Rockster Windshield?

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R65_Steve
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Rockster Windshield?

Post by R65_Steve »

My Rockster came with a little smoke colored screen from Laminar. Good for most riding, but at 70+, it's a tad windy for me. Thought about maybe the "sport" screen from Parabellum, but wanted to see what everyone else is using. I figured I could swap out if I'm planning an "epic" ride on the interstate.
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Re: Rockster Windshield?

Post by kirby »

Done the big BMW rockster screen and it was good, but now with the wunderlich one. Don't know it they still sell but it was a TUV approved (German DOT) and German manufactured. 150K miles and I have their little wing on top. Its perfect for me.
The screen is about 12" tall and very adjustable thick plastic and high quality..not cheap.

FWIW
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Re: Rockster Windshield?

Post by sykospain »

If it isn't a brakes thread on a biking forum, it's a windscreen thread.

BMW Motorrad in the 70s launched the ill-fated C1 scooter after their wind-tunnel expertise of several decades proved to them beyond any doubt that there is no really effective solution on a high-speed motorbike to the inherent wind noise and buffeting issues.

Fact is, if you go fast, you need excellent ear protection and a firm grip on the bars. The wind rush will press on your chest, arms and helmet and in extreme cases will knock you about or give you a head-shake like an orbital sander. That's the way it is.

I speak from 40 years' biking experience and after the purchase and discarding of around ten different major-brand so-called "touring windscreens", all claiming to offer a calm and quiet air pocket when riding at, approaching, or above the legal limit.

There is no complete solution except perhaps by riding the enormous 6-cylinder monster of a BMW touring bike on which you sit behind a barn-door of a screen listening to rock music on loudspeakers.

So don't follow in my footsteps by throwing money away on any products from Givi, Puig, MadStad, National Cycle, MRA, and all the rest in your search for nirvana.

You're on a bike, thank Goodness, not in a car.....
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Re: Rockster Windshield?

Post by kirby »

You forgot oil!
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R65_Steve
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Re: Rockster Windshield?

Post by R65_Steve »

sykospain wrote:
There is no complete solution except perhaps by riding the enormous 6-cylinder monster of a BMW touring bike on which you sit behind a barn-door of a screen listening to rock music on loudspeakers.
Not looking for a complete solution, just when I turn the wick up a bit for the Interstate, a little protection would be nice.
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Re: Rockster Windshield?

Post by kirby »

OK I agree with Sky in principle..he's right.

Having said that I have found a compromise to no screen.
The wunderlich shield is about 10" tall and shaped like the head light fairing on the bottom tapering to about 9" on top. Add the wing which is 9.5" wide on top and the whole thing is around 14" depending on where you set it.(adjustable).

What it does is keep your chest area free of wind blast (and rain to some degree) and the wing and shield can be slanted to provide smooth air or divert it to the very top (in my case,6'4") of the helmet, or over in some cases.

I'm a long distance type and this system to me is well worth the cost. I also tend to ride fast.

Maybe to high $$ for your needs but works well for me.

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Re: Rockster Windshield?

Post by sweatmark »

Man, I hate turbulence.
Made 2 trips to Denver this year, on Rockster (no windscreen) and K1300 (MRA flip-up screen). Except for certain headwind and crosswind conditions, the Rockster "cap" turbulence hits me mid-chest. That K screen's turbulent eddy aims imperfectly at shoulder/chin height (same location due to the committed forward lean), and the relentless buffeting sucks. I'm going to hack inches off that screen Lorena Bobbet style to move the boundary layer, then modify accordingly.

The best, quietest, most comfortable riding position I've experienced is aero-tuck on Rockster. Requires flat (mostly) straight road and balanced (left/right) wind drag on bike + rider. Set throttle lock, grab the top front edge of tank behind front subframe, and lean over tank. Turbulence remains under chin, and arms streamline the rest of air. Rode 300 miles this way across NV/UT in pure Moto bliss.
Rockster#2, K1300S, S1000R (for sale)
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Re: Rockster Windshield?

Post by kirby »

Turbulence/buffeting.
My setup produces very little of either but gives me relief from the wind while drowning along on the highway at speeds. I regularly do 10+ hours a day and its a must to have that protection from the wind and elements which are quite fatiguing.

I have even removed the "wing" on top of the screen and tilted the screen back for track days and it was great.

Just enough coverage to relieve the pressure on the body and put most of the bugs/debris over my helmet screen.

Noise?...good ear plugs..essential!

This kind of quality and adjustability comes at a high price?(relative), but is worth it to me. About 150K on this setup w/o problems.

The op asked for ideas..
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Re: Rockster Windshield?

