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MRA Double Bubble Windscreen-Three Month Review.


magsz18

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Started riding the little FZ for about a week and a half now. Got this screen, plain version, on. I did only one ride without the screen at the beginning. So the difference is quite significant for me. First ride was tough. I kept wondering how I rode this last year lol. April is all windy here in DC. My average speed on daily commute on the freeway is 75mph. On the 'naked' ride, the wind pressure was making it almost hard to breathe plus 30 mph wind gusts tossed in, it was not fun. I didn't expect the little screen to make too much of a difference. But heck, it exceeded expectations!  
With the screen, my upper body is nice and relaxed and I am not holding onto the handle bar for dear life. I ride with my natural hunch, or bad body posture at 5'11, and the air hits just under my chin and up. A bit on the top of shoulders. Wind gusts just swirl around me, or so it feels like. All this is true till about 75mph. If I want to cruise at 80mph, gotta scoot back on the seat more and tuck in. I am partially deaf, so can't tell much about wind noise. I use a Shark helmet and haven't noticed any significant buffeting. All in all, a very good buy imo. And I really like the look of the 'plain' version :)
Great description and overview.
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ratherbebiking

Installed my Double Bubble a few days back and I am on the fence. While the air around my body is considerable smoother (i.e. not there) it now feels like all of the wind is hitting me right on the chin causing my helmet to bobble all over the place. At speeds up to about 80kph (50mph) it is great, above that I am almost leaning towards 'naked' being the smoother ride. I am 5'9" and 180lbs. Have a Shoei Quest helmet.

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Does your shoei fit properly?
 
I felt the same way back when i had a poorly fitting, too large of a helmet. Once i sized down and got the appropriately sized helmet that bobble head effect went away.

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ratherbebiking

Helmet is perfect. It isn't the helmet moving on my head, it us my entire melon being buffeted around by the wind. I can track it with my hand...no wind until my collarbone then it gets strong. Perhaps my neck is feeble but I notice it way more now than before the screen. Sure love the look tho.

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Unfortunately, nekkid will always be quieter and maybe even smoother as the turbulence is behind you instead of in front caused by whatever is now pushing the air about.
 
I'm all of 5'5" so I'm gonna sit closer and lower.
 
Try changing the angle of the screen just a bit. Go to the home store and buy some water faucet washers. They are hard rubber and about 1/8" thick. Loosen both upper and lower mounts and raise the bottom up with a washer each side. Guess you could do this at the screen or under the brackets at the headlight nacelle. With the angle tipped down a bit (try tipped up as well if that doesn't work) it might change where the wind hits you just enough to take away the bobble-head thing. .

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Im 6'0. I have a feeling that the windscreen is pushing the wind off of my chest and onto my shoulders. If you're shorter than me it would make sense that the air is being redirected right into your face.
 
Mind sharing how tall you are RatherBeBiking?

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ratherbebiking

I am 5'9". After another ride today these is more air hitting my chin area than before. It is also considerably louder. I love the look but am disappointed with results.

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Unless you have a big barn door in front of you (like in my avatar), a screen like this or one attached to a sport tour full fairing will always create more noise. This is still quieter than the air that came off my 82 R100RS, K1100RS BMWs and now my RST1000 Aprilia. Just comes with the territory.
 
Earplugs are wonderful things.

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ratherbebiking

Noise is OK. I wear custom plugs and can't imagine riding without them. Just need to figure the head buffeting. Cheers

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ratherbebiking

Ditched the windscreen for a ride tonight so I could compare. Yes, more torso wind pressure but zero head bobble and much less (additional) wind noise. I am beginning to think I am simply the wrong height for this screen. I will jump back and forth for a bit but might just cut off the top inch of the screen to keep the look but lower the wind contact location??

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It's a chunk of cash in what might amount to be a failed experiment, but you could try that X-Creen that MRA makes (see my post on P2). With it in the up position, it might direct the air high enough for you to get past that turbulence you're feeling. With it down, it might take that air that's going up just a tad too high and direct it back instead. The clamp-on one comes off easy enough. If I still rode in clod weather, I'd invest in one.
 
Unfortunately, my 30 + years of riding behind a short screens like this says w/o anything will always be quieter. I have to wear earplugs on my Futura. Before the MRA on the FZ, I could easily get away w/o the plugs. But with earplugs on the FZ before MRA, it was like silent running. Now, I'll be back to the plugs. It's a trade-off. I'd rather not push the wind.

