never had a screen that hurt my teeth . Sorry mate, but that comment made me laugh....good visualisation how bad that screen is!

My bike came with the touring screen and it seems fine to me (except in a strong head wind at high speed - too noisy so have to slow down,... teeth OK though)

[Kieran R1200R]

I have to agree with it changing the handling. I too experiance the steering heavy with the screen on.

[Bilo]

I'm new to the site and I appreciate all the posts on the windshields. I am the owner of a 2007 R1200R. When I boiught this bike it came with a 18" C Bailey windshield. I couldn't believe all the noise and buffeting. Chest protection was good. Everything else was in my face. I wear a half , and 3/4 helmet. I live in NYS and it's startinng to get cold. Today I installed the C Bailey 20". This was much better, but could still be improved. I think that we should report the following information when we critique a windshield.
my bike-R1200R
Seat- Standard
Height- 5'11 3/4
inseam-30
sleeve size-34-35
Helmet 1/2& 3/4
test temperature 66 degrees
C-Bailey 18-NG
C-Bailey 20 Good Include any other variables Bill P

[Lost Rider]

Just get the sport-windshield from BMW and your "problem" is solved.
Enough windblast to have quiet clean air at your helmet without too much noise or buffeting and good looks because it fills in the gap between the headlight and instruments nicely.
Looks really good in tinted especially on a black bike...
The one from Z-Technik in comparison I would ride naked too.Barn-door looks and buffeting/loud noise...
The BMW touring shield in comparison takes away from the looks and creates more turbulence/noise so that BMW put the "sports"-shield on their "touring package"...
You also could take the MRA windshield which of very good OEM quality.
It's 2-piece vario-screen is very quick to adjust or top part comes off to go from naked to sport to barn-door...

Have you personally used all the screens you have such profound insight to?

[redwing]

[quote="TAL2GK"]I prefer to ride naked.
Hey... ain't you cold???

I am looking at the Parabellum windshield. For $200.00 I think it might be right. I emailed Parabellum and they said the shield weighed 6 lb. ??? maybe they thought I was asking about the Scout. RonR said his Scout Fairing was about 5 pounds. If I could get the Scout for two hundred I'ld get that instead.
I want something for riding at highway speeds although the wind doesn't seem to bad except when I turn my head; but the cold kills me so I'm thinking windshield. Under 70 and it's all good. My Bell Apex helmet is noisey too. The visor leaks bad. But on the plus side my teeth don't hurt.
There is so much conversation in the forum about windshields I really don't have a clue.
I have not read anything bad about Parabellum....except that some folks don't like the looks.

Robert

[AncientMariner]

Parabellum lists two windshields in addition to the Scout fairing. One is a rather large replacement shield using BMW mounts that doesn't look as though it has anything special except size compared to Cee Baily, for instance.

The other one is the Parabellum Sport Shield which comes with its own mounting hardware. It covers down about 2" below the center of the headlight and looks as though it may help with the wind blowing up through the gas tank. It also rakes back, about 20 - 30 dgrees from the vertical. Both of these features, plus the $219 price for the complete package, make it look like a very promising solution.

When I did search on the Parabellum Sport Shield, I think I came up with three riders who have installed that shield and are happy with it.

For the moment, this is all academic for me. I still have five weeks until my build date. Then I can play with real money.

Bruce

[deilenberger]

The other one is the Parabellum Sport Shield which comes with its own mounting hardware. It covers down about 2" below the center of the headlight and looks as though it may help with the wind blowing up through the gas tank. It also rakes back, about 20 - 30 dgrees from the vertical. Both of these features, plus the $219 price for the complete package, make it look like a very promising solution.

When I did search on the Parabellum Sport Shield, I think I came up with three riders who have installed that shield and are happy with it.

For the moment, this is all academic for me. I still have five weeks until my build date. Then I can play with real money.

Bruce

Well - you could order the Parabellum and have it shipped to me. I'd test fit it for you and evaluate it against the other 6 windshields I own..

It's a dirty job, but since I'm a nice guy..

[AncientMariner]

Don,

Thank you for your kind offer. Family tradion precludes me from spending any money on the "new one" until it has arrived.

The other issue is that we have slightly different dimensions and what works for you may not work as well for me. That being said, if you got a PSS and were happy with it, I would be encouraged to give it a try myself.

Bruce

[caprug]

I'm comfortable with the Parabellum that mounts to the BMW Touring frame. I added automobile door guard to the top to break the laminar flow. The windshield measures 18" from top to head light cutout. I'm 6' tall.