Post by riceburner »

kirby wrote:You forgot oil!
"Like".

:D
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Re: Rockster Windshield?

Post by riceburner »

My system of the little "flyscreen" above the eyebrow worked perfectly*. It raised the windblast up to shoulder level (from mid-chest), and left my head in the "clear" wind blast.


(Don't have any very good photos unfortunately)
Image


It was an old Arai visor with the excess protrusions cut down. The screen was glued to the eyebrow with industrial strength sticky-pads (it never came loose in about 10years of riding in all weathers and speeds).

If I ever bought another Rockster (which I'm tempted to do tbh), I'd do exactly the same again, just with a dark visor, not a clear one!


* for me. ;)
Non quod, sed quomodo.

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kirby
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Re: Rockster Windshield?

Post by kirby »

Mine is the same color...very nice, maybe a solution that the op is looking for.
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Re: Rockster Windshield?

Post by sykospain »

This is the so-called "universal touring" screen code 610 by Givi. It gives me some protection at normal speeds but is entirely useless at 100kph onwards.

https://postimg.cc/image/sd2ov8iit/

This is the French "SecDem" barn door of a screen on my wonderful, now-UK-based automatic-transmission NC750 Honda. Much better than the screen on the Rockster, but makes you look like your selling ice-cream from the bike. But at 140kph there's no noise or buffeting. Because since this foto. I fitted a Puig air-deflector tot he top edge. Shoots the wind over the top of my helmet.

https://postimg.cc/image/t9zguj8zp/

Be honest though, this is what's needed. Not fast, and not ugly....

https://s26.postimg.cc/ovuzoxt2h/Scooter_Girl_a.jpg
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Re: Rockster Windshield?

Post by Photoguy »

sykospain wrote:
Be honest though, this is what's needed. Not fast, and not ugly....

https://s26.postimg.cc/ovuzoxt2h/Scooter_Girl_a.jpg
Nice...but what kind of tires are those? :lol:
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Re: Rockster Windshield?

Post by sykospain »

She doesn't appear to have a spare tyre......slim enough. I bet she last had breakfast in 2008.

Here's my other favourite scooter girl - seen in a traffic jam last April on a high street in Almería...

https://postimg.cc/image/98yzuocsl/

Image
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Re: Rockster Windshield?

Post by kirby »

One time in Rome I was trying to make way thru horrid traffic (is there any other kind in Rome) on a Duc 916 and had my ass kicked good by a little girl like that on a tiny wee scooter!!

Couldn't get around her!!!

Man she went thru places I wouldn't even try to walk thru!!!

Bravo!
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Re: Rockster Windshield?

Post by InvisibleOrdinary »

My bike came with the bmw touring screen, which was fine - I never used it on any long rides since I removed it after about 2 weeks... but it might be good to add here that if the buffeting is your issue, I have had better results from a better helmet than any windscreen (although take that with a little salt, since I currently don't have a windscreen on my rockster, and really don't want one). Although, it's a more expensive solve…

But to illustrate my point, i went from an older arai vector (might have been 1, but I think 2) to an arai signet and the improvement - in lack of buffeting, even at let us say clear of the OP's wish of 70mph - was significant… and overall comfort was much better, even during day-long rides (longest I remember was around maybe 8+ hours on the bike with stops for gas & food). Obviously, the improvement was the aerodynamics, but also the fit to my head (and the new pads)

Cheers

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Re: Rockster Windshield?

Post by Maitre »

ZTechnik - Rockster Lexan FMR Polycarbonate Windshield Z2335
www.ZTechnik.com
It's the tall one, a 20-minute job to put it on.
I like it a lot.
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Re: Rockster Windshield?

Post by Tigcraft »

If it’s any use and I know it’s a little late to post, I use a Givi 610 universal recomended by sykospain and it does the job well enough. I rode my modern bonneville with no screen a few days ago and it was freezing in the wind, put it back in the garage and took out the Rockster as it’s a far warmer ride!!
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Re: Rockster Windshield?

Post by sykospain »

I like the look of Maitre's Z-Technik screen - never seen that one before and it's specific to the Rockster.
The main advantage being it's securely fixed via the side cowl bolts, thus tidying up the handlebar where my Givi 610 is clamped. With BMW OEM handguards also on the bar, it's very crowded.

But the Z2335 doesn't seem to be any taller than the Givi and is quite a lot dearer, plus for me here in Spain, there'd be the Madrid Customs pickpockets to contend with, the uniformed guys at the airport demanding a large contribution to their annual Holiday Fund by ransoming the package until you cough up the requested "import tax".
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Re: Rockster Windshield?

Post by Tigcraft »

@syko, thought it was only the uk that was Rip Off Britain??
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