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Its definitely loud and there is definitely wind being pushed into my helmet. However, as ive stated before, the wind is less turbulent so the head bobble or buffetting is greatly reduced.
 
That is the price we pay with a non adjustable windscreen, there is honestly, no one size fits all. One thing to keep in mind is that all of the "sport" screens, ie the givi, the puig, ermax, powerbronze and the MRA are roughly the same size so you're going to probably experience this issue with all of them. Jumping ship wont fix the issue unless you go to something like the Madstad or what Rick is suggesting.
 
Good luck bud!!

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I suggested before to try and tilt the screen to change the angle the wind comes off it.
 
It might be better to try and raise all 4 mounts up some to let airflow in underneath the screen. This might smooth the airflow that comes off the outer edges. Really might not take much. I have a box full of those hard rubber washers. i might give it a try and see how it behaves.

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ratherbebiking

Thanks for the thoughts everyone! Not my first bike but perhaps I had unrealstic expectations of this windscreen. Again, I love the look but the idea of deflecting wind was not to have it ALL thrown at my helmet which is what is happening. I am sure the issue is my height relative to the angle the windscreen moves the wind. I have tried adjusting the angle of the screen using washers to increase and decrease but I suspect the 1/4" of adjustment is not enough. Maybe moving the whole thing out a bit...love to hear if it works for you rick. I will keep tinkering before I do something drastic like lopping a inch of the top ;)
Cheers

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I have a chunk of this edging http://www.saeng.com/product.php?id=581&category=80 left over from installing on my Futura. It's not a huge effect, but it does soften the air coming off the screen. I gave it to a friend to try on his Duke's screen, but it would deal with the angle of the screen. I'll try to get it back this weekend and give it a try.
 
 

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Got a nice little ride in finally with the screen.
 
Yep, the wind noise is up, but I went in expecting this. It's still less the roar than what comes off of the Aprilia's screen. But it's not as quiet in my hat as it was for sure.
 
But I've got no head buffeting. The brunt of the air is hitting me just about collarbone high. In fact, if I raise up off the seat a touch, it's actually a bit quieter. Best of all, it's sure a whole lot more comfortable goin 70+ with that screen on. Got a whole box of ear plugs,. The noise just comes with the territory. 
 
Dunno what to say to help. I am a runt @ 5'5" and am not long-waisted. But still
 
So, the only thing I can think that's different for me (aside from altitude) is that I have hand guards. Who knows how they might affect overall airflow.
 
The other thing is the helmet itself. Some are caught by the wind more than others. At the risk of sounding like an Arai salesperson, (which I am not, my butt cheeks are still in spasm from the clinch that sticker shock caused) I've not owned another helmet that slid thru the air quite like this RX-Q, I now wear. Dunno how that comes to be, but I noticed it right from day one.
 
So maybe it's the hat???
 
 

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phicurious86
I suggested before to try and tilt the screen to change the angle the wind comes off it.  
It might be better to try and raise all 4 mounts up some to let airflow in underneath the screen. This might smooth the airflow that comes off the outer edges. Really might not take much. I have a box full of those hard rubber washers. i might give it a try and see how it behaves.
 
Headed to Home Depot today to pick up some washers. Will give this a try by raising up the back of the screen first (shoot the air angle higher) and then also raise the front if the first adjustment doesn't make much difference.
 
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ratherbebiking

Update: I spaced out the entire windscreen by about 1/4" and then added another 1/4" to the top so in the end the top of the screen is about 1/2" farther out. While it is still loud (er) that is manged with ear pro. My head bobble is happily gone until I get going too fast. At everyday speeds up to 60mph it is quite pleasant. Thanks for all the tips.
 
I am in Canada and got mine through Twisted Throttle .ca

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ratherbebiking

FYI...Avicious Cycle in Canada is Twisted Throttle (or at least their Canadian subsidiary). I waited about 6 weeks as the screen was back ordered. Happy times!

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Yep knew that. But shipping costs would have been ugly, so all I could do was just look and wait 3 + months for the guys in Rhode Island to have stock. I spent enough (4 items) there that I should have stock in the company, lol.

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